The Frostvein Range's eastern slopes grew jagged as the team pressed deeper into its frost-choked heart; the air thickened with a metallic tang that clung to Mason Reid's throat. His boots crunched against shale dusted with crimson frost, a strange hue that seemed to pulse faintly under the lavender dawn.
The Crimson Hollow Rift loomed closer now, its presence a pressure against his temples, like a storm gathering just beyond sight. Mason's Shadeforged armor, Tier C and etched with shadow runes, shifted with his steady strides; its faint hum grounded him against the unease coiling in his chest.
His Veilstrider sigil, glowing softly on his hand, pulsed in rhythm with the whispers that had haunted him since North Reach: Claim the Hollow; become the Rift.
Mason scanned the terrain, his role as a scout demanding vigilance; Coren and Elise flanked him, their steps quiet but tense. The path twisted through a gorge, its walls scarred with claw marks too deep for ridge wolves; the System's earlier warning of Tier B- guardians lingered in his mind.
He gripped his shard blade, its shadow-infused edge a faint comfort against the unknown; his mana flasks and ward relic, secured at his belt, were untested but vital. The whispers grew louder, a formless chorus that tugged at his thoughts; he shook them off, focusing on the frost that crunched beneath his boots.
The team's march was a strained rhythm of clanking armor and muted voices; Kael, the Tier A Voidshaper, led with a silent authority that quelled even Torren's usual bravado. Mason glanced at Lena, the Tier C Arcanist, who walked near the healer, Syl; her short-cropped hair caught the dawn's light, and her steady gaze met his briefly.
He noted her calm, a stark contrast to Torren's crew, who muttered among themselves; Lena's offer to ward his mind echoed, a spark of trust he wasn't ready to ignite. The System chimed, its clinical voice cutting through his thoughts: a new prompt materialized, stark against his vision.
***
[Objective Updated: Crimson Hollow Rift Stabilization Mission]
[Primary Goal: Reach Rift Core and Place Relic Anchor]
[Secondary Goal: Neutralize Hostile Interference]
[Scout Directive: Identify Guardian Positions]
[Warning: Rift Distortion Field Active; Mental Stability at Risk]
***
The notification faded, leaving a faint pressure behind Mason's eyes; the warning about mental stability hit harder than he expected. Kara's advice from the bunkhouse resurfaced: If you hear whispers that aren't the System, run.
He clenched his jaw, his fingers brushing the ward relic; its pulse was faint, a promise of resistance against the Rift's influence. The gorge narrowed, forcing the team into single file; Mason took point, his Veilstrider senses sharpening as the crimson frost thickened underfoot. A faint tremor rippled through the ground, and he froze, signaling Coren and Elise to halt.
The air grew heavier, charged with a static hum that made Mason's sigil burn; he crouched, his eyes tracing a series of gashes in the gorge wall, fresh and deep.
Elise whispered, her daggers glinting with green runes: "Guardian tracks; too big for anything we've seen."
Coren notched an arrow, his bow trembling slightly; Mason nodded, his mind racing as he calculated their next move.
The System confirmed the threat:
***
[Trace Detected: Rift Guardian – Tier B; Species Unknown]
***
He relayed the data to Kael, who raised a hand, halting the team; their robed form seemed to absorb the dawn's light, a void against the frost.
Mason's heart thudded, but he forced his breathing to steady; the whispers surged, clearer now: You are the Hollow's key. He gritted his teeth, pushing the words down; his role was to scout, not unravel cosmic riddles.
The gorge opened into a shallow basin, its floor carpeted with crimson frost that pulsed like a heartbeat; at its center, a jagged tear in reality loomed, the Rift's crimson edges writhing with energy. Mason's sigil flared, a searing heat that made him wince; he glanced at Lena, wondering if her wards could silence the whispers, but held back.
Kael's voice cut through the silence, low and commanding: "Scouts, perimeter sweep; report all activity."
Mason moved with Coren and Elise, skirting the basin's edge; his Rift Step ability hummed in his limbs, ready to bend space if needed. The frost crunched louder here, each step echoing in the unnatural stillness; his eyes caught a flicker of movement, a shadow that darted between boulders.
He signaled the others, his blade drawn; the System chimed:
***
[Threat Detected: Rift Wraith – Tier B-; Behavior: Ambush].
***
The whispers roared, a cacophony that threatened to drown his thoughts; Mason gripped his ward relic, its pulse steadying him as he prepared for the fight.
