It had been over two hours since Matthew and the others reached their secret base. Night had fallen over the mountain, but the world outside did not sleep. The caverns came alive with the growls and slithers of nocturnal beasts. Glowing eyes moved between the shadows of the rocks. Lava flows pulsed faintly in the distance like veins under skin, and the echoes of creatures scraping along the walls formed an eerie rhythm.
Inside, however, the sound was different. The only noise came from the faint hum of mana and the soft crackle of a conjured flame.
Thane sat cross-legged near the wall, his eyes half-lidded, watching his Celestial TV float before him. Aetherion's lecture filled the air like a low chant.
Ten hours were spent on this from Thane's perspective. Despite the high theories of the Body of Magic, Thane sat through it all.
