The Rebirth Of The Beast Tamer-Chapter 100: Unraveling The Maze-like Structure 2

Kelvin’s mind raced, as the visions revealed where Zack was laughing, the Sanctum falling. "No!" he roared, shaking them off and his staff blazed.

"The nodes! We need to hit the nodes!" He said, as he pointed to three glowing rune nodes which were embedded in the trees, their energy pulsed in sync with the labyrinth’s movements.

Lyra nodded, her eyes fierce despite the pain, weaving a shadow cage that trapped four wraiths and its tendrils where tightened like a vice.

Salaris darted between trees, with her talons slashing a node and its glow faded as vines were wilted. Darius steadied himself, his grin returned as he fired a radial soulstone blast and the gem-enhanced explosion that shattered a second node and branches collapsed around it.

Rhoam roared and his iron bulk crushed a third node, its energy were dying in a burst of light. Kelvin channeled a piercing fire lance and Xerion’s flames surged through the gauntlet and the beam lanced through the final node.

The maze-like structure became shuddered and its branches parted with paths opening as the wraiths screeched and their forms dissolved into ash.

Silence fell in the forest and were littered with broken vines and scorch marks. The trio collapsed and their breaths ragged, while their beasts were battered but alive. freewebnσvel.cѳm

Kelvin’s arm bled, but he stumbled to Lyra, checking her leg wound, which was fresh but shallow.

She leaned on Salaris and Darius clutched his chest that was filled with blood soaking his bandages, but Rhoam’s steady presence kept him upright and the panther’s plates were gleaming despite the scratches.

"We were able to beat the trap," Kelvin said, and the illusions faded from his mind. Lyra nodded and her gauntlet became dim but steady. "Zack is close and I can feel it."

Darius tossed his soulstone, his grin weak but sharp. "Let’s find him." He said

They searched the place and found a hidden storage beneath a tree with a leather journal etched with dark runes, it was identical to those from the Peaks.

Inside, was with scrawled notes which revealed the rogue tamer: not Zack, but Cindy, a female Sanctum defector driven by vengeance for a failed mission that killed her mentor.

The journal named Zack as a manipulated pawn, used to sow discord with taunts about their fears. Kelvin’s heart sank, the revelation shattered their assumptions.

"Cindy?" Lyra said, her voice sharp, gripping the journal, she said. "She used Zack to get in our heads." Darius cursed, tossing his soulstone. "He is still a jerk, but not the tamer."

Kelvin gripped his staff, the journal’s weight was heavy in his hands. "She is out there, planning something bigger."

They found loot: Maze-like structure runes which was pulsing with strategic power and their surfaces were etched with Veil patterns, and vine essence that glowed with agility-enhancing energy.

"Split it evenly," Kelvin said, and the runes where divided among them for their gear and giving Lyra extra vine essence for Salaris’s speed.

The act was a quiet affirmation of their unity, their Peaks loot were dark gauntlet, dark runes, soulstream gems and gloomstalker loot proving vital in the fight.

The monitoring device buzzed and its message was weak: "Ritual is detected near the rift. The rogue tamer energy is critical. Proceed with extreme caution."

The warning confirmed Cindy’s presence, the signal’s flicker was hinting at sabotage within the Sanctum’s ranks.

They pressed deeper into the Hollow, the maze-like structure’s branches were parting and the ground still pulsed with faint energy.

Xerion moved beside Kelvin with his scales warm and his amber eyes were vigilant as they scanned the trees. Salaris darted ahead with her talons clicking on the ground, scouting for the rift.

Rhoam’s plates clinked and his massive form guarded the rear, his scratches were slowing him but not stopping him. The trio’s wounds throbbed, Kelvin’s arm, Lyra’s leg and arm, Darius’s chest and side but their steps were steady and their resolve was unbroken.

They camped in a narrow grove, the trees were silent but heavy with menace. Kelvin ignited a fire with Xerion’s breath, the flames casted a flickering shadows across the ground.

Lyra bandaged her leg and her shadow runes sealed the wound with a faint glow, her movements were precise despite the pain etching her face.

Darius tended his chest, tossing a chunk of dried meat to Rhoam with the panther’s plates gleaming as he tore into it with a low growl.

"cindy used Zack to break us," Darius said, staring into the fire, his voice low but edged with anger. "She knew our weaknesses."

Lyra’s voice was firm and her gauntlet was glowing faintly as she adjusted her bandage. "She twisted my sister’s memory. I will make her pay."

Kelvin gripped his staff and Xerion’s warmth pulsed through their bond, steadying his shaking hands. "My father’s death, she used it too. We will stop her." Xerion’s eyes gleamed and his hiss was a low affirmation, a promise of battles to come.

They shared some stories to encourage their spirits and Darius recalling a time he outsmarted a rival tamer in a sparring match, Lyra speaking of her sister’s fierce spirit, Kelvin recounted the tale of Xerion’s ancient victory against a rogue wyrm.

The stories were a shield against the weight of Cindy’s trap, which a reminder of their strength as a team. The monitoring device hummed, its message was clear.....

"Rift imminent. Your unity is your strength." The words were a grim warning of the ritual ahead, but their resolve burned brighter, a spark that refused to be extinguished.

Dawn broke over the Hollow, the forest was silent but was heavy with threat. As they packed their camp, a shadow came up among the trees, the cloaked figure and their runes were glowing briefly before they vanished into the undergrowth.

Kelvin’s breath was caught and the sighting was a chilling echo of the previous night. "She is close," he said as he raised his staff, and the fire runes were glowing. "We will end this, he said."

The trio pressed on and their bodies were battered but their spirits were unbroken. The Verdant Hollow was a crucible, its dangers unlike the Peaks’ were brutal beasts or the gloomstalkers’ psychic howls, but the Tide’s Crest stood firm.

Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m