Chapter 4, Burden: Part 17

Nina, heeding the pull of the unknown, steps onto the glowing path. Rex follows closely, his tail held low, a cautious sentinel by her side. The passage descends, the ethereal light intensifying as they delve deeper into the swamp. The air grows colder, heavy with a strange, sweet scent, unlike anything Nina has encountered before. The path twists and turns, leading them through a labyrinth of gnarled roots and shimmering fungi, the glowing light their only guide.

After what feels like an eternity, the passage opens into a vast cove, the canopy lost in shadow, its ground adorned with strange, pulsating crystals. In the center of the cove, a figure sits cross-legged on the only piece of dry ground in the area, cloaked in shadow, its face obscured. A single, luminous orb floats above the figure, radiating an intense light that illuminates the cavern with an ethereal glow. The figure raises its hand, and the orb descends, resting gently in its palm. A voice, ancient and resonant, echoes through the area.

"You have proven yourself worthy, child. You have walked the path of shadows and emerged victorious. You carry the burden of the blight, yet you show no falter. Tell me, what brings you to this place?" Nina hesitates, the magnitude of the moment settling upon her. This is it; the culmination of her journey, the place where her path converges with the secrets of the Shadowfen.

The weight of the situation, the uncertainty of what awaits, presses down on her. She must answer, but the words catch in her throat. The cove waits, silent save for the low thrum of the luminous orb and the soft padding of Rex's paws. The fate of Ronan, the fate of Porthaven, and perhaps even her own destiny, rest on her response.