Within a Hollow Heart

Chapter 142: Volume 2, Chapter 86: "Shattered Threads"

The air in the chamber crackled with tension as the Severed continued their rhythmic chanting, their voices echoing off the ancient stone walls. Cole could feel the Knot trembling, its frayed threads pulled taut by the Severed's dark magic. The energy in the room was palpable, thick with the void's influence, and it pressed down on him like a suffocating weight.

Marcus gave a sharp nod, signaling the group to move forward. Cole's heart raced as they prepared for the confrontation, his grip tightening on his sword. This time, they wouldn't have the element of surprise. The Severed knew they were coming, and they were ready.

"We need to sever their connection to the Knot," Elara whispered, her eyes fixed on the dark-robed figures. "If they tear it apart, the void will flood this place."

"How many are there?" Selene asked, her voice low as she scanned the chamber.

"Five," Marcus replied, his gaze sharp. "But they're strong. Be prepared for anything."

Cole nodded, his breath coming in shallow bursts. He could feel the void tugging at the edges of his mind, a dark whisper urging him to let go, to fall into its embrace. But he pushed it aside, focusing instead on the faint hum of the Veil, the delicate threads that held their reality together.

"On my mark," Marcus said, his voice a calm contrast to the storm building around them. "We move fast, take them down before they can complete the ritual."

Cole's heart pounded as they readied themselves for the attack. He could see the Severed more clearly now, their hands moving in intricate patterns as they wove their magic, pulling at the Knot with an intensity that made the air around them shimmer with dark energy.

"Now!" Marcus shouted, and the group surged forward as one.

The Severed reacted instantly, their chanting rising to a fevered pitch as they turned to face the oncoming attack. Dark tendrils of void energy shot out from their hands, coiling through the air like serpents, reaching for the group with deadly intent.

Marcus was the first to strike, his sword flashing in the dim light as he cut through the void tendrils with brutal efficiency. Selene followed close behind, her blade moving with lethal precision as she engaged the nearest Severed, forcing them to break their connection to the Knot.

Cole rushed forward, his mind focused on the threads of the Veil, trying to reach out and stabilize the Knot before it unraveled completely. But the Severed were relentless, their magic pulling at the Knot with a ferocity that made his head spin.

"Elara!" Cole shouted over the chaos. "I need your help!"

Elara was already moving, her hands glowing with the faint light of the amulet as she wove her own magic, trying to counter the Severed's influence. The strain was evident in her face, but she pressed on, her eyes locked on the Knot as she fought to hold it together.

"They're too strong," she gasped, her voice strained. "We need to break their connection before we can stabilize the Knot."

Cole gritted his teeth, his heart racing as he slashed at the void tendrils that lashed out at him, their dark energy searing the air with every strike. The Severed were more powerful than any they had faced before, their connection to the void deeper, more ingrained.

But they couldn't afford to lose this Knot.

With a surge of determination, Cole pressed forward, his sword cutting through the void energy as he closed the distance between himself and one of the Severed. The dark-robed figure turned to face him, their eyes glowing with an unnatural light as they raised their hands to unleash another wave of void magic.

But Cole was faster.

His blade sliced through the air, connecting with the Severed's chest. For a brief moment, the figure froze, their chanting cut off mid-sentence as their body crumpled to the ground. The void tendrils around them dissipated, and Cole felt a brief reprieve as the pressure on the Knot lessened.

"One down," Marcus shouted, his voice filled with grim satisfaction as he parried another strike from one of the Severed.

But the battle was far from over. The remaining Severed were growing more desperate, their chanting rising to a frenzied pitch as they pulled at the Knot with renewed intensity. The ground beneath them trembled, the air growing colder as the void's influence deepened.

"We need to stop them!" Elara cried, her voice filled with urgency as the Knot's threads began to fray even further.

Selene darted forward, her blade flashing as she engaged another Severed, forcing them to break their focus on the Knot. Her movements were swift, precise, and within moments, the Severed fell to the ground, their connection to the void severed.

But even with two of the Severed down, the Knot was still unraveling, its delicate threads snapping one by one as the remaining Severed continued their ritual. Cole could feel the void pressing against the edges of reality, its dark energy threatening to tear through and consume everything.

"Elara, can you stabilize it?" Cole shouted as he moved to intercept another Severed.

Elara's face was pale, sweat beading on her forehead as she struggled to maintain her connection to the Veil. "Not yet," she gasped. "I need more time."

Cole gritted his teeth as he clashed with the Severed, his sword meeting the figure's dark magic with a sharp clang. The Severed's eyes glowed with a malevolent light as they pushed back, their power growing with every moment.

But Cole refused to back down.

With a fierce shout, he lunged forward, his blade cutting through the Severed's defenses. The figure stumbled back, their connection to the Knot faltering, and Cole seized the opportunity to strike again. His sword found its mark, and the Severed crumpled to the ground, their magic dissipating into the air.

Three down.

But the remaining two Severed were still pulling at the Knot, their chanting growing louder, more frenzied. The air in the chamber crackled with dark energy, and the Knot trembled violently, its threads on the verge of snapping.

"Elara, now!" Marcus shouted, his voice filled with urgency as he blocked a strike from one of the remaining Severed.

Elara's hands glowed brightly as she channeled the amulet's power, her magic weaving through the air as she reached for the Knot. Cole could feel the shift in the energy around them, the threads of the Veil responding to her touch as she worked to stabilize the Knot.

But the Severed weren't done yet.

With a final, desperate surge of power, the remaining two Severed pulled at the Knot with everything they had, their chanting reaching a fevered pitch. The Knot shuddered violently, and for a terrifying moment, Cole thought it might tear apart completely.

But then, Elara's magic connected.

The Knot pulsed once, twice, and then the fraying threads began to weave back together, slowly but surely. The Severed's connection to the Knot was severed, their magic broken, and the void energy around them dissipated.

The chamber fell silent.

Cole stood in the aftermath, his chest heaving with exertion as he surveyed the scene. The Severed lay defeated, their bodies crumpled on the cold stone floor. The Knot, though still fragile, had been stabilized. They had won.

But the cost had been great.

Elara slumped to the ground, her body trembling with exhaustion as the amulet's glow faded. Marcus sheathed his sword, his expression grim as he surveyed the fallen Severed.

"We did it," Selene said quietly, though there was no triumph in her voice. "We stopped them."

Cole nodded, though the weight of their victory settled heavily on his shoulders. They had saved the Knot, but the Severed would be back. And each time, the void grew stronger.

They couldn't keep this up forever.

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