The night was a blanket of deep, inky blackness, dotted only by the cold gleam of distant stars. The city of Cairo receded behind them, swallowed by the darkness as the small group plunged once more into the desert. The ancient sands seemed to shift and whisper underfoot, as if aware of the gravity of their mission.
Ethan took the lead, his eyes scanning the horizon, every sense alert to the dangers that might lurk in the unseen corners of the night. Morgana walked beside him, her steps still somewhat unsteady but her resolve ironclad. Alex and Rami followed closely, the latter clutching the Key as if it were a lifeline. The desert around them was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that presses in on all sides, making every sound seem amplified, every shadow more menacing.
"How far is this archive?" Ethan asked, his voice low.