The Rift Wraith materialized from the crimson frost, its form a blur of shadow and claw that lunged at Mason with predatory speed. He activated Rift Step, the world bending as he flickered three meters left; the wraith's claws slashed empty air, its screech a piercing wail that echoed through the basin.
Mason's shard blade glowed with shadow energy, his Veil Pierce skill surging as he struck; the blade bit into the wraith's flank, drawing a spray of dark ichor. The System logged the hit:
***
[Damage Dealt: 180; Rift Wraith HP Reduced];
***
his stamina dropped to 70%, the relic at his belt pulsing to offset the strain. The whispers clawed at his mind, urging him to embrace the Hollow; he shoved them aside, focusing on the wraith's movements.
Coren fired a frost-runed arrow, the projectile streaking through the frost; it struck the wraith's shoulder, slowing its advance as ice spread across its form. Elise darted in, her daggers flashing with green light; she carved into the wraith's leg, her poison runes sizzling against its shadow-flesh.
The wraith retaliated, its claws raking Elise's arm; she stumbled, blood staining the frost as the System warned:
***
[Elise HP -220; Minor Laceration].
***
Mason lunged, his Ascendant Strike igniting; the blade's shadow-energy erupted, cleaving through the wraith's chest and dropping it to the ground.
The wraith dissolved into smoke, its essence absorbed by the System:
***
[Kill Confirmed: Rift Wraith – Tier B-; Essence Gained: 25 Units].
***
Mason panted, his health steady at 1240 but his mind reeling from the whispers' intensity; he glanced at Elise, who nodded, her wound clotting under Syl's distant healing runes.
Coren lowered his bow, his face pale; "Too close," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the Rift's hum.
Mason's sigil burned hotter, the whispers now a chant: The Hollow sees you. He activated his ward relic, its pulse dulling the voices; relief washed over him, but the unease lingered.
Kael approached, their robes untouched by the frost; their voice was a low hum: "Report; any more guardians?"
Mason relayed the encounter, noting the wraith's ambush tactics; Kael's hidden gaze lingered on him, as if sensing his struggle with the whispers. "The Rift's distortion is stronger here; stay focused," they said, turning to the team.
Mason caught Lena's eye; she was weaving an elemental ward, its blue glow shielding the group from the Rift's pressure. Her calm steadiness was a quiet anchor; he filed it away, wary of trusting too soon but grateful for her presence.
The team regrouped at the basin's edge, the Rift's crimson tear pulsing faster now; Torren's crew muttered complaints, their Tier B gear gleaming but their postures tense.
Brant, the tank, adjusted his plate armor, his voice gruff: "This place feels wrong; like it's alive." Syl nodded, her healing runes glowing as she tended to Elise; Mason sensed the team's unease, a fracture that could widen under pressure.
The System chimed:
***
[Objective Updated: Secure Perimeter for Anchor Placement];
***
the warning about mental stability flashed again, sharper this time. Mason's fingers tightened on his blade; the Rift was testing them all, and he wasn't sure who would break first.
A second wraith emerged, this time from the Rift itself; its form was larger, its claws crackling with crimson energy. The System identified it:
***
[Rift Wraith Alpha – Tier B; Threat Level: High].
***
Kael raised a hand, void energy swirling around them; "Contain it," they ordered, their voice cutting through the frost.
Mason moved with the scouts, his Rift Step ready; the wraith's eyes locked onto him, and the whispers screamed: You cannot resist. He activated his ward relic again, its pulse stronger now; the voices dulled, but the wraith's gaze felt like a blade against his soul.
The fight was chaos; Brant charged, his shield absorbing the wraith's claws as sparks flew. Gav, Torren's mage, unleashed a fire rune, its flames licking the wraith's form; Lira flanked it, her sword carving deep gashes.
Mason darted in, his Veil Pierce striking true; the wraith howled, its energy flaring as it swiped at him. He dodged, his stamina dropping to 50%; the System logged:
***
[Damage Dealt: 210; Minor Evasion Bonus].
***
Lena's ward pulsed, shielding the team from a crimson shockwave; Mason caught her nod, a silent acknowledgment that stirred something in him, though he pushed it down.
The wraith fell under Kael's void blast, its form unraveling into smoke;
***
[Kill Confirmed: Rift Wraith Alpha – Tier B; Essence Gained: 40 Units].
