Chapter 19: transgression of the Void
The silence as they left the chamber weighed heavily upon them, filled with the unspoken significance of the Heart of Telanir now in Elysia's possession. Her grip on the relic was firm, her mind still resonating with the knowledge imparted. She could feel its power coiling within her, a silent, watchful presence, biding its time.
But their relief was short-lived.
They had barely stepped beyond the threshold of the ancient hall when a sharp, sickening sound cut through the shadows. It was followed by a strangled gasp, a noise that chilled the air. Elysia turned sharply, only to see Brother Eli — steadfast, gentle Eli — staring back at them with horror in his eyes, a dark scythe of blackened steel piercing through his chest. The life in his gaze dimmed as his body slumped, impaled by the cold, unyielding blade.
Behind him stood a figure cloaked in shadows, its once-radiant form twisted and corrupted. It was a Fallen Being, a spirit that had succumbed to the Void's corrosive influence. The remnants of its former light flickered faintly beneath the darkness enveloping it, like a memory long forgotten. Its empty, soulless eyes fixed upon the group with a hunger that spoke of nothing but ruin.
Aric's face twisted with rage, his eyes bloodshot, barely able to comprehend what had just happened. "Eli!" he roared, his voice raw. Without a second thought, he launched himself at the Fallen Being, his sword swinging wildly. "You'll pay for this!"
The Fallen Being sneered, a grim echo of mockery twisting its features, and with a flick of its wrist, it hurled Brother Eli's lifeless body against the far wall with a sickening crash. The impact echoed through the chamber, punctuated by the distant crumble of loose stones, and the silence that followed was sharper than any blade.
Aric was beyond reason now, his fury giving him the strength of a madman as he slashed at the creature. Tamsin and Kira joined him, their faces twisted with rage and sorrow. Even Elowen, her usually calm demeanor shattered, raised her staff, conjuring a surge of elemental energy to blast at the creature.
But for every blow they landed, the Fallen Being retaliated with twice the force, parrying their strikes with a detached, almost disdainful precision. It was as though they were mere insects in its path, annoyances to be brushed aside. And still, it advanced.
Elysia felt her own anger rise, a primal force she usually kept buried, now surging toward the surface with a dark, intoxicating allure. Her primordial chaotic aura seeped into the air around her, and she could feel the Heart of Telanir thrumming against her chest, feeding off her emotions, amplifying them. The lines between light and shadow blurred, and the relic's power seemed to whisper, urging her to give in, to unleash the chaos within.
Before she could react, the air split apart, and from within the tear in reality, more figures emerged. Cloaked in the darkest essence of the Void, they were Void Lords — beings who wielded darkness as both weapon and armor, whose mere presence corrupted the ground they walked upon. Their power blanketed the room, oppressive and suffocating.
The Void Lords turned their hollow gazes toward Elysia, their collective will focusing on her as though she were the very object they had been seeking. One of them, taller and more sinister than the others, raised a hand. Shadows coiled around her like living chains, snaking up her limbs, wrapping tightly around her body. She struggled, but their power was overwhelming, feeding off the chaos she had begun to release. It was as if the Heart itself had betrayed her, drawing her into a snare from which there would be no escape.
Elysia's breath hitched as the darkness enveloped her, sealing her within a prison of shadows. Her vision blurred, but she fought to stay conscious, watching in horror as her friends continued to battle. Their voices, once so familiar, now seemed distant, distorted by the walls of her confinement.
From within her prison, she could only watch as one by one, her companions fell.
Aric fought with a ferocity she had never seen before, his sword flashing like lightning in the dimness, but he was no match for the Void Lords. A sharp blow sent him sprawling, his weapon clattering away as one of the creatures advanced, its talon-like fingers reaching for him. His defiance burned bright until the very end, his final scream echoing as darkness consumed him.
Tamsin's flames lit up the room, her magic flaring wildly as she hurled fire and fury at the creatures. But the Void Lords absorbed her attacks effortlessly, advancing upon her with a relentless precision. A single sweep of a dark blade silenced her flames, her body falling limp and lifeless, her spirit extinguished in an instant.
Kira, quick and clever, darted between shadows, hoping to strike from unseen angles. But the Void creatures were faster, their movements like dark blurs, and one of them caught her, its claws sinking into her chest. She gasped, her breath a fragile, broken thing, before her body was cast aside like a discarded doll.
Elowen, her face a mask of determination, summoned the last of her strength, drawing upon the elemental forces she so deeply revered. Her staff crackled with energy, the ground beneath her rumbling with the power she commanded. But even nature itself was helpless against the Void. The dark forces overwhelmed her, a final surge of darkness tearing through her defenses. She crumpled, the light fading from her eyes, her connection to the world severed.
Elysia screamed, her voice muffled within her shadowy prison. Her rage and grief were boundless, swirling within her, a tempest desperate to break free. She slammed against her confines, feeling the chaotic energy within her rise to a fever pitch, threatening to consume her entirely.
The Void Lords turned their attention to her, their empty gazes regarding her as though she were nothing more than a curiosity, a relic to be observed and studied. Their leader, the tallest of them, reached out, its hand passing through the barrier of shadows to rest upon her forehead. Elysia felt a cold unlike anything she had ever known, a chill that cut through her soul and left her feeling hollow, empty.
For a brief moment, she was submerged in absolute darkness, a void so complete that it felt as though she were dissolving, her very essence unraveling. And then, through the murk, she saw them — glimpses of her friends, memories of their laughter, their voices, their courage. Each image flickered like a dying candle, fragile and beautiful, haunting her as she drifted deeper into oblivion.
End of chapter 19