Outside the Underground Domain
The townspeople scrambled in terror as the dreadful alarm shattered the fragile silence of the night. Though the hour was late, the city teemed with desperate cries and hurried footsteps. Shadows darted through the streets, carrying what little they could salvage. Parents clutched their children tightly, shielding them from the fiery glow that illuminated the sky. Some stumbled and fell, their precious belongings scattering into the chaos. Behind them, the inferno spread relentlessly, devouring the Basilica and the nearby residential quarters.
Above, thick plumes of black smoke swirled into the heavens, blotting out the stars and casting an eerie pall over the city. The air reeked of burning wood, ash, and the sickly stench of charred flesh. Breathing became a challenge, each gulp of air tinged with acrid despair.
