Veil of crimson shadows

The preparations for the ritual consumed the following days, but the sense of urgency never waned. Vane had given them a list of items they would need to complete the ritual: a Void Mirror, the Dust of Binding, and a Living Flame. Each object was rare, dangerous to obtain, and deeply entwined with the forbidden arts.

The first step, however, was obtaining the Void Mirror, a relic said to reflect not the physical world but the space beyond the Void itself. According to Vane, it was hidden in an abandoned estate on the outskirts of Ravenmoor, a place steeped in tragedy and rumors of haunting.

The estate was a sprawling, decrepit mansion, its silhouette jagged against the evening sky. Vines crept up its walls, and shattered windows revealed only darkness within. The air around the place felt thick, as if it resisted their approach.

"This place gives me the creeps," Theo muttered, gripping the hilt of his knife.

"You're not alone," Caleb replied, his voice hushed. The closer they got, the more the shadows seemed to twist and shift, playing tricks on his eyes.

As they stepped through the broken gates and onto the overgrown path leading to the mansion, Caleb felt the faint hum of the shadow within him. It stirred, almost as if it recognized the place.

They entered cautiously, the door creaking loudly in the still air. Inside, the mansion was a maze of crumbling hallways and rooms filled with rotting furniture. The air was damp and carried the faint scent of decay. Caleb's lantern cast flickering light, making the shadows dance.

"The Void Mirror is supposed to be in the master study," Caleb said, consulting the crude map Vane had given them. "Upstairs."

"Let's just get it and go," Theo said, his voice tense.

The stairs groaned under their weight as they ascended, each step feeling like a test of the mansion's structural integrity. The second floor was even more decayed, with gaping holes in the walls and ceiling.

As they approached the study, Caleb froze. He felt it before he saw it a presence, cold and oppressive, emanating from the room ahead.

"Do you feel that?" he whispered.

Theo nodded, his grip on his knife tightening. "Yeah. And I don't like it."

They stepped into the study, the air growing colder with each step. The Void Mirror sat on a pedestal at the center of the room, its surface a perfect, inky black that seemed to absorb all light. Caleb felt drawn to it, the shadow within him thrumming with recognition.

"That's it," Caleb said, taking a cautious step forward.

Before he could reach it, the temperature plummeted, and a figure materialized in front of the mirror. It was humanoid but distorted, its form shifting and flickering like a broken image. Its eyes were empty voids, and its voice was a rasping whisper.

"You seek to breach the threshold," it said, its voice echoing unnaturally. "But the Void does not welcome intruders."

Caleb swallowed hard, his pulse quickening. "We're not here to intrude. We just need the mirror."

The entity laughed, the sound grating and hollow. "The mirror is a key, and keys are not given freely. Prove your worth or face annihilation."

Before they could react, the entity lunged at them, its form shifting into a swirling mass of darkness and claws.

The fight was chaotic. Caleb and Theo moved instinctively, dodging the creature's attacks while trying to find an opening. Theo's blade passed through its form without effect, and Caleb quickly realized physical weapons were useless.

"Caleb!" Theo shouted. "Do something!"

Caleb hesitated, his hand hovering over the pouch where the shattered pieces of the mask still rested. Using the mask's remnants felt like a risk, but they had no other option. He reached for the largest shard, gripping it tightly. The moment his fingers touched it, he felt the shadow's power surge through him.

The shard glowed faintly in his hand, and a blade of dark energy formed around it. Caleb slashed at the creature, the weapon tearing through its form and eliciting a scream of rage.

The entity retaliated, its claws raking across Caleb's chest. Pain flared, but he pressed on, striking again and again until the creature began to dissolve. Its final scream echoed through the room before it disappeared entirely.

Breathing heavily, Caleb staggered back, the shard still glowing in his hand. Theo rushed to his side, steadying him.

"You okay?" Theo asked, his voice filled with concern.

"I'll live," Caleb said, though his strength was fading quickly. "Let's just get the mirror and go."

They carefully lifted the Void Mirror from its pedestal. The surface seemed to ripple as Caleb touched it, and for a moment, he saw something staring back at him a pair of burning eyes that disappeared as quickly as they had appeared.

"Did you see that?" Caleb asked, his voice shaking.

Theo frowned. "See what?"

"Never mind," Caleb said, deciding not to push the issue. "Let's get out of here."

The journey back to Vane's cathedral was uneventful, but Caleb couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching them. The Void Mirror sat wrapped in cloth on Theo's back, its weight more than just physical.

When they arrived, Vane was waiting for them, his expression unreadable.

"You found it," he said, his tone flat.

"Yeah," Theo said. "But it wasn't exactly unguarded."

Vane nodded, as if expecting this. "The Void doesn't give anything freely. And this is only the beginning. The next items will test you even further."

Caleb set the mirror down, his exhaustion evident. "What's next?"

"The Dust of Binding," Vane said. "It's held by the Warden of the Hollow Spire. And if you thought the mirror's guardian was bad, you're in for a rude awakening."

Caleb sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Perfect."

Vane's gaze lingered on Caleb, his expression dark. "The shadow is still feeding on you, isn't it?"

Caleb nodded reluctantly. "Every time I use the shards, it takes a little more."

"Then stop using them," Vane said coldly. "Or the Void won't be your biggest problem."

As they prepared for the next leg of their journey, Caleb couldn't help but feel the weight of the shadow growing. The closer they got to the Void, the stronger its pull became.

And deep within the mirror, the burning eyes watched, waiting.