Chapter 2 Into the Abyss

The fall was endless, a blur of cold air and crumbling stone. Drayen twisted in the darkness, trying to orient himself. His dragon instincts screamed to transform, but the confined space and chaos made it too dangerous. He couldn't risk the collapse crushing him-or worse, trapping him in his dragon form.

A sharp cry pierced through the void. Keryth.

Drayen's heart lurched as he spotted her silhouette tumbling ahead, her silver hair catching faint glimmers of the magic sparking around her. Despite himself, he reached out. His claws extended instinctively, catching her wrist as the air rushed past them.

Her eyes snapped open, wide with shock. "Let go!"

"Not a chance," he snarled, tightening his grip.

The ground came rushing toward them, jagged and uneven. Drayen twisted his body mid-fall, angling so that he'd take the brunt of the impact. They slammed into the earth with a bone-jarring thud. Dust and debris exploded around them, filling the air with a choking haze.

Drayen groaned, pain radiating through his back and shoulders. Keryth lay sprawled beside him, coughing as she pushed herself up. Her staff had somehow survived the fall, its runes glowing faintly in the darkness.

"Are you trying to get us both killed?" she snapped, her voice hoarse.

"You're welcome," Drayen retorted, wincing as he got to his feet.

They were in some kind of cavern, the walls smooth and glistening as if carved by water. The faint glow of Keryth's staff illuminated the space, revealing strange markings etched into the stone-ancient runes he couldn't decipher.

"Where are we?" he demanded, his eyes scanning for threats.

Keryth didn't answer immediately. She traced her fingers over one of the markings, her brow furrowing. "This... this shouldn't be here."

Drayen stepped closer, his claws still extended. "Explain."

Keryth turned to face him, her violet eyes filled with unease. "This is older than anything I've seen-older than the council, older than magic as we know it. These runes... they're tied to something powerful."

"Powerful enough to bury us alive?"

"Powerful enough to make whatever we're standing on unstable."

Drayen growled in frustration. "You're stalling. If you know where we are, say it."

Keryth hesitated, then whispered, "The Hollow Rift."

The name sent a shiver down his spine. Even in dragon legends, the Hollow Rift was spoken of in hushed tones-a place where ancient powers slumbered, corrupted and untamed. It was said to be a nexus of destruction, sealed away to prevent it from consuming the world.

"You brought us here?" he accused, his voice rising.

"I didn't choose this!" Keryth shot back, her own anger flaring. "Your reckless attack destabilized the magic in the chamber. That energy had to go somewhere."

Drayen's claws scraped against the stone as he advanced on her. "This is your fault. If you hadn't-"

A low rumble cut him off. The ground trembled beneath their feet, and the markings along the walls began to glow brighter.

Keryth's face paled. "We need to move. Now."

Before Drayen could argue, a fissure split the ground, and a tendril of shadowy energy burst forth, writhing like a living thing. It lashed out, striking the wall and sending shards of rock flying.

"What is that?" Drayen demanded, his voice taut with tension.

"Corrupted magic," Keryth said, backing away. "It's been trapped here for centuries, feeding off the Rift's power. If we stay, it'll consume us."

The tendril lunged toward them, and Drayen reacted instinctively. He grabbed Keryth, dragging her out of its path as it smashed into the ground where they had stood.

"This way!" she shouted, darting toward a narrow passage illuminated by her staff.

Drayen followed, his dragon senses on high alert. The cavern seemed to pulse with life, the shadows twisting and shifting as if watching their every move. The tendrils grew more numerous, reaching for them with relentless hunger.

"We can't outrun this!" Drayen growled.

"Then we outsmart it!" Keryth shot back, skidding to a stop at a fork in the passage. She closed her eyes, murmuring a spell. The runes on her staff flared, and the air around them shimmered.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to mask our presence," she said through gritted teeth. Sweat beaded on her brow as the tendrils closed in, their whispers filling the air like a sinister chant.

Drayen felt the dragon within him stir, demanding to fight. He clenched his fists, forcing the transformation down. "Hurry up, witch!"

"I need more time!"

They didn't have more time. The largest tendril yet surged toward them, its dark mass crackling with destructive energy.

Drayen acted without thinking. He stepped in front of Keryth, his body igniting as flames burst from his skin. The tendril collided with him, the impact sending a shockwave through the cavern.

Pain seared through him, but he held his ground, his fire clashing with the shadow in a battle of wills.

Behind him, Keryth finished her spell. The glow from her staff expanded, enveloping them in a protective barrier. The tendril recoiled, writhing in agony before retreating into the shadows.

Drayen collapsed to one knee, smoke rising from his charred armor.

"You... you didn't have to do that," Keryth said, her voice unsteady.

He looked up at her, his golden eyes blazing. "I'm not dying until I get answers. Don't think this means I trust you."

Keryth opened her mouth to respond, but another rumble shook the cavern. From the shadows, a deep, guttural growl echoed-a sound that made the tendrils retreat in fear.

Drayen's heart pounded as the ground quaked beneath them.

"What now?" he asked.

Keryth's face was ashen. "Something's waking up."