Great Sage Equal To Heaven

The breeze blowing at the top of the smooth mountain was unusual, carrying a strange, primal energy that made the hairs on the back of Sapphire's neck stand up. The landscape around her was surreal—the sky above seemed like a mixture of twilight and dawn, with impossible colors dancing in the clouds. The mountain, despite its desolate and worn appearance, seemed to breathe, as if the very ground were alive.

Sapphire moved forward with steady steps, though there was an almost imperceptible hesitation in her eyes. She hated being here. Not because of the danger, not because of the inhospitable landscape, but because she knew exactly who was waiting for her.

The air around her grew thicker, charged with an energy that vibrated with strength and unpredictability. It was then that she heard it. Not a voice, but a laugh. A light laugh, full of malice and contempt, echoing through the mountains as though the wind itself were mocking her.