Hollow Ascension

Chapter 165: The Hidden Enemy

The silence that followed the destruction of the shadow construct was oppressive, pressing in on the guardians as they stood in the clearing. The once-pulsing magic of the valley now felt faint, its energy flickering weakly as though exhausted from the battle. Elda wiped the sweat from her brow, her hands still trembling from the strain of unraveling the Syndicate's magic.

Kael was the first to break the silence, his voice low and tense. "That was too close." He glanced toward the smoldering remnants of the construct, his hand still resting on the hilt of his sword. "If this is what the Syndicate has protecting their runes, what else are they hiding?"

Lena, who was still catching her breath, sheathed her sword with a sharp motion. "We're wasting time," she muttered. "The longer we sit here, the more runes they've got working their way into the valley's magic."

Elda could feel the weight of their words pressing down on her. They had destroyed one rune, but the damage was far from undone. The valley's core was still fragile, still fighting off the corruption that had spread through its magic. And she could sense it—other runes, hidden deeper within the valley, slowly sapping away its strength.

"We need to move," Elda said, her voice barely above a whisper. She turned to face the others, her expression grim. "There are more runes. I can feel them, like fractures in the valley's energy."

Kael frowned, stepping closer to Elda. "Can you lead us to them?"

Elda nodded, though her face was pale with exhaustion. "I think so. The Syndicate's magic is subtle, but now that we've disrupted one of their runes, I can sense the others. But we don't have much time. The valley's magic is collapsing under the strain."

Lena cursed under her breath. "Then what are we waiting for?"

As they moved deeper into the valley, the forest grew darker, and the air colder. The once-vibrant landscape had withered in places, patches of dead plants and twisted vines marking the places where the Syndicate's corruption had taken hold. The farther they went, the more Elda could feel the valley's pain—a low, constant hum of distress that pulsed beneath her feet.

"I've never seen the valley like this," Kael muttered, his eyes scanning the trees. "It's like it's... dying."

Elda's heart ached at the thought. The valley had always been a place of balance, its magic connected to the natural world around it. But now, that balance was unraveling, pulled apart by the Syndicate's dark influence.

"It's not too late," Elda said, though she wasn't sure if she was trying to convince Kael or herself. "We can still save the valley. But we need to find the rest of the runes—quickly."

Lena, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the ground. "Elda," she called out, her voice low and tense. "There's something here."

Elda hurried to her side, her staff glowing faintly as she reached out with her magic. The ground beneath them was pulsing, slow and steady, but it was wrong. The valley's magic should have felt alive, vibrant—but here, it was weak, thin, like the life had been drained from it.

"There's a rune nearby," Elda said softly, her eyes focused on the earth. "I can feel it."

Kael knelt beside her, his hand brushing the ground. "How deep?"

Elda closed her eyes, concentrating on the flow of magic beneath her. The rune was buried deep, hidden beneath layers of earth and twisted energy, but its presence was undeniable. "It's not far," she said, her voice tight. "But it's more powerful than the last one."

Lena unsheathed her sword, her expression grim. "Let's get this over with."

Elda knelt down, her staff glowing brighter as she prepared to unweave the Syndicate's spell. But as soon as she touched the ground, she felt it—a surge of resistance, stronger than before. The rune was fighting back, its dark energy lashing out at her magic, trying to push her away.

"I need more time," Elda said, her voice strained as she fought to keep her focus. "The rune is stronger than the last one."

Kael stood beside her, his sword at the ready. "We'll hold off whatever comes our way."

Lena glanced around, her eyes scanning the trees. "Stay sharp," she muttered. "If the last rune had a guardian, this one might too."

The air grew colder, and the ground beneath them trembled slightly as Elda worked to unravel the layers of magic surrounding the rune. Each layer was more complex than the last, woven tightly to protect the core of the spell. The Syndicate had been careful, making sure that anyone trying to sever the connection would have to fight for every inch.

As Elda peeled away the final layer of protection, she felt it—a pulse of dark energy, deep and malevolent, surging up from the earth. The rune was exposed now, its magic raw and dangerous, and it was connected to something much larger than she had anticipated.

"This is it," Elda whispered, her voice trembling. "The core of the rune."

Kael and Lena moved closer, their eyes locked on the spot where the rune pulsed beneath the ground. "Can you destroy it?" Kael asked, his voice filled with urgency.

Elda hesitated, her hand hovering over the ground. "I think so," she said slowly. "But if I destroy this rune, the magic it's connected to could react... violently."

Lena's grip tightened on her sword. "What kind of reaction are we talking about?"

Elda's voice was heavy with uncertainty. "I'm not sure. The rune is connected to the valley's core. If I sever the connection too quickly, it could destabilize the magic even more."

Kael's eyes darkened. "And if we don't destroy it?"

"The corruption will spread," Elda replied. "It will continue to drain the valley's magic until there's nothing left."

Lena stepped forward, her face set with determination. "Then we destroy it. We don't have a choice."

Elda nodded, though her heart was pounding in her chest. She could feel the weight of the decision pressing down on her—one wrong move, and the valley's core could be damaged beyond repair. But if they did nothing, the valley would be lost.

Taking a deep breath, Elda closed her eyes and focused all her energy on the rune. The dark magic pulsed beneath her, but she pushed back, her own magic slicing through the twisted threads that connected the rune to the valley's core.

The ground trembled violently, and a surge of dark energy erupted from the earth, spiraling into the air like a storm. Elda gritted her teeth, her hands glowing brighter as she pushed harder, severing the last of the connections.

With a deafening crack, the rune collapsed in on itself, the dark magic disintegrating into nothingness. The valley's energy flickered, weak and unsteady, but the corruption had been cut off.

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

Kael helped her to her feet, his eyes scanning the clearing for any signs of danger. "Is the valley safe?"

Elda shook her head, her face pale. "For now," she said softly. "But the valley's magic is still unstable. The Syndicate has done a lot of damage, and there are more runes out there. We need to find them all before it's too late."

Lena let out a frustrated breath, sheathing her sword with a sharp motion. "Then let's keep moving. We can't afford to stop now."

As they turned to leave the clearing, Elda felt a shiver run down her spine. The valley's magic was still fragile, still on the brink of collapse, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something darker was lurking just beyond their reach.

The Hollow Syndicate wasn't finished with them yet.