The journey to Solhaven was tense in itself, but with every step through the shadowed forest, it became heavy by the lingering presence of the Abyss. Oppressive energy indeed grew denser as the group pressed on. The shard in Ryu's possession pulsed like a heartbeat. Every flicker of light in the darkness set them on edge.
Kaelith, walking beside him, kept her staff at the ready. "We're nearing the epicenter," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the wind. "This much Abyssal energy can't exist without a source."
Draven tightened his grip on his axe, his eyes scanning the undergrowth. "Good. Let's find it and end this."
It entered a clearing partially bathed in the faint, unsettling glow of mist. Its center was home to a pulsating rift that roared and flailed through the air, lashing great waves of dark energy at reality itself. In his pouch, Ryu's shard throbbed furiously, like it was actually reaching out for him.
