章 577: INTO THE CAVE

AZAR'S POV

I stared down at the dark cave, my breath coming out in uneven puffs, the cold air biting at my skin. It had taken days to reach this point, climbing over jagged rocks and navigating the treacherous paths that had swallowed whole groups of explorers. And now I stood at the entrance, the weight of my decision pressing down on me.

The cave's mouth yawned open like a void, a maw that threatened to devour anyone foolish enough to step inside. I'd heard the stories—of the things that slumbered beneath the earth, of the powers that could be awakened with the right incantations, and the fool who dared to call them forth. Today, I was that fool.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" I asked without turning away from the cave, the darkness pulling at me like a silent invitation.