The air shifted as Rannah and Hannah stepped beyond the remnants of the Trial of Fire. The heat that had suffocated them just moments before faded, replaced by a bone-chilling cold. The walls around them shimmered with moisture, and droplets of water fell from the ceiling, echoing softly in the vast, open cavern ahead.
“We’ve faced fire…” Hannah muttered, her breath visible in the cold air. “I’m guessing water’s next.”
Rannah nodded, her hand still gripping the Heart of the Earth. Its gentle glow illuminated the damp tunnel as they cautiously moved forward. The tunnel opened up into another massive cavern—this one filled with a vast underground lake, its surface as smooth as glass, reflecting the dim light of the glowing stones embedded in the ceiling. The silence was deafening, broken only by the occasional drip of water from stalactites hanging overhead.
At the far end of the cavern stood an archway, shimmering with a faint, silver glow. Beyond it lay the path to the next trial, but the expanse of water between them and their destination loomed like a silent sentinel.
"Of course," Hannah sighed, staring at the lake. "It couldn’t be simple, could it?"
Before Rannah could respond, a deep rumble vibrated through the cavern. The water began to ripple, slow at first, then violently. The surface of the lake churned as something massive began to rise from its depths. They both stepped back instinctively, eyes wide as a colossal form emerged—first a head, crowned with jagged horns of ice, then a body made entirely of water. The creature towered above them, its eyes glowing with an ancient, unearthly light.
"A water elemental," Rannah whispered, her pulse quickening.
The elemental’s form shifted and flowed, constantly in motion as if it was barely held together. Its eyes locked onto the sisters, glowing with the same ethereal energy as the Heart of the Earth.
"You who carry the Heart must prove your worth once more," the elemental’s voice echoed, like a distant roar of waves crashing against a shore. "You have conquered fire, but water will not be so easily tamed."
Rannah glanced at Hannah, who gave a grim nod. The Trial of Water had begun.
Without warning, the elemental lunged. Its massive arm, made of roaring water, swung toward them with the force of a tidal wave. Rannah raised the Heart, its glow flaring as she summoned a barrier of light. The water smashed against the shield, sending a spray of droplets across the cavern, but the barrier held.
"Go!" Rannah shouted over the roaring water. "I’ll hold it off!"
Hannah didn’t hesitate. She dashed toward the lake, her magic already sparking at her fingertips. The water rippled beneath her feet as she leaped onto the surface, her magic creating a thin layer of ice that held her weight. She ran across the lake, her eyes fixed on the glowing archway ahead.
But the elemental wasn’t done. It roared, and the entire lake responded. Giant pillars of water shot up from the surface, cutting off Hannah’s path. She skidded to a halt, her breath coming in short bursts. The pillars loomed over her, ready to crash down at any moment.
Rannah’s grip tightened on the Heart. She could feel its power resonating with the elemental’s magic, but the weight of the artifact had grown heavier since the Trial of Fire. She wasn’t sure how long she could keep the barrier up.
“Hannah, hurry!” Rannah shouted, her voice strained.
Hannah’s eyes narrowed in determination. She raised her hands, her magic flowing through her veins like a rushing river. With a sharp movement, she commanded the ice to surge forward, freezing the pillars in place. The elemental roared in fury, its body shifting as it tried to regain control of the water, but Hannah was faster. She sprinted across the ice bridge she had created, her boots skidding on the slick surface as she neared the archway.
Suddenly, the elemental shifted its attention. It raised both arms high, and the entire lake surged upward in response. A massive wave, taller than the cavern itself, rose behind Hannah, its shadow swallowing her whole. Rannah’s heart leaped into her throat.
“Hannah!” she screamed, but her voice was drowned out by the roar of the water.
Without thinking, Rannah channeled every ounce of magic she had left into the Heart. Its light blazed, brighter than ever before, and a beam of pure energy shot forward, slamming into the elemental. The creature howled as the Heart’s power ripped through its form, momentarily dissolving its watery body.
But the wave kept coming.
Hannah glanced back, her eyes wide as the massive wall of water bore down on her. In a split second, she threw herself forward, diving toward the archway just as the wave crashed down. The force of the water sent her tumbling, her body slamming into the stone floor on the other side of the arch.
For a moment, there was silence. The wave receded, the elemental’s form slowly reconstituting itself, but Rannah didn’t care. Her eyes were locked on the spot where her sister had disappeared.
“Hannah!” she called, her voice trembling.
There was a pause, then a groan. Hannah pushed herself up from the ground, soaked but alive. She coughed, wiping water from her face, and shot Rannah a weak smile.
“Still here,” she said, her voice hoarse.
Rannah let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding, her knees nearly buckling in relief. The elemental, weakened but not defeated, roared one last time before dissolving into the lake, its form vanishing beneath the surface. The water stilled, the cavern falling into an eerie, quiet calm.
The Trial of Water was over.
“Two down,” Hannah said, standing shakily. “What do you think the next one will be? Wind? Earth?”
Rannah shook her head, her eyes fixed on the path ahead. The air in the cavern had shifted once more, growing colder and more foreboding. Whatever came next, they both knew it wouldn’t be easy.
“We keep moving,” Rannah said, echoing the words she had spoken before. “We’re not done yet.”
Together, they stepped through the archway, deeper into the heart of the mountain, where the next trial—and the ultimate truth of the Heart of the Earth—awaited.