Esther and Samuel emerged from the tunnels several minutes later, covered in dust and grime, near the university quarry. The sky was still dark, pre-dawn, and the low, persistent vibration from the overloaded Stone was palpable.
The entrance to the Ogwumagala Caves was a deep, jagged mouth in the earth, concealed by overgrown shrubs and loose shale. It smelled of cold damp earth and raw minerals.
"The Pack rarely comes here," Samuel panted, still favoring his wounded shoulder. "It's too close to the Stone's energy source it makes the Change unpredictable. We have to be fast."
They entered the cave. The darkness was absolute, broken only by Samuel's phone flashlight. The air grew immediately cooler, the humidity clinging to their skin.
The tunnel twisted downward, the walls slick with mineral runoff. Esther's heart hammered against her ribs, but her focus was sharp. She knew the success of this mission hinged on her botanical knowledge and Samuel's brute strength.
"Fortune knows we need the crystal,"
Samuel muttered, shining the light onto the rough-hewn walls. "He could be waiting anywhere."
"He's injured," Esther reminded him, clutching the diary tight. "And he's arrogant. He'll want a dramatic, final confrontation."
They followed the winding path for what felt like miles. Suddenly, the path opened into a vast cavern. The light revealed walls that sparkled with strange mineral deposits.
In the center of the cavern, the air thrummed with raw magical energy. A massive, jagged crystalline cluster grew out of the cave floor shimmering with an internal, ethereal white light.
"The crystal," Esther breathed, holding up the diary to compare the structure to Madam Chinwe's diagram. "It has the exact density required. We need to chip off a large enough piece to form the Casket."
Samuel activated the flashlight's beam and began searching the ground for a tool. He found a heavy, discarded quarry chisel and a sledgehammer.
"I'll chip it," Samuel said, stepping toward the crystalline growth.
As he raised the hammer, a cold, mocking voice echoed from the shadowed ceiling of the cavern.
"How touching. The wounded wolf and his living battery, scrambling for a piece of rock."
Fortune dropped silently from a high ledge, landing lightly between them and the crystalline cluster. He was wearing a new, immaculate black silk shirt, but he was holding his left hand awkwardly behind his back.