"Twelve hours. That's how long you'll stay."

  Marco's voice cut through the chamber like a blade, sharp and uncompromising. The holographic projections surrounding him scrolled with data—energy readings, time calculations, corrupted fragments from the automaton's memory core.

  Eli stared at the damaged device, still coated in fine golden dust. "Twelve hours out here means—"

  "Sixty days inside the Grotto," Marco finished. "Two months of training, data collection, and exploration compressed into half a day of real time."

  The binding spell pulsed warmly at Eli's neck, not painful but present—a steady reminder of what he now knew it to be. Not a prison, but a safeguard. Not his enemy, but his guardian.

  "And you're sure the automaton was damaged by... something inside?" Eli asked, though he already knew the answer. He'd felt the presence watching him, ancient and patient.

  "The data is conclusive." Marco's form flickered, displays expanding to show fragmented images—crystal formations, energy signatures, and in one frame, a shadow where no shadow should be. "Something exists within the Grotto. Something aware. Something that deliberately corrupted the automaton's sensory array."

  Aura hovered nearby, her light dimmed to a soft glow. Since their return, she'd been unusually still, wings barely fluttering, eyes fixed on the portal with an intensity that made Eli's skin prickle with unease.

  "She knows what it is," Eli said quietly, watching her. "Or at least, she has an idea."

  Marco's gaze shifted to Aura, calculations running behind those cold eyes. "All the more reason to proceed. Understanding is critical to survival."

  A table materialized in the center of the chamber, holographic at first, then solidifying as panels slid open in the floor. Equipment rose from hidden compartments—sleek devices of crystal and metal, pulsing with soft light.

  "I've prepared enhanced reconnaissance and training equipment," Marco explained, gesturing to each device in turn. "Three scout automata for terrain mapping and anomaly detection. Two stationary crystal recorders for energy fluctuation analysis. A personal recording interface—"

  "In Basic, please," Eli interrupted, eyeing the devices warily.

  Marco's projection flickered with what might have been irritation. "Scout drones," he simplified, indicating three insect-like machines smaller than the original automaton. "They will map the Grotto and alert you to any... presences."

  He moved to a pair of crystalline spheres, each the size of Eli's fist. "These will remain stationary, recording energy patterns over time. Place them in separate locations for optimal coverage."

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  Next came a delicate circlet of silvery metal. "This," Marco continued, "is perhaps the most valuable. A holographic training system that will project forms, meditation paths, and energy circulation diagrams. It will help you visualize techniques that would otherwise take years to master."

  Eli picked up the circlet, feeling its surprising warmth against his fingers. "And this will teach me how to control the binding spell?"

  "Not control," Marco corrected. "Harmonize. If my theory is correct, the binding spell can be worked with rather than against. The Shattered Chain Path meditation should allow you to redirect energy through the silver threads rather than being blocked by them."

  The binding spell pulsed as if in response, a brief flare of warmth that traveled down Eli's spine.

  Finally, Marco gestured to the smallest device—a tiny crystal no larger than a grain of rice. "For Aura," he explained. "A flight tracker and language interface. It will record everything she sees and accelerate her ability to communicate."

  At the mention of her name, Aura drifted closer, wings fluttering with nervous energy. She hovered over the tiny crystal, head tilted in curiosity.

  "Is it safe?" Eli asked, protective instinct flaring. "She's not a test subject."

  "It's entirely non-invasive," Marco assured him. "It will attach to her aura—her energy field, not her physical form—and translate her thoughts into a language we can understand."

  Eli considered this, watching as Aura circled the crystal, leaving trails of light in the air. "And she can remove it anytime?"

  "Of course. It responds to intention, not force."

  After a moment's hesitation, Eli nodded. "It's your choice," he told Aura softly. "If you don't want it, just say no."

  Aura's response came not in words but in emotions—curiosity, determination, and beneath it all, a spark of hope that flowed through the binding spell like warm honey. She drifted closer to the crystal, and with a soft pulse of light, it rose to meet her, attaching itself to her luminous form like a tiny star.

  For a moment, nothing happened. Then words appeared in the air before her—simple symbols that glowed with soft light.

  the projection read.

  Aura's wings fluttered rapidly, her light pulsing with excitement. She circled the projection, tiny hands reaching out to touch the glowing symbols.

  the projection repeated.

  Aura's light flared, and beneath her translucent skin, patterns shifted—not quite words, but something trying to be words. A sound escaped her, high and musical, like crystal chimes in a gentle breeze.

  "She's trying," Eli murmured, fascinated.

  "Language acquisition will accelerate within the Grotto," Marco explained. "The time dilation should compress months of learning into days."

  The binding spell pulsed softly at Eli's neck, a steady rhythm that somehow felt... approving. Not chains, but a conduit. Not a curse, but a tool.

  "You have your mission," Marco continued, his tone shifting back to business. "Deploy the scout automata and crystal recorders. Train using the HUD projection system. Study how the binding spell responds to prolonged exposure to the Grotto's energy. And..." his gaze shifted to Aura, "observe her development. She may be more crucial to understanding this dungeon than we initially believed."

  Eli nodded, gathering the equipment. The weight of it felt substantial in his arms—not just physically, but with the potential it represented. Two months of training. Of learning. Of perhaps, finally, understanding what he was becoming.

  "Twelve hours," he confirmed. "Not a minute more."

  Marco's projection flickered, data streams scrolling rapidly around his form. "The dungeon is watching," he warned, voice low. "This time, it knows you're coming."

  The binding spell pulsed once, a warm flare that spread down Eli's spine. Not fear, but readiness. Not resistance, but resolve.

  With a deep breath, Eli turned toward the portal, its surface shimmering with fractal patterns of light. Aura hovered beside him, her newly adorned form glowing slightly brighter than before.

  Together, they stepped through.