Deep in the Palace's underground labyrinth, where the commoners were tricked by the illusion of spring, was Malakor's Sanctuary. People often called this place a workshop, somewhere between natural science and alchemy. It was totally different from places Soren expected.
This chamber was a masterpiece of world-building, and it smelled strongly of old parchment, dried resin and the sharp tang of metal. Malakor was standing at the centre of his workspace, which was a bit of a mess with glass vials, burned vessels and ancient leather-bound notebooks detailing all kinds of poisons and magical preparations.
The huge stained-glass windows went all the way from the floor to the ceiling, and the light from the sun shone through them, making the place look a bit like a winter wonderland. The shelves were really heavy with amber potions and dark reagents, which are alchemical solutions that the Mother Tree uses to keep the North's marrow.
