The winds of Ventosca grew harsher as Willie and Ghoida pressed onward, leaving the ancient chamber behind. The newly joined shards pulsed softly, their light faint yet steady, as if guiding them.
“How many pieces do you think there are?” Ghoida asked, her voice barely audible over the howling wind.
Willie adjusted his grip on the artifact. “Hard to say, but it feels like this is only the beginning.”
The path ahead twisted through narrow ridges and unstable platforms, each one swaying precariously in the wind. The sky above churned with dark clouds, crackling with faint traces of lightning.
“Looks like a storm’s brewing,” Ghoida muttered, scanning the horizon.
Willie nodded. “We’ll need to find shelter soon.”
As they crossed to the next island, the wind suddenly shifted, a violent gust nearly knocking them off their feet. Willie stumbled, his clumsiness sending him sprawling into a patch of strange, glowing vines.
“Willie!” Ghoida called, rushing to help him.
“I’m fine!” he said, struggling to untangle himself. But as he pulled free, the vines began to writhe, their glow intensifying.
“Uh, Ghoida?” Willie said nervously.
The vines coiled together, forming a serpentine shape. Eyes of glowing amber opened on the creature’s head, and it let out a low, menacing hiss.
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“You just had to trip into the weird plants, didn’t you?” Ghoida said, drawing her sword.
“I didn’t know they’d come to life!” Willie retorted, scrambling to his feet.
The vine-serpent lunged, its movements unnaturally fast. Ghoida stepped in front of Willie, her blade slicing through the air. The creature recoiled but quickly regrouped, splitting into multiple smaller serpents.
“This just keeps getting better,” Ghoida muttered, spinning to fend off another attack.
Willie frantically searched his pack. “There’s got to be something in here that can help!”
“Take your time,” Ghoida said sarcastically, narrowly dodging a strike.
Finally, Willie pulled out a small vial of glowing liquid. “This might work!”
“What is it?”
“An alchemical concoction I picked up earlier. It’s supposed to dissolve plant matter.”
“Then throw it already!”
Willie uncorked the vial and hurled it at the largest serpent. The liquid exploded on impact, dissolving the creature’s form into a harmless puddle. The smaller serpents hissed in unison before retreating into the ground.
Ghoida let out a breath, sheathing her sword. “Nice save.”
Willie grinned sheepishly. “Guess I’m not completely useless.”
She smirked. “Just try not to trip into any more monsters, okay?”
The storm above intensified, bolts of lightning illuminating the landscape. In the distance, a faint light flickered within the clouds, like a beacon calling to them.
“That looks like our next destination,” Willie said, pointing.
“Great,” Ghoida said dryly. “Let’s walk directly into the giant storm. What could go wrong?”
As they made their way toward the beacon, the wind grew colder, carrying with it an eerie silence that set their nerves on edge. The storm’s center loomed closer, and with it, the promise of new challenges—and perhaps, new truths about the mysteries of Elaris.
> End of Chapter 12