The forge in Vilge Center roared with heat as the craftsman hammered at the metal infused with the wildflower essence. Alexander couldn't help leaning in closer, fascinated by how the strange material from the Meadow Colossus seemed to glow as it merged with his bde.

  "This stuff is crazy," the craftsman said, dunking the bde into a bubbling solution that smelled like mint and rust. "Makes the metal soak up water properties like a sponge."

  "So my attacks will hit harder against fire enemies?" Alexander asked, excitement creeping into his voice despite his attempt to sound professional.

  The craftsman grinned. "Way harder. You'll see the difference right away when you connect."

  All around the vilge, the team was rushing to get ready for Floor 4. Three days had passed since they'd taken down the Meadow Colossus, and they weren't wasting a second of prep time.

  Riva burst into the forge, practically bouncing with energy. Her armor now had these cool blue streaks where they'd added the water-affinity components.

  "Dude, you should see the stuff they did to my gear," she said, doing a quick spin to show off. "These vilge people are actually pretty awesome at upgrades."

  "They're just happy we took down that pnt monster," Alexander replied, running a hand through his hair. "One of them told me the flowers are already growing better since we defeated it."

  He picked up his finished bde, giving it a few test swings. It felt lighter somehow, and made a weird humming noise when he moved it fast—like it was eager to be used. "So how's the intel hunt going?"

  "Found a bunch of pyers who've been to Floor 4," Riva said, pulling out her interface map. "Seven of them right here in the vilge. Jackpot!"

  Alexander nodded, already forming a pn. "Cool. Let's split them up—you talk to three, I'll take four. Find out everything about the cave stuff and what supplies we need."

  In a quiet corner of the vilge herb garden, Elijah sat cross-legged across from Elder Thorne. The old man looked way better since they'd defeated the Colossus—less like dried bark and more like actual living wood.

  "Moving between floors isn't just walking through a door," Elder Thorne said, arranging pebbles in a weird pattern between them. "It's crossing into a whole different challenge zone."

  Elijah nodded, fidgeting with a loose thread on his sleeve. "Those whispers I've been hearing—they've been getting clearer since we've been here. Will they get worse in the caves?"

  Elder Thorne's eyes narrowed as he leaned forward. "The voices in the depths are... different. Stronger. In the meadow, they float like pollen on the breeze. In the caves, they echo and concentrate. They'll find you more easily in enclosed spaces."

  "That sounds... kind of terrifying," Elijah admitted, swallowing hard.

  "It should be," Elder Thorne replied bluntly. "But you have a rare gift. Most pyers tune out the whispers completely. You hear them." He tapped his gnarled finger against Elijah's chest. "Trust your instincts down there, young one. Sometimes the voices warn of danger. Sometimes they guide toward safety."

  Elijah wanted to ask more, but Elder Thorne was already standing, signaling the end of their meeting. "Wait—how do I tell which voices to trust?"

  The old man's smile was mysterious. "That's part of your journey to discover."

  Valeria spread their inventory across the inn's rgest table, sorting items into precise piles with quick, efficient movements.

  "We're light on illumination," she announced when Alexander entered. Her interface dispy hovered above the table, showing detailed lists and quantities. "Everyone who's been to the caves says we need at least three light sources per person. We've got maybe half that."

  Alexander dropped into a chair, reviewing the notes from his interviews. "Yeah, my sources said the same thing. One guy told me his whole team nearly wiped because their st torch went out in a crawler nest." He shuddered at the thought. "They also mentioned echo-mapping techniques for navigation. Apparently sound travels weirdly down there."

  "Already on it," Valeria replied, holding up small metal devices. "Picked these up from the merchant by the east well. They make distinctive pinging sounds and help track how spaces connect." She tossed one to Alexander. "Not cheap, but worth it according to everyone who's been down there."

  Alexander turned the device over in his hand. "Nice. What about water? Several pyers mentioned underground pools, but said some are toxic."

