Einar gritted his teeth – a purely spiritual sensation, but no less intense – as he focused on the Scar Wraith closest to him.
The tendrils of Void energy he extended wrapped around the swirling crimson light, attempting to draw the raw agony inwards.
The backlash was immediate and excruciating, a concentrated wave of torment that threatened to shatter his focus.
He staggered, his internal light flickering, but he held his connection, picturing a void within himself, a space to absorb the boundless sorrow.
Lyra, witnessing Einar's efforts, adjusted her strategy. Instead of simply attacking the Wraiths with pure energy, she began to weave patterns of calming light around them, trying to create pockets of serenity amidst their torment.
The white light of her blade pulsed rhythmically, a counter-frequency to the chaotic anguish radiating from the crimson figures.
As Einar managed to partially contain the agony of the first Wraith, its movements became less frantic, its silent scream softening to a mournful wail.
It still drifted menacingly, but its focused aggression seemed diminished. Encouraged by this small victory, Einar extended more Void tendrils, reaching for the other Scar Wraiths.
The task was immense. Each Wraith was a nexus of pure suffering, and trying to contain that much raw emotion was like trying to hold back a flood with his bare hands.
Sweat-like energy beaded on his light form, and he could feel his spiritual reserves being rapidly depleted.
The psychic feedback threatened to overwhelm him, the weight of the Scar's sorrow pressing down with crushing force.
Lyra continued her efforts, her movements tireless as she danced among the tormented entities, her calming light creating brief moments of respite in their endless anguish. She noticed the subtle shift in the Wraiths affected by Einar's Void energy.
"Newcomer, it's working! They are becoming… less aggressive. Perhaps their torment is their primary form of attack."
Taking Lyra's words to heart, Einar pushed himself further, focusing on containing the agony of the remaining Wraiths. It was a delicate balance, drawing the torment inwards without being consumed by it.
He visualized his Void essence expanding, creating a silent, empty space within himself to hold the echoes of the Scar's pain.
Slowly, the cavern began to feel less oppressive. The silent screams of the Scar Wraiths softened into mournful sighs, their frantic movements becoming more languid.
Their translucent crimson forms seemed to dim slightly, their intense torment partially contained within the boundaries of Einar's Void energy.
With the Wraiths subdued, Lyra moved swiftly, her white lightblade now imbued with a focused banishing energy.
Striking with precision, she targeted the core of each Wraith, and with a final, fading sigh of sorrow, the crimson light dissipated, leaving the cavern silent once more, the oppressive agony finally lifted.
Einar stood, his spiritual form trembling, feeling the lingering echoes of the Scar's pain within him, a heavy burden he had willingly taken on.
But they had overcome the guardians, and he could now sense the pull of the nexus point growing stronger, closer.
It lay deeper within the Shadowed Veins.