Hollow Ascension

Chapter 164: A Darker Force

The valley's magic trembled beneath their feet, the once vibrant energy now flickering like a dying flame. Elda could feel it—the imbalance growing with every moment they hesitated. The rune she had destroyed had been only one of many, and with each step, she could sense more of the Syndicate's poison creeping through the valley, sinking deeper into its core.

"We need to move faster," Lena muttered, her voice tight with urgency as she led the way through the underbrush. Her sword was drawn, her eyes scanning the dense trees for any sign of movement. "The longer we wait, the more damage they'll do."

Kael followed closely behind, his jaw clenched in frustration. "Elda, can you sense where the next rune is?"

Elda paused, her staff glowing faintly as she reached out with her magic. The valley's energy was fractured, pulsing in erratic waves, but she could feel it—another point of corruption, further ahead, hidden beneath layers of magic.

"There's another one nearby," she said, her voice strained as she focused on the subtle vibrations in the air. "But it's deeper... stronger than the last one."

Lena cursed under her breath, her grip tightening around the hilt of her sword. "Of course it is."

They pressed on, moving quickly through the forest as the valley's magic grew increasingly unstable. The air felt thick, heavy with the weight of the corruption spreading through the land. Small patches of plants had withered, their leaves blackened and twisted, and the animals that usually roamed the valley had vanished, leaving behind an eerie silence.

Kael's gaze flicked to Elda, his voice low and tense. "What happens if we can't destroy all the runes in time?"

Elda's heart skipped a beat at the question, but she forced herself to remain calm. "If the corruption spreads too far... the valley's magic will collapse," she said quietly. "Once the core is compromised, the Syndicate will be able to control the valley's energy—and use it for their own purposes."

Lena shot them both a grim look. "Then we can't let that happen."

They reached the edge of a small clearing, and Elda felt the pull of the next rune—stronger now, its dark energy pulsing beneath the surface. But something was different this time. The air around the clearing was colder, and there was a faint, almost imperceptible hum in the air, like a distant whisper carried on the wind.

Kael frowned, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "Do you hear that?"

Elda nodded, her expression tense. "It's coming from the rune," she said. "It's... different this time. More powerful."

Lena stepped forward, her eyes narrowed as she scanned the clearing. "What's different about it?"

Elda hesitated, her mind racing as she tried to make sense of the energy she was feeling. The rune was buried beneath the earth, but it wasn't just a spell designed to weaken the valley's magic. There was something else, something darker, tied to it.

"It's not just a rune," Elda said, her voice filled with uncertainty. "It's a conduit. The Syndicate is using it to channel power from... somewhere else."

Kael's eyes darkened. "What do you mean, 'somewhere else'?"

Elda took a deep breath, her fingers tightening around her staff. "The Syndicate's magic—it's not just feeding off the valley's energy. They're drawing power from another source, something external."

Lena's jaw clenched. "Great. As if we didn't have enough to worry about."

Elda stepped forward cautiously, her magic reaching out toward the rune buried beneath the clearing. She could feel its pulse, dark and twisted, but it was more than just a simple spell. The Syndicate had woven something into the rune—something alive.

Suddenly, the ground trembled, and the faint hum in the air grew louder, more insistent. Elda's heart raced as the magic around them shifted, growing colder, more oppressive.

"We're not alone," she whispered, her voice tight with fear.

Kael and Lena drew their swords, their eyes scanning the treeline for any sign of movement. The forest had grown eerily quiet, the usual sounds of life replaced by a thick, suffocating silence.

And then, they saw it.

A shadow, darker than the night itself, moved between the trees, its form shifting and indistinct. It moved with unnatural speed, darting from tree to tree, its presence like a cold weight pressing down on their chests.

"What is that?" Lena muttered, her voice barely above a whisper as she gripped her sword tighter.

Elda's heart pounded in her chest as she recognized the twisted magic radiating from the shadow. "It's a construct," she said, her voice shaking. "The Syndicate sent it to protect the rune."

Kael's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on his sword. "And it's guarding something."

The shadow darted closer, its form becoming clearer as it moved through the clearing. It was tall, its body made of swirling darkness, its eyes glowing faintly with an eerie, unnatural light. The magic radiating from it was cold, suffocating, and Elda could feel the corruption seeping into the air around them.

"We have to destroy it," Lena said, her voice filled with determination. "Before it attacks."

Kael nodded, his sword already raised. "Elda, can you handle the rune while we deal with this thing?"

Elda hesitated, her eyes locked on the shadow as it moved closer. "Yes," she said, though her voice was trembling. "But be careful. It's drawing power from the rune—if I sever the connection, it might become unstable."

Lena grinned, her sword flashing in the dim light. "Let's make sure it doesn't get the chance."

With a sharp cry, Lena charged forward, her sword gleaming as she swung at the shadow. Kael followed close behind, his blade slicing through the air as he aimed for the creature's core.

The shadow moved with unnatural speed, its form shifting and twisting as it dodged their attacks. But Kael and Lena were relentless, their swords flashing as they cut through the darkness, each strike weakening the creature's form.

Elda dropped to her knees beside the base of the tree, her staff glowing brightly as she focused on the rune. The magic was thick here, heavier than before, and as she reached out to unweave the spell, she could feel the resistance—the Syndicate's magic fighting back, trying to hold on.

"Come on," Elda muttered, her hands trembling as she worked to unravel the layers of protection around the rune. "Almost there..."

Behind her, the sounds of battle filled the clearing. Lena let out a grunt of frustration as the shadow darted past her, its dark form swirling around her like smoke. Kael swung his sword again, his blade slicing through the shadow's arm, but the creature didn't slow—it only seemed to grow angrier.

"Elda, how's it coming?" Kael called out, his voice strained as he blocked another attack.

Elda gritted her teeth, her hands shaking as she reached the core of the rune. The magic here was dark, twisted, but she could feel the thread that connected it to the valley's core—the conduit that the Syndicate had created.

"I've got it," she said, her voice tight with concentration. "But once I sever the connection, the construct might—"

Suddenly, the ground trembled, and the shadow let out a shrill, ear-piercing scream. Its form flickered, destabilizing as Elda's magic severed the connection between the rune and the valley's core.

The shadow twisted violently, its body disintegrating as the power it had been drawing from the rune was cut off. In a final burst of dark energy, the creature collapsed in on itself, leaving behind nothing but a faint wisp of smoke.

Lena let out a breath of relief, her sword still raised as she looked around the clearing. "Is it over?"

Elda stood slowly, her body trembling from the strain. "The rune is destroyed," she said softly, her voice heavy with exhaustion. "But the Syndicate's magic is still in the valley. There are more runes—more conduits. We have to find them all."

Kael sheathed his sword, his face grim. "Then we'd better keep moving."

Lena nodded, though her eyes were filled with unease. "And we need to be ready for whatever else the Syndicate throws at us. If that was just a guard, I don't want to know what they've got waiting deeper in the valley."

Elda felt the weight of their task pressing down on her. The valley's magic was still fragile, still at risk, and the Syndicate was growing bolder with every step they took. They had destroyed one rune, but there were more—hidden, waiting, and guarded by forces darker than they had anticipated.

And with each passing moment, the valley's core grew weaker.

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