Chapter 22: The Void's Whisper
The forest was quiet now, too quiet, as if the world itself held its breath. Kael adjusted his grip on his scythe, his eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of movement. The figure had vanished, leaving behind only questions and an unsettling weight in the air.
Ciaran walked ahead, his sword still drawn, the faint glow of its edge casting long shadows against the trees. "We need to keep moving," he said, his voice low but firm.
Kael followed, the shadows around him swirling lazily, their restlessness matching his own unease. "Who do you think that was?"
Ciaran didn't answer immediately. His eyes darted to the edges of their path, his stance tense. "Someone who knows more about the Void than anyone should. Someone dangerous."
"That's not exactly helpful," Kael muttered.
Ciaran shot him a look over his shoulder. "You want helpful? Don't get caught. You've pissed off the Crown, drawn the attention of Void Hunters, and now something even worse is watching you. Helpful is staying alive."
Kael clenched his jaw, his grip on the scythe tightening. The truth in Ciaran's words stung, but there was no arguing with it. He had stepped into a world far larger and darker than he'd ever imagined, and survival was no longer guaranteed.
They traveled deeper into the forest, the devastation from the earlier battle slowly giving way to untouched wilderness. The trees here were taller, their thick branches weaving a canopy that blotted out the sky. The only light came from the faint glow of the shadows that lingered around Kael, an eerie reminder of the power coursing through him.
As they walked, Kael felt it again—that sensation of being watched. It wasn't like before, with the figure in the hood. This was different, more primal. The shadows around him twitched, reacting to something he couldn't see.
"Ciaran," Kael said, his voice a whisper.
"I feel it," Ciaran replied, his grip tightening on his sword. "We're not alone."
The first attack came without warning.
A shadowy creature lunged from the darkness, its form vaguely humanoid but twisted, with elongated limbs and glowing red eyes. Kael barely had time to react before its claws raked through the air where his head had been.
He spun, his scythe slashing in a wide arc. The blade connected, and the creature shrieked, its body dissolving into wisps of black smoke.
More emerged, their glowing eyes piercing the shadows as they surrounded Kael and Ciaran.
"What are these things?" Kael shouted, his scythe spinning in his hands as he prepared for the next attack.
"Remnants," Ciaran said, his tone grim. "Fragments of the Void left behind after something big dies. They're drawn to power, and right now, that's you."
Kael didn't have time to respond as another Remnant lunged at him, its claws slashing toward his chest. The shadows around him surged, forming a barrier that absorbed the blow. Kael retaliated, his scythe slicing cleanly through the creature's midsection.
The forest erupted into chaos.
Ciaran moved like a force of nature, his blade a blur of silver light as he cut through the creatures with precision and efficiency. Kael fought beside him, the shadows around him shifting and morphing into weapons as he struck down one Remnant after another.
The ground beneath them cracked and splintered under the force of their attacks. Trees fell as the shadows lashed out, their roots torn from the earth by the sheer intensity of the battle. Each strike sent shockwaves rippling through the air, the devastation growing with every clash.
Kael's movements grew more fluid, more instinctive, as if the shadows were guiding him. His scythe extended, the blade growing sharper and darker with each swing. He felt the power coursing through him, and for a moment, he didn't fight it.
He embraced it.
The last Remnant lunged at him, its claws aimed for his throat. Kael's shadows reacted instantly, forming a jagged spear that shot forward and impaled the creature mid-air. It let out a final, piercing shriek before dissolving into nothingness.
Silence fell over the forest once more.
Kael lowered his scythe, his chest heaving as he surveyed the destruction around them. The once-dense forest was now a wasteland of fallen trees and cracked earth, the lingering energy of the Void humming faintly in the air.
Ciaran stood nearby, his sword still raised as he scanned the darkness. "That wasn't random," he said, his voice tight. "They were being drawn to something."
Kael frowned. "What do you mean?"
Before Ciaran could answer, a low rumble shook the ground.
Kael's shadows flared instinctively, his scythe reforming in his hands. "What now?"
The rumble grew louder, and the ground beneath them began to tremble. From the distance, a faint red glow illuminated the horizon, casting eerie shadows across the broken landscape.
Ciaran's eyes narrowed. "That's not natural."
Kael stared at the glow, a sinking feeling settling in his chest. The Void wasn't finished with them.
"Let's move," Ciaran said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
As they headed toward the source of the glow, Kael couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking straight into a trap. But there was no turning back now.
The Void was calling, and Kael had no choice but to answer.
Kael's boots crunched against the shattered remnants of the forest floor as he followed Ciaran toward the growing red glow. The air felt thick, suffused with the residue of Void energy. His shadows curled and flickered at the edges of his vision, restless but quiet.
"How far do you think this goes?" Kael asked, his voice low.
