THE STORY OF LIVES

CHAPTER-7

The guardian's new form slithered toward Toby, its many limbs flailing wildly as it advanced with terrifying speed. There was a malicious intelligence behind its movements now, as though the creature had learned from their first exchange. It was no longer relying on brute strength; it was testing him, probing for weaknesses. Toby circled warily, keeping his distance as he searched for an opening. But with every step, he could feel the realm sapping more of his energy, its oppressive weight dragging him down.

His mind raced, trying to find a solution. The guardian's regenerative ability meant that brute force wouldn't work—no matter how many times he cut it down, it would just rebuild itself. And worse, each time it regenerated, it grew stronger, more monstrous. He needed to think of something else, some way to sever the connection between the creature and the realm itself.

That was when he remembered the symbols on the walls of the cathedral, the strange runes that had glowed with an otherworldly light. They had been placed there to contain the power of the Veil, to control its chaotic energy. If the guardian drew its strength from the Veil, then perhaps those same runes could be used to weaken it. But Toby was far from the cathedral now, deep in the heart of the other realm. He had no way of returning to the physical world.

His gaze shifted to the ground beneath him, where faint traces of the same runic symbols seemed to pulse just beneath the surface of the cracked earth. The realm itself was etched with the same ancient magic, woven into the very fabric of the otherworld. If he could find a way to tap into that energy, to use the magic of the runes against the guardian, then maybe—just maybe—he could turn the tide of the battle.

But he didn't have much time. The creature was closing in fast, its tendrils lashing out like whips as it charged at him. Toby ducked and rolled, narrowly avoiding a blow that would have sliced him in half. He skidded to a stop near a large crack in the ground, where the runes glowed faintly in the dim light. Without hesitation, he plunged his sword into the earth, hoping to channel the energy of the realm through the blade.

At first, nothing happened. The ground trembled beneath his feet, but the runes remained faint, their power seemingly dormant. The creature was nearly upon him now, its claws outstretched as it prepared to strike. Toby gritted his teeth, his hands trembling as he gripped the hilt of his sword. He focused all of his willpower on the runes, willing them to activate, to release their power.

And then, with a sudden jolt, the runes flared to life.

A surge of energy shot through Toby's body, overwhelming him with a force that nearly knocked him off his feet. The runes beneath the ground pulsed with blinding light, their ancient magic finally awakened by his desperate plea. The energy coursed through his sword and into his veins, filling him with a power unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was raw, untamed, and dangerous—a force that threatened to consume him if he lost control for even a moment.

But Toby didn't have time to question it. The creature was upon him, its tendrils reaching out to tear him apart. With a shout of defiance, Toby raised his sword, now glowing with the energy of the runes, and slashed at the creature with all his might. The blade cleaved through the creature's limbs like they were made of paper, severing its connection to the realm's dark magic. The black ichor that oozed from its wounds evaporated in the light of the runes, sizzling and hissing as the creature's body began to disintegrate.

The guardian let out a shriek of agony, its form collapsing in on itself as the runes stripped away its power. For a brief moment, Toby thought he saw the creature's true form—a twisted, hollow thing, bound to the demon's will and sustained by the Veil's corrupting magic. And then, with a final roar, the creature dissolved into nothingness, leaving behind only a faint wisp of smoke that quickly vanished into the air.

Toby stood there, panting heavily, his sword still glowing faintly with the energy of the runes. The ground beneath him was cracked and scorched, the runes slowly fading back into the earth now that the battle was over. He had won. The guardian was dead, its connection to the Veil severed. But even as relief washed over him, he knew this was only the beginning.

The demon still waited for him, somewhere in the heart of this twisted realm. And if the guardian had been any indication, it would not be an easy fight. The creature he had just faced had been powerful, but the demon was something far worse—something ancient, malevolent, and almost godlike in its power.

Toby wiped the sweat from his brow, his muscles aching from the exertion. He couldn't afford to rest for long. Every second he spent in the other realm drained him further, the oppressive energy of the Veil slowly sapping his strength. He had to keep moving, had to find the demon and end this once and for all. With a final glance at the scorched earth where the guardian had fallen, Toby sheathed his sword and set off toward the distant mountains, where the demon's lair awaited.