Hollow Ascension

Chapter 174: Breaking the Illusions

The valley trembled as Mara's voice echoed through the clearing, her taunts laced with venom. The earth shifted beneath Elda's feet, twisting and reshaping itself as Mara bent the valley's magic to her will. Trees loomed impossibly tall, their branches curling like talons ready to strike. Shadows danced between the trunks, illusions meant to confuse and disorient.

Elda stood at the center of the chaos, her staff glowing brightly in her hands. The valley's magic, usually a comforting presence, now felt alien—tainted by Mara's influence. The core itself was slipping away, its power distorted and fractured. She couldn't afford to lose control, not now.

"We need to find her real location," Kael growled, slashing through an illusion that flickered and dissolved as soon as his blade touched it. "These shadows are wasting our time."

Lena dodged another strike from a tree branch that had come to life, her sword flashing as she cut it down. "Mara's using the valley's magic against us. She's hiding in plain sight."

Elda closed her eyes, blocking out the sounds of the battle around her. She needed to focus—needed to sense the true pulse of the valley's magic. The illusions were strong, but they were still just reflections, distractions. If she could find the rhythm of the valley's core beneath Mara's corruption, she could track her down.

She reached out with her magic, letting it flow through the ground, through the twisted roots and broken earth. The valley's heartbeat was faint, but it was there—weak, but steady. And in that pulse, she felt the interference—Mara's influence, wrapping around the core like a vice.

"There," Elda whispered, her eyes snapping open. "I've found her."

Kael turned to her, his sword at the ready. "Where?"

Elda pointed to a dense thicket on the edge of the clearing. "She's hidden herself, buried in the magic, but I can feel the disruption coming from there."

Lena wasted no time. She charged toward the thicket, her sword raised high. "Let's end this."

The moment they moved toward the thicket, the air around them thickened, and the ground trembled violently. Mara's illusions grew stronger, more vivid. The trees closed in, their branches reaching down like claws. Dark, swirling mist rose from the ground, obscuring their path.

But Elda kept moving, her staff glowing brighter as she focused on the true source of the valley's magic. "Ignore the illusions," she called out. "They're just distractions. Keep moving forward!"

Kael slashed through the mist with his sword, his eyes locked on the thicket. "I see her!"

As they broke through the last of the illusions, Mara's figure came into view, her form cloaked in darkness. She stood at the center of a twisted ring of energy, her hands raised as she manipulated the valley's core. The ground beneath her feet pulsed with power, the very essence of the valley bending to her will.

"You're too late," Mara sneered, her voice dripping with malice. "The valley's magic is mine now."

Elda stepped forward, her staff crackling with energy. "You can't control it, Mara. The valley will fight back."

Mara's eyes narrowed, her expression twisted with anger. "You think you understand the valley better than I do? I've seen its true potential. I've touched power you can't even comprehend."

Lena raised her sword, her gaze hard. "We're done listening to you, Mara. This ends now."

Mara's smile faded, replaced by a cold fury. She raised her hands, and the ground beneath them split open, tendrils of dark magic erupting from the earth and lashing out at the guardians. The air hummed with raw energy, the valley itself groaning under the strain of the battle.

Elda gripped her staff tightly, her magic pushing back against Mara's onslaught. The valley's core was still beneath them, still pulsing with life, but it was fragile, vulnerable to Mara's influence. If she didn't act quickly, Mara would tear the valley apart.

"Hold her off!" Elda called out, her voice strained as she fought to contain the chaotic magic swirling around them. "I need to break her connection to the core!"

Kael and Lena moved in unison, their swords flashing as they slashed through the tendrils of dark energy that surged toward them. Each strike weakened the magic, but it was clear that Mara's control over the valley's core was growing stronger with every passing moment.

Elda closed her eyes again, focusing all her energy on the valley's core. She could feel Mara's magic wrapped around it, choking it, distorting its natural flow. But she also felt the core's will—its desire to fight back, to be free of Mara's influence.

Taking a deep breath, Elda reached out with her magic, weaving it into the valley's core. She could feel the resistance, the strain of Mara's control, but she pushed harder, her will unyielding.

"Mara, you don't understand what you're doing," Elda called out, her voice echoing through the clearing. "The valley's magic isn't something you can control. It's alive. It will turn on you."

Mara laughed, a harsh, bitter sound. "You're a fool, Elda. The valley's magic is a tool, nothing more. And I will use it to reshape this world."

Elda's hands trembled as she pushed deeper into the valley's core, her magic intertwining with its energy. She could feel Mara's grip tightening, but there was still a chance—a sliver of hope that she could sever the connection.

Kael let out a sharp cry as a tendril of dark magic struck him, sending him stumbling back. Lena rushed to his side, slashing through the tendril with her sword, but it was clear that they were running out of time.

"Elda!" Lena shouted, her voice filled with urgency. "Whatever you're going to do, do it now!"

Elda's heart raced as she made her final move, her magic surging through the valley's core. With a single, decisive push, she severed the last of Mara's connections to the core, breaking the hold she had on the valley's magic.

The air around them exploded with energy as Mara's control shattered. The ground trembled violently, and a pulse of raw magic erupted from the core, sweeping through the clearing like a tidal wave.

Mara let out a scream of rage as the magic tore through her, throwing her to the ground. The illusions surrounding them dissolved, and the valley's magic began to stabilize, its natural flow restored.

Elda collapsed to her knees, her body trembling with exhaustion. The battle was over, but the cost had been great.