Lily and Isadora sprinted down the narrow temple passageway, their footsteps echoing off the stone walls. Behind them, creeping vines twisted and lashed, reaching for their ankles with a menacing hunger. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and ancient moss, and the dim lighting made it hard to see more than a few feet ahead.
Lily clutched an orb tightly in her hand, its glow casting soft hues of rainbow light on the walls around them. At a glance, the orb appeared like a gem of many colors, but under closer inspection, its true color seemed to be an ethereal white, pulsing with a mysterious energy. The orb radiated with life force, and Lily could feel its power coursing through her as she ran.
"Where is this passage going?" Isadora asked, her breath coming in short, hurried bursts as she kept pace with Lily.
