Bab 50: Chapter 50: Into the Depths
The manor was cloaked in darkness, its labyrinthine corridors illuminated only by the flickering light of torches mounted on the walls. The storm had passed, leaving behind a chill that seeped into the stone, making every step echo with a ghostly resonance. Elara and Marek moved carefully, their senses heightened as they retraced the path she had discovered earlier that day.
The others had taken up their positions as planned. Erynn patrolled the perimeter, her keen eyes watching for any sign of movement, her dagger always within reach. Rowen stationed himself near the exits, his massive frame blending with the shadows, ready to intercept any unwelcome interference. It was a fragile balance—one misstep could unravel everything.
Elara's heartbeat thrummed in her ears as they reached the heavy door that marked the entrance to the hidden passage. She turned to Marek, his expression unreadable, but the faint glow of his staff revealed the tension in his posture.
"This is it," she whispered. Her voice barely carried over the sound of their breathing. "The passage leads to a cavern below. Be prepared for… whatever this thing is."
Marek nodded, gripping his staff tightly. "I'll follow your lead."
Elara pushed the door open with deliberate slowness, the hinges groaning in protest. The chill of the air beyond was immediate, prickling against her skin and filling her lungs with the scent of damp earth and something darker—an energy that made the fine hairs on her arms stand on end. They stepped inside, the corridor yawning before them like a gaping maw.
The descent into the depths was as disorienting as it was unnerving. The passage twisted and turned, the walls narrowing at intervals as if the earth itself was reluctant to give up its secrets. Marek's staff emitted a soft, steady light, its glow barely penetrating the oppressive darkness.
"Do you feel that?" Marek murmured, his voice hushed but laced with concern.
Elara nodded. "It's stronger now. Like it's… aware of us."
As they neared the cavern's entrance, the sensation intensified. The air grew heavier, pressing against them like an invisible force. The faint hum she had noticed earlier was now a low, resonant vibration that seemed to emanate from the very walls.
Finally, they emerged into the cavern, and Marek's breath caught audibly. The crystal loomed at the center of the space, its dark core swirling with shadowy tendrils that moved as if alive. The light from Marek's staff flickered, as if the crystal's energy was interfering with it.
"This is unlike anything I've ever seen," Marek whispered, his eyes wide with a mix of awe and fear. He stepped closer, the runes on his staff flaring brighter in response to the crystal's presence.
Elara watched him carefully, her own unease growing. "What do you think it is?"
Marek crouched near the edge of the altar, his gaze fixed on the crystal. "It's a conduit," he said after a moment. "But it's unstable. This isn't like the Heart of the Moon. That crystal was controlled, focused. This one… it's raw, chaotic. And it's feeding."
"Feeding on what?" Elara asked, though deep down, she already knew the answer.
"Life," Marek replied grimly. "Magic. It's drawing from everything around it—possibly even the manor itself. If it continues unchecked…" He didn't finish the thought, but the implication hung heavy in the air.
Elara stepped closer, her eyes narrowing as she studied the crystal. Its swirling darkness seemed to pulse in time with the low hum that filled the cavern. For a moment, she thought she saw something within it—a flicker of movement, a shadowy shape. Her instincts screamed at her to pull back, but she held her ground.
"We need to destroy it," she said firmly, her voice cutting through the oppressive atmosphere.
Marek straightened, his expression cautious. "Destroying it might destabilize the energy it's already gathered. If we're not careful, we could set off a chain reaction that makes things worse."
"Then what's the alternative?" Elara demanded, her frustration flaring. "We can't leave it here, Marek. You've seen what it's doing."
Marek hesitated, his mind clearly racing. "There might be a way to neutralize it—to sever its connection to the moon's power. But I'll need time to study it, to understand its structure."
"We don't have time," Elara said sharply. "The Blackwoods could discover us at any moment."
As if in response to her words, the ground beneath them shuddered, a deep tremor that sent dust and loose stones raining from the cavern's ceiling. The crystal's dark core flared, its tendrils lashing out briefly before settling again.
"We have to act now," Marek said, his tone urgent. He began tracing symbols in the air with his staff, the runes glowing brighter with each motion. "I'll try to contain it, at least temporarily. If I can stabilize it, we'll have a chance to figure out our next move."
Elara moved to stand guard, her senses on high alert as Marek began his work. The air grew thicker with each passing moment, the crystal's energy pushing against them like an invisible tide. Marek's muttered incantations filled the space, blending with the hum of the crystal in an eerie symphony.
The cavern shuddered again, more violently this time. Elara's heart raced as she scanned the darkness for any sign of intrusion. She could feel the crystal's energy building, its tendrils thrashing more erratically.
"Hurry, Marek," she urged, her voice tight.
"I'm almost there," he replied through gritted teeth, sweat beading on his brow as he concentrated on his spellwork.
Just as the tension reached its breaking point, Marek thrust his staff toward the crystal, the runes blazing with a brilliant light. A wave of energy surged through the cavern, forcing Elara to brace herself against the sudden force. The crystal's tendrils recoiled, the dark core flickering erratically.
Then, as abruptly as it had begun, the energy subsided. The crystal's light dimmed, its movements slowing until it was once again still. The oppressive hum faded, leaving the cavern in an eerie silence.
Marek staggered back, his breathing heavy. "It's contained," he said, though his tone was far from triumphant. "But it won't hold forever."
Elara helped him steady himself, her gaze lingering on the crystal. It seemed smaller now, less menacing, but the threat it posed was far from gone.
"We need to get out of here," she said. "And we need to figure out how to end this for good."
Marek nodded, his weariness evident but his resolve unbroken. Together, they turned and began the ascent back to the surface, the weight of their discovery pressing heavily upon them.
The storm above may have passed, but below Blackwood Manor, a far greater tempest was waiting to be unleashed. And Elara knew that time was running out.
— Bab baru akan segera rilis — Tulis ulasan
Status Power Mingguan
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stone