Hollow Ascension

Chapter 173: The Relic’s Power Unleashed

The air was thick with tension and wild magic, swirling chaotically as the battle raged on. Elda's heart pounded in her chest, her hands trembling as she struggled to maintain control over the surge of energy she had unleashed from the relic. The valley's magic, once familiar and steady, now felt like a raging storm, unpredictable and dangerous.

"Mara!" Elda shouted over the howling wind, her voice strained with the effort of containing the power. "You don't have to do this!"

Mara stood at the edge of the clearing, her dark cloak billowing around her as she extended her hands, drawing the valley's magic into herself. Her eyes glowed with a fierce light, the corrupted energy swirling around her in twisted patterns. "You don't understand, Elda," she said, her voice calm despite the chaos. "The valley's magic was always meant to be more than a simple protector of balance. It's wasted on your weak ideals."

Elda gritted her teeth, her fingers tightening around her staff as she felt the relic's magic pulsing through her, hot and powerful. "You're destroying the valley!"

"No," Mara hissed, her eyes narrowing. "I'm saving it."

With a sharp gesture, Mara summoned a wave of dark energy, sending it hurtling toward Elda. The ground cracked beneath the force of the attack, and the air shimmered with the raw power of the valley's corrupted magic. Elda barely managed to raise a shield in time, her staff glowing brightly as she deflected the blast.

Kael and Lena were locked in their own battle, fending off the Syndicate's forces that Mara had summoned to defend the rune. Kael's sword flashed in the dim light, slicing through the darkness, while Lena moved with deadly precision, cutting down anyone who dared get too close.

But they were outnumbered.

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"Mara's drawing too much power from the core!" Elda shouted, her voice strained as she tried to regain control. "If we don't stop her, the valley will collapse!"

Kael, his face streaked with dirt and sweat, blocked another strike and glanced at Elda. "Do whatever it takes!" he shouted back. "We'll hold them off!"

Elda turned her focus back to Mara, her mind racing as she searched for a way to sever Mara's connection to the valley's core without causing more damage. But the relic's power was still surging through her, wild and unpredictable, threatening to tear apart the fragile balance of magic that held the valley together.

"You can't control it, Elda!" Mara's voice rang out, cutting through the storm of magic. "The relic's power is too much for you! Give up now, and I might let you walk away from this."

Elda's jaw clenched, her heart pounding as she struggled to hold on to the relic's energy. She could feel the power slipping away from her, like trying to grasp water in her hands. The valley's magic was fighting against her, resisting the relic's influence, and every moment she held on felt like a battle within herself.

But she couldn't let Mara win. Not when so much was at stake.

With a deep breath, Elda steadied herself, focusing on the core of the relic's power. She could feel the ancient magic swirling within it, powerful and raw, but also dangerous. If she could harness it, if she could channel it the right way, she might be able to sever Mara's connection to the valley and stop the Syndicate's corruption.

But there was no guarantee she would survive.

Elda's eyes burned with determination as she lifted her staff, the relic's energy crackling around her. "I won't let you destroy the valley, Mara," she said, her voice steady despite the fear that gnawed at her insides.

Mara's eyes flickered with anger, and she raised her hand, summoning another wave of dark magic. "Then you'll die with it."

The ground trembled as Mara unleashed her attack, the air around them splitting with the force of her magic. But this time, Elda was ready. She focused all her will on the relic, drawing its power into herself, and with a shout, she unleashed it in a blinding surge of light.

The two forces collided with a deafening roar, sending shockwaves through the clearing. Elda's vision blurred as the power of the relic tore through her, threatening to consume her completely. She could feel the magic burning in her veins, wild and untamed, but she held on, pushing back against Mara's attack with everything she had.

Mara's eyes widened in shock as the relic's power overwhelmed her, and for a brief moment, Elda saw fear flicker across her face.

But then, something shifted.

The valley's magic surged around them, responding to the relic's energy, and Elda felt it—the core of the valley, pulsing beneath the earth, fragile but alive. She reached out with her magic, connecting to the core, and in that moment, she understood.

The valley didn't belong to Mara, or to the Hollow Syndicate. Its magic was tied to the land, to the life that had existed there for centuries. And no one—not even Elda—could bend it to their will without consequence.

With a final push, Elda severed Mara's connection to the valley's core, ripping away the dark magic that had been feeding on its energy. Mara let out a scream of rage as the power was torn from her, and the clearing erupted in a blinding flash of light.

When the light faded, Elda was on her knees, her staff lying beside her, the relic's energy flickering weakly in the air around her. She could feel the exhaustion pulling at her, every muscle in her body aching from the strain of the battle.

Mara lay crumpled on the ground, her eyes filled with fury. She struggled to rise, but her power was gone, the connection to the valley severed. "This isn't over," she spat, her voice filled with venom. "The Syndicate will finish what I started."

Elda struggled to her feet, her vision still blurry from the relic's power. "The valley will heal," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "And we'll stop the Syndicate... no matter what."

Mara's eyes burned with hatred, but before she could respond, Lena stepped forward, her sword raised. "Not today," Lena said coldly, her blade gleaming in the dim light.

With a single, decisive strike, Lena ended it.