CHAPTER 82: THE OUTBURST OF THE VEIL 4

The hall’s heavy doors was opened and it revealed Headmaster Torin with his stormhawk, Veyra that perched on his shoulder, its crackling feathers casted sparks that fizzled in the air.

The Council followed, their beasts were, a crystal boar, a shadow wyrm, and others that filled the hall with an aura of power. The air grew heavy, thick with the scent of incense and the hum of soulstream energy.

Torin’s piercing eyes was locked onto the Tide’s Crest, his voice was resonant with authority. "Your success in the Wastes has bought us time," he said, "but the Veil grows bolder.

Our scouts report was a new disturbance in the Abyssal Hollow, a sunken valley of two days east. It is not a full rift, but a fracture that is unstable, leaking dark energy that is corrupting the land. Beasts are turning rogue, and villages are reporting disappearances."

Kelvin’s pulse was quickened and his grip was tightened on his staff. The Abyssal Hollow was a place of legend, a sunken scar in the earth that is said to be the site of a failed rift sealing centuries ago. "What is causing it?" he asked.

Torin gestured to a rune-projected image that flickered into the air which was a jagged fracture in the ground that pulsed with violet light that is surrounded by twisted, skeletal trees and rogue beasts with glowing eyes.

"A shard of a dark crystal which is likely a remnant from an ancient rift," he said. "It is destabilizing the soulstream that is drawing the Veil’s attention. You will investigate, neutralize the shard and report.

The monitoring device that will track you, but the Hollow is treacherous—caves, fog, and unstable terrain. Trust your beasts and each other."

Lyra’s eyes narrowed, her voice probing. "If it’s a crystal shard, is there an anchor like in the Crags and Wastes?"

"Possibly," Torin replied, his tone was grave. "But the Hollow’s energy is chaotic, harder to predict. Be prepared for anything."

Darius cracked his knuckles, a grin spreading across his face, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of nerves. "Another day, another rift. Let’s do this."

They were dismissed, the Council’s words echoed as they returned to their dormitories to prepare. The air was buzzed with tension, the memory of the Wastes’ battle was still fresh.

Kelvin checked his staff and its fire runes was glowing brighter as he channeled a test pulse, Xerion’s scales flared in response with a low hiss vibrating the air.

Lyra inscribed a new shadow runes, her fingers strong despite the fatigue that was trembling in her hands which enhanced Salaris’s agility and stealth.

Darius packed extra soulstones, their green glow casted eerie shadows across his room, while Rhoam rumbled, his iron plates was gleaming in the candlelight.

As they gathered their gear, a familiar figure blocked their path, Zack, his dark cloak swirled with his beast Vyris that coiled around his arm, its obsidian scales glinted like a polished stone.

"Another suicide mission?" he sneered, his voice dripped with venom. "You are the Sanctum’s lapdogs now, running into every trap the Veil sets."

Darius’s jaw clenched and his hand twitched toward a soulstone. "Keep talking, Zack. Rhoam is hungry for a new toy." Kelvin placed a hand on Darius’s shoulder, his voice was calm but firm. "Ignore him. We gave got work to do."

Zack’s smirk widened, his eyes gleamed with a knowing edge. "Oh, you will see, Crest. The Hollow is no Crags or Wastes. It will break you." He turned on his heel, Vyris was hissing softly as they melted into the shadows.

Lyra’s eyes was narrowed and her fingers were tightened around her gauntlet. "He is too confident," she murmured. "He talks like he knows what’s waiting for us."

Kelvin nodded with unease prickling his spine. "We will deal with him later. For now, we will have to focus on the Hollow."

At dawn, they set out for the path to the Abyssal Hollow winding east through dense forests, their leaves tinged with autumn’s first reds and golds.

The air was crisp, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth, but as they neared the Hollow, it grew heavy, thick with the tang of decay and a faint metallic bite.

Xerion slithered ahead with his scales scraping softly against the underbrush, his flames casted a warm glow that pushed back the gathered fog.

Salaris darted through the shadows, her feathers blended with the mist, her talons were silent but deadly. Rhoam brought up the rear, his heavy tread was sending small stones that skittered, his iron plates was a stark contrast to the forest’s muted tones.

The forest gave way to a desolate valley, its edges sloped sharply into the Abyssal Hollow, which was a sunken expanse of fog-shrouded cliffs and twisted, skeletal trees.

The air thrummed with dark energy, a low pulse that set Kelvin’s teeth on edge, like the heartbeat of something vast and malevolent. "This place feels wrong," he said, his voice was low, his staff was raised up. "Stay sharp."

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Lyra nodded, her runes was glowing as she scanned the terrain. "The fracture is deep in the valley. I can feel it, it is chaotic and unstable."

Darius tossed a soulstone and caught it with a grin. "Good. Let’s find it and smash it before it gets any brighter ideas."

They descended into the Hollow, the fog became thickened and was muffling their footsteps and wrapping them in a suffocating embrace.

The ground was uneven, littered with jagged rocks and brittle bones, remnants of beasts or tamers who had ventured too far. Every rustle in the fog set their nerves on edge, their beasts were moving closer and were ready to strike.

Hours into their trek, they reached a cavern mouth, its entrance was framed by twisted roots that pulsed with faint violet light.

The air inside was cold, heavy with the scent of damp stone and decay, the hum of dark energy was stronger now. "This is it," Lyra said, her voice tight. "The fracture is inside."

Kelvin nodded but his heart was pounding. "Xerion, light the way," he said. The End-Tyrant slithered forward with his flames igniting in a soft glow that illuminated the cavern’s slick walls, revealing rune-etched stalactites that pulsed with the same violet light.

The trio moved cautiously with their beasts alert, the monitoring device hummed in Kelvin’s pack which served as a reminder that the Sanctum’s watchful eyes were watching.

Deep within the cavern, they found the fracture, which was a jagged tear in the ground that pulsed with violet light, its edges were writhed with dark tendrils.