Chapter Sixteen: The Vault's Price
The moment Kael placed the crystal into the jagged keyhole, the ground shook. A low rumble echoed through the tunnel, growing into a deep, resonant hum that vibrated in Kael's chest. The door trembled, its ancient runes igniting one by one in a spiral of crimson light.
Ciaran stood at Kael's side, his golden eyes narrowed, one hand gripping his blackened blade. "Stay sharp. Whatever's behind this door, it doesn't want to be disturbed."
Kael nodded, his heart hammering as the door groaned open, revealing a vast chamber beyond.
The air was cold—colder than anything Kael had ever felt. It bit through his skin, sharp and unnatural. The shadows here were thick and alive, roiling across the floor like a dark sea. At the center of the chamber stood an obsidian altar, its surface smooth and perfectly black, absorbing all the light around it.
Above the altar hovered a massive shard of crystal, pulsating faintly with red veins of energy. Its light painted the chamber in flickering streaks, casting warped, shifting shadows across the walls.
Kael stepped forward cautiously, the whispers in his mind returning—louder, sharper.
"Take it. Claim it."
The voice resonated through him, not as a suggestion but as a demand.
Ciaran's hand shot out, gripping Kael's shoulder. "Don't get closer. Do you feel that?"
Kael paused, frowning. He felt it—the weight of the room pressing on him, like the Void itself was watching.
"What is it?" Kael whispered.
Ciaran's expression was grim. "A Voidheart. Pure, concentrated Void energy. If you touch it…" He trailed off, his grip tightening. "It could break you, Stormcloak."
Kael's gaze snapped to the shard. The shadows at his feet stirred, drawn toward it like moths to a flame. The crystal pulsed harder, its rhythm matching his own heartbeat.
"Take it. You are ready."
"No," Kael muttered, shaking his head. "I'm not touching that."
The moment he said it, the shadows rippled violently. The ground beneath the altar cracked, and from those fractures, something emerged.
Voidborn—but not like the ones before.
These creatures were massive, their bodies towering over Kael and Ciaran. Black, jagged armor covered their frames, and their crimson eyes burned with focused malice. One held a spear crackling with Void energy, while the other's limbs ended in claws that scraped against the stone with a grating screech.
"They're guarding it," Ciaran said, raising his blade. "And they're not going to let us leave alive."
Kael's shadows flared in response, wrapping around his arms as twin blades formed in his hands. He didn't hesitate.
"Then we'll make them move."
The Guardians Attack
The first Voidborn, the one with the spear, moved with terrifying speed. It lunged across the chamber, the spear cutting through the air in a blur. Kael dodged, shadows coiling beneath him to push him sideways. The spear struck the ground where he'd been standing, the impact sending shockwaves across the stone and leaving a crater of smoking blackness.
Ciaran clashed with the second creature, his blade meeting its claws with a resounding clash. Sparks and shadow energy erupted around them as they fought, Ciaran moving in sharp, precise strikes while the Voidborn attacked with raw, crushing force.
Kael pivoted to face the first Guardian again. It raised its spear and lunged once more, its movements faster than before. Kael met it head-on, his shadows flaring around him. He parried the first strike, the spear glancing off his shadow blade, but the impact rattled his arms.
It's strong.
The creature twisted, its spear sweeping low. Kael leapt into the air, shadows bursting from his feet to carry him higher. He raised both blades and swung down with all his might.
The shadow weapons struck the creature's armored shoulder, slicing through the blackened plating with a sound like tearing metal. The Voidborn screeched, ichor spraying from the wound.
Kael landed hard, rolling to his feet just as the creature retaliated. Its spear crackled with energy, and it thrust forward. Kael raised his arm, and the shadows responded instantly, forming a jagged shield.
The spear struck the shield, shattering it on impact. The force sent Kael skidding backward, his boots carving trenches in the stone.
Ciaran's shout rang through the chamber. "Kael! Keep it distracted!"
Kael growled, his shadows flaring brighter. "Working on it!"
The Voidborn lunged again. This time, Kael didn't dodge. He surged forward, the shadows exploding outward. His blades shifted—one extending into a massive scythe while the other shortened into a dagger.
The spear struck, but Kael twisted mid-step, slipping past the weapon's tip. He drove the dagger into the creature's leg, shadows pouring into the wound like poison. The creature staggered, roaring as its energy flickered violently.
Kael didn't stop. He raised the scythe high, shadows coiling along the blade as he swung. The weapon tore through the Voidborn's chest, shattering its armor and cleaving it in two.
The creature let out a final, shuddering screech before collapsing into black mist.
Kael turned toward Ciaran, who was still locked in combat with the second Guardian. Ciaran's movements were slowing, the Voidborn's relentless strikes pressing him harder.
"Stormcloak!" Ciaran barked, barely deflecting a crushing blow.
Kael sprinted forward, shadows propelling him across the chamber like a blur. The second Guardian saw him coming, its crimson eyes narrowing. It raised its clawed arm, ready to strike.
Kael roared, shadows pouring from him like a storm. He launched himself into the air, the shadows converging into a massive spear in his hands.
"Get back!"
Ciaran dove out of the way just as Kael hurled the spear. It struck the Voidborn square in the chest, detonating with a burst of shadow and red flame. The creature staggered, its body crumbling as the shadows consumed it.
The chamber fell silent.
Kael dropped to his knees, gasping for air. The shadows settled around him, retreating slowly as the two Guardians dissolved into mist.
Ciaran approached, breathing heavily, his golden eyes flicking to the Voidheart still pulsing above the altar.
"You have a choice now, Stormcloak," he said quietly. "Take it, or leave it."
Kael stared at the shard, the whispers in his mind growing louder. "Claim it. You are ready."
He clenched his fists, his voice hoarse. "What happens if I take it?"
Ciaran's expression darkened. "That's something only you can decide."
The crystal's glow intensified, its pull stronger than ever. Kael rose to his feet, his body trembling as he stepped toward the altar.