The ascent began at dawn. The Mountain of Revelation loomed above them, veiled in mist, its jagged cliffs like the teeth of a slumbering beast. Every step forward felt like trespassing into a sacred place that watched and judged.
The wolves climbed first, their strength anchoring ropes for the others. Dragons flew above, clearing paths of falling rocks, their wings stirring the mist into spirals. Prava, holding the Heart Key close, felt the mountain's energy pulse with each heartbeat.
"This place… it's alive," she whispered.
As they climbed higher, strange visions appeared in the fog. Each climber saw fragments of their past—moments of failure, betrayal, loss. Some stumbled, shaken by memories too heavy to bear.
Rafael clenched the rocks, his knuckles white. "It wants to break us from within."
Allara touched his arm, her voice calm but firm. "Then we hold to each other. That's how we climb."
At a narrow ledge, the fog thickened into a wall of shadow. Words carved into the stone glowed faintly:
"The Trial of Destiny begins. To ascend further, you must confront the truth of your heart."
The mountain groaned like thunder, and the ledge beneath their feet trembled. One by one, the climbers were swallowed by the shadow, each sent into a vision crafted from their deepest fears and hidden desires.
Prava tightened her grip on the Heart Key as the darkness engulfed her. The last thing she heard before silence fell was Allara's steady voice:
"Remember—we are never alone."