The stone steps ended abruptly at a cliff.
Beyond it, the forest opened into a vast expanse of ice and shadow.
Lina's heart raced. This was no ordinary path—it was a labyrinth, carved by winter itself.
"Kyle," she whispered, "how do we cross this?"
He studied the frozen maze.
"Carefully," he said.
"Every misstep can trap you… or worse."
The wind carried whispers, not from the forest, but from the ice itself.
Voices of the past, echoes of those who had faced the labyrinth before.
Lina took a deep breath, letting the seal's pulse guide her.
She stepped onto the ice. Each crack beneath her feet seemed alive, reacting to her intent.
Shadows moved between the walls of frost, testing her resolve.
Fear clawed at her, but she remembered the oath, the trials, and the truth she had claimed.
"This is my path," she said aloud.
"And I will not falter."
The winter shimmered, creating a bridge of frost that followed her will.
Step by step, Lina moved forward, deeper into the labyrinth—and closer to the secrets waiting at its heart.
To be continued…