Within a Hollow Heart

Chapter 119: Volume 2, Chapter 63: “The Fading Light”

The night pressed down on them as they raced through the rocky terrain, the cold wind biting at their faces. The faint glow of the orb in Elara's hand barely cut through the darkness, casting long, wavering shadows along their path. Cole's heart raced with each step, the weight of the void's encroachment like a noose tightening around his chest.

Every breath felt labored, the oppressive presence of the void thickening the air. The further they went, the more the landscape around them seemed to distort—the distant mountains shifted like a mirage, the ground beneath their feet cracking and warping. It was as though reality itself was unraveling, torn apart by the growing power of the void.

"We're close," Elara said breathlessly, her voice trembling with a mixture of urgency and fear. "The central Knot... it's just beyond the ridge."

Cole glanced at her, his mind racing. He had never seen Elara look so strained, her usually calm and collected demeanor shaken. The pressure on all of them had been mounting for days, and the weight of what they were about to face was crushing.

"How much further?" Selene asked, her hand on the hilt of her blade, her eyes darting around, scanning the shadows for any sign of the Severed.

"Not far," Elara said, her voice tight. "But we need to be careful. The Severed will be there, waiting for us. They've been pulling at the central Knot for longer than we realize."

Marcus tightened his grip on his sword, his face set in grim determination. "Then we go in fast. We can't let them finish whatever they've started."

The air grew colder as they climbed the ridge, the wind howling through the jagged rocks. Cole's heart pounded in his chest, the sense of impending danger growing with each step. They were getting closer to the heart of the void's power, the place where the Severed were tearing the Veil apart.

As they reached the top of the ridge, Cole's breath caught in his throat.

Below them, in a wide, desolate valley, lay the central Knot.

The Knot wasn't like the others they had seen. It was massive, a swirling vortex of energy that pulsed with a dark, sickly light. The threads of the Veil that surrounded it were frayed and twisted, pulled apart by the void's influence. The air around the Knot seemed to shimmer, distorting reality in ways that made Cole's head spin.

And surrounding the Knot were the Severed.

There were at least a dozen of them, their dark forms moving like shadows around the Knot, their hands raised as they pulled at the threads, unraveling the Veil. The ground beneath them was cracked and broken, as if the void had already begun to consume the land.

"They're already here," Selene whispered, her voice tight with fear.

Elara's face was pale as she stared down at the Knot, her hands trembling around the orb. "If we don't stop them now, the entire Veil will collapse. The void will consume everything."

Marcus's expression was grim. "Then we have to move. We need to take out the Severed and stabilize the Knot."

Cole's heart raced as he stared at the scene below. The void's power was overwhelming here—stronger than anything they had faced before. The Severed were pulling at the very heart of the Veil, and the threads were unraveling faster than he could comprehend.

"We can't fight all of them," Cole said, his voice tight with tension. "There's too many."

"We don't have to fight all of them," Elara said, her voice steady despite the fear in her eyes. "We just need to break their hold on the Knot. If we can disrupt their connection to the Veil, it'll buy us time to stabilize it."

"How do we do that?" Selene asked, her hand gripping her blade tightly.

Elara's gaze flicked to the orb in her hand. "The map pieces... they're connected to the Veil. If I can channel their energy, I might be able to sever the Severed's link to the Knot."

Marcus frowned. "But what about the void? If they lose control, it could tear the Knot apart completely."

"I know," Elara said, her voice strained. "But it's a risk we have to take. If we do nothing, the void will consume the Knot anyway."

Cole swallowed hard, the weight of her words sinking in. They had come so far, fought so hard, but now it all came down to this. If they couldn't stop the Severed, the void would tear the Veil apart, and there would be nothing left.

"Let's do it," Cole said, his voice firm despite the fear gnawing at him. "We'll cover you, Elara. You focus on the Knot."

Elara nodded, her eyes filled with determination. "Be careful. The Severed will sense what I'm doing the moment I start."

Marcus and Selene exchanged a glance, their faces grim, but they nodded in agreement. There was no turning back now.

They descended the ridge slowly, their movements careful as they approached the valley. The air grew colder with each step, the oppressive presence of the void pressing down on them like a physical weight. Cole's heart pounded in his chest as they reached the edge of the valley, the Severed still unaware of their presence.

Elara moved to the front, the orb in her hand glowing faintly as she raised it toward the Knot. "I'm going to start. Be ready."

Cole's grip tightened on his sword, his pulse racing. The Severed were so close, their dark forms moving rhythmically as they pulled at the threads of the Veil. He could feel the pressure building, the sense that something was about to snap.

Elara closed her eyes, the orb in her hand glowing brighter as she began to channel its energy. The threads of the Veil around the Knot shimmered faintly, the dark energy of the void pulsing in response.

For a moment, everything was still.

Then, the Severed stopped.

Their heads snapped toward Elara, their glowing eyes narrowing as they sensed the disruption. The air around them crackled with dark energy, and with a collective hiss, they turned toward the group.

"They've noticed!" Selene shouted, her blade flashing as she stepped forward, ready to fight.

The Severed moved as one, their dark forms shifting like shadows as they lunged toward Elara, their hands crackling with void energy.

"Keep them away from her!" Marcus shouted, his sword flashing as he intercepted the first of the Severed, cutting through its twisted form with a powerful strike.

Cole's heart raced as he swung his sword, his blade clashing against the dark energy of the Severed. The void-touched figures moved with terrifying speed, their attacks relentless as they tried to reach Elara.

"Elara, hurry!" Cole shouted, his voice strained as he fought off another attack.

Elara's eyes were closed, her face pale with concentration as she channeled the orb's energy into the Knot. The threads of the Veil shimmered, the dark energy of the void pulsing as it fought against her.

The Severed pressed harder, their attacks growing more desperate as they tried to stop her. Cole's arms ached as he fought off another wave, his breath coming in ragged gasps. They couldn't hold out much longer.

"Elara, we're running out of time!" Selene shouted, her blade flashing as she cut down another Severed.

Elara's eyes snapped open, and with a final surge of energy, she raised the orb high, the threads of the Veil glowing brightly as the Severed's connection to the Knot was severed.

The Severed let out a collective scream, their dark forms dissolving into shadow as their link to the Veil was broken.

The Knot pulsed once, twice, and then the valley fell silent.

Cole collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath as the weight of the void lifted, the oppressive presence finally easing. The Severed were gone, their hold on the Knot broken, but the central Knot still pulsed weakly, its threads frayed and trembling.

"We did it," Elara whispered, her voice barely audible as she stared at the Knot.

But even as she spoke, Cole couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't over yet.

The Knot was still fragile, and the void was still out there, waiting for its chance to strike.