Trial Of Lava (Part 2)

Cecilia wiped the sweat from her brow, her fingers slipping on the damp skin as the heat of the molten lake before her pressed in.

The air shimmered, a mirage of hot intensity, and every breath she took felt thick, like inhaling smoke.

The orange glow of the molten lake cast a harsh light over everything, making the world feel unreal, distorted and bright. Yet, it was the only way forward.

"Get to the other side... how is one supposed to do that?" she muttered under her breath. Her voice barely carried above the hum of the crackling lava.

The heat was unbearable, radiating like a furnace from the lake's surface, threatening to burn her alive even from this distance.

Her clothes were soaked through with sweat, clinging to her skin, and her throat was parched.

'So thirsty,' she almost longed for the cold winds and biting snow that had felt like a blessing just earlier.