The air around the nexus crackled with energy, the unstable currents of mana now subdued to a low hum. Kael stood at the edge of the crater, sweat and soot covering his face as he surveyed the aftermath of their desperate battle. The massive crimson crystal at the heart of the nexus loomed like a dormant volcano, its once-violent pulses now reduced to faint flickers of light.
Kael tightened his grip on his spear, his hands trembling not from fear but from the sheer exhaustion of fighting. His legs felt heavy, his lungs burned, and his body screamed for rest. Yet, he remained on his feet.
Thane approached, his staff dimly glowing as he studied the stabilized nexus. "The energy flow has slowed, but this is only temporary. It's still dangerous, just… less volatile for now."
"How long do we have before it destabilizes again?" Kael asked, his voice hoarse.
Thane frowned, his expression grave. "Maybe a few hours. It's impossible to predict. The leyline flow here is too chaotic, even with those channels disrupted."
Leena sat nearby, her back against a rock as she clutched her injured side. "Hours? That's all we get after all of this?"
"It's better than minutes," Thane replied. "But it's not enough to keep the Master from taking advantage of this. We need a plan."
Corin was leaning over the edge of the crater, staring at the remains of the Leyline Warden. "You mean a plan other than fighting off whatever hellspawn this place throws at us? Because I think we're all tapped out."
"We're not out of options," Kael said firmly, his voice cutting through the tension. "But we can't keep this up without a real plan. Thane, can the nexus be destroyed completely?"
Thane hesitated, his eyes narrowing as he considered the question. "Yes, but not easily. To destroy it, we'd need to sever the primary leyline connection feeding into it. That would collapse the nexus entirely."
"And where's the primary connection?" Marra asked, approaching with her bow slung over her shoulder. Her arms were covered in soot and sweat, but her expression was as sharp as ever.
Thane gestured toward the glowing pillar. "It's at the base of the nexus, deep underground. It's protected by layers of crystal and concentrated energy. Reaching it won't be easy, and even if we do, the disruption could trigger a massive surge."
"Meaning it could explode," Leena said flatly. "You're saying we'd have to risk blowing ourselves up."
"Yes," Thane admitted. "But if we don't, this nexus will continue to destabilize. The Master won't even need to fight us—he'll just let the explosion do his work for him."
Kael nodded, his jaw tightening. "Then we go underground. We destroy the connection and deal with whatever's protecting it."
---
They took a few moments to regroup before moving out. Kael stayed back from the others, pulling a small piece of bread from his pack. His hands were still shaking, and his body screamed for rest, but he forced himself to eat. The fight had drained everything from him—his strength, his mana, and his patience. Yet, he couldn't afford to falter now.
Marra approached quietly, her expression unreadable as she sat down beside him. "You've been running on empty for a while now. How are you holding up?"
Kael glanced at her, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Better than I probably should be."
"Liar," she said, though there was no malice in her voice. "You look like you're about to collapse."
Kael leaned back against a rock, letting out a tired sigh. "I can rest when this is over."
Marra studied him for a moment before nodding. "Fair enough. Just don't push yourself too hard. We're not going to survive this if you drop halfway through."
He gave her a small nod, though the weight of her words lingered. She wasn't wrong, but the truth was, he didn't have much of a choice. He couldn't afford to stop—not yet.
---
The group descended into the crater, following Thane's guidance as he led them toward a fissure near the base of the nexus. The fissure glowed with a faint red light, and the heat radiating from it was almost unbearable. The jagged rocks and narrow pathways forced them to move slowly, each step treacherous.
As they moved deeper, the air grew heavier, thick with mana that buzzed against their skin. The faint hum of the nexus above them became a steady thrum, like a heartbeat reverberating through the earth.
"We're close," Thane said, his voice barely audible over the sound of the mana flows. "The primary leyline connection should be just ahead."
Kael tightened his grip on his spear, his senses on high alert. The oppressive atmosphere and the flickering red light made every shadow seem alive. He glanced back at the others, noting their tense expressions.
"Stay sharp," he said. "This is too quiet."
As if in response to his words, a low growl echoed through the tunnel. The sound was guttural and inhuman, sending a chill down Kael's spine. The group froze, their weapons drawn as they scanned the darkness ahead.
From the shadows emerged a creature unlike anything they had faced so far. It was massive, its molten body covered in jagged crystal spines that glowed with an eerie light. Its four glowing eyes locked onto them, and it let out a deafening roar that shook the tunnel.
Leyline Abomination (Level 14)
HP: 500/500
"That's worse," Corin muttered, his voice trembling.
"Focus!" Kael shouted, positioning himself at the front. "We take it down together!"
The Abomination lunged forward with terrifying speed, its massive claws swiping through the narrow tunnel. Kael barely managed to dodge the attack, his body sluggish from exhaustion. He countered with a thrust of his spear, aiming for one of the creature's glowing joints.
The strike hit true, but the Abomination barely reacted, its molten body absorbing the blow. Marra loosed an arrow, striking its chest, while Leena moved to flank it, her sword glowing with radiant energy.
"Thane, we need a weakness!" Kael shouted as he dodged another swipe.
Thane's eyes glowed faintly as he analyzed the creature. "The crystals! Aim for the spines on its back—they're amplifying its power!"
"Easier said than done!" Corin called out as he darted forward, delivering a series of rapid strikes to the creature's legs. The attacks forced it to shift its weight, but it didn't slow down.
Kael moved to flank the Abomination, his spear glowing faintly as he struck one of the crystal spines. The impact caused a fissure to spread through the crystal, and the creature let out an ear-splitting roar, its movements becoming erratic.
Leena seized the opportunity, her blade slicing through another crystal spine. The Abomination staggered, its molten body flaring with unstable energy. Lava spilled from its wounds, scorching the ground and forcing the group to retreat.
"It's weakening!" Thane shouted. "Keep at it!"
Kael gritted his teeth, his arms trembling as he delivered another strike to the creature's back. The final crystal spine shattered, and the Abomination let out one final roar before collapsing in a pool of molten rock.
Victory!
You have defeated Leyline Abomination (Level 14)
+120 XP
The group stood in silence, their breathing heavy as they stared at the remains of the creature. The air was thick with the smell of sulfur, and the heat from the molten rock was nearly unbearable.
"That thing was guarding the leyline," Thane said, his voice shaky. "The connection point should be just ahead."
Kael nodded, his body screaming for rest but his mind refusing to stop. "Let's finish this."
---
The group pressed forward, their steps cautious as they entered a massive chamber at the base of the nexus. The room was dominated by a glowing pool of molten energy, where the primary leyline connection pulsed with an otherworldly light. The energy was overwhelming, making it difficult to breathe.
Thane stepped forward, his staff glowing brighter as he examined the connection. "This is it. If we disrupt this, the nexus will collapse."
"How do we do it?" Kael asked.
Thane hesitated. "We need to overload it. A direct attack on the leyline should be enough, but it'll trigger a surge. We'll need to move fast."
Kael nodded, gripping his spear tightly. "Then let's not waste time."
As they prepared to attack, another low growl echoed through the chamber. From the molten pool emerged a massive, serpent-like creature, its glowing scales radiating with leyline energy.
Leyline Serpent (Level 15)
HP: 600/600
Kael's heart sank, but his resolve didn't waver. "We take it down. Together."
The battle had only just begun.