[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-born-as-a-witch":3,"chapter-born-as-a-witch-born-as-a-witch-chapter-218":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Born as a Witch",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1702623,2172,"Chapter 218: Bioluminescent Bridge","born-as-a-witch-chapter-218",218,"\u003Cp>The cavern opened like the throat of a giant beast, and Lira froze at its edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tunnel she and Serelyth had been following for what felt like hours ended abruptly in a vast chamber, the ceiling so high it disappeared into shadow. Before them yawned a chasm so wide her eyes could barely trace its far side. She crept closer to the rim, her breath catching in her throat as she peered down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no bottom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least none she could see. A darkness stretched endlessly below, swallowing the glow of her vial of light, swallowing her courage. Yet within that abyss, faint motes stirred — specks of pale green, ghostly blues, flickering purples. At first, she thought them fireflies drifting in the depths, but as her eyes adjusted she realized they were fungi, clinging to the sheer cliff walls that fell into eternity. They glowed faintly, forming a shimmering latticework down the endless shaft.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A single bridge spanned the gap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked ancient — stone slabs arranged in a narrow path, their edges overgrown with moss that shimmered faintly with bioluminescence. Roots dangled from the ceiling above and curled around the rail-less span, weaving together with the fungi. Parts of the bridge sagged where time had broken its stones, filled in by twisting roots and glowing tendrils. In some places, entire slabs had collapsed into the abyss, leaving only slick natural growth to step upon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira’s knees weakened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s the only way?\" she whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth’s form shifted beside her, her great body condensing, folding in on itself until she stood as a tall woman with silver hair that cascaded down her back like a living waterfall. Her eyes gleamed with dragon fire, though her expression was calm, controlled. She placed a hand gently on Lira’s shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It is,\" Serelyth said softly. Her voice held no mockery, only quiet certainty. \"The cavern allows no other path. We cross, or we turn back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira swallowed hard. The air above the abyss was strangely still, yet she swore she could feel it tugging at her, pulling with a silent gravity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth leaned closer, her tone soothing. \"Do not fear. If we fall, I will shift in an instant and carry you back to safety. But let us try with patience first. Some trials can only be passed by walking them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira stared at the bridge. Moss glowed faintly beneath the cracks, painting the stones with an otherworldly light. Each step seemed like it would echo forever, a small defiance against the endless dark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her chest rose and fell unevenly. \"I... I can try.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good,\" Serelyth murmured, brushing her thumb across Lira’s hand. \"Slowly. One step at a time. Do not rush. The bridge responds to balance, not haste.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The First Steps\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Lira placed her foot on the bridge, she felt it shift beneath her weight. A groan of stone reverberated through the cavern, as if the structure had been holding its breath for centuries. She froze, clutching the vial close to her chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Breathe,\" Serelyth whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira exhaled shakily. She set her other foot on the first stone slab. It held, though it tilted slightly toward the abyss. Beneath her, the glow of fungi painted the emptiness with sickly greens and violets. She forced herself not to look down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"One more,\" Serelyth urged gently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They advanced. The bridge stretched far, far longer than Lira had first imagined — at least a hundred steps, perhaps more. The tunnel on the opposite cliff looked like nothing more than a small shadow, a promise she wasn’t sure she could reach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her heartbeat thundered in her ears. She tried to focus on Serelyth’s calm presence at her side. The dragon-woman walked with measured grace, her balance perfect, as if every step were a dance. Lira mimicked her movements, placing her feet carefully, feeling the slight give of moss, the cool dampness under her boots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the silence of the cavern was deceptive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Halfway across the first stretch, she heard it — whispers rising from the abyss. They were faint, carried on no wind, yet they brushed against her ears unmistakably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lira...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She froze. The voice was familiar. Her mother’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lira, come down... you’re safe here. No more trials. No more pain.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her chest clenched. She turned her head instinctively toward the abyss, but Serelyth’s hand caught her chin, forcing her gaze back forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do not look,\" Serelyth said firmly. \"The abyss plays tricks. Keep your eyes on the path.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But I—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eyes forward.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The command in her tone snapped through Lira like lightning. She inhaled sharply, forcing her focus to the next stone slab, then the next. The whispers didn’t fade. They multiplied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A friend’s voice. A lost teacher. Her grandmother, calling softly. All beckoning her downward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her steps faltered. The bridge swayed slightly under her hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth steadied her with a firm grip. \"Trust the stone beneath your feet, little flame. Trust the Spirit that guides you. The voices are not real.