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Chapter 138
Behind them, the battle had reached a stalemate. Kael couldn't get past the combined defense of seven mages, but neither could they defeat an Awakened Wraith with their depleted reserves."We have to go," Gregor called, sweat pouring down his face from the effort of maintaining his fire barrier. "Now!""Listen to me," Miko’s father said urgently, more strength returning to his voice. "You can't remove me from this. Not yet. The consequences—""The wraith told us," Miko cut in. "About the balance. The regulation of corruption flow.""Then you understand why—""I understand they're using you," Miko insisted. "That you've been trapped here for twenty years while I grew up without a father."Pain flashed across his father’s face. "I'm sorry. I never wanted to leave you. But the alternative was worse. Much worse."Before Miko could respond, a massive blast of corruption energy knocked everyone off their feet. Kael stood at the center of the destruction, his playful demeanor completely gone
Chapter 137
"The Fourth Awakened," Elena whispered, with fear mingling in her voice. "What do you want?" Gregor demanded, positioning himself between the wraith and the younger mages."What do I want?" The wraith repeated, childlike excitement in his voice despite his monstrous appearance. "So many things! To play. To feed. To see what happens when I break things." His expression shifted to something more focused, more predatory. "But right now, I want to know why you're touching my favorite toy."He gestured toward the battery and the suspended figure within it."He's not a toy," Miko said, anger overriding fear. "He's my father.""Is that what you think?" The wraith laughed, the sound like breaking glass. "Oh, he's so much more than that, ash-child. He's the lynchpin. The fulcrum. The only thing standing between your world and the complete merger with the Abyss."The wraith moved closer, each step unnaturally fluid. The team instinctively backed away, maintaining distance."Did you know," he c
Chapter 136
Miko stared at the tunnel that had opened for him. With no other choice, he stepped forward."Hello?" he called, his voice echoing strangely. "Anyone there?"No answer came back. Just the soft, steady pulse of the tree's inner workings.The path sloped downward, curving in a gentle spiral. Miko lost track of time as he descended, the monotony broken only by occasional chambers where the tunnel widened. In each chamber, strange glowing symbols covered the walls—similar to the ash patterns on his skin but more complex, more ancient."What are you trying to show me?" Miko asked the tree, touching one of the symbols.A vision flashed through his mind, AAU headquarters as it had been centuries ago, newly founded after the Rupture. He saw mages experimenting with the boundaries between worlds, pushing into the Abyss with reckless curiosity. Then came the first wraiths, drawn to elemental energy like moths to flame.The vision faded, leaving Miko disoriented but with new understanding. He co
Chapter 135
Elena pointed and every one turned. The World Tree dominated the clearing, its massive trunk stretching impossibly high into the strange Abyssal sky. No one spoke as they stared up at it, awed by its sheer size and the power that radiated from it like heat from a fire."Do we approach it?" Liam finally asked, breaking the stunned silence.Gregor frowned, fourth-circle fire flickering unconsciously around his fingers. "We should be cautious. Nothing in the Abyss is as simple as it seems.""The rabbits couldn't follow us here," Anna pointed out. "This place is different. Maybe safer.""Or more dangerous in ways we don't understand yet," Elena countered.While they debated, Miko took a step forward."Miko, wait," Akiya called, noticing his movement.But he was already walking, feet carrying him forward as if pulled by an invisible string. The others watched as he crossed half the distance to the tree, moving with steady purpose."Stop him," Gregor ordered.Liam rushed forward, catching M
Chapter 134
The tapping followed them through the forest, a persistent rhythm that seemed to come from everywhere at once. Though they could no longer see the giant rabbits, the sound of their massive feet striking the earth carried through the strange Abyssal woods.Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap."They're still following us," Lyra whispered, glancing fearfully over her shoulder."Keep moving," Gregor ordered, his voice tight with exhaustion. "We need more distance."The team pushed onward, each step a struggle after their desperate flight from the maize field. Miko leaned heavily on Akiya, the mini-Lantern having drained what little strength he'd recovered. The ash lines on his skin had spread further, now covering most of his arms and creeping up his neck."You need to rest," Anna told him, healer's instincts overriding her own fatigue."We all do," Elena agreed, looking around at their battered group. "But not here. Not yet."The Abyssal forest grew thicker as they moved deeper, trees twisting into unnat
