Hollow Ascension

Chapter 153: The Valley’s Struggle

The valley's pulse, once steady and comforting, now flickered like a candle in the wind, threatening to go out at any moment. Elda stood in the center of the glade, her staff glowing faintly as she tried to focus on the valley's magic, but every time she reached for it, the dark tendrils twisted deeper into the energy, resisting her attempts to connect.

"The valley is struggling," Elda whispered, her voice tight with strain. "It's fighting back, but the corruption... it's burrowing into the core."

Kael's grip on his sword tightened as he watched Elda struggle. "We need to find a way to purge it," he said, his tone firm but edged with concern. "We can't let this go on any longer."

Lena, standing beside Kael, scanned the surrounding forest. The trees, once vibrant and alive with magic, now seemed heavy with shadow. The air was thick, almost oppressive, and the light from the valley's heart flickered weakly in the distance. "It's not just the magic," Lena muttered. "Even the plants and trees are reacting. It's like they're confused."

Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled. Vines that had once grown in harmony with the valley now lashed out unpredictably, writhing as if in pain. One of them snapped violently, curling up as though trying to protect itself from an unseen threat.

Kael stepped back, his eyes narrowing. "The valley's losing control," he said grimly. "It's turning on itself."

Elda took a deep breath, trying to steady her mind as the valley's magic surged and flickered around her. She could feel the heartbeat of the valley, but it was erratic, as though something was squeezing it, forcing it to fight against its own instincts. "The corruption is deeper than I thought," she admitted, her voice shaking. "It's not just affecting the surface—it's reaching into the valley's core."

Lena's eyes darted around the glade, watching as more vines and roots began to thrash, their movements no longer smooth but jagged and desperate. "If the valley's core is compromised, then we need to act fast," she said. "We can't let this corruption spread any further."

But as they spoke, the valley's instability worsened. The plants around them twisted, their leaves curling and blackening as though poisoned. The glow that once filled the valley was fading rapidly, replaced by dark patches where the Syndicate's magic had already taken root.

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Elda knelt beside one of the blackened plants, her hand hovering over it. She could feel the life draining from it, the magic inside it fading as the corruption spread through its veins. "The valley is fighting," she said softly, her heart heavy with the knowledge that it might not be enough. "But it's losing."

Kael and Lena exchanged a glance, their expressions darkening. Kael spoke first, his voice low and filled with urgency. "Then we need to fight for it."

But as the words left his mouth, the ground trembled again, harder this time. The vines and roots around them began to lash out more violently, as though the valley itself was in pain. One of the vines struck the ground near Lena's feet, narrowly missing her as she jumped back.

"This isn't just corruption," Lena said, her voice tense as she dodged another flailing vine. "The valley is turning against us."

Kael gritted his teeth, raising his sword as he moved to protect Elda from the erratic movements of the plants. "It's not turning against us," he said, his voice filled with determination. "It's confused. It's trying to fight, but it doesn't know what to fight."

Elda's eyes widened as she realized the truth in Kael's words. "The valley's magic... it's reacting to the corruption, but it can't tell the difference between us and the Syndicate's influence. It's attacking everything."

Lena ducked as another vine whipped past her, her sword flashing as she cut it down. "Then we need to make it stop!" she shouted. "We can't fight the valley and the Syndicate at the same time!"

Elda nodded, her mind racing. She had to find a way to calm the valley, to remind it that they were on its side. But the corruption was deep, and every time she tried to reach the core, the dark magic pushed back, blocking her attempts to connect.

"I'll try to stabilize the magic," Elda said, her voice steady but filled with urgency. "But I'll need time."

Kael stepped forward, standing protectively beside her. "We'll keep you covered," he said, his sword ready as more vines began to thrash wildly around them.

Lena moved to the other side, her blade flashing as she cut down another vine that came too close. "Make it quick," she muttered. "I don't know how long we can hold off the valley itself."

Elda closed her eyes, her staff glowing brighter as she reached out to the valley's core, trying to push through the layers of corruption that had taken root. She could feel the valley's confusion, its pain, as it fought against itself, unsure of what was happening. The dark magic twisted through the core like a poison, clouding the valley's senses.

"Listen to me," Elda whispered, her voice soft but filled with resolve. "You know who we are. We've fought for you. We've protected you. Don't let this darkness take you. Fight back."

For a moment, there was no response. The valley's magic flickered weakly, and the dark tendrils continued to twist and writhe around the core. Elda could feel the valley's will slipping, its strength fading as the corruption dug deeper.

But then, just as Elda feared the valley would fall, she felt a faint pulse—a flicker of recognition. The valley's core stirred, its magic responding to her call, though weakly.

"There you are," Elda whispered, her heart pounding as she felt the connection deepen. "Fight with us. We can push this darkness out together."

The ground trembled again, but this time, it wasn't just the corruption causing the disturbance. The valley's magic was stirring, pushing back against the dark tendrils that had wrapped around its core. Elda could feel the valley's will strengthening, though it was still fragile, still at risk of being overwhelmed.

Kael and Lena continued to defend her, their swords flashing as they cut down the erratic vines that lashed out at them. But even as they fought, they could feel the shift in the valley's magic. It wasn't attacking them with the same force—it was hesitating, as though unsure whether to trust them or not.

"Whatever you're doing, Elda, keep doing it," Kael called out, his voice strained as he deflected another vine.

Elda nodded, her focus entirely on the valley's core. "It's working," she said, her voice filled with hope. "But it's not enough. The corruption is still too deep."

Lena cut down another vine, her face grim. "Then we need to dig deeper," she said. "We can't let the Syndicate win."

Elda took a deep breath, steeling herself as she pushed harder, reaching deeper into the valley's core. The dark magic fought back, twisting and writhing as it tried to maintain its hold, but the valley was fighting now, too. Its magic surged weakly, pushing against the corruption, but it was still too fragile, still too uncertain.

"We need to find the source," Elda said, her voice strained as she fought to maintain the connection. "The Syndicate's corruption—it's hiding somewhere in the valley's magic. If we can find it, we can cut it out."

Kael and Lena exchanged a glance, their expressions grim but determined.

"Then let's find it," Kael said.