The wind carried the scent of damp earth as Rey made his way down the dirt road leading to Ashwood after finishing his training with the second Celestial King.

The sun was dipping below the horizon, casting long shadows over the lifeless village. It had been two days since he left the last town, and he had expected Ashwood to be bustling with merchants and travelers.

Instead, silence greeted him.

The village was eerily empty. Shattered wooden carts lay abandoned in the streets. Doors swung open in the wind, creaking like whispers of ghosts. The only sound was the distant rustling of leaves and the occasional gust of wind.

Rey's hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword. Something wasn't right.

Then, a voice echoed from the shadows.

"Come. Staying at the surface is dangerous."

Rey spun around, scanning his surroundings. At the far end of the village, a dark tunnel yawned open beneath a collapsed building. A man stood at its entrance, his face half-hidden in the shadows.

"You must be a visitor," the man said. "Let me take you to the underground city."

Rey hesitated. The man's voice held no malice, but there was an urgency in his tone.

"Why do you call me?" Rey asked cautiously.

The man gestured toward the tunnel. "I will explain everything inside. The surface is no longer safe after sundown."

Rey narrowed his eyes. He didn't like walking into unknown situations blind, but the silence of the village felt unnatural. And he had no other leads.

With a deep breath, he followed the stranger into the tunnel.

The City Beneath the Ruins

The descent was long and winding. The tunnel walls were rough and damp, lit only by the occasional lantern hanging from wooden beams.

After several minutes, the path opened up into a cavernous space—an underground city, hidden beneath the ruins of Ashwood.

Buildings carved from stone lined the walls, connected by hanging bridges and staircases. Torches flickered in the darkness, casting golden light on the faces of weary villagers. The air smelled of damp rock and burning wood.

A nearby tavern bustled with people, the only place that seemed full of life. The stranger led Rey inside.

"Waiter, bring me four bottles of booze," the man said, dropping into a seat.

Rey sat across from him, watching as the drinks arrived. He didn't touch his.

"Now," Rey said, "tell me what's happening here."

The man took a deep swig from his bottle before setting it down with a heavy sigh.

"It all started with Seth Alexander," he said.

Rey leaned forward.