Bab 6: 6:WHISPERS IN THE VOID
The night passed slowly, a restless calm settling over the fortress as Ashfall and the other Wardens slept fitfully, haunted by dreams of shadow and fire. But as dawn approached, the air felt different. There was a chill—a presence that lingered just out of sight, watching, waiting.
Ashfall awoke with a start, his heart pounding. The remnants of a nightmare clung to him, fading as he tried to grasp the details. He had dreamt of the void, of tendrils of darkness wrapping around him, suffocating his fire, snuffing out the last flicker of light. But there had been something else—whispers, too faint to hear but unmistakably real.
Shaking off the uneasy feeling, he rose from his bed and dressed quickly. Today would mark the beginning of their preparations. He had no time for fear, no time for doubt. They had made their decision: they would go to the heart of the void, confront whatever lay there, and end it once and for all.
As Ashfall made his way through the fortress, he found the Wardens already awake, moving with purpose as they gathered supplies, checked their weapons, and reinforced the walls. There was an unspoken urgency in their movements, a shared understanding that they were on borrowed time. The void wasn't waiting—it was coming.
Tides was already in the main courtyard, overseeing the preparations. He looked up as Ashfall approached, his expression grim but determined.
**"You look like you slept about as well as I did,"** Tides said, offering a small, humorless smile.
**"Nightmares,"** Ashfall replied, his voice low. **"The void's getting into my head."**
Tides nodded. **"Same here. We're all feeling it. The closer we get to confronting it, the more it's pushing back. But that just means we're on the right track."**
Ashfall wanted to believe that. He wanted to think that their actions mattered, that every step they took was leading them closer to victory. But deep down, the doubt gnawed at him. They knew so little about the void, and even less about the heart of it. What if they weren't ready? What if they were walking into a trap?
**"How are the others?"** Ashfall asked, pushing the doubts aside for now.
**"Nervous, but ready,"** Tides said. **"We've gathered as much intel as we can. The old maps show a region beyond the Black Ridge where the void seems to originate. If there's a heart, it's there. But..."** He hesitated, then continued, **"there's something else."**
Ashfall frowned. **"What is it?"**
Tides lowered his voice, glancing around to make sure no one else was listening. **"Sable and I were talking last night. After we brought the corrupted Warden back, she did more than just heal him. She tried to probe deeper, to see if there was anything left of him inside the void's corruption."**
**"And?"** Ashfall asked, his stomach twisting.
**"She found something,"** Tides said, his voice barely above a whisper. **"A memory. It wasn't his, though. It was something the void had implanted in him—a vision of sorts. A place, deep in the void. A throne made of shadow."**
Ashfall's blood ran cold. **"A throne?"**
**"Yeah,"** Tides said, his expression darkening. **"And whoever sits on it... they're the one pulling the strings. The void isn't just some mindless force, Ashfall. It's being controlled. There's someone—or something—at the center of it all."**
The weight of Tides' words hung heavy in the air. Ashfall had suspected as much, but hearing it confirmed sent a wave of dread through him. If the void had a ruler, someone who could control its spread, then they were dealing with a far more dangerous enemy than they had ever imagined.
**"We have to reach that throne,"** Ashfall said, his voice firm despite the fear gnawing at him. **"Whatever or whoever is sitting on it—that's the heart of the void. We destroy them, and we stop the void."**
Tides nodded, though his eyes betrayed his own doubts. **"Easier said than done. We don't even know what we're up against."**
**"We'll figure it out,"** Ashfall said, his resolve hardening. **"We have to."**
The two of them stood in silence for a moment, the enormity of the task ahead weighing on them. Then Tides clapped Ashfall on the shoulder, offering a small smile.
**"Let's gather the others. We've got a long road ahead."**
---
By midday, the Wardens were assembled in the central courtyard, their numbers smaller than Ashfall had hoped. Many had been lost in the earlier battles against the void, and those who remained bore the scars of the war—both physical and mental. But they were here, ready to fight, ready to follow Ashfall and Tides into the unknown.
Sable stepped forward, her expression serious as she addressed the group.
**"We don't have much time,"** she began, her voice carrying over the crowd. **"The void is spreading faster than we anticipated. If we're going to strike at the heart, we need to do it now, before it overwhelms us."**
She gestured to a map laid out on the table before them, showing the path they would take. The journey would lead them beyond the Black Ridge, into a region where no living being had ventured for centuries. The void had consumed everything there, turning it into a wasteland of shadows and nightmares.
**"Once we cross the ridge, there's no turning back,"** Sable warned. **"The void will be stronger there, more aggressive. We'll need to stick together, or we won't survive."**
The Wardens exchanged uneasy glances, but no one backed down. They had all made their choice when they had joined this fight. There was no running from it now.
Ashfall stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the group. **"We've all seen what the void can do,"** he said, his voice strong and steady. **"We've lost friends, comrades, entire cities to it. But this is our chance—our only chance—to end it. We're going to the heart of the void, and we're going to destroy it. Whatever's waiting for us there, we'll face it together."**
There was a murmur of agreement, though it was laced with fear. Ashfall didn't blame them. He was terrified too. But fear wasn't going to stop them. Not anymore.
As they made their final preparations, Ashfall felt a presence beside him. He turned to see Sable, her expression unreadable.
**"You're ready for this?"** she asked quietly.
Ashfall nodded. **"I have to be."**
Sable's gaze softened, and for a moment, the weight of their shared history hung between them. They had fought side by side for years, through countless battles. But this... this felt different.
**"Just promise me you'll be careful,"** Sable said, her voice barely above a whisper. **"I've lost too many people to the void. I can't lose you too."**
Ashfall gave her a small, reassuring smile. **"I'll do my best."**
Sable nodded, though the worry in her eyes remained. She turned and rejoined the others, leaving Ashfall standing alone for a moment, his thoughts swirling.
He wasn't just fighting for himself anymore. He was fighting for all of them—for every Warden who had fallen, for every life the void had taken. And for those still standing, who believed in him, even when he wasn't sure he believed in himself.
The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows over the fortress as the Wardens gathered their gear and mounted their horses. The journey ahead would be long and dangerous, but there was no turning back now.
Ashfall took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the distant horizon. Somewhere out there, beyond the Black Ridge, the heart of the void waited.
And he was going to find it.
With Tides at his side and the Wardens behind him, Ashfall spurred his horse forward, leading them out of the fortress and into the unknown.
The battle for their world had begun.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone