An hour later, the streets of Yggdrasil had grown quieter.
Most citizens had retreated indoors.
Only guards, workers, and the occasional drunk remained outside.
Kai, Andre, and Akshay made their way toward one of the oldest sections of the city.
The deeper they went, the older everything became.
New stone gave way to weathered rock.
Decorations disappeared.
The roads narrowed.
The mountain itself began swallowing the city.
---
A rusted iron gate stood before them.
Two guards immediately straightened when they saw Akshay.
"Your Majesty."
Akshay nodded.
"Open it."
The guards exchanged glances.
One of them hesitated.
"Sir... are you certain?"
Andre immediately grinned.
"Oh this is gonna be fun."
The guard ignored him.
Akshay folded his arms.
"Open it."
The gate creaked as ancient mechanisms turned.
A cold gust of air escaped from the darkness beyond.
Kai felt it immediately.
The underground smelled different.
Damp stone.
Mold.
Old dust.
And something else.
Something unpleasant.
---
"After you, Your Majesty."
Andre made an exaggerated bow.
Akshay pointed toward the darkness.
"After you."
Andre's smile vanished.
"Damn."
---
The tunnel descended deeper into the mountain.
Torchlight illuminated the path.
Every footstep echoed.
The silence felt unnatural.
Even Andre had stopped joking.
For now.
---
Several minutes later, the tunnel widened.
Kai's eyes widened with it.
An entire district existed beneath Yggdrasil.