Kapitel 101: Inside And Out

"I finally did it!" Esme exclaimed, her voice bursting with joy as she leaped into the air, her body surging with exhilaration after completing the grueling course.

The ache in her muscles began to slowly fade, though she couldn't tell if it was the rush of victory or the strange, recurring healing her body seemed to possess.

The exhaustion, however, clung stubbornly, weighing her down even as her heart soared. Her gaze drifted to all the obstacles she had to avoid to get here, and she couldn't believe she succeeded in each one.

"Esme," Donovan's voice echoed from the shadowed archway of the Shadowspire, drawing her attention. He stood there, his dark silhouette outlined by the dim light, holding out a black towel. His silent gesture beckoned her to come and take it.

As she finally stepped out of the rain, she became aware of the chill that gripped her, her drenched clothes clinging uncomfortably to her skin.