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For the first time in his life, and hopefully the last, Renton entered the Void.
Thick air filled his lungs, pushing at his ribcage. Currents of visible energy buzzed all around him. He could sense creatures lurking in the darkness, but he didn’t have time to play into instincts and cut them all down.
Leave them for Gireth to slaughter if he has to come after me.
Tucked under his illusion magic, Renton leaned into the painful tug in his heart to guide him. Ironic, considering he’d cursed the damned shard last night for interrupting much desirable activities.
His illusion flickered and sputtered, so he quickened his pace, never in the same place when monsters with slitted tongues and barbed tails skittered closer. He scanned his surroundings for the peak of a temple. His mind sought to play tricks on him, casting the image of Nightfall’s gloomy, blood-soaked temples in the distance.
A prickle of anxiety and his weaning magic had him itching to call out for Tenah, but he didn’t dare make a sound as he waded deeper into the chilling expanse of blue.
A lone red building came into view. Perched on a block of smooth stone, it was adorned with curly, gold flourishes. Silver chimes jangled from its roofline, even with the absence of a breeze.
Renton stepped up to the entrance. The doorway was encapsulated in darkness. His nostrils flared, picking up on the sharp, acidic scent of dark magic from within.
Gods, this place felt wrong. Itseethedwith animosity.
Was this what Tenah had faced alone? How many Void Walkers actually stayed sane after roaming this fucked-up world?
Gritting his teeth, Renton stretched his magical ability as far as it would go as he marched inside. Outside of a fight, he was able to concentrate more on maintaining it, but he knew he was rapidly approaching his limit.
The interior was empty, save for a throne, and directly behind it, there was a staircase leading down into darkness.
Shit, this was going to hurt. Weaving his illusion tighter and ignoring his limits, Renton descended into the unknown. The shard throbbed, giving intense fits that had him bracing on Gireth’s glaive every few stairs. Its pulse vibrated through every sensitive nerve in his body. He rarely experienced such a reaction from the shard, only when faced with a highly Corrupt enemy.
Thispain…
Something else lurked here. Something far more wicked than any creature he’d carved through before. If this kept up, he might not be the one walking out of the Void today.
A faint, blue glow signaled him below. Renton quickened his pace. The last stair dropped him into a dimly lit, seemingly endless hall. Ahead, he made out the shape of a tall figure. Tenah kneeled before the shadow, crushed by waves of darkness pouring out of his cobalt robes.
The shard clamped down, and Renton slammed a hand against the wall for support. Two different colored eyes snapped to him. It was then he came to understand what the Chaos lord had meant. The King of Adra wasn’t of this world, his fierce gaze branding him with centuries-worth of hatred.
“Your illusions won’t work on me, beguiler,” Cirel said in a cool tone. With a wave of a ringed hand, he crushed Renton’s last scrap of magic.
Tenah’s head whipped to him. “Renton, no!”
He didn’t miss the dejected glance Cirel tossed her way. It twisted up his insides.
With a smooth movement, Renton freed a small dagger from his boot and hurled it at the king. The blade nicked Cirel’s arm. The line of blood that beaded along the cut was pure black.
Metallic, dark magic slammed into Renton, throwing him onto his back.
“You are the one she wants to protect? That’s rich.” Cirel sneered.
“What do you want with her?” Renton demanded.
The King of Adra regarded him with a slow, cruel smile. “You would love to know, wouldn’t you? For now, I’ll be satisfied with the return of my war beast.”
Tenah shot a hand out, grabbing Cirel’s robes and igniting them with red flames.
The king stumbled back, losing grip on his magic. Before Renton could get his feet under him, Tenah’s scorching hands were on him, pulling him upright.
“Keep moving,” she said. “This is not your fight.”
Renton didn’t budge. He wanted to watch the king burn, even if it was only for a few seconds. Cirel quickly suffocated the flames with a burst of dark magic.
Summoning a wall of Chaotic flames at their backs, Tenah dug her fingernails into Renton’s arm. “Don’t make this your fight, Renton. You will lose.”