  "Got testing drops," Valeria pointed to small vials of clear liquid. "Three drops change color based on contamination." She hesitated, then added more quietly, "Also stocked up on antitoxins. Apparently there's these mushrooms that release spores when disturbed."

  Alexander nodded, mentally adding this to his growing list of cave hazards. "Riva found a guy who lost two teammates to those. Said they glow blue in the dark."

  "Great," Valeria muttered. "Deadly, but at least they're pretty."

  As evening fell, the team gathered around a small fire behind the inn for their final strategy session. Maps and notes were spread out on a bnket between them, illuminated by the dancing fmes.

  "OK, so cave protocol," Alexander began, tapping their hastily drawn map. "Standard formation, but tighter than in the meadow. Single file in narrow passages, Riva on point with primary light source, me second, Elijah third, Valeria as rear guard with backup light."

  "We should establish echo calls," Riva suggested, demonstrating a short whistle pattern. "If we get separated, sound carries better than shouting words."

  "Good idea," Alexander agreed. "And regur check-ins when moving through challenging areas."

  Elijah had been unusually quiet, staring into the fire. The meeting with Elder Thorne weighed on his mind, but he was careful not to mention the whispers with Valeria present. She already watched him suspiciously whenever he seemed to hear things the others couldn't.

  "You've been quiet," Alexander observed as they reviewed the cave maps. "Everything okay?"

  "Just thinking about the terrain changes," Elijah replied smoothly. "Caves mean different acoustics for... everything."

  Valeria seemed satisfied with this expnation, returning her attention to the inventory list. "Echo mapping will be essential. These devices should help with that."

  Later, when Valeria moved away to check their supplies and Riva was distracted with her gear, Elijah leaned closer to Alexander.

  "Elder Thorne warned me," he whispered. "The voices in the caves—they'll be stronger than in the meadow."

  Alexander gave him a concerned look. "Will that be a problem?"

  Elijah shrugged, trying to look more confident than he felt. "I don't think so. Might actually help. Elder Thorne seemed to think I could learn to use it somehow."

  "Just keep me posted if it gets intense," Alexander said quietly, giving his brother a supportive nudge with his shoulder. "No heroic solo listening sessions, got it?"

  Elijah managed a smile. "Got it."

  They reviewed their upgraded equipment, each now specialized toward their fighting style with elemental affinities incorporated. Alexander's bde hummed with water affinity, perfect for his frontline position. Elijah's staff now channeled healing energy more efficiently, with added conductivity for water-based techniques. Riva's lightweight armor allowed her unmatched mobility while incorporating fire resistance for scouting dangerous areas. Valeria's bow had been modified to fire specialized elemental arrows, with a quiver full of moisture-tipped projectiles.

  As they packed up their gear, Alexander couldn't shake the feeling that even with all their preparations, something fundamental was still missing from their team. The Meadow Colossus had exposed a gap in their capabilities—some approach or skillset they cked. Maybe Floor 4 would provide answers.

  "Final inventory check at dawn," Alexander said as they headed back to their rooms. "We move out at first light."

  None of them slept easily that night, their dreams filled with darkness, echoing whispers, and the unknown challenges waiting below.

  The passage to Floor 4 looked deceptively simple—a cave opening in the rock wall that had appeared after the Meadow Colossus's defeat. Sunlight illuminated only the first few feet before darkness swallowed all detail.

  The team stood before it, fully equipped and prepared as thoroughly as possible. They'd said their goodbyes to the helpful vilgers, exchanged final information with other pyers, and triple-checked their supplies.

  "Everyone ready?" Alexander asked, activating his primary light source.

  "As ready as we'll ever be," Riva replied, adjusting her scout's pack.

  "Let's do this," Valeria said with determined calm.

  Elijah took a deep breath, already sensing faint murmurs from the darkness ahead. "Together," he said.

  They stepped into the passage, leaving the sunlit meadows of Floor 3 behind. The transition to Floor 4—the Shallow Caverns—had begun.