The blue crystal pulsed with an otherworldly glow, casting eerie shadows across the five challengers' faces.
Hearts pounding, they exchanged silent glances.
With a collective deep breath, they reached out and touched the smooth, cool surface.
In an instant, reality warped around them. The familiar sensation of displacement washed over their bodies, a dizzying whirl of light and darkness. When the world solidified again, they found themselves in the third level of the challenge.
The cavern materialized before them, its layout hauntingly familiar. Stalactites hung from the ceiling like jagged teeth, their crystalline surfaces glinting in the dim light. The air was thick with anticipation, carrying the faint scent of something... alien.
"Look!" one of them whispered, pointing at a shimmering object hovering nearby.