With a sudden surge of adrenaline, Nina crosses the widening crack swiftly. The dark material groans under her weight, threatening to give way at any moment. She feels a sharp jolt as she clears the fissure, a near-miss that sends a fresh wave of fear through her. Rex then follows her as he jumps across, followed by Ronan. Ronan's massive form causing the bridge to shudder violently. The ground on the other side is far from solid; the area immediately beyond the bridge is crumbling and unstable, littered with loose stones and debris.
The bridge itself seems to be collapsing behind them. The laughter of the unseen entity intensifies, laced with a hint of surprise. "Impressive," it sneers, its voice echoing from the ruined temple, "but your journey is far from over." Rex whimpers, his fur bristling, and presses close to Nina's legs. Ronan lets out a low, guttural growl, his eyes scanning the surroundings. He emits a series of low rumbles, a nonverbal warning, before turning his attention towards the temple.
The crumbling ground beneath their feet seems to be moving, a slow, ominous shift that threatens to send them tumbling into the abyss. The temple itself looms larger, more menacing, revealing itself to be far more decayed than it initially appeared. Dark energy pulses from its shattered stones, almost visible as a shimmering, malevolent aura. The whispers intensify, swirling around them like a vortex of despair. They no longer seem to emanate from the cavern itself, but rather from the temple, from the very entity that inhabits it.
Nina senses a palpable shift in the atmosphere; the air itself seems to be charged with anticipation, thick with the weight of an impending confrontation, and a fight for survival. Ronan places a large, reassuring hand on her shoulder, a sign of silent warning. The whispers now form into coherent words, spoken directly to her, a cruel greeting from a power far older than the world. "Welcome, little monster breeder," the voice booms, " to your destiny.