The cavern warped around them, platforms breaking apart and reassembling midair. Paths rose, twisted, and collapsed like some colossal puzzle. It wasn't just a place anymore—it was an opponent, reshaping itself to test them.
Sezzle stumbled, violet sparks snapping from her hands with every breath. The power inside her was wild, alive, clawing to break free. "Janae, I can't—these sparks won't stop! It feels like my whole body's buzzing!"
Janae landed beside her, aura steady and golden. "That's because you're holding back. The realm doesn't want you to contain it—it wants you to use it."
Before Sezzle could respond, a swarm of creatures spilled from the shifting walls. They weren't solid—not flesh and bone—but shadow-born wraiths with elongated limbs and eyes that burned like coals. Their screeches echoed as they rushed forward in a wave.
Janae cracked her knuckles. "Perfect training round. Stay close to me."
The wraiths lunged. Janae spun, her body moving with fluid precision, flipping off a crumbling platform and kicking one straight into another. Her golden aura erupted outward, blasting several off the edge.
Sezzle froze at first, sparks crackling violently from her palms. One wraith darted at her, claws slicing through the air—she panicked, thrusting her hands forward.
BOOM!
A raw burst of violet lightning exploded from her chest, vaporizing three wraiths in a blinding flash. But the recoil blasted her off her feet, slamming her against the wall.
"SEZZLE!" Janae yelled, leaping toward her.
"I—I'm fine!" Sezzle groaned, climbing to her knees. Her hands glowed uncontrollably, arcs of electricity snaking up her arms. Her eyes flickered with violet light. "I just… can't aim it. It feels like trying to drink fire."
Janae crouched in front of her, blocking another wraith's strike with a glowing shield of energy. "Listen to me. Don't think of it as fire. Think of it as rhythm—like music. Match your heartbeat to the flow."
Sezzle closed her eyes, chest heaving, sparks snapping across her skin. She focused on the vibrations around her, the same way Janae always had. Slowly, the wild lightning began to pulse in sync with her breath—unstable, but shaping.
A wraith leapt at her. This time, she didn't panic. She spun sideways, thrusting her palm in a sharp strike.
CRACK!
A concentrated bolt of lightning shot clean through the creature, splitting it in half before it dissolved into smoke. Sezzle's eyes snapped open, glowing bright violet.
She gasped. "Janae—I think I got it!"
Janae smirked, knocking another wraith aside with a spinning kick. "Then let's test that theory."
Together, they moved like a storm. Janae's golden strikes flowed sharp and controlled—dodges, flips, and precise blows. Sezzle's violet lightning was raw, chaotic, but devastating. Each blast tore through the wraiths, shaking the entire chamber with crackling energy.
Finally, the last shadow fell, dissolving into ash.
Sezzle dropped to her knees, panting, electricity fading from her hands. "Okay… that was… way too badass. Did you see me? I mean—I almost blew myself up, but still!"
Janae laughed, pulling her up. "You're leveling up fast. Keep this pace, and we'll be unstoppable."
But before either of them could celebrate, the platforms froze. The walls of the chamber pulsed with a low, thunderous hum, as if something enormous had just woken up.
The floor split apart, revealing a pit of shifting light and shadow. From within, a massive silhouette began to rise—horned, winged, its body dripping with molten chains.
Janae's eyes narrowed. "Guess the realm thinks we're ready for the next boss."
Sezzle swallowed hard, sparks flickering back to life in her palms. "Girl… I'm not ready for a boss fight yet!"
Janae smirked, her aura blazing gold. "Too late. Game's already started."