"The fissure…" Einar projected, his attention now fully focused on the seemingly bottomless crack in the obsidian ground from which the Shard Walkers continued to emerge.
"I sense a deeper connection there, a resonance with the ancient power the Weaver spoke of. Gorok's influence… it's like a twisted conduit, drawing energy and corrupting it into these creatures."
Lyra nodded, her gaze also fixed on the fissure.
The grating screeches of the Shard Walkers still echoed around them, but their numbers had thinned significantly thanks to Einar's evolving Void abilities.
"It makes sense. Severing that conduit would likely stem the flow of these abominations."
Zephyr, still maintaining a watchful perimeter, shuddered. "Down there? Looks pretty… stabby."
The Obsidian Weaver, who had been silently observing the battle, stepped closer to the fissure's edge.
The blue light from their staff illuminated the jagged, crimson-laced depths.
"The connection is deep," they whispered.
"The ancient power sleeps, but its dreams are being corrupted. The source lies within the Shadowed Veins, a network of caverns beneath the Scar, where the obsidian heart beats with a primal rhythm."
Shadowed Veins… the name sent a shiver of unease through Einar. It sounded like the very heart of this corrupted region.
"Can we… just close it?" Zephyr asked, gesturing at the fissure with a blast of Radiant Flow.
The orange energy dissipated harmlessly against the seemingly impervious obsidian.
Lyra shook her head.
"Raw force won't be enough against a connection this deep, twisted by Gorok's influence and tied to something ancient. We need a more precise approach."
" Einar, your connection to the Void… could you sense a way to disrupt this conduit from within?"
Einar closed his eyes, extending his Void sense down into the fissure. The feeling of corrupted energy was intense, a chaotic mix of raw Void and the distorted resonance of the ancient power.
But deeper down, he could indeed sense a point of convergence, a nexus where Gorok's influence seemed to be anchoring itself to the dormant energy. It felt like a dark, pulsating thread embedded within something vast and powerful.
"Yes," Einar projected, his concentration firm. "There's a nexus point deep within. If I can reach it… I might be able to sever the connection."
Lyra considered this. "It will be dangerous. We don't know what awaits us down there.
Zephyr, you'll provide cover at the entrance. Weaver, your knowledge of this place… is there anything we should be aware of?"
The Obsidian Weaver nodded slowly. "The Shadowed Veins twist and turn, reflecting the fractured state of this land".
"Ancient guardians, echoes of the power's slumber, may still linger. And Gorok's touch will be stronger closer to the source. Tread carefully."
Taking a deep, silent breath, Einar prepared to descend into the crimson crevice, into the heart of the Obsidian Scar, with Lyra right behind him.
The path to ending the Shard Walker swarm, and perhaps unraveling more of Gorok's plan, lay within the Shadowed Veins.