Chapter 5: The Revenant's Wake

The tunnel walls trembled as Elliot and Seris sprinted forward, the distant echoes of stone grinding against stone chasing them through the dark. The statues—no, the cursed remnants of the Feyndral Court—had awakened, their hollow eyes burning with an unnatural light.

Elliot's breath was ragged, his legs screaming in protest, but fear kept him moving. The weight of the shard in his grip pulsed like a second heartbeat. He had no idea how he had unleashed that burst of energy before, but he wasn't eager to test his luck again.

Seris led the way, her steps sure and quick, even as the passage narrowed into a jagged corridor. The glow of the strange runes along the walls flickered like dying embers, casting eerie, shifting shadows.

"We need to find an exit!" Elliot gasped.

Seris didn't slow. "We need to find a safe place first."

"Define safe!"

"Somewhere they can't follow."

Elliot risked a glance over his shoulder. The statues weren't running, but they were moving—gliding forward with an unnerving grace, as if the laws of physics meant nothing to them.

The corridor took a sharp turn, opening into another vast chamber. Unlike the throne room, this place felt ancient, more weathered. Thick roots coiled around massive pillars, and patches of glowing moss bathed the cavern in a pale, greenish-blue light. A shallow stream ran through the middle, its surface disturbed by the distant tremors of their pursuers.

But something else caught Elliot's attention.

At the far end of the chamber stood an archway, half-buried in collapsed stone. Strange symbols lined its curved surface, shifting faintly as if alive.

Seris stopped beside him, her sharp eyes scanning the room. "That's a Veilgate."

"A what now?"

"A portal. Or at least, it was." She stepped toward it, fingers brushing the carved symbols. "It hasn't been active in centuries."

Elliot swallowed hard. "Can we turn it back on?"

Seris hesitated. "Not without a key."

A low rumble filled the chamber.

They turned just in time to see the first of the statues stepping inside, its glowing eyes locking onto them.

Seris cursed. "Move!"

She grabbed Elliot's wrist and pulled. They darted toward the far end of the chamber, narrowly dodging a stone hand that swung toward them with crushing force. The wind of its movement sent dust and debris spiraling into the air.

Elliot's mind raced. They were trapped—unless—

He looked at the shard in his hand.

Last time, he hadn't meant to activate it. But what if he could?

Another statue closed in. Its cracked face twisted, as if trying to form an expression.

Elliot acted on instinct.

He gripped the shard tighter and willed it to respond.

A spark of energy flared to life, surging through his veins. The chamber seemed to hum in response, the symbols on the archway flickering with sudden light.

Seris's eyes widened. "What are you doing?"

Elliot didn't answer. He didn't know.

The statues lunged—

And the shard erupted.

A shockwave of blue-white energy pulsed outward, slamming into the statues and sending them skidding backward. Their glowing eyes dimmed, their movements faltering for just a second.

The Veilgate responded.

Its symbols blazed to life, and with a deep, resonant hum, the empty space within the archway rippled—like the surface of a disturbed pond.

Seris's expression shifted from shock to determination.

"It's opening!" she shouted.

Elliot could barely process what was happening, but there was no time to hesitate. The statues were already recovering, their bodies cracking as they pushed forward again.

Seris grabbed his arm and shoved him toward the portal.

"Go!"

Elliot didn't need to be told twice.

He leapt forward—

And the world vanished.

For a moment, there was nothing but cold light. His body felt weightless, his mind stretching and twisting through a space that was everywhere and nowhere at once.

Then—

He fell.

Elliot hit the ground hard, air rushing from his lungs. The scent of damp earth filled his nose. He coughed, blinking as his vision adjusted.

Seris landed beside him in a crouch, sword drawn.

The Veilgate fizzled behind them, its glow flickering before dying completely. The passage back was gone.

Elliot groaned. "Okay. That was awful."

Seris ignored him, already scanning their surroundings.

Elliot followed her gaze—and felt his stomach drop.

They were no longer underground.

They stood at the edge of a ruined city, its skeletal towers stretching into a sky filled with swirling, unnatural colors. Ghostly remnants flickered in the air—echoes of a time long past.

And in the distance, standing atop a broken spire, was a figure cloaked in black.

Watching them.

The air grew heavy.

Seris stiffened.

Elliot swallowed. "Please tell me that's a friendly."

Seris didn't answer.

The figure lifted a hand.

And the shadows moved.