The cold, hollow clatter of footsteps echoed as Ren and I followed Freyrjar down a narrow, spiraling staircase that moved on its own like an escalator. The further we descended, the thicker the air became, heavy with an almost metallic tang of raw mana. The smooth stone walls shifted into rough, jagged rock, with veins of glowing blue energy coursing through the cracks like lightning frozen in place.
Neither Ren nor I spoke, our thoughts clouded with a mix of unease and anticipation. The weight of the council's judgment still lingered on our shoulders, but it had been replaced by something even more pressing… this 'entrance exam' or 'trial' that Freyrjar had so ominously mentioned.
"Think we should stay sharp?" Ren muttered beside me, his eyes scanning the dimly lit path. His fingers twitched at his side, ready to conjure magic at any moment's notice.
