Chapter 171: Onwards to the Cave
The dawn air was crisp, and a low mist still clung to the base of Elandra’s towering walls as Inigo and Lyra stood just beyond the city gates. There was no carriage. No horses. No hired drivers waiting with reins in hand. Just two people and an empty stretch of dirt road winding toward the northeast hills.
Inigo reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a folded black parchment, sealed with a wax insignia—gears and wings etched clean into the crimson surface. With a thumb, he cracked the seal.
A faint glow shimmered in the air around him as a translucent interface appeared—visible only to his eyes. He swiped through the selections with muscle memory more than thought, pausing at a familiar listing.
Summon: JLTV Tactical Vehicle — Confirm?
He tapped it.
A low hum vibrated through the air. The grass around them fluttered, not from wind, but from the sudden displacement of magic. Lines of light etched themselves onto the ground, sketching the form of a vehicle before it fully materialized. In seconds, metal shimmered into existence, tires dropped into place, and the unmistakable bulk of a JLTV locked into the real world with a mechanical thud.
The tan beast of a vehicle stood gleaming in the morning sun, already humming with latent power.
Lyra didn’t even flinch. She stepped forward, opened the passenger side door, and climbed in without a word. "Took you long enough," she said dryly.
Inigo smirked and followed her in. "Well excuse me for trying to make an entrance."
"Not the first time I’ve ridden in this monster," she said, buckling herself in. "Still not the most graceful ride."
"Graceful? No," Inigo agreed. He twisted the ignition switch and the engine roared to life, a deep guttural growl echoing across the countryside. "But reliable? Hell yes."
The JLTV rumbled forward, its massive tires crushing gravel as it picked up speed. Trees blurred past in streaks of green and brown as they made their way northeast along the old mining trail. The road became rougher as they gained elevation, but the vehicle’s suspension absorbed the terrain with ease.