Jada and Ember raced along the edge of the chasm, their hearts pounding with fear as the temple continued to crumble around them. The ground trembled beneath their feet, the air thick with dust and debris as the walls groaned and cracked, sending shards of stone crashing to the floor. Every step felt like a race against time, the chasm widening behind them with every passing second, threatening to swallow them whole.
"We need to find a way across!" Ember shouted, her voice barely audible over the roar of the collapsing temple.
Jada nodded, her eyes scanning the edge of the chasm for any sign of a bridge, a ledge, anything that could help them escape. But the ground was unstable, the edges crumbling away beneath their feet, leaving them with fewer and fewer options.
"There!" Jada shouted, pointing ahead to where the chasm narrowed slightly, the gap just wide enough to jump. "We can make it!"
Ember's face was pale, her eyes wide with fear, but she nodded, determination hardening her features. They sprinted toward the narrowing, their breaths coming in ragged gasps as they prepared to leap across the gap.
Just as they reached the edge, the ground beneath Jada's feet gave way, sending her stumbling forward. She gasped, her arms flailing as she tried to regain her balance, but the momentum carried her over the edge. She cried out, her heart leaping into her throat as she felt herself falling, the darkness of the chasm rushing up to meet her.
"Jade!" Ember screamed, her voice filled with terror as she reached out, grabbing Jada's arm just in time.
Jada's breath caught in her throat as she dangled over the edge, her body suspended in mid-air, the chasm yawning beneath her like a hungry maw. She could feel Ember's grip slipping, the weight of her body pulling them both toward the abyss.
"Hold on!" Ember shouted, her voice strained with effort as she tried to pull Jada back up. "I won't let you fall!"
Jada's heart pounded in her chest as she reached up, her fingers grasping at the crumbling edge of the chasm. She could feel the ground shifting beneath her, the unstable rock threatening to give way at any moment.
With a desperate burst of strength, Ember heaved Jada back up onto solid ground, both of them collapsing onto the stone floor in a heap. They lay there for a moment, gasping for breath, their hearts pounding with the aftershock of what had just happened.
"Thank you," Jada whispered, her voice trembling as she looked up at Ember, her eyes filled with gratitude.
Ember nodded, her face pale but determined. "I told you, I won't let you fall," she said, her voice firm despite the fear that lingered in her eyes.
They didn't have time to rest. The temple was still collapsing around them, the ground beneath them trembling with the force of the destruction. With a shared look of determination, they got to their feet, their legs shaky but strong.
"We have to keep moving," Jada said, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her insides. "We're not out of this yet."
Ember nodded, her jaw set with determination. "Let's go," she said, her voice filled with resolve.
They moved quickly, their eyes scanning the ground for any sign of another way across the chasm. The air was thick with dust, the light from the carvings on the walls flickering as the temple continued to shake. Every step was a challenge, the ground beneath them shifting and crumbling, but they pressed on, driven by the need to survive.
Finally, they spotted it—a narrow bridge of stone spanning the chasm, just wide enough for them to cross. The bridge was old, its surface cracked and worn with age, but it was their only chance.
"There!" Jada shouted, pointing to the bridge. "That's our way out!"
Ember nodded, her eyes narrowing with determination. "Let's go," she said, her voice filled with urgency.
They sprinted toward the bridge, their footsteps echoing through the cavern as they ran. The ground beneath them continued to tremble, the chasm widening behind them, but they didn't slow down. The bridge was their only hope, the only way to escape the collapsing temple.
As they reached the bridge, they hesitated for just a moment, their eyes locked on the narrow span of stone. It was narrow, barely wide enough for them to walk side by side, and the drop on either side was dizzying, the darkness below seemingly bottomless.
"We can do this," Jada said, her voice filled with determination as she looked at Ember. "Just stay close, and don't look down."
Ember nodded, her face set with resolve. "I trust you," she said, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes.
With a deep breath, they stepped onto the bridge, their feet moving carefully across the narrow span. The stone was rough and uneven, the edges crumbling away with each step, but they kept moving, their eyes focused on the path ahead.
The temple groaned around them, the sound of collapsing stone filling the air as the chasm continued to widen. The bridge trembled beneath their feet, the stone cracking and shifting with every step, but they didn't stop. They couldn't stop.
Just as they reached the middle of the bridge, a deafening crack echoed through the cavern, the sound of stone splitting apart. Jada's heart leaped into her throat as she felt the bridge give way beneath her, the stone crumbling and breaking apart.
"Run!" Jada shouted, her voice filled with panic as she grabbed Ember's hand, pulling her forward.
They sprinted the rest of the way across the bridge, their hearts pounding in their chests as the stone crumbled away behind them. The ground beneath them shifted and trembled, but they kept moving, driven by the desperate need to escape.
Finally, with a last, desperate leap, they reached the other side, collapsing onto the solid ground just as the bridge fell away into the darkness below. They lay there for a moment, gasping for breath, their hearts racing with the aftershock of what had just happened.
"We made it," Ember whispered, her voice filled with relief as she looked at Jada.
Jada nodded, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she looked back at the chasm, the bridge now gone, swallowed by the darkness below. "We made it," she echoed, her voice filled with a mixture of relief and exhaustion.
But even as the words left her lips, the ground beneath them began to tremble once more, the temple still not finished with them. The air was thick with dust and debris, the sound of collapsing stone filling their ears as the walls around them groaned and cracked.
"We need to keep moving," Jada said finally, her voice filled with grim determination. "We're not safe yet."
Ember nodded, her face set with resolve. "Let's go," she said, her voice firm.
They got to their feet, their legs shaky but strong, and began to move once more, their eyes scanning the cavern for any sign of an exit. The temple was still collapsing around them, the ground beneath them unstable, but they pressed on, driven by the need to survive.
As they moved deeper into the cavern, the light from the carvings on the walls began to flicker and fade, the shadows growing longer and darker. The air grew colder, the sense of foreboding growing stronger with each step.
And then, just as they thought they couldn't go any further, they spotted it—a faint light in the distance, a glimmer of hope in the darkness.
"There!" Jada shouted, her voice filled with hope. "I see an exit!"
Ember's face lit up with relief, her eyes shining with renewed determination. "Let's go," she said, her voice filled with urgency.
They sprinted toward the light, their hearts pounding with the hope of escape. The ground beneath them continued to tremble, the walls around them groaning and cracking, but they didn't slow down. The light grew brighter as they neared it, the promise of safety just within reach.
But as they reached the entrance, a deafening roar filled the air, the sound of the temple collapsing around them. The ground beneath them gave way, sending them stumbling forward into the light, their bodies tumbling through the air as the world around them dissolved into chaos.
And then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the light engulfed them, and they were falling, tumbling through the void, their screams swallowed by the darkness as the temple crumbled into nothingness.