The cavern opened like the throat of a giant beast, and Lira froze at its edge.
The tunnel she and Serelyth had been following for what felt like hours ended abruptly in a vast chamber, the ceiling so high it disappeared into shadow. Before them yawned a chasm so wide her eyes could barely trace its far side. She crept closer to the rim, her breath catching in her throat as she peered down.
There was no bottom.
At least none she could see. A darkness stretched endlessly below, swallowing the glow of her vial of light, swallowing her courage. Yet within that abyss, faint motes stirred — specks of pale green, ghostly blues, flickering purples. At first, she thought them fireflies drifting in the depths, but as her eyes adjusted she realized they were fungi, clinging to the sheer cliff walls that fell into eternity. They glowed faintly, forming a shimmering latticework down the endless shaft.
A single bridge spanned the gap.
