Chapter 14: Shadows Beneath the Earth
The sun barely rose the next morning, its pale light filtered through thick clouds hanging low over the Ashen Vale. The first Ward Stone's glow pulsed weakly behind them as John, Jake, Cherlyn, and Rick prepared to descend into the earth, where the next stone—the Stone of the Deep—was said to lie hidden.
Rick's voice was grave as he hovered near the cracked edge of a vast sinkhole. "The Hollow Ones once burrowed here, deep below. The tunnels remain—but they are not empty. Worse things than Hollow Ones crept in when the cracks opened."
John peered down into the abyss. A cold wind rose from below, carrying faint sounds—metal scraping stone, something breathing slowly in the dark. "We have no choice. If this stone strengthens the boundary, we need it."
"Light sources ready," Cherlyn murmured, igniting a small rune-crystal. Its glow revealed a carved stair spiraling down into the pit's gloom.
Jake tightened his grip on the crowbar. "If anything moves, I smash it. No hesitation."
They descended.
The walls wept moisture. Strange fungus clung to stone, glowing faintly in hues of green and purple. Once, John thought he saw something shift just out of reach—a human face forming in the rock, eyes closed, mouth open in silent scream. He blinked. It was gone.
Further down, the air grew thick, foul with rot and iron. Bones littered the steps. Some human. Some not.
Rick floated ahead, warning, "This place is close to the Hollow Nest. The memories of the old world fester here. Don't trust what you see."
At the bottom of the spiral stair, the passage split into three tunnels.
"The stone lies to the east," Rick said. "But the tunnels change. Be swift. Be quiet."
As they moved, whispers filled the air—soft voices calling their names, promising safety, warmth, home. John grit his teeth. "Ignore it."
A shape lunged from the darkness—a spindly thing of stitched flesh and wire, a forgotten experiment of the Tower. Jake smashed it aside, its body bursting into dust. More crawled from cracks in the walls.
"Run!" John ordered.
They sprinted, ducking low as blades slashed from hidden walls. Pit traps yawned suddenly, but Cherlyn's wards flared, closing them. The ground trembled—a deeper presence stirred below.
At last, the tunnel opened into a vast chamber. In its center rose the Deep Ward Stone—taller than a house, carved with spirals and jagged glyphs. But coiled around its base lay the Guardian: a serpent of rusted metal and bone, its blind head swaying, tongue tasting the air.
"The Hollow Serpent," Rick whispered. "One of the old horrors. It sleeps—but any wrong move will wake it."
John looked to Jake and Cherlyn. "We end this now."
Cherlyn crept to the right, sprinkling powder that dulled sound. Jake hefted the crowbar, nodding. John slipped left, circling the stone. Each step was torture—the serpent stirred, metal scales grinding softly.
John reached the stone's base. Its runes pulsed faintly.
"Touch the glyph of binding," Rick urged. "It will awaken the stone."
John pressed his hand to the glyph. The stone flared, light washing over the chamber.
The serpent reared, shrieking—a sound of rust and agony. Jake leapt, driving the crowbar into its exposed throat. Sparks flew; oil and black ichor sprayed.
Cherlyn hurled a warding crystal—light burst forth, searing the serpent's flesh. It convulsed, twisting wildly, smashing pillars of bone. John swung the iron pipe, cracking exposed joints.
With a final roar, the serpent collapsed, its body unraveling into ash and gears.
The Deep Ward Stone pulsed, sending waves of stability through the tunnels. Cracks in the walls sealed, the air cleared.
"Two stones awakened," Rick said. "The cracks weaken. But they also grow desperate."
John wiped sweat from his brow. "Where to next?"
"The Stone of the Forgotten... in the city ruins beyond the Vale. And the last... at the mountain's heart. But beware. The Harbinger stirs again."
As they prepared to leave the depths, John glanced back. In the fading light, he thought he saw the Tower's shadow flicker across the stone.
The battle for the Last Shelter had only begun.
End of Chapter 14.