We leave the edge of the woods and enter a large valley of grass and hills. On the other side I can see the mountains that were shown in the book. Their peaks lined with snow that reflects the sunlight.

I feel a slight whisper echo through my ear but I stop it before it can enter any deeper into my mind.

"She's not far." I say, turning to face Mia.

She nods. "I feel her too. Those are the mountains though right? Are we really that close?"

"Yeah, keep your guard up and stay close. If we move fast enough, maybe we can make it out before sundown."

The two of us continue across the valley, the grass brushing against our legs as the wind picks up. Every step feels heavier, like the closer we get to the mountains, the more the air thickens with tension. I glance over at Mia, her eyes fixed ahead, determination etched into her expression. I know she's just as anxious as I am, but we can't let Vermidia sense that.

"Do you think she's already there?" Mia asks, her voice cautious.

I shrug, trying to keep my own nerves in check. "She's probably waiting. I wouldn't put it past her to be setting another trap."

Mia frowns, her brow furrowing as she tightens her grip on the book. "If we can get to the Crux first, though..."

"We won't let her have it," I interrupt. "We stop her, no matter what."

We move quickly, keeping our senses sharp as the mountains loom larger in front of us. The snow capped peaks glisten, but the ominous purple energy from the cracks in the ground are already visible, a warning of Vermidia's presence. The air grows colder as we approach, though whether it's from the altitude or our own powers stirring, I can't be sure.

The whisper comes again, stronger this time. It's not just a voice, it's a feeling, like cold fingers reaching for the edges of my mind. I shake my head, forcing it out.

"We don't have much time," I say through gritted teeth. "She's trying to get in again."

Mia's eyes narrow, and she steps closer to me. "We need to hurry"

I nod, meeting her gaze.

The mountains feel like they're watching us as we push forward. We nearly reach the top as I feel a heat begin to pour from over the mountain side. Looking up I can see the glow of lava beginning to bubble at its surface.

"It's a volcano?" I ask as I scramble for the book in my pocket. I remove it from its place and open its cover to see the page once more. The X on the map glows brighter as if it knows how close we are to it.

Mia looks over my shoulder and stares at the page. "It wants us to go inside?"

"Okay, yeah. Don't worry..." I place the book back into my pocket. "We'll be fine. Let's try to cool the surface maybe?"

Mia raises her hands and begins to concentrate. Cool air begins to swirl over the edge of the pit as snowflakes follow. I hear the liquid rock begin to steam and sizzle.

"Yeah good, okay... um, follow me." I say as I clench my fist. An ice wall emerges on the side of the hole a few meters down. I step over the edge of the pit and drop down to the ice. I then clench my fist again and start to create a staircase leading down around the edge.

Mia follows closely behind as I form each step, her snow and cold winds helping to keep the heat at bay. The volcano's rumbling grows louder, but the icy path we're creating seems to hold for now. Steam rises from the cooling surface as the lava begins to settle under Mia's power, but I can feel the immense heat pressing against us, eager to break through.

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"This better work," Mia mutters under her breath, her voice strained from the effort. She glances up at the glowing mouth of the volcano. "I don't know how long we can keep this under control."

I nod, focusing on each movement as I form another step below us. "Just a little further. It has to be down here."

The deeper we descend, the more the heat intensifies, despite our best efforts to cool it. The air becomes thick, almost suffocating. My ice walls are holding, but barely. I can see the cracks forming as the heat presses against them. I feel the weight of the volcano, of the earth itself, bearing down on us.

Finally, the narrow staircase opens into a wide cavern beneath the volcano's surface. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and step down onto the solid ground. The walls glow faintly with a reddish hue, and in the center of the cavern, there's a stone pedestal, cracked and ancient. Resting on it is an object, glowing faintly, the Crux of Amerei.

"There it is," Mia whispers, her eyes wide as she steps closer.

We both move toward it cautiously. The Crux is smaller than I expected, no larger than my hand, but I can feel the immense power radiating from it. The glow pulses in time with the beat of my heart.

"We found it," Mia breathes, reaching out her hand.

But just as she's about to touch it, the ground beneath us rumbles violently. I stagger, reaching out to steady Mia as the tremors grow more intense.

"Vermidia," I hiss, realizing what's happening. The heat returns with full force, and I hear her voice, a cold, mocking whisper in the back of my mind.

"You're too late."

The cavern shakes violently as Vermidia's voice echoes in my mind, her laughter twisting through the air. The heat surges, and the cracks in the walls begin to spread, glowing a deep, fiery red.

Mia pulls her hand back from the Crux, her face pale as she looks around. "She's here!"

