Kiera, now standing at the heart of the Spring, felt the silence thicken, a dense, almost sacred quiet that seemed to drape itself over her like a veil.
Isolated within the misty expanse, her friends' voices faded into faint murmurs, dissolving into the shroud that now obscured even their figures. Only the light ripple of water brushing against her ankles and the steady hum of ethereal energy remained as her companions in this secluded space.
Luminoir's earlier instructions resurfaced in her mind, steadying her as she prepared for the ritual ahead. She inhaled deeply, feeling the coolness of the Spring's air fill her lungs, then began to shed her outer layers, each piece removed and set carefully beside her. It felt almost symbolic, each garment laid aside like a fragment of herself, revealing more than just skin. She was unburdening herself, surrendering layers that felt both literal and figurative.