Ciaran's hand tightened on the hilt of his sword as he scanned the path ahead. "It's hard to say. Void energy doesn't just linger like this unless it's tied to something… alive."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Alive? Like the Titan?"
"Maybe," Ciaran muttered. "Or something worse."
The glow intensified as they pressed forward, bathing the forest in an eerie crimson light. The shadows around Kael seemed to bristle in response, their movements sharper, more agitated. He could feel the Void's pull growing stronger with each step, as though it were reaching out to him.
"Do you hear that?" Kael whispered, his grip tightening on his scythe.
Ciaran nodded, his eyes narrowing. A low, rhythmic hum filled the air, faint but growing louder. It was a sound that resonated deep within Kael, like a heartbeat pounding just beneath the surface of his mind.
They emerged into a clearing, and the source of the glow came into view.
A massive, jagged obelisk jutted from the ground, its surface pulsing with veins of red light. The Void energy radiating from it was palpable, making the air shimmer and distort around it. At its base, dozens of shadowy figures knelt in silence, their forms indistinct and flickering like mirages.
"What the hell is this?" Kael muttered.
Ciaran's expression darkened. "A Void Convergence. A focal point for energy this dense can only mean one thing—something is feeding it."
Kael's stomach twisted. "Feeding it? Like what?"
Before Ciaran could answer, one of the shadowy figures at the obelisk's base began to rise. Its movements were slow, deliberate, and as it stood, its form solidified.
The creature was tall and gaunt, its elongated limbs covered in a dark, cracked shell that oozed faint traces of crimson energy. Its eyes glowed a sickly yellow, and when it spoke, its voice was a guttural rasp that sent a chill down Kael's spine.
"Chosen of the Void," it intoned, its gaze fixed on Kael. "You walk willingly into the maw of creation. Do you seek power, or do you seek oblivion?"
Kael stepped forward, his scythe bristling with shadow. "I seek answers. What is this place? What are you?"
The creature tilted its head, as if considering the question. "We are what you will become. Servants of the Void's will, bound to its whispers and its hunger. You are but a spark in the darkness, but the Void has chosen you to ignite a storm."
Kael's jaw tightened. "I didn't ask to be chosen."
"None do," the creature replied, its voice cold. "But all must serve."
Kael's shadows lashed out without warning, streaking toward the creature like jagged spears. The attack struck true, piercing through its chest with a burst of dark energy.
But the creature didn't fall.
Instead, it laughed, a low, rattling sound that echoed through the clearing. "You cannot destroy what is already bound to the Void."
Ciaran was already moving. His blade glowed faintly as he dashed forward, his strike aimed at the creature's neck. The attack connected, slicing cleanly through its form.
This time, the creature collapsed, its body dissolving into a pool of writhing shadows that sank back into the earth.
Kael stared at the spot where it had fallen, his scythe still raised. "That didn't feel like a victory."
"It wasn't," Ciaran said grimly. His gaze flicked to the obelisk. "Whatever's feeding this Convergence isn't going to let us leave. Be ready."
The shadows around the obelisk began to stir, their forms rising and solidifying. One by one, more creatures emerged—each different from the last. Some were hulking and armored, their bodies bristling with spikes of Void energy, while others were lean and serpentine, moving with an unnatural grace.
Kael's shadows surged in response, forming jagged tendrils that lashed out toward the advancing creatures. He didn't wait for them to attack first. His scythe spun in his hands, the blade carving arcs of darkness through the air as he charged into the fray.
Ciaran followed close behind, his blade flashing as he cut through the serpentine creatures with deadly precision.
The clearing erupted into chaos.
Kael's movements were fluid and deliberate, his attacks calculated. The shadows around him moved like extensions of his own body, forming weapons and barriers as he fought. He dodged a swipe from one of the hulking creatures, its claws tearing through the ground where he had stood moments before.
With a sharp motion, Kael's shadows coiled around the creature's arm, pulling it off balance. He leapt onto its back, driving his scythe into the glowing fissure at the base of its neck. The creature let out a guttural roar before collapsing, its body dissolving into a pool of black ichor.
Ciaran fought with equal ferocity, his blade moving in a blur as he weaved through the battlefield. He ducked beneath a swing from one of the larger creatures, his sword slicing through its legs in a single motion.
The ground beneath them began to crack and splinter as the intensity of the battle grew. The obelisk's glow pulsed brighter, and the shadows around it seemed to grow denser, almost alive.
Kael's chest heaved as he turned to Ciaran. "This isn't working. We're just feeding it more energy!"
Ciaran nodded, his expression grim. "Then we cut it off at the source."
Kael's eyes narrowed as he looked at the obelisk, the shadows around it writhing like living things. Whatever was fueling this Convergence was inside, and they would have to face it head-on.
End of Chapter 22