Absolute darkness.
That was Renato's first impression after regaining consciousness.
There wasn't a trace of light, not even the faintest glow.
He lay on a cold, rough slab of rock. Every bone in his body felt broken, and pain battered his nerves like a surging tide.
Instinctively, he reached out beside him, his fingertips finding the cold metal hilt of a sword.
Thank goodness. The Silent Lady was still beside him.
The lack of light didn't hinder Renato's sight. Darkvision let him see his surroundings and understand his predicament.
He lay on a slanted boulder, surrounded by rubble and chunks of rock. The rock ceiling above him was low and cramped, almost touching the tip of his nose.
Where was he?
As his memories grew clearer, they came back in fragments: the ruins, the earthquake, the ground splitting open, the fall...
Just before losing consciousness, he had fortunately reacted in time to activate the Feather Fall scroll attached to his breastplate. Otherwise, he would surely have been smashed to pulp.
Though he wasn't dead, his situation was still grim. He had no idea whether the rocks overhead were stable, and he was wedged in a crevice, barely able to raise his head.
Had he been buried underground? Renato smiled bitterly. There were no rescue teams in this era. He would have to save himself.
After resting for a while to regain his strength, he began laboriously squeezing his way out. His plate armor scraped against the rock with a grating screech, and loose stones kept falling.
Fortunately, the crevice wasn't long. About ten minutes later, Renato finally freed himself.
The space before him suddenly opened up.
It was an enormous underground cavern with a soaring ceiling. Countless stalactites hung overhead, some joining the ground to form natural stone pillars.
It