The sun climbed higher in the sky, casting harsh shadows across the desert landscape as the group trudged through the narrow canyon. The intense heat reflected off the rocks, making the air shimmer with an almost palpable weight. Despite the physical exhaustion and the tension that still hung heavy in the air after their narrow escape, they pressed on, driven by the knowledge of the relentless pursuit that followed them.
Ethan led the way, his sharp eyes scanning the rocky terrain for any sign of danger. His mind was racing, piecing together their next move. They had the scanned pages and the tome, but he knew it was only a piece of a much larger puzzle. The Assembly's reach was vast, and their resources seemingly endless. The battle in the archive had been just one skirmish in a much larger war.
