Chapter 173: Into the Obsidian Depths
The victory at the Citadel was short-lived. As the silver light of the first anchor stabilized, the celestial map in the Alpha's hand pulsed with a dark, heavy energy, pointing toward the southern mountain ranges where the sun never truly rises.
"The Obsidian Depths," the Ancestor stated, her eyes clouded with memory. "It was once the forge of our people, but it has been silent for ages. If the second anchor is there, it is buried under miles of volcanic glass and ancient traps."
Leaving the Citadel under the protection of the newly purified shield, the Alpha and Omega began their journey south. The landscape changed rapidly; the white snow of the north gave way to jagged black rocks and rivers of slow-moving, glowing magma. The air was thick with ash, and every breath felt like swallowing needles.
"Do you feel that?" the Omega asked, stopping at the mouth of a massive, yawning cavern that seemed to lead into the very heart of the planet. "The frequency here isn't crimson. It's... cold. Empty."
"The Star-Eaters haven't reached this anchor yet," the Alpha noted, his claws extending as he sensed something moving in the darkness of the tunnels. "But something else has. Something that has been waiting in the dark since the beginning of time."
From the shadows of the obsidian walls, eyes began to open—not two, or ten, but hundreds. They were the Void-Crawlers, sightless guardians of the deep who considered the anchor their own sacred heart. To reach the second anchor, the Alpha and Omega wouldn't be fighting invaders from the stars, but the very protectors of their world's oldest secrets.
"We don't want to destroy you!" the Omega called out, her resonance humming. But the Crawlers didn't listen; they only saw intruders in their silent kingdom.