Within a Hollow Heart

Chapter 93: Volume 2, Chapter 37: "A Desperate Pursuit"

The cold mountain air bit into Cole's skin as they pressed onward, the valley behind them shrinking into the distance. The knot of tension in his chest hadn't loosened since they had stabilized the Knot. Instead, it had grown tighter, a constant reminder that the Severed were still out there, watching, waiting for the next opportunity to strike. His body ached with exhaustion, the strain of binding the Knot weighing heavily on him, but there was no time to rest.

"We need to keep our pace," Marcus said, his voice low but urgent as he led them up the narrow mountain path. "The Severed will regroup. They won't give up after just one attempt."

Cole nodded, his mind racing with the memory of the battle. The Severed had been relentless, their dark energy pressing against the Knot, trying to tear it apart. And though they had managed to push them back, Cole knew it wouldn't be long before they attacked again.

Selene walked beside him, her hand pressed to the wound in her side. The cut wasn't deep, but she moved with a slight limp, her face tight with pain. Cole shot her a concerned glance. "How's your side?"

"I've had worse," she muttered, though her jaw was clenched. "It'll heal. We just need to make sure we're ready when they come back."

Elara glanced back at them from the front of the group, her expression somber. "We have to find the next Knot before the Severed do. If they weaken it before we can reinforce it, we'll be too late."

The gravity of her words settled over Cole like a weight. They had managed to stabilize one Knot, but there were countless others scattered across the land, each one holding back the void with fragile threads. And the Severed were moving faster than they were, targeting the weakest points in the Veil with terrifying precision.

"How far is the next Knot?" Cole asked, his voice strained with exhaustion.

"Three days' travel, if we keep a steady pace," Elara replied. "It's hidden in the mountains, much like this one. But the Guardians' texts suggest it's even older, which means it's more vulnerable."

Cole's stomach twisted. If the Knot was older and weaker, it would be even harder to stabilize. And after the strain of the last binding, he wasn't sure how much more his body could take.

"We'll be ready," Marcus said, his voice filled with determination. "We have no choice. If we stop now, the Severed will take the next Knot, and we'll lose any chance of holding the Veil together."

The group pressed on in silence, their footsteps crunching on the rocky path. The terrain grew steeper as they ascended higher into the mountains, the cold biting deeper with every step. Cole's muscles screamed in protest, his body still trembling from the binding ritual, but he forced himself to keep moving. There was too much at stake to falter now.

As night began to fall, they found shelter in a small cave nestled into the side of the mountain. The fire crackled softly, casting flickering shadows on the stone walls as they huddled close for warmth. The silence between them was heavy, the weight of the day's events still fresh in their minds.

Cole stared into the flames, his thoughts racing. The memory of the binding ritual played over and over in his mind—the way the threads of the Veil had trembled in his grasp, the strain of pulling them together, the sharp pain of weaving his own life force into the Knot. He had felt the void pressing against him, cold and relentless, trying to tear him apart.

But what haunted him most was the sense that the Severed knew more than they let on. They had targeted the Knot with precision, as if they knew exactly where to strike. And though they had been pushed back, Cole couldn't shake the feeling that their attack had been more than just an attempt to weaken the Veil. It had been a test, a way of gauging his strength—and his limits.

"They're studying us," Cole said suddenly, his voice breaking the silence.

Marcus looked up from sharpening his blade, his expression unreadable. "What do you mean?"

"The Severed," Cole continued, his eyes still fixed on the fire. "They're not just attacking the Knots at random. They're watching us, trying to understand how we're holding the Veil together. They want to know how strong we are."

Selene frowned, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. "You think they're learning how to counter us?"

Cole nodded, his mind racing. "They're not just trying to tear the Veil apart—they're trying to figure out how we're stopping them. Every time we stabilize a Knot, they're watching, adapting. The next time they strike, they'll be ready for us."

Elara's brow furrowed in thought. "The Severed have always been strategic, but you're right. Their attacks have been more coordinated recently. They're studying the Knots, learning how to weaken them faster than we can repair them."

