Hajin followed the applicants out of the main hall into a subterranean corridor where ancient stone swallowed the echo of their footsteps.
The tunnel cut far deeper beneath the foundation than the guild's street-level frontage ever suggested to casual visitors.
Thick reinforced doors lined both masonry walls, each slab reinforced with protective barrier runes humming at a low, tooth-rattling pitch.
'The modest office above sells maps and regional permits, while the fortress below prepares for catastrophic incursions.'
'They deliberately kept the entrance unremarkable to discourage curious nobles and untrained opportunists.'
Allen walked at the head of the procession with his hands clasped behind his spine, his steady steps descending the gradual slope without hesitation.
His raspy voice carried backward through the vault without him ever bothering to turn his head toward the trailing applicants.
