The Inner Sanctum of the South Sea realm was a marvel of engineering and natural beauty that had been turned into a fortress of desperation. Built around the largest volcanic vent in Ao Qin's domain, the structure rose in spiraling tiers that channeled the superheated water into defensive barriers and power sources for the city's magical defenses.
Or it had been, before the battle. Now, as Grim and Lin approached through the thermal maze of the outer approaches, they could see that much of the Sanctum's elegant architecture had been shattered. Entire sections of the spiral structure had collapsed into the volcanic vent below, and the defensive thermal barriers flickered erratically, their power sources damaged or destroyed.
"The defenses are failing," Lin observed, noting how the thermal currents that should have created an impenetrable maze around the Sanctum were now chaotic and unpredictable. "Whatever Jiaolong did here, he broke more than just walls."
