Chapter 167 A Test

• ~ Elara ~
• The wind howled as I reached the base of the mountain pass, its cold bite stinging my skin. My muscles were screaming from the relentless journey, my body teetering on the edge of collapse. Each step felt like I was walking with leaden limbs, but the worst part was the heavy fog of doubt that clouded my mind. The mountain loomed ahead, steep cliffs rising like jagged teeth against the sky. It was as if the earth itself was daring me to turn back.
• I paused, taking in the path ahead. The trail was barely visible, a thin ribbon of dirt winding precariously along the edge of the mountain. One wrong step and I could fall to my death. My hands instinctively clenched into fists, as if bracing myself for the battle to come.