The crystalline path stretched endlessly into darkness, shards jutting at odd angles, reflecting the golden glow of Aria’s embers in fractured patterns. The air was thick with tension, carrying a metallic tang that made her throat tighten. Every step echoed unnaturally, as if the path itself were alive, whispering secrets she could not yet understand.
Kael followed close, his blade drawn, eyes scanning every shadow that flitted across the jagged terrain. Thane and Ryn moved cautiously behind, the weight of the previous trials pressing down on them. The companions had grown stronger together, but even so, the oppressive presence of the unknown ahead made them pause with every step.
“This place…” Ryn whispered, his voice low, almost reverent. “It’s like the Realm itself is watching.”
Aria
