The golden light that had greeted them was warm and almost alive, filling the space with a sense of cautious serenity. Lyra padded forward, her sleek form silhouetted against the glow, and Kaelen followed, his boots scuffing softly against the smooth ground.


    The air was different. It was no longer oppressive but carried a faint, herbal fragrance mixed with the clean scent of sun-warmed stone. The passage widened gradually, spilling them into a breathtaking expanse of natural beauty that seemed untouched by time.


    Kaelen stumbled slightly as his boots sank into soft, springy ground, the sensation immediately soothing after the unyielding stone of the tunnel. Lyra moved ahead gracefully, her paws making barely a sound as she padded onto the vibrant landscape. Around them stretched a seemingly endless meadow of tall, golden grass that swayed gently under the spell of an eternal breeze.


    Kaelen’s first impression was how alive the Vale seemed. The sunlight filtering through a sky of impossible hues—rose gold, lavender, and streaks of fiery orange—bathed the landscape in a perpetual, dreamlike glow. Each blade of grass shimmered faintly, their tips reflecting the sky’s colors in a rippling, hypnotic effect.


    The grass brushed against his knees, its texture softer than any fabric he’d ever touched. Here and there, a scattering of flowers bloomed, their petals shimmering like tiny opals. They released faint, sweet fragrances that seemed to change subtly with each breath. The scents shifted from the honeyed warmth of ripe fruit to the crisp sharpness of mint, filling the air with an invigorating mix that made Kaelen’s head feel clear and alert.


    Kaelen paused to run his hand across a nearby stalk of grass. It was cool and smooth, yet alive with a subtle, almost imperceptible vibration, as if the Vale itself pulsed with quiet vitality. He tilted his head upward, letting the warmth of the sun settle on his face. The rays were gentle, not harsh like the midday sun in other places, but enveloping, as if the Vale had crafted the light itself for comfort.


    “It’s like walking into a painting,” Kaelen murmured, his voice subdued as he turned in a slow circle, taking it all in.


    “Better than collapsing tunnels, at least,” Lyra quipped, her silver eyes scanning the meadow. She flicked her tail as she sniffed the air, her sleek form weaving between the tall grasses with practiced ease. Her movements were fluid, almost blending with the rhythm of the Vale itself.


    Kaelen nodded, his tension easing slightly. “Well, yes” he said, surveying the scene and the open sky above. “High praise, that. At least it’s not collapsing.”


    Lyra chuckled softly. “Let’s hope that holds. Though with your track record, we should probably keep moving.”


    Kaelen smirked but didn’t reply, his attention caught by a faint hum that seemed to emanate from the very ground beneath them. It was a subtle vibration, more felt than heard, but it made his skin prickle. The Shard of Eterna, still clutched in his hand, pulsed faintly in response. Its glow had dimmed since they passed through the gate, though it still throbbed gently, its rhythm oddly in sync with the hum of the land.


    The ground itself felt alive, resonating with an energy that was at once welcoming and slightly disconcerting. The golden stalks of grass whispered around them as they moved, their rustling punctuated by the occasional distant trill of unseen birds. Somewhere far off, Kaelen thought he could hear the soft trickle of water, a sound serene and elusive.


    He inhaled deeply, the herbal notes in the air mixing with the earthy sweetness of the grass and the faint spice of unseen flowers. It was the kind of air that made his lungs feel fuller, his breaths longer, as if the Vale itself was nourishing him.


    “Does that… feel normal to you?” Kaelen asked, holding up the Shard as if it might offer an answer.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    “Normal? Hardly,” Lyra said, stepping closer. She tilted her head, studying the artifact with a critical gaze. “But I don’t think we’ve done anything ‘normal’ since we met, so this seems about right.”


    Kaelen sighed, glancing at the Shard again before speaking directly at it. “You brought us here for a reason, didn’t you? Care to share what it is?”


    The Shard, unsurprisingly, didn’t respond. Instead, Lyra padded a few steps ahead, her ears twitching as she sniffed at the ground. She looked back at him, her silver eyes gleaming with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. “Come on,” she said. “Standing around isn’t going to tell us anything. This Vale won’t explore itself.”