I nod, clenching my fists as the temperature rises even higher, sweat pouring down my back despite the cold that Mia and I have summoned. "She's trying to stop us. We have to move, now."

The ground beneath us shakes again, and this time, a crack splits through the center of the cavern, a stream of molten lava spilling out. I reach for Mia, pulling her back just in time.

"Go for the Crux!" I shout, forming a wall of ice between us and the advancing lava. "I'll hold this off!"

Mia hesitates for a second, glancing between me and the Crux, but then she nods, determination flashing in her eyes. She turns and runs toward the pedestal, her hands already glowing with the cold as she prepares to grab it.

I grit my teeth, pushing my power to the limit as I create more ice, trying to keep the lava at bay. It hisses and steams as it collides with the frozen barrier, but the heat is relentless. Vermidia's presence grows stronger, her laughter echoing louder in my mind.

"You think you can stop me?"

I slam my fist into the ground, sending another wall of ice surging up. "I won't let you have it!" I shout into the void, my voice defiant.

Mia reaches the pedestal and places her hands on the Crux. The glow intensifies, and for a moment, I see her face bathed in its light, her eyes wide with awe and something else, fear.

"Hail!" Mia yells, her voice trembling. "It's... it's too much!"

I turn to her, my heart pounding. "What do you mean?"

Before she can answer, a shadowy figure appears at the edge of the cavern, Vermidia. Her dark cloak flows around her, the deep red and violet accents glowing faintly in the dim light. Her eyes lock onto the Crux, and a cruel smile spreads across her lips.

"You're too weak to control it," Vermidia's voice whispers in my mind, though her lips don't move. "You don't understand its power. But I do."

I step forward, placing myself between Vermidia and Mia. "You won't get near her."

Vermidia's smile widens, and she takes a slow, deliberate step forward. "And you think you can stop me, Hail? Do you even know what you're dealing with?"

I glance at Mia, who's still holding onto the Crux, her face pale as she struggles to control the power surging through her. The glow from the Crux flickers wildly, as if it's reacting to her emotions.

"We have to go," Mia says, her voice strained. "Hail, it's... it's too dangerous to stay here."

But Vermidia's presence presses down on us like a crushing weight. "You won't leave," she says, her voice cold. "You will surrender the Crux to me, or you'll die here, in this place."

I grit my teeth, my hands trembling as I summon the last of my strength. "Over my dead body."

She raises her hand, and the lava beneath us surges again, rising higher, threatening to consume us. The heat is unbearable, even through the ice I've created.

Mia steps back from the pedestal, her eyes locked on Vermidia. "We have to do this together," she whispers to me, her voice barely audible over the roar of the molten earth.

I nod, feeling the cold energy swell within me. "Let's give her something to remember."

Mia and I stand side by side, our powers swirling together in the air. The heat from the lava and the cold from our magic clash, creating a tempest of energy. The ground trembles beneath our feet as we combine our strengths, pushing the limits of our control.

Vermidia's eyes narrow as she realizes what we're doing. "You fools. You think you can defeat me?"

I don't answer. Instead, I focus all my energy into one final surge of power. Mia does the same, her snow blending with my ice, creating a blinding storm of frost and cold that swirls around us, forming a barrier between us and Vermidia.

"Now!" I shout.

Together, we release the combined power, sending it hurtling toward Vermidia. The ice, snow, and cold wind spiral together into a massive wave of energy, crashing into her with the force of a thousand storms.

For a moment, everything is silent. Then, with a deafening roar, the entire cavern shakes as the energy collides with Vermidia, sending her flying back into the shadows.

The glow of the Crux flickers, and the heat from the lava begins to fade. The cavern, once filled with the roar of molten earth, falls into an eerie stillness.

I look over at Mia, both of us breathing hard, our bodies trembling from the exertion. She's still holding the Crux, its glow now steady and calm.

"Is she...?" Mia starts to ask.

"I don't know," I say, my voice hoarse. "But we need to get out of here."

We turn toward the exit, but as we start to move, a low, menacing laugh echoes from the shadows.

We run as fast as we can up the spiral staircase of ice. Once we reach the top, I can see the sun beginning to set in the distance. I look to Mia still clenching onto the Crux, she's panting in exhaustion. I then glance back at the snow covered earth as it angles back down toward the meadow valley.

I create a small sheet of ice and drop down to sit on it.

"What are you doing?" Mia asks.

"Come on, this will get us back down faster."

She nods and sits down behind me. I push the snow aside with my power and we begin to slide down the mountain side. Eventually reaching the end.