Beneath the roots, faint runes shimmered—etched into the stone but hidden from normal sight. They coiled and stretched beneath the dead vines, barely visible, like ghostly veins of starlight buried beneath the rock.

"There," Raelyn said breathlessly, reaching out and touching the wall. "There are markings... runes, beneath the roots. I can't read them, but they're here. The Aetherglass reveals them."

Lira stepped forward quickly, drawing everyone's attention. "Magic, then?" she offered, looking at Raelyn, determination sparking in her eyes. "Perhaps it's sealed by some spell."

Sylvy glanced up with an approving nod, giving her twin sister an encouraging half-smile. "Give it a try, Lira."

Raelyn exchanged a hopeful glance with Benji, who gave a small, reassuring nod, clearly willing something—anything—to work. Thomrik stood off to the side, arms crossed, his brow furrowed in cautious skepticism.

Danio leaned casually against the cavern wall, arms folded loosely, and raised an eyebrow with a playful smirk. "Go on then, enchantress. Let's see you work your magic."

Lira shot Danio a sideways glare, though a faint blush colored her cheeks briefly before she refocused. Raelyn noticed Danio's grin widen at the reaction, clearly pleased with himself.

Ignoring Danio, Lira turned toward the wall, rolling her shoulders back. She steadied her stance, took a slow breath, and extended her hands gracefully toward the tangled roots and stubborn stone. A silence fell over the cavern as the companions watched, eyes wide, breaths shallow in anticipation.

Then Lira's voice rang clear, confident, and strong as she spoke the Elvish word for open: "Solien."

The single word resonated through the darkness, echoing softly from wall to wall, carrying with it a strange sense of power. Raelyn's breath caught in her throat, waiting expectantly for something—anything—to shift.

But the cavern remained still. Unyielding.

Massah shifted nervously, casting an anxious glance backwards to the opening of the cavern. Rakz tilted his head, eyes flickering curiously, as though he had expected something spectacular.

Raelyn felt a pang of disappointment settle in her chest. Benji exhaled slowly beside her. Sylvy frowned, sharing a look with her sister that conveyed quiet reassurance.

Lira set her jaw firmly as she stepped even closer to the stone, fingers slightly trembling as they raised again. Raelyn admired her determination, silently urging her on.

This time Lira's voice carried more force, her tone firm and commanding, as she tried another Elvish command: "Dorthien."

The word echoed loudly, reverberating against the cavern walls with more strength than before. Raelyn's pulse quickened, eyes darting to the edges of the wall, expecting a tremor or shimmer. But the stone and roots again remained utterly indifferent, offering no hint of response.

Lira's shoulders slumped slightly, frustration creasing her forehead. "It's not reacting to Elven magic," she admitted quietly, a frown of disappointment evident on her face.

Upon seeing Lira's frustration, Danio dropped his playful tone, smiling encouragingly instead. "Don't worry—you gave it your best. We'll crack this open eventually."

Lira looked over at him and smiled weakly, while Sylvy stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand lightly on her sister's shoulder. "It was worth a shot."

Raelyn exhaled slowly, heart sinking again. They had come so far, but the door still stood unmoving, taunting them with silence.

"Well," Thomrik grunted, stepping forward and hefting his warhammer onto his shoulder. "If words don't work, perhaps the stone just needs a little convincing."

Raelyn's eyes widened sharply as she saw the dwarf shift his stance, the etched runes on his warhammer flickering briefly in response to his grip.

"Thomrik—wait!" she called urgently, stepping forward and reaching out to stop him. But it was already too late.

With a battle cry and both hands gripping the haft of his warhammer, Thomrik slammed the weapon full-force against the wall.

The warhammer collided fiercely with the stone wall, but rather than shattering the surface, a brilliant explosion of magical light burst forth from beneath Thomrik's weapon. The invisible markings Raelyn had glimpsed through the Aetherglass now ignited into existence—runes blazing with an intensity that flooded the cavern in blinding illumination.

"Oh, bloody—!" Thomrik cursed loudly, eyes widening in shock.

Before he could finish, the wall's magic lashed out violently, sending a wave of raw energy surging toward him. Thomrik's stout body was hurled backwards, his powerful limbs flailing uselessly in the air. The dwarf struck the opposite wall with a sickening thud, the force shaking dust loose from the ceiling above.

Raelyn gasped, her breath catching sharply in her throat, as Sylvy and Lira echoed her horror with cries of alarm.

