Capítulo 4: 4;ECHOES OF THE VOID
The silence inside the fortress was deafening, broken only by the soft, rhythmic breathing of the Warden of Tides as he rested. The Warden of Ashfall stood at the entrance, his back straight, his senses sharpened. Outside, the storm churned, casting eerie shadows against the cracked stone walls, but his attention was fixed on the void lurking just beyond.
His heart was heavy with the knowledge of what lay ahead. They would need to find the other Wardens quickly, before the void consumed them all. But more than that, they needed a plan—an understanding of how to combat an enemy that thrived in the very fabric of existence itself.
The Warden of Ashfall ran a hand along the hilt of his sword, feeling the comforting warmth of its ember glow. It was an ancient weapon, forged in the heart of the first volcano, a relic of the power that once coursed through the world. Now, though, it felt like little more than a flickering flame in the face of an encroaching storm.
**"We're running out of time,"** he murmured to himself, the words barely a whisper.
Suddenly, a sharp crack echoed through the air, jolting him from his thoughts. The Warden spun around, hand gripping the hilt of his sword. His gaze scanned the fortress's interior, searching for the source of the sound.
The Warden of Tides still lay on the altar, motionless, his breathing steady. But the air around him had shifted, charged with an unseen force that sent a chill down the Warden of Ashfall's spine. He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing as he noticed something unusual—a faint shimmer, a ripple in the air that seemed to hover just above the Warden of Tides.
The Warden of Ashfall's instincts screamed a warning, and in a flash, he drew his sword. The blade crackled with fire as he swung it in a wide arc, slashing through the shimmer. But instead of dissipating, the ripple expanded, swirling like a vortex of dark energy.
**"What in the name of the old world..."** he muttered, taking a cautious step back as the vortex grew larger, its center yawning open like a gateway.
And then, from within the void, something emerged.
At first, it was only a shadow—a fleeting, amorphous shape that slithered through the rift in reality. But as it moved, the form solidified, coalescing into something monstrous. The creature was unlike anything the Warden had ever seen. Its body was made of the same void-stuff as the vortex, but it pulsed with a sickly green light. Its limbs were long and spindly, its face a grotesque mask of jagged teeth and empty eyes.
The creature let out a low, guttural hiss as it fully stepped into the fortress, its gaze locking onto the Warden of Ashfall.
**"Voidspawn,"** the Warden growled, recognizing the abomination for what it was. These creatures were manifestations of the void itself—twisted, malevolent beings that existed solely to consume and destroy. He had faced them before, during the early days of the war. But this one... this one was different.
It was larger, more solid, and its presence seemed to warp the very air around it. The temperature in the room dropped sharply, the heat from the Warden's armor flickering as though it were being snuffed out by the void's influence.
The creature hissed again, then lunged.
The Warden of Ashfall moved with practiced precision, raising his sword just in time to meet the creature's strike. The impact sent a shockwave through the room, shaking the walls and sending dust cascading from the ceiling. Fire clashed with void energy, the two forces repelling each other violently.
The Warden gritted his teeth, pushing back against the creature's strength. His blade crackled with heat, the metal glowing bright as he poured more power into it. But the voidspawn was relentless, its claws slashing through the air with deadly precision.
One of its strikes got through, grazing the Warden's armor and leaving a trail of blackened metal in its wake. The Warden hissed in pain, the void's touch burning through his defenses like acid. But he didn't falter. With a grunt of effort, he shoved the creature back, then swung his sword in a wide arc, aiming for its neck.
The blade connected, slicing clean through the voidspawn's head. For a moment, the creature's body froze, its glowing eyes dimming. And then, with a sickening crack, its form disintegrated, collapsing into a pool of dark, writhing energy before evaporating into nothing.
The Warden of Ashfall stood still, his chest heaving as he caught his breath. His sword glowed faintly, its embers dimming now that the immediate threat had passed. But the rift in the air remained, swirling ominously at the center of the room.
He knew this wasn't over.
**"More will come,"** he muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing as he stared into the void. **"They always do."**
As if on cue, the rift pulsed again, and another voidspawn began to emerge—this one even larger than the last.
But before the creature could fully manifest, something strange happened. The rift trembled violently, its swirling mass destabilizing. And then, without warning, it collapsed in on itself, vanishing with a soundless pop.
The Warden of Ashfall blinked, momentarily stunned. He had seen rifts before, but never had one closed so suddenly—and certainly not without some external force acting on it.
He glanced back at the Warden of Tides, who was still unconscious, his form unmoved. Whatever had caused the rift to close, it hadn't been him. So what, or who, had intervened?
As if in answer to his unspoken question, a voice echoed through the room.
**"You're not alone in this fight, Ashfall."**
The Warden stiffened, his eyes scanning the shadows for the source of the voice. It was soft, almost melodic, but laced with a power that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
**"Show yourself!"** he demanded, his sword raised once more.
There was a faint shimmer at the far end of the hall, and from the darkness stepped a figure—tall and cloaked in an ethereal light, their face obscured by a hood. But despite their mysterious appearance, the Warden of Ashfall could sense no malice from them. If anything, the figure radiated a calm, protective energy.
**"Who are you?"** the Warden asked, his grip on his sword loosening slightly, though he remained on guard.
The figure didn't answer immediately. Instead, they stepped closer, their movements slow and deliberate, as though they were walking through water. When they finally spoke, their voice was filled with a quiet authority.
**"I am the Guardian of the Fractured Path. And I've been watching you for some time now."**
The Warden's eyes widened. The Guardian of the Fractured Path was a being of legend, said to wander between realms, guiding those lost in the void's influence. But no one had seen them in centuries, not since the war against the void had first begun.
**"Why now?"** the Warden asked, suspicion creeping into his voice. **"Why reveal yourself after all this time?"**
The Guardian tilted their head slightly, as if considering the question. **"Because the balance is tipping. The void grows stronger, more than it has in eons. And you, Ashfall... you are one of the few who can stop it."**
The Warden of Ashfall frowned, his mind racing. **"What do you mean? I'm just one Warden. The others... they're scattered. Corrupted. I can't fight the void alone."**
The Guardian smiled faintly, though it was hard to tell beneath their hood. **"You won't be alone. There are others like you, fighting in their own way. The paths will converge soon, and when they do, you'll need to be ready. The void is preparing for something far worse than what you've seen."**
The Warden of Ashfall felt a chill run down his spine. **"What are they preparing for?"**
The Guardian's expression darkened. **"The end of all things. The final collapse."**
A heavy silence fell over the room as the weight of the Guardian's words sank in. The Warden of Ashfall clenched his fists, a renewed sense of determination filling him.
**"What do I need to do?"**
The Guardian stepped closer, their glowing hand resting on the Warden's shoulder. **"You need to find the other Wardens. They are the key. Together, you can stop the void. But time is running out. You must act quickly."**
The Warden of Ashfall nodded, his resolve hardening. **"I will."**
The Guardian stepped back, their form beginning to fade. **"I'll be watching. Remember, Ashfall—you are not alone."**
And with that, the Guardian vanished, leaving the Warden standing in the dimly lit hall, his mind racing with the knowledge of what lay ahead.
He glanced down at the Warden of Tides, who was still resting peacefully. The path forward was clear now.
They needed to find the others.
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