Chapter 133
The team reunited in a chaotic rush, nine humans surrounded by seven giant rabbits that circled with predatory patience. Back to back, they formed a defensive ring, elements ready despite their depleted reserves."Any brilliant ideas?" Gregor asked Miko, his earlier animosity temporarily forgotten in the face of common danger."One," Miko replied, the ash lines on his skin pulsing faster as he gathered power. "But you're not going to like it.""Try me," Gregor said grimly."The Lantern. Not full strength, just enough to create an exit path."Gregor's face hardened. "Absolutely not. You nearly died last time.""We'll all definitely die this time if we don't do something drastic," Miko countered.Before Gregor could reply, one of the rabbits—the white one that had chased them initially—raised its massive foot.Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.The others responded in kind, creating a rhythmic drumming that shook the very ground beneath them.Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap."What are they doing?" Lyra asked, fear
Chapter 132
"Run!" Gregor shouted, his voice shattering the frozen moment.No one needed to be told twice. The team scattered in different directions, bolting down narrow paths between the towering maize stalks. The giant rabbit's ears swiveled, tracking their movements as they fled.For one heartbeat, it seemed undecided. Then its massive head turned, red eyes locking onto Anna and Liam as they sprinted down the central path. With shocking speed for something so large, the rabbit bounded after them.The ground shook with each powerful leap, golden tassels swaying violently overhead as the creature pursued its chosen prey."It's following us!" Liam shouted unnecessarily, his wind element instinctively gathering around him to boost his speed."Split up!" Anna called, already veering toward a side path.Too late. The rabbit anticipated her move, its enormous body blocking her escape route. Anna skidded to a halt, nearly colliding with the creature's front paw. She scrambled backward, rejoining Liam
Chapter 131
Miko sat apart from the others, examining the ash lines that still marked his skin. They had faded slightly overnight, no longer so visible, but their pattern remained."How's the arm?" Anna asked, kneeling beside him with her healer's kit."Better," Miko replied, flexing his regenerated hand. "Almost feels normal now."Anna nodded, satisfied with his progress if not with their situation. "And the rest of you?"Before he could answer, Gregor's voice cut through the morning air."Pack up. We move in ten minutes."The senior mage stood at the cave entrance, silhouetted against the red Abyssal sky. His face was set in a mask of determination that brooked no argument."Move where, exactly?" Liam asked, voicing what everyone was thinking."Forward," Gregor replied simply. "Deeper into the Abyss."A stunned silence followed this announcement. Elena was the first to recover."Deeper?" she repeated, as if certain she'd misheard. "Gregor, we agreed to head toward the Peregrine. That's our extr
Chapter 130
"We need a plan," Gregor announced as sunlight filled the cave the next morning. "Not just 'head for the Peregrine,' but actual strategy. Routes, formation, emergency protocols."The team gathered around the small fire they'd rekindled for breakfast. Everyone looked better after a full night's rest, though Miko still moved stiffly, the ash lines visible at his collar and wrists."I'll draw up what I remember of the terrain," Damien offered, already sketching in the dirt with a stick. "There's a valley between us and the Peregrine. Two ways around it, the highland route or the lowland path.""Highlands are more exposed," Elena pointed out. "But lowlands might have more wraiths.""Highlands," Miko said definitively. "Better to see danger coming than be ambushed."Gregor's jaw tightened. "This isn't your decision to make.""Then whose is it?" Akiya challenged, fire flickering briefly around her fingers. "You made it clear yesterday you don't even want to go this direction.""I'm still th
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