Chapter 11: The Talking Bridge

"Where now?" Kena asked, her voice soft but clear in the open air.

"Across the valley," Hope said, lifting his hand to point. "There's a bridge ahead."

Kena gave a quick nod and started walking beside him down the hill.

The golden city was so close she could see its walls—tall, strong, and shining bright under the sun.

Her stomach twisted and turned. Justice Veldric was waiting there, somewhere inside those walls, and she knew her time was slipping away fast.

The valley stretched out wide in front of them, covered in green grass and dotted with little flowers—yellow, pink, and white.

A river ran through the middle, its water moving quick and deep, cutting the land in two.

Over the river hung a bridge—old and worn, built from wood planks and thick ropes.

It moved a little in the wind, creaking loud enough to make Kena pause. She stared at it, her eyebrows pulling together.

"That looks shaky," she said, her voice flat.

"It's fine," Hope said, his tone steady. "It's the only way across."

Kena let out a long breath. "Great. Another death trap."

She took a step closer, and the bridge made a low groan under her feet. Then, all of a sudden, it spoke.

"Who dares cross me?" a voice boomed out, deep and rough like rocks grinding together.

It came right from the wood itself. Kena jumped back, her eyes going wide with shock.

"Did that bridge just talk?" she asked, her voice high and shaky.

"Yes," Hope said, calm as ever. "It's alive. Answer it."

"Me?" Kena said, pointing at herself. "Why me?"

"You're first," Hope said, taking a small step back to give her space.

Kena shot him a hard look, her lips pressed tight. Then she turned to the bridge, swallowing hard.

"Uh, hi," she said, her words stumbling out. "I'm Kena. I need to cross you."

The bridge creaked again, the sound long and slow. "Prove you're worthy," it said. "Solve my riddle."

"Riddle?" Kena groaned, throwing her head back. "I hate riddles."

"Listen," the bridge said, its voice rumbling through the air. "I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?"

Kena blinked, her face scrunching up. "What kind of question is that?" she muttered.

"Think," Hope said, his voice gentle but firm. "It's simple."

Kena crossed her arms over her chest, her mind spinning fast.

"No mouth, no ears, no body… wind?" she said under her breath, talking to herself.

She tapped her foot on the ground, staring at the bridge. Then, like a light turning on, it hit her.

"An echo!" she shouted, pointing at the bridge. "You're an echo!"

The bridge let out a big laugh, a deep rumbling sound that shook the ropes.

"Clever girl," it said. "You may cross."

The ropes stopped swaying, and the wood settled down, looking steady now. Kena smirked, turning to Hope.

"See? I'm smart," she said, puffing out her chest a little.

He nodded, the corners of his eyes crinkling with a small smile. "Good job," he said.

Kena stepped onto the bridge, her boots making a soft thump on the wood.

It felt solid under her feet now, but the river roared loud below, rushing and crashing against the rocks.

The sound made her head spin a little, and she grabbed the ropes tight with both hands.

She moved slow, one step at a time, feeling the bridge shift just a bit under her weight.

Hope followed behind her, quiet as always, his steps light and sure.

They were halfway across when the bridge shook hard. "Wait!" it boomed, its voice echoing over the water. "One more test."

Kena stopped dead, her hands gripping the ropes so tight her knuckles turned white.

"What?" she snapped. "You said I could cross!"

"A little fun," the bridge said, its tone teasing. "Jump three times. If you fall, you're mine."

Kena's stomach dropped like a stone. "Jump? Are you crazy?" she said, her voice rising.

"Do it," Hope said from behind her. "It's playing."

"Playing?!" Kena turned her head to glare at him. "I'll die!"

"You won't," Hope said, his voice calm and sure. "Trust me."

Kena stared at him, her eyes narrow and sharp. Then she turned back to the bridge, her heart pounding loud in her chest.

"Fine," she said through gritted teeth. She took a deep breath, her hands still tight on the ropes, and jumped once.

The bridge wobbled under her, rocking side to side, but she held on.

She jumped again, her breath catching in her throat as the wood creaked.

On the third jump, the bridge swung hard, tilting so much she thought she'd fall.

She screamed, her hands clutching the ropes as tight as she could, her legs shaking under her.

The bridge laughed again, loud and deep. "Good! You pass!" it said.

The swaying stopped, and the wood went still. Kena didn't wait—she ran the rest of the way across, her boots pounding the planks until she hit solid ground on the other side.

Her legs wobbled, and she bent over, hands on her knees, breathing hard.

"You're evil!" she yelled back at the bridge, her voice sharp.

"Fun, not evil," the bridge said, its chuckle rumbling through the air.

Hope crossed after her, walking calm and easy like it was just a stroll. Kena straightened up and glared at him, her hands on her hips.

"You knew it'd do that," she said, pointing a finger at him.

"Maybe," he said, his eyes crinkling again with that little smile.

"You're the worst," Kena muttered, shaking her head.

But deep down, she wasn't really mad. She'd made it across, and that felt good—better than she wanted to admit.

They turned and kept walking, the golden city growing bigger and clearer with every step.

Its walls towered high, catching the sunlight and glowing like fire.

Kena's heart started beating fast again, and this time it wasn't just from the bridge. Justice Veldric was in that city, waiting for her.

She could feel it in her bones—her time was running out, and soon she'd have to face him.

The grass crunched under their feet as they moved through the valley.

The flowers brushed against Kena's legs, soft and cool, but she barely noticed.

Her eyes stayed locked on the city ahead, her mind racing with what might happen when they got there.

She glanced at Hope, walking beside her with his usual quiet calm. He didn't say much, but she was glad he was there.

It made the big, scary thing ahead feel a little less heavy.

The wind picked up, blowing through the valley and tugging at Kena's hair.

She pushed it out of her face and kept going, her boots sinking a little into the soft ground.

The river's roar faded behind them as they moved farther from the bridge, but she could still hear that deep, rumbling laugh in her head.

That bridge had scared her, sure, but it had also made her feel strong. She'd solved its riddle.

She'd jumped and didn't fall. Maybe she could handle Justice Veldric too.

"You okay?" Hope asked, breaking the silence.

Kena looked at him, surprised. "Yeah," she said. "Just thinking."

"About the city?" he said.

"About what's waiting there," she said, her voice quieter now.

He nodded, like he understood. "We'll get there together," he said.

Kena didn't say anything back, but his words made her feel a little better.

She took a deep breath and kept walking, the golden city pulling her closer with every step.

The walls looked even taller now, and she could see little shapes moving on top—guards, maybe, or people watching.

Her stomach flipped again, but she pushed it down. She'd crossed that stupid bridge. She could do this too.

The sun was high in the sky, warm on her face, and the air smelled like grass and water.

It was a nice day, really, even with everything ahead.

Kena let herself feel it for a moment—the sun, the wind, the soft ground under her feet.

It was good to be alive, even if things were hard. She glanced at Hope again, his steady steps matching hers.

He didn't seem scared at all, and that calmed her down too. His calm face made her feel less afraid.

They were very close now—so close she could clearly see the huge gates of the city.

They were big, heavy, and strong, built into the bright, shiny walls that sparkled in the light.

Her heart was beating faster, pounding in her chest, but she held her head high.

Justice Veldric was inside those walls, and she would face him soon, no matter what.

She wasn't sure what would happen next, but she had come this far on her journey. That had to mean something important.

"Almost there," Hope said, his voice quiet and steady.

"Yeah," Kena replied, her eyes locked on the gates ahead. "Almost there."