At the foot of the arch stood a figure—a woman with hair the color of the creek’s foam, eyes like polished amber, and a robe woven from strands of water itself. She turned as Aspen approached, and a smile unfurled across her face, soft and knowing.
Aspen smiled, a secret smile that made the corners of her eyes crinkle. “I found a new river,” she said softly. Aspen 8 Torrent
The cavern began to shift, the walls dissolving into a cascade of droplets that rose like mist, forming a tunnel of water that lifted Aspen upward. She felt herself being carried, gently, through the heart of the Torrent, the sound of the chime echoing in her ears like a promise. At the foot of the arch stood a