For a dreadful heartbeat, Thomrik lay unmoving, crumpled in a small, stoic heap against the cavern wall. The warhammer skittered from his grip and clattered to the ground. Silence hung thick and oppressive in the cavern, each of them frozen, fearing the worst.

"Thomrik!" Raelyn shouted, rushing forward, but Hovan and Danio were already at his side

Then, with a deep groan, Thomrik stirred. He pushed himself up slowly, blinking away the pain and confusion, and glared at the now-illuminated wall through narrowed eyes.

"Damnable thing fights back!" he growled hoarsely.

Raelyn released a shaky breath, heart pounding from both shock and relief, and stepped closer, staring at the now dimming glowing runes on the wall. The intensity of the magic slowly fading back to its dormant state.

Danio cocked an eyebrow. "If this was a test of brute force, I think the wall won."

Hovan surveyed the wall with narrowed eyes. "Well," he said quietly, voice low and measured over the echoing aftermath, "if nothing else, we know now this isn't just an ordinary wall."

Lira came to stand near them, her expression tight with thought. "There's magic in it after all. Powerful, old magic. Set to respond if someone tries to bypass whatever key or spell was meant to open it."

A flash of lightning split the sky outside, its sudden glare briefly flooding the cavern through the narrow passageway they'd entered from. The whole space lit up in a cold, white blaze—and in that instant, Raelyn saw how the once-entwined roots and dead vines now lay scattered across the stone floor, snapped from the concussive force of Thomrik's blow.

"Well, I hate to encourage Thomrik's bashing instincts," Sylvy said, gesturing toward the mess, "but, if nothing else, it did clear the wall. We can see what we're dealing with now."

The group slowly gathered before the newly exposed stone, their boots crunching lightly over the strewn vines. They traced their fingers over the rock, running over faint etchings and shallow channels now visible across the surface. The once-hidden markings glimmered faintly in the low glow of Raelyn's locket, still softly pulsing in her palm.

Behind them, Danio helped Thomrik to his feet, the dwarf muttering a string of curses under his breath while gripping his ribs.

"You alright?" Danio asked, steadying him with one arm.

"Nothing broken," Thomrik grunted, brushing himself off with stubborn dignity.

A soft voice called out from the stone. "Raelyn," Benji said, stepping back slightly and lifting his hand toward a specific section of the wall. "I think I found something."

She crossed to him quickly, locket raised to better light the area. Benji pointed to a subtle depression in the wall—just a smooth, round hollow, almost perfectly symmetrical.

Raelyn leaned in, heart skipping in her chest. "It's the same shape and size as the locket," she murmured.

Benji nodded. "Almost like it was carved for it."

Without hesitation, Raelyn stepped forward, brushing her damp hair back behind one ear as she positioned the locket carefully in her palm. The steady glow from its surface cast pale light across her fingers as she brought it toward the indent in the stone.

But as she tried to place it into the hollow, the crown at the top snagged against the edge, refusing to fit cleanly into place.

She frowned, drawing it back with a frustrated sigh. "It won't fit," she muttered, eyes narrowing as she studied the obstruction. "The crown's in the way."

Benji, standing close beside her, leaned in with a thoughtful expression. "Wait... remember what Mechit showed us?" he said, his voice low. "Try removing the crown."

Raelyn's breath caught as memory sparked. "Right. The hidden key."

By now, the others had noticed them. Hovan stepped nearer, brow furrowed in quiet focus. Sylvy and Lira followed, glancing toward the locket with renewed interest. Even Thomrik, still dusting himself off with a wince, hobbled over to see what was unfolding. Massah lingered behind them, his glowing eyes wide with curiosity.

Raelyn turned the locket slowly in her hands, fingers slick with rain. With a practiced motion, she twisted the silver crown at its top—one careful turn, two—and then a soft, satisfying click echoed from within. The base of the crown separated, revealing the slim, gleaming key.

The group leaned in closer, silent but brimming with anticipation.

Delicately, Raelyn slid the locket—now crownless—into the indent in the stone wall. This time, it fit perfectly. The rings on the back of the locket were now fully visible to the others, still glowing faintly, inscribed with the clues that had led them here.

The moment the locket locked into place, the markings etched into the stone surrounding it gave a sudden, soft pulse of light—like a heartbeat echoing outward through the wall.

A beat of silence.

