The Artromus's absence in the sky finally allowed what Elio had been waiting for.
Without wasting time, he ran toward the wind deposit, his heart beating with fear of what he would find there.
Upon arrival, creating and sealing an opening in the tunnel was a matter of seconds. The cores glowed around him while he emerged to the exterior, each one absorbed in his upward path toward the crater.
The winged salamander responded to his will, propelling him upward with precision. Without the Locus that previously plagued the area, the ascent was surprisingly easy.
But nothing had prepared him for what he found upon descending into the chamber.
Micah lay where he had fallen, his body motionless like a silent accusation. The absence of his head and book was like a second death, a final insult from the Artromus.
