The passageway ahead narrowed into a tunnel lined with faintly glowing veins of mineral, silver and blue, pulsing faintly like the heartbeat of the mountain itself. Lira held her vial higher, its soft silver light illuminating rough stone walls carved with ancient, flowing symbols that seemed to shimmer in rhythm with the Spirit. Each step forward carried a subtle vibration under her boots, almost imperceptible, but she felt it, a reminder that the cave itself was alive and observing.
Serelyth's massive form followed closely, her wings folded yet alert, tail sweeping the tunnel behind them. "Little flame," she murmured softly, her deep voice echoing faintly, "the next trial is not of strength or agility alone. It is of comprehension, judgment, and heart. Be ready—your mind will be tested as fiercely as your body ever was."
