The silence on the platform was palpable, broken only by the faint echo of their own breathing and the distant, almost imperceptible hum of matronic energy saturating the cavern.
Alden continued to scan the complex network of solidified light bridges, his mind analyzing trajectories, connection points, searching for a flaw, a viable path to the beacon he had glimpsed. The idea of descending towards the menacing glow at the bottom of the cavern, where the mana shadow had been detected, was to be avoided.
"There must be a way to reach this bridge from a higher level, or by using another interconnection," Alden murmured, more to himself than to Scott.
His senses, though partially blurred by the intense energy of the place, gave him fragmentary impressions.
He perceived flows that seemed to connect some of the upper bridges to the cavern wall, not far from their current position.
Scott, less inclined to contemplation, was beginning to show signs of impatience.
"So, Khan? Are you going to admire the scenery much longer? If this beacon is as important as Lys claims, she wouldn't have put it in an inaccessible place."
"Look," Alden said, pointing to a specific spot on the cavern wall, about twenty meters to their left and slightly higher.
"That tunnel… the one we came through… there seems to be another branch just before it, one we haven't explored. It might lead to another platform, perhaps closer to the series of bridges that leads to the beacon."
Scott squinted, trying to make out something in the gloom.
"Another rat hole? Are you sure about this? The last one led us here, which isn't exactly an improvement segurança-wise."
"It's our best option for now," Alden cut in.
"Staying here exposed isn't a solution. And I don't intend to play tightrope walker on the first bridge I see without knowing where it leads."
They cautiously retraced their steps, returning to the narrow natural tunnel.
Alden was right; an even more cramped passage, almost invisible in the darkness, branched off from the main tunnel a few meters before the observation platform.
It was so narrow they had to squeeze through sideways, Scott cursing under his breath each time his gear scraped against the rock.
This new conduit was even older, the air within stale, and a fine black crystal dust covered the floor, crunching under their boots.
After a slow and agonizing progression, they emerged onto another rocky ledge, smaller and more precarious than the previous one, but offering a different perspective on the cavern.
From there, they could see the network of light bridges more clearly.
One of them, indeed, passed within a reasonable distance of their position, perhaps a ten-meter void to cross, but it seemed to lead directly to an intersection of several other bridges, including the one where Alden had spotted the beacon.
"And now, the big jump?" Scott quipped, looking at the gaping void эмоции them from the luminous bridge.
"Got wings hidden under your sportswear, kid?" Alden ignored his comment, examining the bridge's structure. It was made of a translucent crystalline material.
There seemed to be no railings.
The surface looked smooth, almost slippery.
The System mentioned structural instability of the bridges, Alden recalled. "And random energy discharges from the pillars.
Crossing won't be a simple stroll.
He scanned for a way to test the solidity of the nearest bridge. There was nothing to throw that could give a reliable indication.
"We'll have to go for it," he finally said.
"One at a time. I'll go first. If it holds for me, you follow. If it doesn't… well, we'll figure it out then," Scott looked at him.
"Always a joker, huh Khan?
Alright. But if you fall, I'm not diving in after you."
Alden took a deep breath.
He measured the distance.
About ten meters.
It wasn't the distance that worried him most, but the nature of the bridge and the void below. He focused.
He took a few steps back on the ledge to get a running start.
Then, without further hesitation, he ran and jumped.
The moment his feet left the solid rock was a mixture of terror and exhilaration.
He hung in the air for a moment above the dizzying void, the glow of the crystal pillars and the energy lake below reflecting in his eyes.
He landed heavily on the light bridge, his knees bending to absorb the shock.
The surface was strangely warm beneath his boots, and it vibrated slightly, like a living organism. He quickly got up, testing his balance.
The bridge was wider than it had appeared from afar, at least two meters, but the absence of railings and the plunging view into the abyss were dizzying.
"Well?" Scott shouted from the ledge, his voice distorted by the cavern's echo.
"Does it hold?"
"It holds!" Alden replied.
"But it's… peculiar. Come on, but watch your step. The surface is uneven in places." Scott, after a moment of visible hesitation, also took a running start and jumped.
His landing was less smooth than Alden's, and the light bridge swayed slightly under his weight, emitting an ominous creak.
"Easy on the equipment!" Alden called out, half-joking.
"Hmmm, Khan," Scott grumbled, regaining his balance.
"This thing isn't made for heavyweights like me. Let's hurry and reach that beacon before this fairy catwalk decides to give out on us."
They began to advance cautiously on the light bridge, heading towards the intersection that was supposed to lead them to the beacon's platform.