Hollow Ascension

Chapter 162: A Growing Threat

The valley had always been a place of tranquility, its magic pulsing gently with life, but now, there was a tension in the air. Elda could feel it in every breath she took—the valley's magic, usually calm and balanced, was growing erratic. She had sensed something was wrong ever since she uncovered the relic's true purpose, but now, that unease had deepened.

Kael and Lena moved through the underbrush, their movements quiet but tense. The forest around them, normally alive with the soft rustling of leaves and the distant call of birds, was unusually still.

"I don't like this," Lena muttered, her hand hovering near the hilt of her sword as she scanned the trees. "The valley's magic feels... off."

Kael nodded, his brow furrowed. "Something's changed," he said quietly. "It's like the valley's on edge."

They had been patrolling the perimeter of the valley for hours, looking for any signs of the Hollow Syndicate's presence. So far, they had found nothing—no scouts, no sigils, no signs of an attack. But the air felt heavy, and the valley's magic, usually steady and strong, was fluctuating.

Elda trailed behind them, her staff glowing faintly as she reached out with her magic, trying to sense what was happening. She could feel the valley's energy beneath her feet, but it was fragmented, unstable. There were places where the magic felt weak, as if it was being drained, and other places where it surged, wild and uncontrolled.

"This isn't natural," Elda said softly, her voice filled with concern. "The valley's magic is behaving strangely. It's almost like... something is feeding on it."

Lena shot her a glance, her eyes narrowing. "Feeding on it? You mean like the Syndicate's corruption?"

Elda nodded. "Yes, but it's more subtle this time. The corruption isn't as overt as before. It's hiding, blending in with the valley's magic."

Kael's expression darkened. "So, they've already started infiltrating the valley, and we didn't even notice."

Lena cursed under her breath. "Damn it. We thought we had more time."

Elda knelt down, placing her hand on the ground as she tried to focus on the valley's energy. The magic here felt different—thinner, weaker. And as she concentrated, she sensed something else: a faint but unmistakable darkness, coiled deep within the valley's core.

"They're weakening the valley from within," Elda said, her voice grim. "The Hollow Syndicate is already here. They've found a way to corrupt the valley's magic without us even realizing it."

Kael's hand tightened on the hilt of his sword. "Then we need to find the source and stop it before the damage gets worse."

Lena glanced around, her jaw clenched. "How? If the corruption is hidden inside the valley's magic, it could be anywhere."

Elda stood, her eyes filled with determination. "We need to start by finding where the magic is weakest. The corruption is subtle, but it's spreading. If we can find the places where the valley's energy is being drained, we can track it back to the source."

Kael nodded, his expression hard. "Then let's move quickly. The longer we wait, the more damage they'll do."

They began their search, moving deeper into the valley as Elda used her magic to guide them. The further they went, the more erratic the valley's energy became. Small patches of plants had begun to wilt, their leaves curling in on themselves, and the animals that normally roamed the forest had grown restless, their movements jittery and unpredictable.

At one point, they came across a deer, its eyes wild with fear as it darted through the trees. Lena tried to calm it, but the animal was panicked, its body trembling as if it sensed something far more dangerous than a predator.

"It's the magic," Elda said, watching the deer disappear into the forest. "The valley's energy is affecting the wildlife. They can feel the corruption spreading."

Lena scowled, her hand tightening around her sword. "If the Syndicate's already this deep inside the valley, we're running out of time."

They pressed on, following the trail of weakened magic, until they came to a small clearing near the edge of the valley. The air here was thick, and the ground felt strange beneath their feet—soft, like it was sinking under the weight of something unseen.

Elda's heart sank as she realized what was happening. "This is it," she said softly. "The corruption is strongest here."

Kael knelt beside her, his hand resting on the ground. "It feels different," he muttered, his brow furrowed. "Like the valley's magic is being pulled in two directions."

Lena drew her sword, her eyes scanning the trees. "So where's the source?"

Elda closed her eyes, reaching out with her magic, trying to feel the pulse of the valley's core. The corruption was woven deep into the valley's energy, subtle and insidious, but she could sense it now—coiling like a serpent, wrapping itself around the magic and draining it slowly.

"There," she said, pointing to a small cluster of rocks at the edge of the clearing. "It's coming from beneath the ground. There's something hidden there, feeding off the valley's magic."

Kael stood, his eyes narrowing. "Let's dig it up."

As they approached the rocks, the air around them grew colder, and the ground beneath their feet trembled slightly. Lena stepped forward, her sword ready, but Elda raised a hand, stopping her.

"Wait," Elda said, her voice filled with caution. "There's something... dangerous here. We can't just destroy it. We need to be careful."

Lena glanced back at her, her expression filled with frustration. "We don't have time to be careful. If the Syndicate's already corrupted this place, we need to stop it before it spreads any further."

Kael stepped beside her, his sword drawn. "Elda's right," he said, his voice low. "If this corruption is tied to the valley's core, we can't just rip it out. We need to figure out how deep it goes first."

Elda nodded, her hands glowing as she prepared to use her magic. "Let me see what I can do," she said softly. "If I can isolate the corruption, I might be able to weaken it."

The valley's magic trembled beneath her, and as she reached out with her power, she felt the corruption pulse in response, like a living thing. It was buried deep, woven into the fabric of the valley's energy, but there was a pattern to it—a rhythm that she could follow.

"There's something else here," Elda said quietly, her brow furrowing as she concentrated. "It's not just the Syndicate's corruption. There's something older, something tied to the relic's magic."

Kael and Lena exchanged a glance, their expressions growing more concerned.

"What does that mean?" Kael asked, his voice filled with tension.

Elda's eyes widened as the realization hit her. "The Syndicate isn't just corrupting the valley," she whispered. "They're using the relic's power to create a link—between the valley's magic and their own network of corrupted magic."

Lena cursed, stepping back as she realized the gravity of the situation. "So, what do we do?"

Elda's voice trembled slightly as she answered. "We need to sever the link, but it won't be easy. If we don't do it carefully, we could damage the valley's core—and if that happens, the corruption will spread even faster."

Kael's face hardened with determination. "Then we'd better move fast. The longer that link stays intact, the more power the Syndicate gains."