Chapter 60: The Obelisk's Secret
The obelisk stood silently, its glowing runes dimming and brightening in a slow rhythm, as if breathing. The group stared at it, its presence radiating an ominous energy. Arlen's grip on his blade tightened. The encounter with the shadowy figure had left a bitter taste in his mouth, but the obelisk was a new puzzle, one they couldn't ignore.
"What do you think it is?" Caden asked, breaking the silence.
"Something old," Liora replied, stepping closer to inspect the intricate carvings. "And something powerful. These runes aren't just decorative—they're alive with magic."
Arlen frowned, scanning the surroundings for any sign of a trap. "If it's tied to that thing we fought, we can't leave it here unchecked. Can you figure it out?"
Liora nodded, but her expression was wary. "I can try, but this magic is far beyond anything I've encountered before. It might take time."
"Do it," Arlen said firmly. "We'll guard you."
Decoding the Runes
Liora placed her hands on the surface of the obelisk, her magic intertwining with its ancient energy. The runes flared, and a pulse of power rippled outward, making the ground tremble. Arlen and Caden immediately took defensive stances, scanning the area for any threats.
As Liora concentrated, fragments of knowledge began to flow into her mind—a language older than time itself. The obelisk was a conduit, a nexus of power that connected this world to others.
"This… isn't just a marker," she murmured. "It's a gateway."
"A gateway to where?" Arlen asked sharply.
Liora's eyes widened as the realization hit her. "To Kaorath's domain. This is how his forces are entering our world."
The words hung in the air like a death sentence.
A New Threat
Before they could process the revelation, the ground beneath them began to shake violently. Cracks spread across the terrain, and a low, guttural roar echoed from the fissures.
Arlen spun around, his blade igniting. "We've got company."
From the cracks emerged creatures unlike anything they had seen before. Their forms were twisted and incomplete, as though half-formed from shadows and bone. Their movements were erratic, their glowing eyes fixated on the obelisk.
"They're protecting it," Caden said, drawing his twin daggers.
"Then we destroy them," Arlen growled, charging into the fray.
The battle was chaotic. The creatures moved unpredictably, their limbs stretching and shifting in unnatural ways. Arlen's blade cut through them with precision, but for every creature he felled, two more emerged.
"We can't keep this up forever!" Caden shouted, narrowly dodging a swipe from one of the monsters.
Liora remained focused on the obelisk, her magic intertwining with its runes. "I'm almost there! Just hold them off!"
A Temporary Victory
With a final surge of effort, Liora deciphered the last rune, and the obelisk's energy shifted. The glowing runes turned dark, and the creatures let out agonized shrieks before dissolving into shadows.
The silence that followed was deafening.
"It's inactive," Liora said, her voice trembling from exertion. "But it's not destroyed. The connection is severed… for now."
Arlen approached her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You did well, but this is far from over. If this is one gateway, there might be more."
"And Kaorath's forces won't stop," Caden added grimly. "They'll keep coming."
Arlen's gaze shifted to the horizon, his expression resolute. "Then we'll find every gateway and shut them all down. One way or another, we'll end this."
As they prepared to leave, a single thought echoed in Arlen's mind: Kaorath's domain.
If they truly wanted to stop the invasion, they would have to take the fight to him. And for that, Arlen knew he would need to grow stronger than ever before.