Chapter 32: Cutting the Tether

The corrupted monster stood tall, its grotesque form pulsating with the Hollowing's sickly energy. Its grin never wavered, its eyes burned with inhuman malice, and its wounds closed almost instantly. Leo knew that fighting it head-on would lead to nothing but exhaustion and death. They had to sever its connection to the Hollowing—before it grew too strong.

But how?

Eris's eyes darted between the monstrous figure and the land beneath them, her mind racing. "Leo! The land! It's feeding off the Hollowing's corruption!"

Leo tightened his grip on his sword. He could feel it now—an unnatural pulse beneath his feet, as if the earth itself was alive, breathing, fueling this abomination. They weren't just fighting a monster; they were fighting the Hollowing itself.

Marcus dodged a swipe from the creature's elongated, clawed hand, barely escaping its grasp. "Then what the hell do we do? I don't see a giant 'off' switch!"

Kaelara, standing a few feet away, gritted her teeth. "If this thing is connected to the Hollowing's corruption, then we need to break the link. We need to disrupt the energy flow before it gets even worse!"

Eris nodded, her hands glowing with arcane energy. "There's a source somewhere, a tether keeping it alive. We need to find it and destroy it!"

Leo cursed under his breath. "Then we buy time. Kaelara, Marcus—keep it distracted. Eris, figure out where the source is!"

Without hesitation, Kaelara lunged, her twin blades flashing as she carved through the air. The monster swiped at her, but she twisted mid-air, avoiding the blow before landing on its shoulder. With a fierce battle cry, she drove both swords into its neck.

Black, foul-smelling liquid burst from the wound, but the monster barely flinched. It reached up and grabbed Kaelara, its fingers tightening around her like a vice.

"Kaelara!" Marcus roared, dashing forward. His massive greatsword swung in a wide arc, cleaving into the creature's arm. The force of the blow knocked it off balance, loosening its grip just enough for Kaelara to slip free and land beside Marcus.

The monster howled, its voice warping into something unnatural, its flesh writhing as though something beneath its skin was trying to break free.

Eris, standing a distance away, had closed her eyes. Her hands glowed brighter, her magic extending into the corrupted ground beneath them. Her voice was calm but urgent. "There's something... something deeper beneath us. A core. The real tether. If we don't destroy it, this thing won't stop regenerating!"

Leo wasted no time. "Where?!"

Eris's eyes snapped open, locking onto a point in the ground just behind the creature. "There! The energy is pooling there!"

Leo turned to Marcus and Kaelara. "Keep it busy! We're going under!"

Marcus spat to the side. "You got it."

Kaelara grinned. "Just don't take too long."

As the two warriors continued their brutal assault on the creature, Leo and Eris sprinted toward the corrupted ground. The air thickened as they approached, the weight of the Hollowing pressing down on them.

Eris wasted no time, slamming her glowing hands into the earth. A pulse of magic erupted, and the ground beneath them cracked, revealing a swirling pit of black and green energy.

Leo's breath caught in his throat. The tether.

It wasn't just a source of power. It was alive.

The mass of darkness pulsed and twisted, as if aware of their presence. A deep, guttural voice echoed from within.

"You cannot destroy me."

Leo clenched his jaw. "Watch me."

Without hesitation, he raised his sword and plunged it into the core.

The reaction was immediate. The world around them trembled, and a deafening shriek split the air. The monster let out a blood-curdling scream, its body convulsing violently as the energy that sustained it was suddenly severed.

Eris poured all her energy into the core, her magic clashing against the Hollowing's essence. The land itself twisted and groaned in protest, but she didn't stop. "Leo, we need to destroy it completely! Now!"

Leo gritted his teeth. He could feel the Hollowing's presence trying to invade his mind, whispering in a voice that slithered through his thoughts. "You will never escape me. I will always return."

"No," Leo growled. "Not this time."

With all his strength, he drove his blade deeper, pushing past the corruption, past the voices, past the fear. And then, with one final burst of will, he unleashed everything he had.

The explosion was blinding.

A shockwave of light erupted from the core, spreading outward in all directions. The monster let out a final, agonized wail before its body cracked apart, disintegrating into ash. The ground beneath them stabilized, the corruption rapidly fading as the Hollowing's influence was purged.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Leo staggered, barely able to keep himself upright. The oppressive weight in the air was gone. The Hollowing's presence—its suffocating, ever-present hunger—had vanished.

Eris panted beside him, exhaustion written all over her face. But she managed a small, relieved smile. "We did it."

Marcus and Kaelara approached, both bloodied but alive. Marcus gave a tired smirk. "That was the dumbest plan I've ever heard. And somehow, it worked."

Kaelara sheathed her swords and exhaled. "So... is it really over?"

Leo hesitated. He didn't want to believe it, but... something told him this was only the beginning.

Eris seemed to sense his thoughts. "The Hollowing's core here is gone. But its roots ran deep."

Leo sighed. "Then we find those roots. And we burn them to the ground."

Their battle was won.

But the war against the Hollowing was far from over.