As they drew closer to the light, Ezra could feel its gentle warmth on his skin, like a whispered promise of safety. The air seemed to vibrate with an otherworldly energy, and Ezra's senses tingle with anticipation. The light grew brighter, illuminating the dark canyon walls and casting an eerie glow over the rocky terrain.
Suddenly, the light coalesced into a shimmering portal, pulsing with a soft blue light. The air around it seemed to ripple and distort, as if reality itself was bending to accommodate the entrance.
"By the gods," Aren breathed, his eyes wide with wonder.
Ezra's hand tightened on the hilt of his sword.
"What do we do?"
Aren's gaze never left the portal.
"We go through it. We have to."
Ezra nodded, his heart racing with excitement and trepidation. He took a deep breath, and together they stepped forward, into the shimmering portal.
As they crossed the threshold, Ezra felt the world around him dissolve into chaos. The air seemed to spin and swirl, like a vortex sucking them in. The darkness outside receded, replaced by a blinding brightness that threatened to consume them.
And then, as suddenly as it had begun, everything stopped. The vortex dissipated, leaving Ezra and Aren standing in a vast, echoing chamber. The air was heavy with the scent of incense and smoke, and the walls were lined with intricate carvings that seemed to whisper secrets in the flickering torchlight.
Ezra spun around, taking in the breathtaking sight before him.
"We're here,"
He whispered, his voice barely audible over the pounding of his heart.
Aren's eyes were wide with wonder.
"We're actually here."
But as they gazed deeper into the temple, Ezra couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched – not just by the carvings on the wall, but by something far more sinister. Something that lurked in the shadows, waiting for its moment to strike...
And then, a voice spoke from the darkness, its tone low and menacing.
"Welcome to Zan'thik," it said.
"You should not have come here."
Ezra's skin prickled with unease as the voice seemed to come from all directions at once. He felt like an ant being scrutinised by a giant, and the sensation was both exhilarating and terrifying. Aren's eyes, still wide with wonder, seemed to be drinking in the atmosphere of the temple, and Ezra couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation.
As they stood there, frozen in uncertainty, the voice spoke again.
"You have entered this place uninvited. You must pay the toll."
Ezra's grip on his sword tightened.
"What toll?" he demanded.
The voice laughed again, the sound sending shivers down Ezra's spine.
"You will know it when you see it," it said.
"But be warned: the toll is not something to be taken lightly. It is a price that will be exacted in blood."
Aren's eyes flashed with concern.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
The voice spoke once more, its tone dripping with malevolence.
"The toll is a test of your worthiness. Are you prepared to pay the price?"
Ezra's heart pounded in his chest as he looked at Aren. What did the voice mean? What kind of test was this? And what was the price they would have to pay?
As they stood there, the darkness seemed to grow thicker, heavier. The air was thick with anticipation, and Ezra could feel the weight of the temple's secrets pressing down upon him.
And then, without warning, the torches on the walls flickered and died, plunging the temple into darkness. The silence was oppressive, and Ezra could feel his heart racing with fear.
"What do we do?"
Aren whispered, his voice trembling with anxiety.
Ezra's eyes scanned the darkness, trying to make out any shape or form. But there was nothing. Just the oppressive silence of the temple.
And then, a faint light flickered in the distance. It was a soft, blue glow that seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy.
"Look," Ezra whispered, his eyes fixed on the light.
"What is that?"
Aren's eyes followed his gaze, and together they stared at the light in wonder and terror.
As they gazed at the light, it seemed to grow brighter, illuminating the dark recesses of the temple. The air around them began to shimmer and distort, as if the very fabric of reality was bending to allow the light to pass through. Ezra's heart pounded in his chest, and he could feel the weight of his sword growing heavier in his hand.
"What is this?" Aren whispered, his voice trembling with awe.
"Is it a trap?"
Ezra's grip on his sword tightened.
"I don't know," he admitted,
"But I think we should be careful."
As they watched, the light began to take on a shape. It was a glowing portal, pulsing with an otherworldly energy. The air around it seemed to vibrate with power, and Ezra could feel its presence drawing him in.
"I think we're supposed to go through it," Ezra said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Aren's eyes locked onto his, filled with a mixture of fear and curiosity.
"What's on the other side?" he asked.
Ezra hesitated, unsure of what lay ahead. But something about the portal drew him in, beckoning him to step forward.
"I don't know," he admitted,
"But I think we have to find out."
With a deep breath, Ezra took his first step forward, the portal's energy enveloping him like a warm embrace. Aren followed closely behind, his eyes fixed on the glowing portal as they stepped into the unknown.
As they disappeared into the light, the darkness of the temple seemed to close in behind them, like a door slamming shut. The silence was oppressive, and Ezra could feel the weight of the temple's secrets pressing down upon him once more.
But he knew that they had crossed a threshold, and that nothing would ever be the same again.
As they emerged on the other side of the portal, Ezra and Aren found themselves in a realm that defied explanation. The air was alive with a shimmering mist that seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy. The ground beneath their feet was soft and spongy, like a thick layer of moss, and it seemed to absorb their weight as they walked.
"To be continued
Stay tuned"