Tales of the sorcerer

Smoke coiled in the air, thick with the acrid stench of burnt stone and spilled blood. Excidium, once a bastion of knowledge and power, now lay in ruins—a graveyard of shattered spires and crumbling streets. The Hollow Veil's influence lingered, warping the air into a suffocating haze that clung to Elena's skin like a second shadow.

But she barely noticed.

Her focus was on the man in her arms.

Adrian's breath came in shallow, ragged gasps, his skin pale as ash. The wound on his side pulsed with an unnatural glow, tendrils of dark energy snaking through his veins like poison. His spirit core—the very essence of his being—had been fractured, and the Hollow Veil's corruption was eating away at what little remained.

"Stay with me," Elena whispered, her voice trembling as she gripped his bloodstained collar. "You promised, remember? You don't get to break that now."

Adrian's fingers twitched weakly, but he didn't respond.

Elena's chest tightened. She had seen him fight through impossible odds, had watched him smirk in the face of death more times than she could count. But now, there was no smirk. No sarcastic remark. Just silence.

And that terrified her more than anything.

---

**The Escape**

Footsteps pounded against the shattered cobblestones. Kael emerged from the smoke, his blade slick with blood and his expression grim. He took one look at Adrian and cursed under his breath.

"We need to move. Now."

Elena barely registered his words. Her mind was racing. Excidium's gates were still sealed, the city's ancient defenses twisted by the Hollow Veil's influence. They had fought their way through collapsing ruins and shifting shadows, but the labyrinth seemed endless.

She pressed a hand against Adrian's wound, her fingers coming away slick with blood and raw, unstable energy. The magic was volatile, like shards of glass digging into his soul.

"He won't last much longer," she muttered, swallowing the lump in her throat.

Kael's jaw tightened. "Then we get him out of here before he doesn't last at all."

---

**The Sentinel**

The ruins of Excidium were a graveyard of the past, buildings half-swallowed by darkness, their ancient sigils flickering weakly. The air itself felt wrong, reality warping at the edges as if the Hollow Veil refused to let go.

Elena gritted her teeth as they moved through the wreckage. Kael took the lead, scouting ahead for any remaining threats. She followed, Adrian's unconscious body draped over her shoulders. Every step was agony. He wasn't heavy, not really, but the weight of his fate crushed her.

They had almost reached the outer corridors when Kael abruptly raised a fist, signaling her to stop.

Elena tensed, shifting Adrian's weight as she scanned their surroundings. The path ahead was eerily empty—too empty. The silence rang in her ears like a warning.

Then, the shadows moved.

A figure stepped forward, clad in obsidian armor, their face obscured by a metallic mask carved with ancient runes. A Sentinel. One of the last enforcers of Excidium's law.

"You should not be here," the Sentinel intoned, their voice hollow and echoing.

Kael swore under his breath. "We don't have time for this."

Elena adjusted her grip on Adrian, shifting his weight onto her uninjured shoulder. "We're leaving," she said, her voice cold and unwavering.

The Sentinel tilted their head. "No one leaves Excidium."

A metallic hand reached for a weapon. Kael moved first.

Blades clashed, sparks illuminating the darkened corridor. Elena gritted her teeth, stepping back as Kael engaged the Sentinel. Every second counted—Adrian's breathing was slowing, his body growing colder against hers.

She had no choice.

Summoning what little energy she had left, Elena gathered her magic and slammed her palm against the nearest wall. The sigils etched into the stone flared to life, reacting to her touch. The air trembled as an ancient gateway, half-collapsed but still functional, roared open behind them.

"Kael, move!" she shouted.

Kael barely managed to dodge a strike before lunging backward. The Sentinel turned, but Elena didn't give them time to react. She thrust her free hand forward, releasing a burst of unstable energy. It wasn't refined—not even controlled—but it was enough.

The explosion sent the Sentinel staggering.

Without hesitation, Elena dragged Adrian through the gateway. Kael followed, sealing the passage behind them. The last thing Elena saw before the magic cut off was the Sentinel's empty gaze watching them go.

---

**The Journey to Halcythra**

Outside the ruins, the air was thick with mist, the ground damp from recent rain. The stars overhead were muted, swallowed by the lingering presence of the Hollow Veil.

Elena collapsed onto her knees, gasping for breath. Adrian remained limp in her arms. His heartbeat was barely there.

"We need to get him to Halcythra," she said, her voice raw.

Kael wiped blood from his brow, his expression grim. "That's days from here."

"I don't care." Elena's hands trembled as she pressed them against Adrian's chest. "I won't let him die here."

Kael exhaled sharply, running a hand through his sweat-damp hair. "I know someone. A smuggler. He has a ship docked at the cliffs. He owes me a favor."

Elena's head snapped up. "Then let's move."

---

**The Smuggler's Ship**

The journey to the cliffs was a blur of exhaustion and urgency. By the time they reached the hidden cove, dawn was breaking over the horizon. The smuggler, a wiry man with sharp eyes and a face lined with scars, took one look at Adrian and muttered something under his breath.

"Halcythra?" he asked.

Elena nodded. "As fast as possible."

The smuggler hesitated, then gestured toward his ship. "Get him aboard. It'll be a rough ride."

Elena didn't care. She carried Adrian onto the vessel, her heart pounding with every unsteady breath he took.

As the ship set sail, cutting through the misty waters, she sat beside him, gripping his hand tightly.

"You're not leaving me," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "You hear me, Adrian? You're not allowed to leave."

The wind howled around them, but Adrian didn't stir.

Elena swallowed hard, pressing her forehead against his. "I'll fix this. No matter what it takes."

And as the ship carried them toward Halcythra, she made a silent vow.

This was not the end.

Not for Adrian.

Not for her.