The moment their feet left the glade, the peaceful illusion snapped like a bubble. Warm wind was replaced with cold, dry air; the path ahead spiraled upward into a jagged, spiraling mountain trail carved out of ancient black stone. A staircase—uneven, cruel, and relentless—waited before them like a final gauntlet.
"Okay," Isolde muttered, already stretching her neck. "So we just finished a metaphorical emotional cleansing, and now we're getting a cardio trial? This labyrinth really wants to be a lifestyle coach."
Vivienne clung to Verena's arm for dear life. "That looks… vertical. Very vertical."
"I don't like it," Verena replied grimly, staring up at the endless flight. "But the trial's not going to finish itself. Let's keep moving before it starts raining metaphors."
