The Hollow seemed to breathe with its own malevolence as Ravok and Lara ventured deeper into the fractured terrain. The air grew heavier, thick with the faint metallic tang of unstable energy. Every step felt weighted, as if the ground itself resisted their presence.
Lara moved with the precision of a trained predator, her twin daggers held at the ready. Ravok followed, his crimson eyes scanning the ruins for movement. The quiet between them wasn't uncomfortable, but it carried an unspoken tension. Trust was a fragile thread, and both knew it could snap at any moment.
"What now?" Lara asked, breaking the silence. She gestured to a crumbling archway ahead, its surface etched with faintly glowing runes. "You're the one with the plans. I'm just the muscle."
Ravok smirked faintly, crouching to examine the runes. His fingers brushed against the surface, tracing the ancient symbols. Kael's fragmented memories whispered faint truths in his mind, piecing together the ward's purpose.
"It's a boundary marker," Ravok said. "A warning—or a seal."
"Seal?" Lara echoed, her eyes narrowing. "You mean… there's something in there?"
"Likely," Ravok replied, standing. "The question is whether it's worth the risk."
---
A Divided Path
They reached a fork in the ruins. One path led through a narrow corridor of jagged stone, its shadows thick and oppressive. The other descended into an open courtyard, where faint glimmers of light flickered like fireflies in the mist.
"Two paths," Lara muttered, glancing between them. "The corridor's a deathtrap if we're ambushed. But that courtyard feels… wrong."
"It's not the place," Ravok said, his tone calm. "It's the timing."
Lara raised an eyebrow. "Timing?"
"The Hollow adapts," Ravok explained, his eyes narrowing as he considered the options. "It presents dangers that aren't just physical. It forces choices. And every choice comes with a cost."
"Wonderful," Lara said dryly. "So what's our move?"
Ravok turned to her, his expression unreadable. "The corridor. Narrow spaces favor precision, not brute strength. We'll control the battlefield."
"Your confidence is irritating," Lara muttered, but she followed without hesitation.
---
The Corridor of Shadows
The passage was suffocating, its jagged walls pressing close on either side. The mist was thicker here, clinging to their skin like damp cobwebs. Ravok led the way, his steps light and deliberate. Behind him, Lara moved like a shadow, her daggers gleaming faintly.
They moved in silence until a faint sound—like a whisper—broke the stillness.
Ravok froze, his hand raised to signal Lara to stop. The whisper grew louder, though the words were indistinct, like a hundred voices murmuring just out of reach.
"You hear that?" Lara whispered, her voice tight.
"I do," Ravok replied, his tone calm. "Stay close."
The whispers grew into a low hum, and the air grew colder. Ravok's crimson eyes flicked toward the walls, where faint shapes seemed to writhe beneath the surface of the stone. Shadows moved unnaturally, bending and shifting in ways that defied logic.
"This isn't normal," Lara said, her voice low.
"No," Ravok agreed. "It's a test."
---
The Shadowborn
The first attack came without warning. A figure emerged from the shadows—a humanoid shape, its body composed entirely of black mist. Its movements were jerky and unnatural, but its glowing eyes burned with malice.
Lara reacted instantly, her daggers flashing as she lunged. The blade passed through the creature harmlessly, and it turned toward her with an otherworldly screech.
"Not physical," Ravok said sharply, stepping forward. "Focus on the energy."
"Fantastic," Lara muttered, dodging as the creature lashed out with claw-like appendages.
Ravok's mind raced as he analyzed the creature's movements. It wasn't solid, but it wasn't formless either. The faint hum of ambient energy around it suggested a connection to the Hollow itself.
It's bound to the space, Ravok thought. Disrupt the connection, and it falls apart.
He reached into his pouch, pulling out a spirit stone. The faint energy within pulsed, and Ravok channeled it into his dagger. The blade glowed faintly, its edge now tinged with a soft blue light.
"Lara!" he called. "Distract it!"
She didn't hesitate, darting forward and slashing at the creature, forcing it to turn toward her. Ravok moved quickly, driving the glowing dagger into the shadowy figure's chest. The creature let out a piercing shriek, its body dissolving into wisps of black mist.
"That worked," Lara said, breathing hard. "But I'm guessing it's not the last one."
"No," Ravok said, his tone grim. "There's more."
As if in response, three more figures emerged from the walls, their glowing eyes fixed on the intruders. The air grew colder, and the whispers returned, louder and more insistent.
---
Surviving the Shadows
The next moments were chaos. Ravok and Lara moved in tandem, their attacks precise and coordinated. Ravok used his glowing dagger to strike at the creatures' cores, while Lara kept them distracted with swift, unpredictable movements.
The creatures were relentless, their forms shifting and reforming with every strike. But Ravok's mind remained sharp, his movements calculated. He guided Lara through the fight, calling out commands and exploiting the terrain to keep the creatures at bay.
When the last shadow dissolved, the corridor fell silent once more. Ravok and Lara stood amidst the dissipating mist, their breaths heavy but controlled.
"That was too close," Lara said, leaning against the wall. "You keep saying this place is a test. Who's testing us?"
"The Hollow," Ravok replied, his voice calm. "Or something within it."
---
The Warning
As they reached the end of the corridor, a faint light appeared ahead. It wasn't the flickering, unstable glow of the Hollow's energy—it was steady, deliberate. Ravok stepped forward cautiously, his senses on high alert.
The light came from a single rune, etched into the wall of the ruins. It pulsed faintly, its glow warm and inviting, but something about it felt wrong.
Lara frowned. "What is that?"
"A message," Ravok said, his voice low. "Or a warning."
The rune began to shift, its light intensifying. Ravok stepped back, his instincts screaming danger. A voice echoed through the corridor, deep and resonant, though its words were unclear.
"It's not speaking to us," Ravok said, his crimson eyes narrowing. "It's summoning something."
Before Lara could respond, the ground beneath them trembled. A deep, guttural roar echoed through the ruins, louder than anything they'd heard before. The air grew colder, and the shadows seemed to deepen.
"Move," Ravok said sharply, grabbing Lara's arm. "Now."
They sprinted toward the end of the corridor as the roar grew louder, the shadows behind them writhing violently. Whatever was coming, Ravok knew one thing: they weren't ready to face it.
Not yet.