The narrow mountain pass abruptly opened into a sprawling, ominous stone ravine . Jagged, black peaks rose sharply on all sides, forming a colossal natural amphitheater of raw rock and perpetual shadow. The atmosphere here felt unnaturally heavy, as if the very land held its breath, keenly watching the arrival of its guests.
Aegis stopped walking immediately, his senses screaming caution.
Bella halted precisely with him, her gaze sweeping the ominous surroundings.
"So, This is precisely where I calculated you two would eventually end up." a cheerful, deceptively light voice echoed from ahead, amplifying unnaturally in the confined space.
From atop a broken, monolithic stone pillar stepped a young man with short, neatly combed brown hair and an easy, disarming smile. He looked almost annoyingly friendly, dressed in simple, yet powerful armor etched with faint, glowing earthen runes.
