Chapter 449 - The New Battle Hint (3)

The cellar beneath the eastern barracks had once been a wine vault, its walls lined with thick clay shelves built to cradle dusty amphorae. Most of those jars lay shattered now, their sweet fumes long since dried into sour stains on the flagstones. Only the musky tang of old cork lingered, mixing with the iron scent of fresh blood and the sharp reek of spilled lamp‑oil. One crooked lantern swung from a ceiling hook, creaking with every sway and scattering ragged shadows that seemed to prowl the corners.