Nathan stepped into the chamber, the air shifting with an oppressive weight that made his breath hitch. Flickering embers floated lazily through the air, their light dancing against the jagged obsidian walls. They moved like snowflakes caught in a gentle breeze, yet each one radiated a searing heat, leaving trails of smoke where they drifted. The molten ground pulsed faintly beneath his feet, as though the Abyss itself was alive, watching, waiting.
The System flickered in his vision, jagged text cutting through the oppressive silence:
"Prepare for Essence Trial: Part II."
"Of course," Nathan muttered, his voice dry and cracked. "It's not like I needed a break or anything."