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira forced her legs to move. One step. Then another. Each felt like a war against her own instincts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Illusions\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The whispers grew stronger. At the midpoint of the bridge, they crystallized into visions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shadows formed in the glowing moss, shapes that resolved into figures. Her father’s outline stood on the edge of the bridge ahead, arms open. His face glowed faintly, lit by the fungi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come, my daughter. You’ve wandered too long. Rest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira’s throat tightened. Her steps slowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No,\" she whispered, shaking her head, though her chest ached. \"You’re gone... this isn’t real.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figure beckoned again. Behind it, others appeared — friends from her childhood, faces from the village, all smiling, all welcoming. They extended their hands, urging her closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth’s voice cut through the fog. \"What do you feel in your chest?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira clutched her heart. Beneath the ache of longing, there was something steadier, quieter — the rhythm she had been learning to hear in the Spirit. A calm current, like a river beneath the storm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That,\" Serelyth said, reading her expression. \"Follow that, not the illusions.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The figures flickered. Some grew distorted, their smiles stretching unnaturally wide. Others whispered in tones too sweet, too eager. The abyss was testing her, trying to pry her open through longing and grief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She clenched her jaw, whispered fiercely, \"You’re not real,\" and stepped forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The illusions hissed, faces twisting before dissolving into mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bridge creaked violently, as though the abyss resented her defiance. Stones cracked; one fell away entirely, tumbling into the void with a soundless drop. Lira gasped and stumbled back, nearly losing her footing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Near Disaster\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth caught her by the arm, yanking her upright before she could topple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Focus!\" Serelyth’s eyes flared with dragon fire. \"You are stronger than shadows. Do not yield!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bridge shuddered. The glow of moss flared as if in anger. From below, currents of dark air rose, swirling around Lira’s legs like hands trying to pull her down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her heart raced. She fought the urge to scream. \"It’s—it’s alive—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes,\" Serelyth confirmed grimly, her grip anchoring Lira. \"The abyss feeds on fear. Do not give it yours.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira closed her eyes, fighting against the panic clawing at her ribs. She drew in a long breath, letting her fire core pulse warmth through her chest. The warmth steadied her legs, spread through her arms, until her trembling subsided enough to take another step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bridge lurched again. A slab ahead tilted sharply, half-dislodged. She froze, staring at the jagged gap it created.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We can’t cross that,\" she whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We can,\" Serelyth corrected. Her hand pressed firmly to Lira’s back. \"Balance with your breath. Feel the stone. Trust the Spirit. One step at a time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira hesitated, then placed her boot on the tilted stone. It wobbled under her weight. She bent her knees, adjusting, feeling the rhythm of her own heartbeat sync with the faint pulse of the glowing moss. Slowly, carefully, she shifted her center of balance and stepped across.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, the abyss roared in her ears, voices screaming in fury. Then the stone steadied beneath her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She gasped with relief, nearly collapsing. Serelyth steadied her again, murmuring, \"Well done.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Final Stretch\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The far side of the bridge loomed closer now, though every step still felt eternal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whispers still clawed at her mind, but weaker now, less convincing. She kept her focus locked on the tunnel ahead, her breath steady, each step measured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At last, they reached the final span. The stone here was more intact, though still slick with moss. Lira nearly ran in her eagerness to be free of the abyss, but Serelyth’s firm grip slowed her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do not rush the final steps,\" she warned. \"The end is often where one stumbles most.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira forced herself to slow, to breathe, to take each step with care. Her legs burned, her chest ached, but she continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, with one final stride, she stepped onto solid ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment her boots touched the cliff’s edge, her knees buckled. She collapsed to the stone, gasping, trembling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth knelt beside her, resting a warm hand on her back. \"You did well, little flame. The abyss tested every fear within you, and still you walked through.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira pressed her forehead to the cool stone, tears she hadn’t realized she’d been holding spilling down her cheeks. \"I thought I would fall. I thought—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But you didn’t,\" Serelyth interrupted gently. \"Because you learned to trust — not illusions, not fear, but the steady rhythm of Spirit within you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira looked up, meeting the dragon-woman’s gaze. For the first time, she felt that trust fully — not just in herself, but in Serelyth’s unshakable presence beside her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They turned together toward the tunnel ahead. Behind them, the bridge glowed faintly, as if acknowledging their passage before fading back into silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira rose slowly, steadier now, though her legs still trembled. She took a final glance at the abyss, whispered, \"You won’t have me,\" and followed Serelyth into the next passage.\u003C\u002Fp>",1679,"2026-06-06T14:30:21.781Z",1,"novelbin.me","de4c86e95660d55c0b3efb93767a960aad1f11458f20d40efd06d3e57d957d7a","born-as-a-witch-chapter-164","born-as-a-witch-chapter-129",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fborn-as-a-witch-cover.jpg"]