Hollow Ascension

Chapter 163: Infiltration

The valley felt heavier now, like the air itself was thick with something unseen. The magic that once flowed freely through the land had become erratic, pulsing in sharp, uneven beats. Elda could sense it in the ground beneath her feet—something dark and dangerous was spreading, and it was moving fast.

Kael crouched beside a cluster of rocks near the clearing, his sharp eyes scanning the earth. "It's buried here," he muttered. "Whatever the Syndicate's doing, they've anchored it to this spot."

Lena's hand tightened around the hilt of her sword, her face set in frustration. "Then we dig it up and destroy it," she said, her voice hard. "We can't let this corruption spread any further."

But Elda shook her head, her brow furrowed as she reached out with her magic, trying to sense the full extent of the corruption. "It's not that simple," she said softly. "The corruption is tied to the valley's core. If we disrupt it without knowing how deep it goes, we could cause more damage."

Kael frowned, his hand resting on the rocks. "So, what's the plan?"

Elda closed her eyes, focusing on the magic around her. The valley's energy was pulsing irregularly, but beneath the chaos, she could feel the pattern—subtle, hidden beneath layers of magic, but there. The Hollow Syndicate had woven something deep into the valley's defenses, something designed to weaken it from the inside.

"There's a ritual at play here," Elda said, her voice filled with quiet urgency. "The Syndicate has embedded runes within the valley's magic, hidden under layers of energy. It's why we didn't notice it sooner."

Lena cursed under her breath. "Runes? So, they've been here longer than we thought."

Elda nodded, her hands glowing softly as she tried to trace the runes' magic. "They've been working in secret, slowly poisoning the valley's core. It's subtle, but it's spreading. If we don't stop it soon, the valley's magic will collapse."

Kael stood, his expression darkening as he surveyed the area. "How do we find these runes?"

"I can sense their magic," Elda replied, her voice tense with concentration. "But it's faint. The Syndicate has hidden them well. We'll need to break the layers of protection they've placed around them before we can destroy them."

Lena stepped forward, her sword at the ready. "Then let's get started."

The three guardians moved through the clearing, searching for signs of the Syndicate's runes. The ground beneath their feet trembled occasionally, and the magic in the air felt thick, like it was pressing down on them. Every few steps, Elda would pause, her staff glowing as she tried to pinpoint the source of the corruption.

"There," Elda said after several minutes, pointing to a spot near the base of an old tree. "I can feel it—the rune is buried beneath the roots."

Kael knelt down, his hand brushing the earth. "How do we break it?"

Elda crouched beside him, her brow furrowed. "We have to unweave the magic around it. The Syndicate has layered their spells carefully—it's designed to hide the corruption and protect it from being detected."

Lena stood guard, her eyes scanning the trees as Elda began the delicate work of unraveling the spell. "Just tell me if anything jumps out of those shadows," Lena muttered, her voice edged with tension.

Elda worked quickly, her hands glowing as she peeled away the layers of magic surrounding the rune. It was intricate work—the Syndicate's spell was woven tightly, its magic designed to blend seamlessly with the valley's own energy. But now that Elda knew what to look for, she could feel the threads of corruption, dark and twisted, snaking through the valley's core.

Slowly, she unwrapped the first layer of protection, her magic moving carefully to avoid setting off any hidden traps.

"There," Elda whispered, her voice tight with concentration. "I've got the first layer."

Kael kept a watchful eye on her, his sword drawn, ready for anything. "How many layers are there?"

Elda hesitated, her hands trembling slightly as she moved to the next layer. "I'm not sure," she admitted. "But the closer we get to the core of the rune, the stronger the corruption becomes."

Lena let out a frustrated breath, her fingers tightening around the hilt of her sword. "I hate this waiting," she muttered. "I'd rather face an army than sit here while the Syndicate slowly poisons the valley."

Kael's gaze flicked toward her, his expression tense but calm. "We'll face them soon enough," he said quietly. "But for now, we have to play this smart."

Elda continued her work, unwrapping the second and third layers of protection around the rune. Each time she removed a layer, the corruption grew stronger, pulsing beneath the surface like a living thing. It was as though the valley itself was fighting against the poison, struggling to push it back, but losing ground with every passing moment.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Elda reached the core of the rune. Her hands were shaking now, the strain of manipulating the Syndicate's magic weighing heavily on her.

"There," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I've reached it."

Kael and Lena both stepped closer, their eyes fixed on the spot where Elda was working. The air around them had grown colder, and the ground beneath their feet seemed to pulse with dark energy.

Elda reached out, her fingers trembling as she touched the core of the rune. It pulsed beneath her hand, dark and malevolent, its energy laced with the Hollow Syndicate's corruption.

"This is it," Elda said, her voice filled with quiet awe. "The heart of the Syndicate's spell."

Kael's eyes narrowed. "Can you destroy it?"

Elda nodded, though the weight of the rune's power pressed down on her. "Yes... but it won't be easy. The rune is tied directly to the valley's magic. If I'm not careful, I could cause a chain reaction that will damage the valley's core."

Lena's jaw tightened. "We don't have time for careful, Elda. The longer that rune stays intact, the more damage it does."

Kael placed a hand on Lena's shoulder, his voice calm but firm. "We have to trust Elda on this."

Elda took a deep breath, steeling herself as she prepared to sever the rune from the valley's core. She could feel the corruption swirling beneath her, a dark, twisted force that had been embedded into the valley's energy like a poison. If she wasn't careful, the Syndicate's corruption could spread even further, damaging the valley beyond repair.

Slowly, carefully, Elda began to unravel the rune's core, her magic working to sever the ties between the Syndicate's spell and the valley's energy. The ground trembled beneath her as the rune fought back, its dark power lashing out in an attempt to hold on.

Elda gritted her teeth, her hands glowing brighter as she pushed harder, her magic slicing through the final threads that connected the rune to the valley's core.

Suddenly, the air around them grew still, and the dark energy that had been pulsing beneath the surface vanished, leaving behind only the faint hum of the valley's magic.

"It's done," Elda whispered, her voice filled with relief. "The rune is destroyed."

Kael sheathed his sword, his eyes scanning the clearing. "Is it over?"

Elda shook her head, her expression grim. "No. That was just one rune. There are more—scattered throughout the valley. The Hollow Syndicate has been working in secret, weakening the valley's defenses from the inside."

Lena cursed under her breath. "Then we need to find the rest of them."

Elda nodded, though her heart was heavy. "We have to move quickly. The Syndicate has already started poisoning the valley's core. If we don't stop them soon, the valley won't survive."

Kael's expression darkened, his jaw clenched. "Then we'd better get moving.