Cruzer and Elara emerged from the dark depths of the trial chamber, the tension from their battle slowly dissipating as they stepped into the open air.
The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the rugged landscape. The silence of the evening was almost jarring compared to the chaos they'd just left behind.
For a moment, they both stood there, quietly taking in their surroundings. The faint pulse of the chaotic crystal in Cruzer's pocket served as a constant reminder of the power they had just claimed—and the responsibility that now hung over them.
Elara was the first to break the silence, her voice soft yet tinged with the weight of what they had just experienced. "We've been underground for longer than I thought."
Cruzer nodded, though his eyes remained on the horizon. His mind was already racing ahead, thinking of the next steps, the next shard.
