Chapter Fifteen: Shattered Bonds
The tunnel ahead stretched into blackness, the only light coming from faint, crimson runes carved into the walls. Kael trudged forward, his breath steady but his muscles heavy with fatigue. The shadows at his feet were calm now, their quiet presence a stark contrast to the chaos they'd left behind.
Ciaran walked beside him, his golden eyes sweeping the dark, ever watchful.
"You've been quiet," Kael said finally, his voice breaking the silence.
Ciaran didn't look at him. "I'm thinking."
"About what?"
Ciaran paused for a beat before replying. "About what happens when we reach the end of this path. You've stirred something, Stormcloak. Something that can't be ignored."
Kael frowned, his hand brushing the satchel where the crystal pulsed faintly. "I didn't stir anything. It's been pushing me since I set foot in this place."
Ciaran's gaze snapped to him, sharp as a blade. "You think it's been pushing you? The Void doesn't play games, Kael. It tests. It chooses."
Kael stopped walking. "Chooses what?"
Ciaran turned fully to face him, the lantern light casting shadows across his angular features. "A Wielder. A vessel. Whatever it is, you're part of it now. And the Crown isn't going to let you walk out of here alive with that crystal."
Kael stiffened. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying," Ciaran said, his voice low, "that the minute you leave this Sanctum, you're at war. And this power you're clinging to? It's going to make you the most hunted man in Lunaris."
The words hung in the air like a dagger, and Kael felt the weight of them settle in his chest.
Before he could reply, the tunnel trembled. A low, resonating sound—like a great bell tolling—shook the air, and dust fell from the ceiling.
Ciaran spun, his blade already in his hand. "We're not alone."
Kael's pulse quickened as the shadows along the walls began to move. They rippled and stretched unnaturally, flowing like ink across the stone.
Then they coalesced into shapes.
At first, Kael thought they were Voidborn again, but these were different—larger, smarter. Each figure wore jagged armor forged of living shadow, and their glowing crimson eyes burned with purpose. They moved in perfect synchronization, their weapons glinting faintly in the dim light.
"Who are they?" Kael muttered, his shadows already rising at his feet.
Ciaran's face darkened. "They're not Voidborn. They're Sentinels—the Sanctum's guardians. And they're here for you."
The lead Sentinel stepped forward, its form towering and regal. Unlike the others, it carried no weapon. Instead, its right hand burned with a red flame that crackled like lightning.
It raised its hand, pointing directly at Kael. A voice echoed through the cavern, hollow and cold, though its mouth never moved.
"The Chosen must submit."
Kael clenched his fists. "Not a chance."
The Sentinel's hand ignited fully, and with a wave of its arm, the shadows erupted into a storm. The corridor shook as walls of black energy surged toward Kael and Ciaran like a tidal wave.
"Move!" Ciaran barked.
Kael dove to the side, shadows bursting from his legs to propel him out of the path of the onslaught. The wave slammed into the tunnel wall, tearing chunks of stone free and leaving jagged scars in its wake.
Kael landed in a crouch, his heart hammering as he rose to face the Sentinels.
"They're faster than anything we've faced," Ciaran shouted, already moving to engage one of the armored figures. His blade clashed against theirs in a blinding flurry of strikes, the sound of steel on steel ringing through the cavern.
Kael didn't hesitate. Two Sentinels broke toward him, their movements seamless and calculated. The first swung a black spear in a deadly arc, and Kael barely ducked beneath it, the wind pressure carving into his cheek.
The second was already behind him. Kael twisted, shadows flowing from his arm to form a shield just as the Sentinel's blade struck. The impact sent him skidding backward, the force rattling through his bones.
They're coordinated, he thought, his mind racing. And they're trying to push me.
The shadows at his feet hissed in frustration, waiting for his command. Kael exhaled sharply, gripping the power more tightly than before.
Fine.
The shadows surged upward, wrapping around both his arms like liquid armor. In his hands, twin shadow-blades formed—longer, sharper, pulsing faintly with red veins of power.
The Sentinels attacked again, but this time, Kael moved faster.
The first Sentinel thrust its spear forward, but Kael sidestepped in a blur, his shadow-blade slicing through the shaft and severing it in two. Before the creature could react, Kael pivoted and drove his second blade through its chest. The Sentinel froze, its crimson eyes flaring once before its body dissolved into mist.
The second Sentinel was on him instantly, its strikes fast and relentless. Kael parried each blow, his movements sharper now—cleaner. He ducked low, his shadows flowing with him, and slashed upward. The blade cut deep, splitting the Sentinel's armor apart before it collapsed into mist.
Kael rose to his feet, his chest heaving. The shadows receded slightly, but the power lingered—ready.
Across the corridor, Ciaran cut down the last Sentinel with a final, brutal strike. The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the faint hum of the shadows around them.
Kael lowered his blades, the weapons dissolving into smoke. "Is it over?"
Ciaran's gaze swept the corridor warily. "No." He pointed to the far end of the tunnel, where a massive, ornate door loomed. Its surface was carved with spiraling runes, and at its center, a jagged keyhole glowed faintly.
"The crystal," Ciaran said. "This is what it's been leading us to."
Kael swallowed hard, his hand going to the satchel. The crystal was warm now—almost hot—its pulsing rhythm matching the pounding in his chest.
"You're sure about this?" Kael asked quietly.
Ciaran's smirk was humorless. "No. But we've come too far to turn back now."
Kael nodded, his fingers curling around the crystal. As he stepped toward the door, the shadows trembled, their whispers returning in a chorus of voices.
"The end is only the beginning."
Kael ignored them and pushed the crystal into the keyhole.
The door shook, the runes igniting with crimson light as a deep rumble echoed through the corridor. Kael stepped back as the stone groaned and the door began to open, revealing a vast darkness beyond.
Ciaran stood beside him, his expression grim. "Whatever's in there… it's waiting for you."
Kael exhaled, his resolve hardening as the shadows stirred. "Then let's finish this."