Chapter 56: Secret Cave

"Kyah!"

"Ugh!"

Raena and Jaun were hurled violently to the ground, the sheer force of the explosion knocking the air from their lungs as they landed hard against the unforgiving stone surface.

As the chaos around them began to settle, they blinked against the swirling dust, only to find themselves lying in a vast, open cave. Above them, a gaping crack in the ceiling revealed the night sky, stars twinkling eerily through the jagged edges.

Gasping for breath, Raena fought to push herself upright, her hands scraping painfully against the rough, uneven stone that formed the cavern floor beneath her. The sharpness of the stone bit into her palms, making every movement a reminder of the shock that had just transpired.

"Jaun... Jaun, are you okay?" she croaked out, her voice strained and hoarse. The words barely cut through the lingering echoes of the blast that still reverberated in her ears, mixing with the disorientation that clouded her thoughts.