Chapter 168: Into the Abyss

The dawn was slow to rise over the mountains, casting a pale, cold light across the rocky terrain. Lilith and Elian hadn't slept much after the encounter with the shadowy figure that had attacked their camp. The constant threat of the darkness weighed on them, leaving little room for rest. Instead, they sat in silence as the embers of their fire smoldered, both lost in thought about what the shadow had said.

"The darkness is coming."

Lilith kept hearing those words in her mind, an ominous promise that seemed more like a prophecy than a threat. The closer they came to restoring the seals, the more the darkness pushed back, as if it were testing them—waiting for the moment to strike.

"We can't stay here much longer," Elian said quietly, breaking the silence. His sword rested across his lap, still unsheathed from the night before.

"Whatever that thing was, it won't be the last. They're getting more aggressive."

Lilith nodded, standing up and stretching her aching muscles. "I know. We need to keep moving. The final seals are still out there, and every moment we wait, the darkness is getting stronger."

Elian stood up beside her, his expression serious.

"We can't keep fighting like this forever. Sooner or later, we're going to run out of strength. Even you, with the ley lines—you're being drained."

Lilith frowned, glancing at him.

"I'll be fine. I can still feel the ley lines—they're weaker here, but they're still giving me strength."

Elian didn't look convinced. "Just promise me you'll be careful. You can't shoulder this burden alone, Lilith. Whatever happens, we face it together."

Lilith managed a small smile.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

They packed up their camp quickly, eager to put more distance between themselves and the spot where the shadowy figure had attacked. The air in the mountains was sharp and cold, biting at their skin as they made their way along the narrow trail. The path ahead was steep and treacherous, with jagged cliffs on either side and loose stones underfoot. But neither of them hesitated—they knew there was no turning back now.

As they descended from the higher peaks, the landscape gradually changed. The rocky cliffs gave way to dense forests, the trees towering over them like silent sentinels. The forest was dark and shadowed, even in the light of day, and Lilith couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching them from the depths of the woods.

"Do you feel that?"

Elian asked, his voice low.

Lilith nodded.

"The air is heavy. Like something's waiting."

The ley lines beneath her feet pulsed faintly, but the energy here was different—warmer, almost comforting. Yet it was twisted, as though the darkness was lurking just beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to strike. The deeper they went into the forest, the stronger the feeling became, until it was almost suffocating.

"This place…" Elian muttered, glancing around warily.

"It feels wrong. Like it's alive."

Lilith didn't disagree. The trees seemed to loom closer the further they walked, their twisted branches forming a dense canopy that blocked out most of the light. The forest was eerily quiet—no birds, no animals, just the sound of their footsteps crunching through the underbrush.

After what felt like hours of walking in silence, they came to a sudden stop.

Ahead of them, the trees parted, revealing a wide clearing bathed in an unnatural light. In the center of the clearing stood an ancient stone structure—another seal. It was smaller than the others they had encountered, but the air around it was thick with dark energy. Tendrils of shadow writhed and twisted around the stone, creeping along the ground like living things.

Elian drew his sword, his eyes narrowing. "The seal is weak. We need to restore it before the darkness breaks through."

Lilith nodded, stepping forward cautiously. The ley lines beneath her pulsed in response, their power flowing through her, but the connection was faint. The dark energy swirling around the seal was distorting the ley lines, twisting them into something unnatural.

"We need to cut off the dark energy before I can restore the seal," Lilith said, her voice steady.

"It's too strong right now."

Elian nodded, his grip tightening on his sword.

"I'll handle the shadows. You focus on the seal."

Before they could move, a sudden gust of wind whipped through the clearing, and the shadows around the seal began to stir. From the swirling darkness, a figure emerged, much like the one they had fought the night before. But this one was larger, its form more defined, its glowing eyes fixed on Lilith and Elian.

"You are too late," the figure hissed, its voice echoing through the clearing.

"The darkness has already claimed this place."

Lilith stood her ground, her sword glowing faintly with the light of the ley lines.

"We're not too late. We're going to stop you."

The figure let out a cold, mirthless laugh. "You cannot stop what is inevitable. The seals are breaking. The darkness will consume all."

Elian stepped forward, his sword raised.

"Not if we stop you first."

With a roar, the figure lunged at them, its form shifting and warping as it moved. Elian met its attack head-on, his sword clashing with the dark energy that surrounded the figure. The force of the impact sent shockwaves through the clearing, the ground trembling beneath their feet.

Lilith focused on the seal, reaching out with her mind to the ley lines. The connection was weak, but she could still feel the power flowing beneath the earth. She needed to tap into that energy, to sever the dark tendrils that were feeding off the seal's power.

"Elian, keep it busy!"

she shouted, her hands glowing with golden light as she focused on the ley lines.

Elian grunted as he blocked another attack, his sword flashing in the dim light.

"I'm trying!"

Lilith closed her eyes, concentrating on the ley lines beneath her. She could feel the dark energy twisting around them, choking them like vines. Slowly, carefully, she began to unravel the darkness, pulling it away from the ley lines and cutting off its connection to the seal.

The shadowy figure howled in rage as it felt its power weakening. It lashed out at Elian, its dark tendrils striking like whips, but Elian was quick, dodging and parrying each strike with precision.

"Lilith, whatever you're doing, do it faster!" Elian shouted, his voice strained.

Lilith gritted her teeth, pouring more of her strength into the ley lines. The golden light around her grew brighter, pushing back the darkness as she severed the last of the tendrils. With a final surge of energy, the ley lines snapped back into place, and the dark energy around the seal dissipated.

The shadowy figure let out one last scream of fury before dissolving into the air, its form evaporating like mist.

Elian staggered back, breathing heavily as he lowered his sword.

"That was close."

Lilith nodded, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Too close. But the seal is restored."

The ground beneath them pulsed with the steady rhythm of the ley lines, the dark energy gone. But even as the clearing fell silent, Lilith couldn't shake the feeling that this was just a small victory in a much larger battle.

"We need to keep moving," she said, her voice filled with quiet determination.

"There are still more seals out there, and the darkness isn't going to stop."

Elian sheathed his sword, nodding in agreement.

"Then let's finish this."

Together, they turned and left the clearing, the weight of the battle still heavy on their shoulders.

The path ahead was uncertain, but Lilith knew one thing for sure:

The darkness was far from defeated.