The cave's emerald glow cast long shadows as Arin and Lyra squared off against the peak Third Realm snake beast. Its silver scales shimmered like liquid metal, each one reflecting the crystalline stalactites above. The serpent's amber eyes burned with predatory focus, its massive coils shifting, scraping stone with a sound like a blade on a whetstone. Its peak Spirit Core Stage aura pressed against their Third Realm cores, a storm of power that made the air quiver. Arin's hum thrummed in his chest, steadying his nerves, his spiritual detection—extending 10 meters—mapping the beast's coiled form. Lyra, her runed sword drawn, stepped forward, her aura flaring, ready to draw its attention.
"Ready?" Lyra whispered, her eyes locked on the snake.
Arin nodded, gripping his plain iron sword, its weight familiar but limited. "Together."
Lyra lunged, her blade a streak of light as its runes glowed, slashing at the snake's underbelly. The beast reacted with blinding speed, its tail whipping toward her. She dodged, rolling to the side, but the tail's edge grazed her arm, leaving a shallow cut. Arin circled right, his detection tracking the snake's head as it snapped toward Lyra. He darted in, channeling spiritual energy into his sword, aiming for the left eye. The snake sensed him, twisting, its fangs grazing his side, tearing his robe and drawing blood. Pain flared, but Arin pressed on, his blade nicking the scales near the eye, sparking but not penetrating.
Lyra recovered, her Third Realm speed matching the beast's ferocity. She slashed again, her runed sword carving a gash along its flank, the runes cutting deeper than Arin's plain blade could. The snake hissed, a sound that shook the cave, and lunged, its jaws wide. Lyra sidestepped, but its coil slammed into her leg, sending her stumbling, a bruise blooming on her thigh. She gritted her teeth, her aura steady, and struck back, her blade slicing another shallow cut, keeping the beast's focus.
Arin seized the moment, climbing a stalactite for leverage. His detection locked onto the snake's right eye, its amber glow a vulnerable target. He leaped, thrusting his sword with all his Third Realm strength, the blade piercing the orb. The beast roared, thrashing wildly, stalactites cracking as its coils flailed. Arin held on, twisting the blade before yanking it free, blood spraying across the cave floor. The snake's aura faltered, its movements slowing, giving Lyra an opening.
She charged, her runed sword glowing brighter as she poured energy into it. With a precise strike, she slashed the snake's underbelly, the runes tearing through scales, exposing flesh. The beast shuddered, its coils collapsing, and with a final, quivering hiss, it dissolved into motes of light, the Relic's guardian vanquished. The cave fell silent, the emerald glow softening, as if the trial had been acknowledged.
Arin panted, clutching his bleeding side, the wound shallow but stinging. Lyra limped over, rubbing her bruised thigh, her arm's cut clotting. "That was a monster," she said, her grin defiant despite the pain. "Your eye shot turned it."
"Your cuts did the heavy lifting," Arin replied, his hum calming. He checked his wound—painful but not deep. "Let's see what we fought for."
They ventured deeper into the cave, its walls shimmering with crystals that pulsed like living hearts. The air grew denser, spiritual energy wrapping around them, resonating with Arin's hum. At the cave's heart stood a stone pedestal, carved with spiral runes that glowed gold, mirroring the visions in Arin's mind. On it rested two items: a small, glowing tablet, its surface etched with intricate spirals, and a leather-bound book, its cover embossed with a sword-and-spiral motif, radiating faint spiritual power.
Arin touched the tablet first, and a warm light enveloped him. His Third Realm core spun, absorbing an insight—a refined understanding of spiritual energy circulation, smoothing the flow in his meridians. Lyra followed, her aura syncing with the tablet's energy, her expression sharpening as the same insight settled in her core. The tablet dimmed, its purpose fulfilled, leaving a sense of clarity in their cultivation.
"This is what Elira meant," Arin said, his voice steady. "Insights for the Fourth Realm."
Lyra nodded, eyeing the book. "And this?"
Arin lifted it, the cover cool under his fingers. He opened it, revealing pages filled with flowing script and diagrams of sword movements, each stroke infused with spiritual intent. The title read Spiral Blade Art, a Third Realm sword technique that channeled energy into precise, spiraling strikes, enhancing both power and control. The hum in Arin's chest pulsed, as if approving the find.
"A skill," Arin said, closing the book. "Powerful, but it'll take time to learn."
Lyra's eyes gleamed. "We study it after we're out. No time to sit and read here."
"Agreed," Arin said, tucking the book into his pouch beside his four spiritual berries. The insight already strengthened his core, and the book promised future growth. Lyra adjusted her own pouch, her berries untouched, both saving them for a critical moment, mindful of Elira's warning about the Fourth Realm's ejection.
They lingered, Arin's detection sweeping the cave for more rewards, but the energy was spent. The pedestal's runes faded, and the crystals' pulsing slowed, as if the trial was complete. Arin's side ached, but the insight's clarity dulled the pain, his hum urging him onward. Lyra stretched her leg, testing the bruise, her resolve unshaken.
"We're stronger now," Lyra said, her Third Realm aura steady. "Let's find more gains. That archway's calling."
Arin nodded, the spiral archway's distant glow a beacon in his mind. Elira's words echoed—trials build the mindset for Nascent Soul. The snake's defeat and the cave's rewards were proof of the Relic's promise. His detection picked up faint energy traces along the path ahead, new trials waiting in the small world's depths.
They exited the cave, the Relic's landscape unfolding before them—glowing pebbles, crystal vines, and trees with jade-like bark. The air thrummed with spiritual power, the spiral archway's runes brighter, as if beckoning them closer. Arin's hum pulsed in rhythm, the insight sharpening his senses, the book a weight of potential in his pouch. Lyra walked beside him, her runed sword sheathed but ready, her grin a spark of determination.
"Let's keep moving," Arin said, his voice firm. "More trials, more strength."
Lyra's aura flared, matching his resolve. "Right behind you."
They pressed forward, the path winding through the Relic's vibrant expanse, each step a hunt for new gains. The small world hummed with possibilities, its trials a forge for their Third Realm cores, preparing them for the challenges ahead.