---
The mountain air was razor sharp, biting into their skin as Fowad and his team pushed forward.
Aurin's Peak loomed closer with every step, the golden mist that had been a distant glow now curling around their boots like liquid light.
The wind howled, carrying whispers of an ancient power that seemed to hum in the very stones beneath their feet.
The jagged path was treacherous. Loose rocks shifted with each step, and the incline tested their endurance.
Towering cliffs flanked the narrow trail, their dark surfaces etched with weathered markings that spoke of a time long past.
"Watch your footing," Fowad warned, his Chaos Eye flaring briefly. It revealed faint energy patterns on the path ahead, guiding them past hidden crevices and unstable rocks.
Behind him, Helena wiped sweat from her brow despite the chill. Her falcon circled above, its sharp cries cutting through the wind as it scouted the area.
