Judgment Hour (VII)

Amid a cataclysmic tremor, the laboratory ceiling collapsed, while the room's walls shattered under the immense impact. Billowing dust spread through the narrow passageways in both directions, leaving everything within sight hazy and blurred.

Jasna lay pale-faced on the ground, sharp pebbles from the debris cutting bloody gashes across her beautiful face and arms as pale as lotus roots.

She had to get out of here and warn her father!

That thought had lingered in Jasna's mind ever since she saw Amosta Breen appear here. She knew that matters had reached the point of no return.

The Anti-Apparition Charm covering the area had been broken by Amosta's magic. Just as Jasna was about to Apparate away from this base, into which half a century of painstaking effort had been poured, a spear wreathed in golden flames suddenly shot through the rolling dust and slammed into the ground at her feet with a clang!

Before Jasna could react, the flaming spear rapidly transformed. Threads of fire extended from its shaft, and in the blink of an eye, a cage of flames had imprisoned her within.

"Stay there. Don't move."

Amosta's icy command came from behind the murky dust.

The scattered black sand mist had yet to gather again amid the dust, but the commotion had already drawn attention. A piercing alarm from the Howling Charm suddenly rang out through the deeply buried base, and people rushed in from every direction.

Amosta remained calm as he surveyed his surroundings. After taking in the base's general layout, he raised his wand, and flames poured from its tip like a golden torrent!

Rumble!

Under his effortless control, the golden pillar of fire easily pierced through layers of flooring, rock, and damp soil to reach the surface above. Then, surging flames rose into the sky