Chapter 40: The Breath of Wrath and the Promise of the Compass
The bottomless rage and overwhelming power that rose from the depths of the Voidhold descended upon Kael and Aslan like a nightmare. It was a pure, unadulterated, universal lust for destruction that had never emanated from Malakor or any of its previous servants. The repair of the Great Seal had drawn the direct attention of one of the Lords of the Void or some equivalent, and now this ancient wrath was coming to devour them.
Aslan had no choice but to trust the light of the Star Compass as it carried Kael, whose consciousness was in and out, on his shoulders. The Compass expertly guided them through the ruined corridors of the castle, over collapsing ceilings, and through the tentacles of dark energy that sprouted from the ground, acting as if it knew the only way out of this cursed structure. The roars and tremors behind them told them that the threat behind them was getting closer by the moment.
Even in his semiconscious state, Kael could feel the last ripple of information and energy from the Great Seal in his mind. The locations of the other pieces of the Seal, the weak points of the Lords of the Void, the ancient tactics of the Echo Carriers… These were invaluable weapons he could use if he survived. The Chitauri core, though dimmed along with Kael's life energy, was still in resonance with the Star Compass; together, they were the sole guides in this desperate escape.
After what seemed like hours of pursuit—time perception was completely distorted on this rotten planet—the Star Compass guided them out of the fortress, toward a hidden exit on the planet's surface that they had never seen before. It was a small underground shelter built by the Creators, somewhat protected from the Void's energy. But the shelter was no longer active; it offered only one final escape route. The Compass pointed to a platform in the center of the shelter, also carved with ancient runes.
"What is this?" Aslan asked breathlessly.
Kael looked at the platform, barely able to regain consciousness. "I think... the next jumping point," he whispered. "The Star Compass should be guiding us not only to the echo points, but also to the safe passages between them."
The roars of the enormous threat that was after them could now be heard from the entrance to the bunker. They didn't have much time. With the last of his strength, Kael placed the Chitauri core and the Star Compass in the center of the platform. When the two artifacts merged, a dazzling beam of light rose from the platform and formed a vortex of energy that surrounded them.
This time the journey was faster and smoother than the last. It was as if they were moving along a safe current in the invisible veins of the universe. Kael lost consciousness completely during this journey. Aslan held him tightly, accompanying him on this unknown journey.
When he woke up, Kael found himself lying on soft ground. At his head was Aslan, who was looking at him anxiously. They were surrounded by a lush forest, filled with bright, vibrantly colored plants and floating, luminous spores, unlike anything they had ever seen before. The air was fresh and full of life; none of the stifling, putrid atmosphere of the previous planet was present.
"Where are we?" Kael asked, his voice still weary.
"I don't know," Aslan said. "But we are certainly far from that hell. The Star Compass brought us here. And I think…we are safe. At least for now."
Kael tried to stand up. His body was still weak, but the last of the energy and knowledge he had received from the Great Seal had cleared his mind. The Chitauri core had begun to glow faintly in his palm again; it seemed to be filling with the life force of this new environment. The Star Compass was now pointing with a steady light in a specific direction deep in the forest.
"This," Kael said, looking in the direction the compass was pointing. "It must be the next echo point. But this place…is different."
This new world was far from the gloom and danger of the previous ones. But Kael was also aware of the potential dangers that lay beneath this peaceful appearance. The Lords of the Void had long arms, and every echo point the Creators had sealed was a target for them.
Kael felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders once more. This was not just a fight for survival; it was a war that would affect the fate of the universe. And he was on the front lines of that war.
"We must rest, Aslan," Kael said. "We must gather our strength and explore this new place. The Compass has brought us here for a reason."
This lush, vibrant planet would be both a haven and a new testing ground for Kael and Aslan. What secrets would the Chitauri core whisper to Kael in this new echo point? And when would the Lords of the Void discover their new haven? The answers to these questions were not yet known. But the Echo Carrier's journey continued.