The journey was familiar. Everything remained as beautiful as before, yet now both knew what waited beyond the invisible boundary where life suddenly ended.
Several hours later... The vibrant greenery once again gave way to barren earth.
The silence returned.
Even knowing it was coming, the transition remained unsettling. The little traces of life disappeared almost instantly.
The massive entrance to the Doom Cave stood exactly as they remembered.
Neither ruler approached immediately; instead, they stood several dozen meters away, quietly observing it. Minutes passed, but nothing happened. Only the occasional breath of cold air drifted outward.
Atheline slowly exhaled.
"Last chance."
Lilith smiled.
"To turn around?"
He nodded.
"We could spend another month researching."
She laughed softly.
"We both know we'd still end up standing here."
He couldn't argue with that. After another quiet moment, the two stepped forward together, crossing the threshold.