Then came the sound: a faint whirring, a mechanical whisper rising from the locket itself. The rings began to turn slowly, shifting as though stirred by invisible gears within, realigning piece by piece. Then—click. The rotating rings stopped, revealing a narrow, circular keyhole at the very center.

Raelyn stared, breath caught in her throat.

"The locket..." she murmured, voice barely above a whisper. "It's not just the key to finding the weapon. It's the lock as well."

Around her, the others exchanged glances. The tension was electric now, the air tight with held breath and expectation.

"What are you waiting for?" Danio said. "Turn it. Let's see what happens."

Thomrik grunted, cracking his knuckles. "Let's open the damn thing."

Benji gave her a nod of encouragement. "You've brought us this far, Raelyn. Let's see what's on the other side."

Raelyn looked down at the small, intricate key still held between her fingers, glinting faintly in the soft light of the locket. Her hands trembled slightly, but her resolve was iron.

Slowly, reverently, she raised the key to the waiting lock, sliding it carefully into the exposed keyhole. The click echoed softly through the chamber.

Raelyn turned the key.

The locket spun in place with a smooth, fluid motion, the rings rotating on their own with a sound like shifting clockwork. Pale silver light bled outward from the seams between the stones, tracing the grooves of the wall in radiant threads. One by one, the ancient markings flared to life—symbols igniting as though the wall itself were waking from a long slumber.

Beneath their feet, the ground began to rumble.

Raelyn gasped, instinctively reaching for Benji's hand. He gripped hers tightly without hesitation, his warmth grounding her as the tremors intensified.

The others braced themselves.

A deep groan echoed from within the stone, like the earth itself exhaling after centuries of silence.

Then, slowly—agonizingly slowly—the wall began to shift.

Stone scraped against stone with a grinding roar, echoing through the chamber as a jagged seam split down its center. Dust rained from above as the ancient doorway cracked open, revealing the first sliver of a faint light beyond.

A low hum filled the air, not just sound but sensation—vibrating in their bones, as though the very magic that held Unevia together had stirred in recognition.

They stood frozen, breath held, eyes locked on the widening gap.

"This is it." Benji said softly. "It has to be."

Danio let out a sharp breath. "By the gods... We actually found it."

He let out a low whistle, his voice filled with something that sounded dangerously close to awe. "I'll admit it—wasn't sure we'd actually get this far."

Hovan said nothing, but a rare, approving smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Sylvy, already eyeing the soft glow ahead with anticipation, rested a hand on her hip. "Let's hope what's inside is at least half as impressive as the entrance." Her lips curved in a smirk, but her green eyes gleamed with fire.

Lira stood beside her, quiet for a moment, reverent even. "This magic... it's amazing," she whispered.

Behind them, Rakz let out a low trill, curling around Raelyn's legs protectively. The imp's wide yellow eyes flickered between the shifting door and Raelyn, his trembling now more from awe than fear. "Is this... the place?" he asked quietly, as though afraid to break the spell.

Raelyn swallowed hard, unable to speak. Her fingers tightened slightly around Benji's hand, drawing strength from the warmth of his grip.

She looked around at her companions—worn, soaked, bruised from everything Bromaric had thrown at them. Yet here they were, still standing. Still together.

Her gaze lingered on Benji. He watched her with quiet pride, rain-matted hair falling across his brow, a spark of unshakable belief in his eyes. Their eyes met, and for a fleeting second, it was just the two of them—no demons, no war, no prophecy. Just a moment of shared relief, and the unspoken promise of what could be.

Raelyn turned back to the opening, her heart thundering. Gratitude swelled in her chest, swelling up like a tide she couldn't hold back. For the gods. For the path that had led them here. For the strength to keep moving forward.

"We're finally here," she said softly, the words catching slightly in her throat. "Thank Lucifer."

She stepped closer to the threshold. The air that spilled out from the dark chamber beyond was cool and dry, carrying the scent of age and stone, untouched by the world above for centuries. It felt like crossing into legend.

A thousand images flashed through her mind—Keardath's warm smile, the golden leaves of Eryndoriel, the snow-swept peaks of Grorith, the near-deaths, the fire, the fear, the laughter. All of it had led here.

She took a steadying breath. This was it—the weapon of the gods was finally within their reach.

And whatever waited beyond that door... she was ready to face it.

With her friends beside her.

With the gods watching over her.

And the fate of Unevia ahead.