The descent through the southern ventilation shaft halted at the intermediate staging platform, where the air grew thick with ancient dampness.
Hajin sat cross-legged upon the dry rock ledge, closing his eyes to project his consciousness into the inner fragment sanctuary.
The dim subterranean platform dissolved into the familiar inner sanctuary, where streams of divine starlight flowed across the boundless floor.
At the center of the shimmering expanse, the radiant silhouette of the Goddess materialized, her form wrapped in cascading auroras of pale amber and white.
Yet beneath her serene radiance, a tremor of profound vulnerability rippled through her divine halo.
"You arrived at the threshold of the deep cradle, Hajin," the Goddess spoke, her voice carrying the resonance of distant silver bells.
"The trace of the stolen memories led us directly to the subterranean archive beneath the geothermal core," he answered, bowing his head in quiet respect.
