Eclipsed

Chapter 20

Ren glanced at the chilling sight of the nihroz army, their presence like an unrelenting shadow stretching across the land. Each soldier stood in perfect formation, their dark, jagged armor gleaming faintly under a waning moon. Their movements were eerily synchronized, their monstrous forms blending into a singular, unified mass of destruction. Ren stood frozen for a moment, his sharp eyes scanning the ranks for any sign of Ozythar, the man behind the chaos. But no matter how much he searched, Ozythar was nowhere to be seen.

The oppressive sight pulled him back to the flames of Haruka Valley, his home. He could almost hear the screams of his loved ones and see the fire consuming everything. The weight of those memories tightened his chest as he clutched the bark of a nearby tree for support. Taking a deep breath, Ren forced himself to focus.

He looked up at the towering structure in the distance—the heart of the enemy’s stronghold. It wasn’t a conventional fortress; it was a grotesque marvel of sinister design. The base appeared to be made of obsidian-like stone, its surface jagged and uneven, radiating an ominous red glow from veins of energy coursing through it. Tall, twisted spires clawed at the sky, and faint, unnatural sounds echoed from its depths, like whispers carried by the wind.

“Gotta be strategic about this,” Ren muttered to himself, his voice barely audible. His sharp gaze narrowed as he began moving, weaving through the forest under the cover of darkness.

Entering the Base

Ren approached the base cautiously, expecting heavy resistance. Yet to his surprise, the pathway leading to the entrance was eerily devoid of guards. The unsettling quiet set his nerves on edge. This can’t be right, he thought, gripping the hilt of his blade tightly. Every instinct screamed at him to stay alert.

He circled the perimeter, scanning for traps or hidden defenses. The air felt thick and heavy, as if the very atmosphere was warning him to turn back. Yet, his careful steps found no tripwires, no hidden sentries. The closer he got to the entrance, the more surreal it all seemed.

Ren slipped inside through a partially open door, the heavy slab of stone groaning faintly as he pushed it. His boots made no sound on the cold, polished floor as he stepped into the interior.

Inside the Base

The interior was just as unnerving as the exterior. The walls were lined with an otherworldly metal, smooth and reflective, yet dim. Faint lines of crimson energy pulsed sporadically through the walls, casting distorted shadows that seemed to move independently. The ceiling loomed high above, lost in darkness, and the air smelled faintly of sulfur.

Ren’s footsteps echoed faintly as he moved deeper into the base. No guards, no security—nothing. The silence was deafening, amplifying every breath he took. His mind raced.

“Where are they?” he whispered, his voice barely audible over the eerie hum emanating from the walls.

He passed through a vast, empty hall, its towering arches carved with strange symbols that seemed to pulse with energy as he walked by. Ren couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being watched, yet there was no sign of life. His hand remained on the hilt of his blade, ready for anything.

Reaching a central corridor, Ren stopped and scanned his surroundings. The path ahead split into multiple directions, each leading into unknown depths of the structure. A faint glow emanated from one of the hallways, drawing his attention.

Ren hesitated. The lack of resistance was unnerving. It felt like a trap, but he knew he couldn’t turn back now. He steeled himself and moved toward the glow, determined to uncover the secrets of Ozythar’s stronghold.

As Ren ventured deeper into the eerie base, he caught the faint sound of voices echoing through the corridor. Pressing himself against the wall, he peered around the corner to see three nihroz soldiers—dark, towering forms with glowing crimson eyes and smoky tendrils swirling around them—standing together, talking in hushed, guttural tones.

Ren’s fingers tightened around the hilt of his blade as he listened carefully. They spoke of patrol shifts and whispers of their master’s plans. Waiting for the right moment, Ren moved swiftly.

When the soldiers began to disperse, Ren acted. In a blur of motion, he struck, taking out two of them in silence as their forms dissolved into a dark mist. The third soldier turned, but before it could react, Ren grabbed it firmly and pressed it against the wall, his blade held close to its shadowy form.

“Where’s your master?” Ren demanded, his voice steady and sharp.

The nihroz soldier twitched, its glowing eyes flickering as it stammered, “I… I don’t kn-ow… I sw-ear…”

Ren’s gaze hardened. “Don’t waste my time. If you know, tell me now.”

The soldier shuddered but replied defiantly, “I would never reveal my master’s location… not to you!”

Ren narrowed his eyes, stepping closer. “You’re willing to protect someone who sent you to do his dirty work while he hides? Is that loyalty… or fear?”

The soldier hesitated, its form flickering slightly.

Ren continued, his voice quieter but more piercing. “You think he’ll come to save you? Or even care if you’re gone? You know how this ends if you don’t cooperate. Tell me where he is, and maybe you walk away from this.”

The nihroz soldier looked away, trembling. Finally, its voice broke. “Alright! Stop!” it cried. “The master… he’s in the chamber beneath the throne room. There’s a hidden passage behind the central pillar. That’s all I know!”

Ren studied the soldier for a moment, his blade still poised. “You’d better hope that’s true.”

“I swear it is!” the soldier pleaded.

With a firm push, Ren released the creature, which quickly dissolved into the shadows, vanishing down the hall.

Ren stood for a moment, adjusting his grip on his blade. “Even the loyal ones have their limits,” he muttered before turning toward the throne room, his steps steady with purpose.