***
The team panted, their faces etched with strain; Mason's sigil cooled slightly, but the whispers lingered, softer but persistent. Kael's voice was steady: "Perimeter secure; prepare for core approach."
Mason glanced at the Rift, its crimson light bathing the basin; the Hollow was calling, and he wasn't sure if he was ready to answer.
The Crimson Hollow Rift's core loomed beyond a narrow pass, its crimson light casting grotesque shadows across the frost-choked basin. Mason led the scouts through the pass, his shard blade drawn; the air was thick, each breath tasting of iron and mana.
His Veilstrider sigil burned, a constant reminder of the Rift's pull; the whispers had softened to a murmur, but their words were clearer: Step into the Hollow; claim your place. He gripped his ward relic, its pulse a lifeline against the voices; his stamina hovered at 45%, the relic's boost keeping him steady.
The pass opened into a cavern, its walls pulsing with crimson veins that seemed to breathe; the Rift's core was a tear suspended mid-air, its edges writhing like a living wound.
Mason's heart thudded, his senses overwhelmed by the cavern's energy; the System chimed:
***
[Objective Updated: Approach Rift Core; Prepare Anchor Placement].
***
Kael moved forward, their void energy coiling like smoke; "Scouts, sweep the cavern; no surprises," they ordered, their voice a calm anchor. Mason nodded, his eyes scanning for threats; the whispers urged him closer to the core, a temptation he resisted.
Coren and Elise fanned out, their weapons ready; Mason took the left wall, his Rift Step primed for evasion. A faint hum emanated from the core, its rhythm syncing with his heartbeat; he shook his head, focusing on the crimson veins that pulsed faster now.
The System warned:
***
[Distortion Field Intensifying; Mental Stability at 70%];
***
Mason's ward relic flared, its pulse stronger but not enough to silence the whispers completely. He caught Lena's gaze across the cavern; her wards glowed, shielding the team, and her steady presence was a quiet reassurance he didn't expect.
A tremor shook the cavern, and shadows coalesced into a new guardian; its form was humanoid but warped, its limbs elongated and its face a blank void.
The System identified it:
***
[Rift Sentinel – Tier B+; Threat Level: Critical].
***
Kael's void energy surged, but the sentinel moved faster, its claws slashing at Brant; the tank's shield held, but sparks flew as he staggered. Mason darted in, his Ascendant Strike igniting; the blade's shadow-energy carved into the sentinel's arm, drawing a screech that made his ears ring.
The System logged:
***
[Damage Dealt: 250; Sentinel HP Reduced];
***
his stamina dropped to 30%, the fight's toll mounting.
The team rallied, their coordination strained but effective; Gav's fire runes scorched the sentinel, while Lira's sword hacked at its legs. Syl's healing runes glowed, keeping Brant upright; Lena's wards pulsed, deflecting a crimson shockwave that threatened to overwhelm them.
Mason used Rift Step, flickering behind the sentinel; his Veil Pierce struck its back, the shadow-energy erupting in a burst of dark light. The sentinel roared, its void-face turning to him; the whispers screamed: You are the Hollow's blade. He stumbled, the voices nearly breaking his focus; Lena's ward flared, steadying him.
Kael's void blast ended the fight, unraveling the sentinel into smoke;
***
[Kill Confirmed: Rift Sentinel – Tier Level: B+; Essence Gained: 60 Units].
***
Mason panted, his health at 1100 from a glancing blow; the team was battered, their faces pale under the crimson light. Kael approached the core, the relic anchor in their hands; its runes glowed, a beacon against the Rift's chaos. Mason watched, his sigil burning as the whispers surged: Claim it now.
He gripped his blade, resisting; Lena's voice cut through, soft but firm: "Stay with us, Mason."
The anchor's placement began, its runes flaring as Kael chanted; the Rift's core shuddered, its crimson light dimming. Mason's sigil cooled, the whispers fading to a distant hum; relief washed over him, but a new sound emerged: footsteps, heavy and deliberate.
The System chimed:
***
[Threat Detected: Ashen Covenant Forces; Tier C+ to B; Numbers Unknown].
***
Mason's heart sank; the Covenant had found them, and the mission was far from over.
Kael's voice was grim: "Prepare for combat; they're here." The cavern pulsed, and Mason readied his blade; the Hollow's call was unanswered, but its dangers were just beginning.