The forest shimmered, dissolving into bioluminescent mist that rose around her like breath. The scent of pine and smoke faded, replaced by cool air and the hum of stone.
Eira’s presence steadied inside her again. You didn’t fight it.
Bri exhaled, trembling but grounded. I didn’t have to. He wasn’t the enemy.
No, Eira said softly. He was the lesson.
The walls of the Echo Chamber then glowed with new color; silver deepening into moonlit blue. The bioluminescent pools flared brighter, responding to her energy. The ground vibrated faintly under her feet.
You see? Eira murmured. Understanding is power. Acceptance is mastery.
The chamber pulsed once more, as though in approval, before the light dimmed again to calm.
Across the chamber, stone whispered against stone and another door formed
