The office remained silent after Aldric folded the letter.
Five days.
The words lingered in John's mind.
An expedition to the Ashen Peaks.
The same mountains that had appeared again and again throughout the ancient records.
The same place where one of the oldest surviving dragon scrolls had been recovered.
It couldn't be a coincidence.
John looked at Aldric.
"Who's organizing it?"
"The Royal Exploration Guild."
Aldric placed the letter on his desk.
"They're partnering with the Royal Library and the Academy."
"They intend to survey several ruins discovered after a recent landslide."
Miriam adjusted her spectacles.
"So they've finally decided to investigate."
"It seems so."
John's curiosity grew.
"Have they found something?"
"Not exactly."
Aldric replied.
"A merchant caravan reported seeing carved stone structures high in the mountains after part of a cliff collapsed."
"They couldn't reach them."