"So what do we do?" Selene asked, her voice sharp. "If they're adapting to our tactics, how do we stay ahead of them?"

"We need to be unpredictable," Marcus said, his tone decisive. "The Severed are counting on us to react to their attacks. If we move first, if we take the initiative, we can catch them off guard."

Elara nodded in agreement. "There are still Knots they haven't found yet—hidden ones, buried deep in places they wouldn't expect. If we can reach those first, we can strengthen them before the Severed have a chance to weaken them."

"But how do we find them before the Severed do?" Cole asked, his voice filled with frustration. "They've been one step ahead of us this whole time."

Elara's gaze shifted to the Guardian amulet in her hand, its faint glow casting an eerie light on her face. "The amulet holds more than just the power to stabilize the Knots. It's a map, of sorts—one that can guide us to the most vulnerable Knots. If we use it, we can move faster than the Severed."

Cole felt a flicker of hope stir in his chest. "Then we use it. We find the Knots before they do, and we stop them."

Marcus sheathed his sword, his eyes hard with resolve. "We'll move at first light. If the Severed are watching us, we can't afford to stay in one place for too long."

As they settled in for the night, Cole couldn't shake the feeling that the Severed were closer than they realized. The cold wind howled outside the cave, its mournful wail echoing through the mountains, but it wasn't the wind that kept Cole awake.

It was the growing sense that the Severed were waiting—waiting for the right moment to strike again.

The next morning, they set out at dawn, the first rays of sunlight barely cutting through the thick clouds that hung over the mountains. Elara led the way, the amulet in her hand glowing brighter as they drew closer to the next Knot. The path was treacherous, narrow and uneven, but they moved quickly, driven by the knowledge that the Severed were never far behind.

Hours passed in silence, the only sound the crunch of their boots on the rocky terrain and the distant howl of the wind. The amulet pulsed faintly, its glow growing stronger with every step, guiding them toward the next Knot.

But as they neared the top of a ridge, Marcus held up a hand, signaling them to stop. He crouched low, his eyes scanning the path ahead.

"What is it?" Cole whispered, his heart pounding.

Marcus's expression was grim. "We're not alone."

Cole felt a chill run down his spine as he followed Marcus's gaze. In the distance, near the base of the mountain, dark figures moved—figures dressed in the familiar robes of the Severed.

"They've found the Knot," Selene said, her voice tight with urgency.

Elara's grip tightened on the amulet. "We have to move. Now."

They hurried down the ridge, the cold wind biting at their faces as they descended toward the Knot. The Severed hadn't seen them yet, but Cole knew it was only a matter of time before they were discovered.

As they neared the base of the mountain, the Knot came into view. It was faint, barely visible, its threads weak and frayed, flickering in and out of existence. The Severed were already at work, their dark energy swirling around the Knot as they pulled at its edges, trying to tear it apart.

"We have to stop them," Marcus said, his voice filled with determination.

Elara nodded, her eyes hard with resolve. "Cole, you know what to do. We'll hold them off."

Cole's heart pounded as he stepped forward, his mind already reaching out to the Knot. The threads trembled at his touch, weak and fragile, but they responded to his presence. He could feel the void pressing against them, trying to break through.

But he wouldn't let it.

As Marcus and Selene charged forward to engage the Severed, Cole focused on the Knot, pulling the threads together, weaving them into a tighter pattern. The void pushed back, cold and relentless, but Cole held on, his mind sharp with determination.

The battle raged around him, the clash of steel and the crackle of dark energy filling the air. But Cole's focus never wavered. The Knot pulsed in his mind, its energy growing stronger as he wove the threads tighter, binding them with his own life force.

With a final surge of energy, the Knot solidified, its fraying edges smoothing out as the void's influence was pushed back.

But even as the Knot stabilized, Cole felt a new presence—a darker, more powerful one.

And this time, it wasn't just the Severed.