The rocky terrain stretched before them, a jagged labyrinth of stone and shadow. Taryn and Lucien moved with practiced stealth, their eyes scanning every ridge and outcrop for signs of the hidden Council outpost. The air was cold, biting at their skin, but neither seemed to notice. Their breaths fogged in the chill, vanishing almost as quickly as they formed.
Taryn crouched behind a boulder, her sharp gaze fixed on the landscape. Every shadow seemed to shift, every jagged rock a potential threat. Her heart beat steadily, a rhythm she had trained herself to rely on. "It's here," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lucien knelt beside her, his eyes narrowing as he followed her line of sight. At first glance, it looked like just another rock formation, jagged and unremarkable. But as he focused, the faint shimmer of magical wards flickered at the edges, betraying its true nature.