    Kaelen sighed again and followed her, the faint path left by Lyra’s movements through the grass his only guide. The blades brushed against his boots, whispering faintly with each step. He stepped over a cluster of particularly aggressive-looking thistles and muttered, “Could’ve been worse. We could’ve ended up in a swamp. Or another collapsing ruin. Or—”


    The grass rustled to their left, cutting off his train of thought. It started as a faint, rhythmic disturbance in the otherwise tranquil meadow. Kaelen crouched down. The sound persisted, and it grew louder, more deliberate, setting Kaelen on edge. The blades of grass swayed unnaturally in the direction of the noise, parting in tiny waves as if something unseen was wading through them. Kaelen’s breath hitched as he moved slowly back, his hand instinctively moving to the hilt of his blade. A bird overhead gave a sudden, sharp trill, and the sound seemed to reverberate in his chest. Beside him, Lyra crouched low, her sleek body tensing as her ears swiveled toward the source of the sound.


    A moment later, the source of the disturbance revealed itself—a small, shimmering creature that looked like a cross between a rabbit and a bird. Its small body was covered in iridescent feathers that seemed to shift colors with every subtle movement, blending hues of emerald, sapphire, and amethyst in a mesmerizing display. Its round, luminous eyes glowed faintly with a soft golden light, giving it an ethereal presence. Long, delicate ears twitched constantly, turning to the slightest sound, their tips feathered with downy tufts. The creature''s front legs were slender and strong, ending in talon-like feet that nevertheless looked too delicate to disturb the soft ground beneath it. It’s back legs were powerful, and shaped like a rabbits, ending in paws. Its tail, a plume of shimmering feathers, bobbed gently with each of its curious hops, trailing faint glimmers of light in the air.


    Kaelen blinked as the creature hopped closer, its movements light and deliberate, as though testing its safety. The faintest chirping sound, melodic and inquisitive, escaped from its throat, blending seamlessly with the gentle hum of the Vale. The rabbit-bird paused a few paces away, tilting its head in a distinctly curious manner before crouching to nibble on a patch of vibrant moss. Its talons barely made a sound as they touched the ground, their dainty precision at odds with the surreal beauty of its form.


    As they watched, the creature suddenly hopped upward in a fluid motion, its plumed tail leaving a streak of light in the air. It landed a few feet away near a cluster of shimmering flowers, inspecting the blooms with what Kaelen could only describe as playful intensity. It blinked up at them with wide, luminous eyes, its head tilting slightly as if to assess the newcomers. After a moment, it took off again, disappearing into the golden grass, its iridescent form blending perfectly with the colors of the Vale until it vanished entirely.


    Kaelen let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Just a rabbit-bird,” he said, relaxing his grip on his sword. “Nothing to worry about.”


    “Unless it’s venomous,” Lyra replied, her tone teasing. She straightened, shaking herself off. “Or maybe it’s a scout for something bigger. You did think of that, right?”


    Kaelen frowned, casting a wary glance at the direction the creature had vanished, its brief presence leaving an impression of tranquil beauty, not menace. For a moment, he wondered if the rabbit-bird had been real or simply another facet of the Vale''s enchantment. The glimmers left by its feathered tail seemed to linger faintly in the air, like tiny, fading stars. “You’re just trying to mess with me.”


    Lyra’s whiskers twitched. “Maybe a little.”


    The hum beneath their feet grew more distinct as they continued walking, almost like a heartbeat. The landscape began to shift subtly, the tall grass giving way to patches of moss that glowed faintly under the surreal sky. The moss was soft underfoot, almost plush, and released a faintly sweet scent when disturbed. Streams of crystal-clear water wove through the terrain, their surfaces sparkling as though embedded with tiny stars. The flowers became more numerous here, their opalescent petals forming small clusters that seemed to hum faintly in harmony with the land.


    Kaelen crouched near one of the streams, dipping his fingers into the water. It was cool, almost unnaturally so, and left a faint tingling sensation on his skin. He stood and rubbed his fingers together, the feeling lingering like a distant echo of magic.