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Held by the Past

Chapter 7 Beneath the Surface

Word Count: 3453    |    Released on: 03/01/2025

Beneath t

time. Elena and Adrian approached cautiously, the weight of their shared experiences pressing heavily upon them. W

fear that had begun to settle deep within her heart gnawed at her with every passing

ight as he scanned the surroundings. His eyes narrowed as

ppressive the air became, as if something ancient and powerful had been disturbed by their arrival. The faint melody that

er. The stone beneath her feet felt cold, as if the earth itself held the secrets of ages past. She reached for the doors,

illed with urgency as he grab

t the door, the sting faded, leaving her breathless and shaken. She

a asked, her voice ba

, his jaw clenched. "But I don

s far; they couldn't turn back now. She steadied herself,

rs touched the stone, the energy didn't bite. Instead, there was a deep, reson

th dust, and the walls were lined with strange carvings that shimmered faintl

softly, her heart racing.

osture tense. "We need to be c

hey went, the colder the air became, and the faint hum of energy grew louder, reverberating in thei

ancient symbols similar to the ones on the doors. Resting upon it w

g stopped her. A sound-like a soft

t?" she whispered

stinctively reaching for h

room, figures began to emerge. They were cloaked in shadow, their features

waiting for us

atural. The cloak it wore billowed like smoke, and its eyes-whe

gure spoke, its voice low and chill

fingers tightening around the shard

ou may think so, but there are always cho

ned, and the air grew heavy with a strange, oppressive magic. The figures began to chant, t

e walls began to crack. Elena's heart raced as the l

" Adrian said, his voice str

ncantations. She could feel the pull of their magic, heavy and suffocating. T

f the shard surged wildly in her grasp. The ground shook violently, and the chanting stopped. The figures, th

there wa

ls. The shard pulsed weakly in her hand, but the darkness

hand on her shoulder, his face

, her breath shallo

the pedestal, her eyes wi

he whispered, he

rward. It was a man this time, tall and cloaked in dark robes, h

id, his voice deep and gravelly. "The shard is mine now.

eins. She had no idea who this new figure was, but she could

that, the ga

unter settled into her bones. Adrian stood protectively in front of her, h

anded, his voice echoing

r, and mine is not for you to know. But you may call me a collector... a curator of

but its light was faint, barely more than a whisper in her palm. "The

er of his face. His lips curled into a faint smirk. "And it belongs

refusing to be intimidat

ece of a puzzle far greater than you can imagine. It holds the power to reshape worlds, to

encountered on their journey, the lives endangered by their quest. But she pushed

g to the forces at play. The only question that matters is whether you're

in the dim light. "If you think you're taki

. "Bravery is admirable, but foo

and a wave of dark energy surged forward, slamming i

ushing toward him, but the

er step, an

ward the pedestal, where the shard had been moments before. In it

only hastening your own destruction," he said. "Leave now,

e without the shard, but Adrian was i

we're such a threat to you?"

re not a threat. Not yet. But the mome

to shadow. The room seemed to shudder as he vanished, the oppressi

he pushed himself upright. "Are you oka

g as he touched the back of his

pty pedestal, her stomach si

ed. "Then we get it back.

d left the chamber behind, she couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking deepe

oppressive magic lingering like an unseen weight on their shoulders.

g the chamber below as though it had never been disturbed. Elena's heart po

derestimated him, whoever he is. He didn't just want

er exhaustion. "We're not powerless. He caught us

. "Do you even know how to fight someone like him? That kind of

ed to him, to his magic. There's something we're missing. I felt it when I touched the door earlier. It's

"And how do we do that? We barely escaped wit

dark ocean. "We start by figuring out why the shards exist in the first pl

And if that truth leads u

determination. "Then we spring it. Becaus

-

illag

hadows over the cobblestone streets. The air was thick with the scent of burning wood and dam

exterior weathered and unassuming. She knocked firmly on the d

s that seemed to see straight through Elena's soul. Her presence was ca

woman said without preamble, her vo

in surprise.

der replied, stepping aside to let them enter. "It'

it hut. The walls were lined with shelves filled with jars of herb

shards," Elena sai

ey bring-and the power they hold. But it's not the shards themselve

ook one from us. He called himself

nt of the Void. He seeks to bring the shards together, not to protect the bala

. "Then we stop him. But how do we f

ieved an intricately carved box, opening it to reveal a small, glowing crystal

d to the ancient magic that binds the shards together. With it, you may be abl

nst its cool surface. A surge of energy coursed through

oser you come to the truth, the more dangerous your jou

-

w Re

ission felt heavier than ever. The crystal glowed faintly in El

oice firm. "We'll find him-and we'll st

we'd better prepare. Something tells me this

et off into the unknown. Beneath the surface of their fear and unc

e elder's words pressed on them like an invisible shroud. The trees seemed to close in

sked, breaking the silence.

the path ahead. "I don't think we have a choice. She knew about the s

im serving the Void, then this is bigger than just us. The Void

d to fail. If the Collector brings the shards together, it'll be th

n flickering in his eyes. "You always did have a way

lips. "And you've always been th

ding before the crystal's light flared sudden

drawing his sword as the

intensifying. The ground beneath them tr

," Elena whispered,

emerged from the darkness. It was one of the hooded beings they

here," it intoned, its v

ord gleaming faintly in the crystal's li

used. "Answers will not save you. Th

the fear coursing through her. "We're not afra

llow sockets where eyes should have bee

shadow burst forth, lashing out with terrifying speed. Adrian swung his sword, sl

raised its arms, and the shadows around them deepened, swallowi

his voice distant as the

outed, clutching t

e encroaching darkness. Elena could feel its energy cours

crystal guide her. She could feel the presence of the figu

d formed a barrier around her, keeping the shadows at b

ce unwavering. "No matter how much darkn

crystal's light grew brighter. "Foolish girl

m the shadows. "Maybe not,

spelling the shadows and leaving the forest bathed in an eerie calm. The

trees, his sword at th

breath came in shallow ga

moment, the crystal's light

ing?" Adrian aske

test. Either way, it's clear we're getting c

pression grim. "Then we'd better

on the crystal, her resol

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