The new passage stretched before them, narrow and suffocating, its walls glistening with an eerie, wet sheen. The air was colder here, thick with tension, and faint whispers echoed like forgotten voices. Ravok's every step was deliberate, his crimson eyes scanning the corridor as if deciphering a hidden code. Lara followed close behind, her daggers drawn, her sharp gaze darting to every flicker of movement in the shadows.
"This place feels worse than the last one," Lara muttered under her breath.
"It should," Ravok replied, his tone calm and detached. "The Hollow isn't just testing us anymore—it's adapting to us."
Lara scowled. "Great. Because what we just went through wasn't enough."
---
A Corridor of Illusions
As they moved deeper, the corridor began to shimmer, its walls reflecting distorted images. These reflections weren't of their immediate surroundings but of places long past—vast deserts, crumbling battlefields, and ruined cities. Each step seemed to pull them further from reality, the images growing sharper and more vivid.
Ravok paused, his gaze drawn to a reflection of a towering figure cloaked in golden light. Its face was obscured, but the energy it exuded was unmistakable.
"Veynor," Ravok murmured, his voice barely audible, his grip tightening on his dagger.
"What?" Lara asked, glancing at him.
Ravok shook his head, masking his thoughts. "It's nothing. Keep moving. The Hollow is trying to distract us."
Lara hesitated, her gaze lingering on him. "Whatever it is, I hope you're not dragging us into something worse."
"Worse is inevitable," Ravok said, his voice calm but edged with certainty. "Focus."
---
The Ambush Chamber
The corridor abruptly opened into a circular chamber. The walls here were covered in glowing runes, their light pulsating in an erratic, almost frenzied rhythm. At the center of the room stood a pedestal, atop which rested a crystalline orb. Its faint, pulsing glow resonated with an energy that felt alive.
"Another artifact?" Lara asked, eyeing the orb suspiciously.
"No," Ravok said, his voice low. "It's a trap."
Even as he spoke, the chamber trembled. Shadows peeled away from the walls, coalescing into jagged humanoid figures with glowing red eyes. Their forms flickered and shifted, their movements unstable yet unnervingly precise.
"Of course," Lara muttered, raising her daggers. "And here I thought this would be easy."
Ravok smirked faintly, his dagger already in hand. "Easy isn't in the Hollow's vocabulary."
---
The Battle Begins
The shadow figures attacked in unison, their movements swift and relentless. Lara darted forward, her daggers flashing as she intercepted the nearest creature. Her strikes were fast and precise, aiming for their joints and weak points. Each hit caused the shadows to stagger but did little to halt their advance.
"They're regenerating!" Lara shouted, narrowly avoiding a strike that left a deep gouge in the stone floor.
"They're tethered to the runes," Ravok replied, his voice steady even as he sidestepped another attack. "We need to disrupt the source."
"Disrupt it how?" Lara demanded, spinning to slash at a shadow that lunged for her.
"By breaking the patterns," Ravok said, his gaze locked on the pulsating runes that lined the walls. He noticed how each flicker of light corresponded to the movements of the shadows, like a heartbeat driving their forms.
---
Strategy Over Strength
"Cover me," Ravok ordered, his voice sharp and commanding.
"Sure, leave me to fight them all," Lara snapped, but she didn't hesitate. She moved with practiced precision, her daggers spinning as she kept the shadows at bay. Every strike forced them back, buying Ravok the time he needed.
Ravok reached the nearest rune, his dagger glowing faintly as he channeled Void energy into its blade. He studied the symbols carefully, recognizing the intricate web that bound the shadows to their forms. With a swift strike, he carved through the rune, severing its connection.
The effect was immediate. The nearest shadow figure faltered, its form flickering before dissipating into wisps of darkness.
"One down," Ravok muttered, moving to the next rune.
"Move faster!" Lara shouted, her voice strained as she fended off two shadows at once.
---
The Turning Point
Ravok's dagger sliced through rune after rune, each strike weakening the shadow figures further. Their attacks grew slower, less coordinated, their forms losing cohesion with every severed link.
As Ravok approached the final rune, he hesitated for a moment. This one pulsed brighter, its energy resisting his approach like a living force. He tightened his grip on the dagger and plunged it into the rune, channeling a surge of Void energy.
The chamber erupted with light, and the shadow figures let out an otherworldly screech. Their forms disintegrated, leaving only faint echoes in the air. The crystalline orb on the pedestal pulsed brightly before settling into a steady, rhythmic glow.
---
Claiming the Catalyst
Ravok approached the pedestal cautiously, his crimson eyes narrowing as he examined the orb. Its energy was unlike anything he'd encountered before—raw, volatile, and deeply connected to the Void.
"What is it?" Lara asked, stepping beside him, her voice tinged with both awe and suspicion.
"A Void Catalyst," Ravok said, picking up the orb. Its energy thrummed in his hand, cold and sharp. "It's a fragment of the Hollow's core—a tool to amplify Void energy."
"And what's the downside?" Lara asked, eyeing the orb warily.
"Every tool comes with a cost," Ravok replied, his voice calm. "But for now, it's worth the risk."
---
The Hollow's Warning
As they prepared to leave the chamber, the runes on the walls flared one final time. The whispers in the air grew louder, their fragmented words coalescing into a single, ominous phrase.
"The catalyst is claimed… but the price will be paid in blood."
The walls of the chamber shifted, revealing a spiraling staircase descending into darkness. The air beyond was heavier, colder, and filled with a foreboding energy.
"Let me guess," Lara said, her tone dry. "This next part is worse."
"It always is," Ravok replied, his voice steady as he pocketed the orb. Without hesitation, he stepped into the passage, Lara close behind.
The Hollow's trials were far from over, and Ravok knew the path ahead would demand more than just strength.