Chapter 10: The Battle Within

**Chapter 10: The Battle Within**

Jack stood firm, gripping the **Emberfang Crowbar** as the Veilborn loomed before him. Shadow growled at his side, fur bristling. The cavern crackled with tension, blue energy pulsing from the crystalline key still clutched in Jack's hand. 

The entity's hooded form seemed to shift like mist, never quite solid, never quite intangible. It tilted its head, unseen eyes boring into Jack's soul. **"You are not ready."** The voice was a chorus, countless whispers speaking as one. 

Jack's muscles tensed. "Then why are you here?"

The Veilborn raised a hand, fingers long and clawed, pulsing with a sickly dark glow. **"To remind you."**

The air thickened, and Jack barely had time to react before a wave of energy blasted toward him. He dove to the side, rolling behind a monolithic stone. The impact sent cracks spiderwebbing through the cavern walls, debris falling like rain. Shadow leapt away, snarling, his body poised for attack. 

Jack pushed himself up, heart pounding. **This thing wasn't just toying with him—it was testing him.**

He gritted his teeth, channeling heat into the crowbar. Flames licked along its length, casting eerie flickers across the stone chamber. "Let's see how solid you really are."

He lunged.

The Veilborn didn't move—until it did. One moment, it was standing, the next it blurred into motion. Jack's swing passed through empty air as the entity reappeared behind him.

**Too fast.**

Jack twisted, bringing the crowbar up just in time to block an incoming strike. The force sent him skidding back, feet scrambling for purchase. **This thing was strong.**

Shadow launched himself at the entity, snapping at its shifting form. The Veilborn flickered, momentarily destabilized as Shadow's fangs closed on something tangible. Jack seized the opening, slamming the **Emberfang Crowbar** forward. 

The impact connected.

For the first time, the Veilborn let out something akin to a hiss, its mist-like form rippling violently. The cavern dimmed, shadows clawing at the edges of Jack's vision. The Veilborn wasn't just a creature—it was part of the darkness itself. 

Jack took a shaky breath. He couldn't afford to get lost in fear.

**Think. Adapt. Overcome.**

His mind raced. If it could phase in and out, he needed to time his attacks for when it was solid. But how? 

The answer was in his hand.

The **crystalline key** pulsed with the same blue energy as the sigil he had touched before. He had seen the visions, felt the presence of something vast and ancient. This key was connected to whatever Eldrin was. 

Jack tightened his grip. If the key held power, maybe he could use it.

The Veilborn attacked again. Jack didn't dodge this time—he held up the key and willed it to react.

A shockwave erupted outward.

The cavern walls trembled. The Veilborn staggered, its form distorting. For the first time, Jack saw something beneath the mist—**a figure, a hollowed shell of what had once been human.**

The revelation sent ice through his veins. **These things were people once.**

The Veilborn's whispering voice faltered. **"You are…"** It seemed almost… uncertain.

Jack didn't hesitate. He gripped the key tighter, thrusting it forward. The blue energy surged, enveloping the entity in a blinding glow. 

The whispers turned into a distorted shriek as the Veilborn was forced back, its mist unraveling. It clawed at the edges of reality, trying to hold on. But the energy was too strong.

With one final, echoed cry, the Veilborn **dissolved.**

Silence crashed over the chamber.

Jack staggered, breathing hard. Shadow pressed against him, his presence grounding. The key in Jack's hand was no longer pulsing wildly—just a faint glow, as if it had expended its energy. 

Jack exhaled, wiping sweat from his brow. **That was too close.**

He looked around. The cavern had changed. The monolithic stones no longer pulsed ominously. The tension in the air had lessened. Whatever darkness had lurked here, it had been pushed back.

For now.

Jack tightened his grip on the key. He wasn't just some lost kid anymore. He was involved in something far bigger than himself. **And he wasn't going to stop until he got answers.**

Shadow wagged his tail once, as if agreeing.

Jack gave him a tired grin. "Come on, buddy. We're just getting started."

**To be continued…**