The first rays of dawn pierced through the canopy of twisted trees as the group stood before a vast, fractured land—an ever-shifting maze of canyons, suspended platforms, and glowing veins etched across shattered stone like divine circuitry.
The Vein Crossing was more than a location; it was a trial, a living maze, and a force of nature that bore the memory of countless eras long gone.
Kaelen, eyes glowing faintly with the lingering pulse of his blue liquid mana, stared down at the ravine ahead. His grip on the hilt of his fractured Blade of Eternity was tighter than usual.
"We tread carefully," he said, voice low. "I feel like this isn't just terrain. It's alive."
Beside him, Kelvin exhaled sharply, flexing his knuckles. "Then we kill it if it gets in our way."
