Chapter 183: Chapter 183: The Veil of Shadows

The passage beyond the second trial was narrow and winding, barely wide enough for the group to walk through single file. The walls were smooth, almost unnaturally so, as if shaped by ancient hands for a specific purpose. The air grew colder with each step, a biting chill that seeped through their clothing and gnawed at their bones.

Elara kept the Heartstone close, its light casting long, flickering shadows on the walls. Every so often, the tunnel would widen just enough for them to walk side by side before tightening again, as if the mountain itself couldn't decide whether to let them pass or crush them under its weight.

"The third trial must be close," Morgana whispered, her eyes scanning the walls as if expecting them to close in at any moment. "I can feel the magic thickening."

Seraphina nodded, her wings twitching with a restless energy. "There's something unnatural about this place. The shadows are too… alive."