The Summoned Beast
The roar had not been of any living thing Alex knew.
It was too deep, too vast. It carried the weight of ages and the sharpness of something freshly broken. He felt it in his chest, a vibration that rattled his bones and pulled at something buried beneath his bloodline.
He didn't hesitate.
Cloak swirling, blade at his side, Alex moved.
The tunnels behind him narrowed. He retraced his steps with perfect recall, eyes scanning every curve and crevice of the Hollow's winding descent. The magical pathways hummed more violently now, reacting to the disturbance like a living nerve system awakened by pain.
Kaer Thalor's voice finally broke the silence.
"They've summoned a Hollow Beast."
Alex grit his teeth. "What is it?"
"A construct of binding and corruption. It lives only in places where magic has died and festered. They are... difficult to kill."
He didn't slow down.
He passed the broken statue of the Warden, its eyes hollow beneath the dust. The melody from before had faded, replaced by a low, relentless rumble. As he neared the surface level of the ruins, he heard stone splitting.
And then he saw it.
Where the old courtyard had once stood, the ground was now cratered—split apart like a festering wound. From within the jagged maw of the earth rose a creature the size of a house. Its body was twisted flesh fused with cracked bone and shards of obsidian. Black ichor dripped from its joints. Its head was more mask than skull, and from within its many eyes, red light pulsed with primal hunger.
It roared again.
The sound shattered the rest of the ruins.
Two robed figures stood near it, hands raised. Their masks were different—more ornate. Elite agents of the Order. One of them held a summoning focus—a crystal spear glowing with unstable magic.
Alex didn't wait for them to speak.
He moved.
The Warden's Blade gleamed with sudden fire.
He launched himself forward, blade raised. The beast turned, massive claws swinging. He rolled beneath its strike and surged upward, cutting a deep gash across its forelimb. The blade cut through flesh and magic alike, and the beast howled in surprise.
Behind him, one of the summoners shouted a command.
The ground rippled. A rune trap ignited beneath Alex's feet.
He threw himself sideways just before it exploded.
The blast caught his shoulder, throwing him into a broken pillar. Pain flared, but he forced himself upright.
Kaer Thalor surged within.
"Draw on me. Fully. I'll give you the window."
Alex didn't hesitate.
He let go.
Power poured through him like a wildfire, burning away the weakness. His eyes flashed red, and the blade in his hand became a lance of fire.
The Hollow Beast charged.
He met it head-on.
Their clash shook the courtyard. Alex ducked low, stepped through the creature's reach, and drove his blade straight into its heart. Flame exploded outward, incinerating the corrupted bone. The beast screamed, thrashing, but Alex twisted the blade and forced the energy deeper.
Then he pulled it free—and leapt back as the creature imploded.
The shockwave knocked him off his feet.
When the smoke cleared, the beast was gone—reduced to scorched ruin and twitching fragments.
The summoners stood frozen.
Alex didn't give them the chance to run.
He moved in a blur. The first fell before it could raise its staff. The second tried to cast, but he cut the spell mid-formation. Their blood stained the stones, joining the dozens already buried in this cursed place.
Silence fell again.
His breathing was ragged. His body was burning. But he was still alive.
The Warden's Blade pulsed.
Kaer Thalor's voice was quieter now, almost contemplative.
"They fear you now."
Alex lowered the sword, staring at the place where the Hollow Beast had died.
"They should."
He turned toward the exit. The Hollow had been breached. The Order would not let this go unanswered.
But he had what he came for.
And war was coming.
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