By noon, they reached a hollow sheltered by overhanging stone and brush. There, behind a curtain of fern and sandstone, the narrow mouth of a cave glimmered faintly, half hidden, almost shy of being found. The air that drifted from it was cool and damp, tinged with the scent of moss and something faintly sweet. “Treasure,” Rhoden murmured, eyes bright. “Trouble,” Raider replied. They entered the cave. At first, it was narrow, a corridor of stone and shadow that pressed close on either side. The air grew cooler, thicker, the scent of moss and time winding through the stillness. Sand sifted down from the ceiling in slow trails as they walked, and their hoofbeats echoed faintly like distant drums. Rhoden’s wings brushed the walls as he ducked low, his voice soft but still teasing. “If this ends in treasure, I want half.” Raider gave a low grunt. “You’ll be lucky to get out with your tail.” “Optimism, my friend. That’s what separates the heroes from the fossils.” Viper only smiled faintly, though her eyes were fixed on the faint glimmers ahead, the walls seemed to breathe with veins of crystal, pulsing softly like the heartbeat of the mountain. After what felt like an hour of descending turns, the tunnel opened. They stepped out into a chamber vast enough to swallow their voices. The ground beneath them was smooth stone, worn down by time and countless hooves. Broken pillars jutted up like ribs from the earth, and faded murals stretched across the walls. Rhoden’s breath caught. “This isn’t a cave.” Raider’s eyes narrowed. “No,” he said. “It’s something built.” The air was heavier here, older. A faint wind moved through unseen cracks in the ceiling, carrying dust and the ghostly echo of something once proud. At the far end of the hall, the floor dipped into an enormous ring of stone: an arena, half buried, its edge lined with collapsed seats and crumbled arches. The sight of it silenced even Rhoden’s tongue. Then came a voice, low and easy, from below. “Took you long enough.” They turned sharply. Emerging from the shadows at the edge of the coliseum was a stallion of deep chestnut hue, the sheen of his coat catching what little light there was. His horns were smooth and straight, glinting faintly as he stepped forward with a half smile that was both tired and knowing. “Barracuda,” Viper breathed, relief softening her tone. He dipped his head in greeting, though his eyes flicked toward the cracked ceiling above them. “Didn’t think I’d see the three of you down here. You chasing myths, or just lost?” “Treasure,” Rhoden admitted, with a sheepish grin. “Figures.” Barracuda’s mouth curved wryly. “The gorge doesn’t give treasure. It remembers. There’s a difference.” Raider studied him. “You’ve been here long?” “Long enough,” Barracuda replied, brushing a hoof through a line of moss sprouting from the cracks. “The roots talk, you know. Old trees above, been whispering about this place for decades.” They followed him down the worn steps into the heart of the ruined arena. Moss and ferns had claimed much of it, softening the stone. Birds nested in the crevices of the old walls, and through a fissure above, a single shaft of sunlight cut down like a blade, illuminating the center. There, half buried in rubble, stood a statue. Once, it must have been magnificent: a horse rearing high, wings of marble unfurled, mane carved in cascading flame. But now it lay broken, the head fallen, one wing shattered, the rest eroded by wind and time. Despite its ruin, the form still carried power. The light from above caught in its hollow eyes, and for a heartbeat, the figure seemed almost alive. None of them spoke. For a long time, they stood there, around them, the gorge exhaled, carrying the faint scent of ash and wild sage. Then Rhoden broke the silence with a small, crooked smile. “Well,” he said. “If we don’t find gold, at least we found ghosts.” Viper laughed under her breath. Barracuda shook his head, though a smile tugged at his mouth. “You three never change.” Raider turned toward the tunnel where faint light beckoned. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s see what else the gorge has to offer.” And together they walked on, the sound of their hooves fading into the breath of the earth.