Cassia's breath hitched as the whisper faded, swallowed by the chamber's cold silence. The runes above her shimmered, slowly rotating like a celestial wheel. She felt watched, not by eyes, but by memory itself.
The voice returned, gentler this time… yet older.
"…Then step forward, daughter of frost. Let your purpose reveal itself."
Cassia exhaled shakily. She wasn't sure if it was courage or stupidity guiding her feet, but she walked. Every step toward the pedestal made the air vibrate, the hum of ancient magic resonating through her bones.
The ice beneath her boots cracked softly, not in threat, but in recognition.
The blade was close now.
Winterfang.
She reached out, fingers hovering inches above the frozen air surrounding it. A barrier, cold enough to burn, radiated outward.
Cassia hesitated.
"What… are you?" she whispered.
The voice did not answer directly.
Instead, the chamber trembled.
