The shattered obelisk loomed behind them as Kael and his companions resumed their journey, the mist-cloaked valleys stretching endlessly before them. The oppressive air had lifted, but a foreboding silence lingered, broken only by the faint crunch of their boots on loose gravel.
"We shouldn't linger here," Seryn said, her voice low but firm. "Whatever that obelisk was, it's left a scar. Others will sense it."
Kael nodded, his grip on his staff tightening. The Crown's hum had grown softer but more insistent, as if urging them onward. "The Veil's energy is shifting. We need to keep moving before the Council finds us."
Mareth glanced back at the ruins. "What were those shadows?"
"Fragments of the Veil's corruption," Kael replied. "Or something worse."
Lira sheathed her daggers, her eyes scanning the cliffs. "Either way, we're not alone out here. Stay sharp."
The path wound upward, the jagged cliffs narrowing into a steep ascent. The air grew colder, each breath visible in the frosty air. The group moved cautiously, their steps deliberate on the unstable terrain.
Kael paused as the mark on his hand flared faintly. A ripple of energy passed through him, the Crown's hum resonating in response. He turned to Seryn, who was studying their surroundings with a practiced eye.
"Do you feel that?" Kael asked.
Seryn nodded. "The air's heavier. Magic. Old magic."
Lira frowned. "Great. Just what we need."
Before anyone could respond, a sudden gust of wind tore through the valley, carrying with it a chilling whisper. The group froze, their weapons drawn as the sound grew louder, a chorus of voices speaking in an ancient tongue.
"What is that?" Mareth demanded, her sword gleaming in the dim light.
Kael's chest tightened. "It's not just the wind."
The ground beneath them trembled, and the mist began to swirl, forming shapes that coalesced into ghostly figures. Unlike the shadows at the obelisk, these forms were more defined, their faces etched with sorrow and anger. Their eyes glowed with an eerie blue light.
"They're spirits," Seryn said, her voice steady. "Bound to this place."
"Bound or guarding it?" Lira asked, her daggers raised.
One of the spirits stepped forward, its translucent form shimmering. When it spoke, its voice echoed as though coming from a great distance.
You tread on forbidden ground. Leave now, or be claimed by the Veil.
Kael stepped forward, the Crown's hum resonating louder. "We don't mean to trespass. We're searching for answers… for a way to stop the Veil's corruption."
The spirit's gaze fixed on him, its glowing eyes narrowing. The Veil is not yours to mend, bearer. It is a force beyond mortal reckoning.
"We don't have a choice," Kael said, his voice firm. "If we don't act, it will consume everything."
The spirit hesitated, the other ghostly forms murmuring among themselves. Finally, it spoke again. If you seek to challenge the Veil, you must prove your resolve. The path forward will not yield to the unworthy.
The ground trembled once more, and the spirits began to circle the group. Their presence grew heavier, the air thick with energy.
"Looks like we're not getting a free pass," Lira muttered.
Seryn readied her blades. "Stay close. We fight as one."
The spirits attacked in a surge of cold light and force. Mareth met them head-on, her sword cutting through the air with powerful arcs. Each strike disrupted the spirits' forms, but they reassembled quickly, their ethereal shapes flickering.
Lira darted between them, her daggers targeting the glowing cores within their chests. Seryn moved with calculated precision, her strikes aimed to weaken the spirits' cohesion.
Kael stood at the center, channeling the Crown's energy into protective barriers that shielded his companions. The mark on his hand flared brightly as he summoned a wave of light that forced the spirits to recoil.
Your strength is great, but strength alone is not enough, the lead spirit intoned, its voice ringing over the chaos. What binds you to this path?
Kael's grip on his staff tightened. "The bonds we share. The lives we're fighting to protect. That's what binds us."
The spirits paused, their forms flickering. The lead spirit's gaze softened, and the oppressive energy in the air began to fade. Very well, bearer. The path forward is yours to walk. But beware—the Veil tests all who tread near it. Your greatest challenges lie ahead.
The spirits dissolved into the mist, leaving the group alone in the valley. The silence that followed was heavy, but the air no longer carried the same oppressive weight.
"What was that?" Mareth asked, lowering her sword.
"A warning," Seryn said. "And a reminder."
Kael looked down at the mark on his hand, its glow faint but steady. "The Veil isn't just a barrier. It's alive… and it's watching us."
The group exchanged uneasy glances before continuing their ascent, the shadows of unseen forces lingering in their minds as they pressed onward.