The crystals embedded in the ceiling pulsed faintly, their glow casting eerie patterns across the jagged altar at the center. The runes etched into its surface seemed to shift when viewed too long, as if alive with some ancient intent. Shun stood motionless, his silver Jian steady in his hand, its blade reflecting the dim light like a shard of moonlight. His eyes remained fixed on the altar, senses attuned to the subtle hum of ether that thrummed through the air, sharp and electric.
Lira moved to his left, her bow now in hand, an arrow nocked but not drawn. Her gaze swept the chamber, lingering on the shadows that clung to the walls like ink. Toren flanked Shun's right, his Sword unslung and held low, its curved blade gleaming faintly. Behind them, the soldiers fanned out, their weapons drawn, their breaths shallow but steady. Bahari and Habari stood at the rear, their massive forms tense, their clawed hands flexing as they scanned the darkness.
The air grew heavier, the scent of ether now laced with something darker, like charred bone. Shun took a single step forward, his boots crunching softly against the crystalline dust scattered across the floor. The sound seemed to ripple through the chamber, answered by a low, resonant hum that vibrated through the stone beneath their feet.
"Stay sharp," Shun said, his voice calm but carrying the weight of command. "This isn't natural."
Lira's eyes narrowed as she studied the altar. "Those runes," she said quietly. "They're not like the ones in the tunnels. They're older. More complex."
Shun nodded, his gaze never leaving the altar. "They're active," he said. "The ether's flowing through them. Something's feeding it."
Toren shifted his weight, his grip tightening on his Sword. "Feeding it?" he asked. "Or being fed by it?"
Shun didn't answer immediately. He stepped closer to the altar, his movements deliberate, as if testing the air itself. The hum grew louder, a deep pulse that seemed to sync with the rhythm of the crystals above. The soldiers behind him shifted, their weapons raised, their eyes darting to every shadow.
Bahari leaned toward Habari, his voice a low growl. "This place gives me the creeps. You feel that?"
Habari nodded, his ears twitching. "Like we're being watched," he muttered. "Something's awake."
Shun raised a hand, silencing the group without a word. He crouched near the altar, his free hand hovering over the runes. The ether in the air thickened, pressing against his skin like a living thing. He closed his eyes briefly, letting his senses extend, feeling for the source of the disturbance. It was close, too close, buried within the altar itself.
"Step back," he said, his voice sharp now.
The group obeyed instantly, retreating several paces as Shun rose to his feet. The hum intensified, the runes glowing brighter, their light shifting from pale blue to a deep, angry violet. The air crackled, and a faint mist began to rise from the altar, curling upward like smoke.
Lira drew her bow, her arrow aimed at the center of the altar. "Shun," she said, her voice steady. "What is it?"
Before he could answer, the mist coalesced, forming a shape that was both formless and deliberate. It was humanoid in outline, but its edges shimmered and blurred, as if it couldn't decide whether to exist. Its surface was smooth, almost liquid, reflecting the chamber's light like polished obsidian. Two glowing points, like eyes, appeared within its head, locking onto Shun.
"A Hollow," Toren said, his voice low but firm. "Prime-tier, at least."
The soldiers tensed, their weapons raised higher. Bahari and Habari stepped forward, their claws extended, their bodies low and ready. The creature didn't move, but its presence filled the chamber, a weight that pressed against their minds as much as their bodies.
Shun didn't flinch. His Jian remained steady, its blade angled toward the creature. "It's bound to the altar," he said. "It's not free yet."
"Yet?" Lira asked, her bow still drawn.
"It's waking," Shun said. "The runes are holding it, but not for long."
The creature's form shimmered, its edges rippling like water disturbed by a stone. The glowing points of its eyes pulsed, and a low, guttural sound emanated from it, not a voice but a vibration that shook the chamber. The crystals above flickered, their light dimming as if drained.
"We can't let it break free," Shun said. "Lira, aim for the runes. Toren, with me. The rest of you, hold the perimeter."
Lira adjusted her aim, her arrow now trained on the largest rune at the altar's center. Toren stepped forward, his Sword raised, its blade catching the violet light. The soldiers spread out, forming a loose circle around the altar, their eyes fixed on the creature and the shadows beyond.
Bahari cracked his knuckles, his grin returning despite the tension. "Finally," he muttered. "Something to hit."
Habari elbowed him. "Don't get cocky."
Shun moved first, his Jian flashing as he struck at the mist. The blade passed through it, leaving a ripple in its wake, but the creature didn't react. Instead, the runes flared brighter, and the mist thickened, its form growing more solid. The glowing eyes narrowed, and the guttural sound deepened, rattling the stones beneath their feet.
"Lira, now!" Shun called.
Lira released her arrow. It streaked through the air, its tip glowing with ether she had infused moments before. The arrow struck the central rune, embedding itself in the stone. A crack split the altar's surface, and the runes flickered, their light stuttering. The creature let out a sound that was almost a scream, its form shuddering violently.
Toren lunged, his Sword sweeping in a wide arc. The blade bit into the mist, and this time, it drew a reaction. The creature recoiled, its form destabilizing, fragments of its body dissolving into the air. Shun followed, his Jian moving in precise, flowing strikes, each one targeting the points where the mist seemed most solid.
The soldiers held their ground, their weapons trained on the shadows. The chamber trembled, loose stones falling from the ceiling as the creature's thrashing grew more violent. The runes began to crack, their light fading, but the creature was far from defeated. It surged forward, its form stretching toward Shun, its glowing eyes burning with malice.
Toren intercepted, his Sword slashing through the creature's extended arm. The limb dissolved into mist, but the creature reformed almost instantly, its other arm lashing out. Shun ducked, his Jian slicing upward, carving through the mist and scattering it like ash. Lira fired another arrow, this one striking a secondary rune. The altar shuddered, and the creature's form wavered, its eyes dimming momentarily.
"Don't let up!" Shun ordered.
Bahari and Habari charged, their claws slashing at the creature's lower half. Their attacks disrupted its form, but it retaliated with a wave of ether that sent them stumbling back. The soldiers at the perimeter braced themselves, their weapons glowing faintly as they channeled their own ether to hold the line.
Shun stepped back, his eyes narrowing as he studied the creature. It was tied to the altar, its power drawn from the runes, but it was adapting, growing stronger with each moment. He could feel the ether in the air shifting, the labyrinth itself feeding the creature's strength. They didn't have much time.
"Toren, Lira, focus on the altar," he said. "Break the runes. I'll keep it occupied."
Toren nodded, moving to the altar's edge, his Sword striking at the cracked stone. Lira fired arrow after arrow, each one targeting a different rune, her precision unmatched. The altar began to fracture, pieces of stone falling away as the runes flickered and died.
Shun faced the creature alone, his Jian moving in a blur. The mist surged toward him, its form now more solid, its attacks faster. He parried and struck, his movements fluid, his focus absolute. The creature's eyes burned brighter, and for a moment, Shun felt the weight of its presence, a mind older and darker than anything he had faced before.
The chamber shook violently, the crystals above going dark. The altar cracked in half, and the creature let out a final, deafening scream before its form collapsed, dissolving into a cloud of ether that dispersed into the air. The runes went silent, their glow extinguished.
Shun lowered his Jian, his chest rising and falling with steady shallow breaths. The soldiers relaxed, their weapons lowering, their eyes still scanning the shadows. Lira and Toren stepped back from the altar, their faces grim but relieved.
Bahari let out a low whistle. "That was something."
Habari nodded, wiping ether residue from his claws. "Told you he's more than careful."
Shun turned to the group, his expression unreadable. "We move on," he said. "Were almost to the heart of all this...i can feel it."