Chapter 15: Toren's Stand Against the Colossus
Ashen Vale's barren flats stretched under a flickering sky, glyphs pulsing on broken spires as Jason led the way, the Farthalin's crimson glow a beacon, whispering: Farthalin. The colossus vision—Kaldor's grid unstable—seared his mind, the scar screaming. We're walking into it. The system's ping—[Resolve Points: 4050%]—felt alive. 4050% Resolve Points—I'm on the edge. Lynn clutched the third manuscript, her rune stone glowing, her green eyes sharp. "The core's statue is near," she said, voice firm. She's our guide. Celia circled, her dagger ready, violet eyes scanning. Ren's warhammer gleamed, his red hair a flag, his sister's dream unyielding. Voren's runners trailed, blades drawn.
A stone plaza emerged, a second statue towering—rune-lord, glyphs blue, holding a glyph-orb. The node. Lynn's rune stone pulsed, her satchel heavy. "This powers the grid," she said, tracing sigils. Our shot. The Farthalin burned, a vision striking: Kaldor's core glowing, colossi converging, a voice thundering: You're mine.The reckoning—it's now, the colossi closing in. A figure stepped forward, broad-shouldered, glyph-etched armor gleaming, eyes like fire. "Toren," Voren said, nodding. The alley. Toren's gaze locked on Jason's Farthalin, his voice iron: "You woke the grid. Prove you're not its doom."
Rogues attacked, their glyphs red, blades glinting. It's a swarm, their numbers overwhelming. Jason counted twenty, their leader's rune stone flaring. "The orb!" he roared, charging. Jason parried, blade slashing, instincts fluid. Celia struck, her dagger slicing wards, violet eyes fierce. Ren roared, warhammer crushing armor, his voice a vow: "For Kaldor!" Lynn's rune flared, green light shielding her glyphs, precise. Voren's runners fought, Toren's blade a storm, his glyphs flaring blue. He's a force. The rogues fell, their leader's rune shattering, a glyph-map dropping. They're relentless.
Toren nodded, his eyes softening. "You fight for Kaldor," he said, voice low. "The core's guarded—colossi, worse." He's warning us. The system pinged: [System Insight: Allied with Toren. Reward: 350 Resolve Points. Resolve Points: 4400%.] Lynn's rune cracked the orb, the statue's glyphs blazing, the grid humming. "It's waking," she said, her voice trembling. We're close. Celia's dagger twirled, Ren's warhammer gleamed, and Voren's runners stood tall. Toren gripped his blade, his gaze meeting Jason's, a shared vow.
A colossus roared, its sigils red, emerging from the mist, larger than before. The guardian. Its stone fists shook the plaza, glyphs flaring as it charged. Toren stepped forward, blade raised. "Hold the line!" he shouted, his glyphs igniting, slashing a sigil on its leg. Jason lunged, the Farthalin cutting deep, sparks flying. Celia darted, dagger striking another sigil, violet eyes fierce. "Keep it moving!" she yelled. Ren's warhammer clashed, cracking stone, his roar defiant. Lynn's rune flared, green light weakening the colossus, her voice steady: "Target its core!" Voren's runners flanked, blades flashing, but the colossus swung, forcing them back. Toren led a final strike, Jason's blade piercing the core, the creature collapsing in a burst of dust. A victory—for now.
Jason leaned against the statue, the Farthalin's warmth a double-edged blade, its whisper a dark lure. This power—it's consuming me. He saw Kaldor's fall, colossi marching, and felt the Farthalin's pull—strength laced with a hunger that gnawed at his resolve. Am I its weapon or its prey? Toren approached, his breath heavy. "You've got fight," he said with a rare smile. Respect earned. Lynn clutched the orb, her eyes on the grid's hum. "The core's open—Kaldor's next," she said, voice firm. Celia's gaze softened, Ren's warhammer gleamed, and Voren's runners regrouped, the mist thickening. The Farthalin's whisper roared, a darkness coiling, pulling Jason toward the core—and its reckoning.