Chapter 196: Shadows and Light

Zendedari plunged into the labyrinth of tunnels with the swiftness of a phantom. Each step was a dance of supernatural grace, every sound a thread in the tapestry of his heightened senses. He heard the relentless drip of water, the distant roar of underground streams, and the eerie squeaks of bats darting through the darkness. But the one sound he longed for remained absent—the rhythmic pulse of life from the pools. The silence from Caitlin's resting place was suffocating, an oppressive void in the symphony of the cavern. As he reached the entrance to the steamy underground chamber, Zendedari froze. Caitlin lay motionless upon a cold rock, her body seemingly lifeless. His heart, usually as steady as the beat of a drum, faltered. His telepathic calls had met with silence. If Caitlin were lost to him, Randolf’s legacy of terror would continue unabated. Zendedari clenched his jaw, fighting back the surge of despair that threatened to overtake him. If she were truly gone, he would not le