The journey to the Silent Sands Expanse was unlike their previous travels through the Soul Society.
The familiar humming energy of the realm was muted here, replaced by a desolate stillness that felt heavy with sorrow.
The light had a hazy, almost shimmering quality, and the architectural structures they encountered were fractured and worn, as if time itself had been unkind to this region.
Lyra led the way, her light form radiating a quiet determination, though Einar could sense a subtle undercurrent of pain in her resonance.
The memories of Orion were undoubtedly strong in this place.
"The veils are thinnest here," Lyra projected, her gaze sweeping across the desolate landscape.
"The boundaries between our realm and the Void are frayed, allowing for easier passage for Gorok's forces. The Keepers have reported several minor incursions in recent cycles."
Einar focused his Void sense, and the instability of the veils was immediately apparent.
They flickered and shimmered like heat haze on a summer day, with patches that felt dangerously thin, almost transparent, revealing glimpses of a cold, dark expanse beyond.
Zephyr, his orange light a steady beacon, looked around with a sense of unease. "It feels… empty. But not the good kind of empty."
As they ventured deeper into the Expanse, they began to encounter signs of Gorok's influence.
Patches of swirling grey energy clung to the fractured structures, and the air felt colder in these areas.
They also encountered more frequent, though still relatively minor, manifestations of Void-touched energy – twisted shapes and fleeting shadows that dissipated quickly when confronted.
Suddenly, Lyra halted, her white lightblade materializing instantly. "We are not alone."
Emerging from behind a shattered spire of light were three figures whose corrupted light pulsed with an aggressive intensity.
They were more substantial than the lesser Nullsworn they had faced in the Labyrinth, their forms radiating a malevolent purpose.
"Nullsworn Guardians," Lyra projected, her tone grim.
"They are likely here to prevent any attempts to mend the veils. Einar, Zephyr, prepare yourselves. This will be a more significant engagement."
The Nullsworn Guardians advanced, their corrupted light crackling with dark energy.
The Silent Sands Expanse, already scarred by loss and weakened veils, was about to become a battlefield.