The Grove Guardian, trapped within Lyra's shining net of Divine Power, continued to thrash, but its movements grew weaker and more frantic. It groaned, a sound like grinding stone and splitting earth. Lyra stood in front of it, her hands still faintly glowing, a bead of sweat slipping down her temple. Ren observed her, then focused on the captive creature.
"It's trying to break free," Lyra said, her voice strained. "The net holds it, but it's draining me. It's too far from its anchor point and too agitated." She pointed at the towering stone monolith, the Heartstone. "We need to reconnect it to the Heartstone's flow. It's like a lost limb trying to find its body."
Ren stepped closer, circling the thrashing Guardian and observing every detail. He noticed the cracks forming in its earthen hide and the raw Aura bleeding from them. "How do you do that?" he asked, his tone flat but clearly demanding an answer.
Lyra took a deep breath to steady herself. "It needs a conduit. A strong flow of Divine Power to guide it. My net is for containment, not persuasion. We need to channel the Heartstone's energy directly into it." She pointed to a series of grooves carved into the base of the monolith, almost hidden under layers of moss. "These are conduits. They're meant to draw power from the Heartstone and guide it." She knelt, tracing the ancient etchings with her fingers. "But they're dormant and broken."
Ren knelt beside her, inspecting the grooves. They were indeed fractured, filled with debris and overgrown with centuries of roots. "They need to be cleared and reactivated," he said.
"Exactly," Lyra confirmed, pushing a stray curl from her face. "And infused. Each line needs to hum with Divine Power to guide the Guardian back." She looked at him seriously, her green eyes focused. "I can channel the Divine Power, but clearing these will take time. They are deep, and there might be residual traps, old wards meant to protect the Heartstone."
Ren stood and drew his sword. "I'll clear them. Show me where to start." His decision was final. If this Ancient Divine Power could awaken Grove Guardians and create chaos, he had to understand its nature and what was disturbing it. Helping Lyra was the quickest way to gain that knowledge.
Lyra pointed to the largest, deepest groove. "Start here. It's the primary channel. Be careful. The wards around these Heartstones aren't just for protection; they often react violently to intrusion. And I can only hold the Guardian for so long."
Ren nodded, his expression unreadable. He approached the monolith, his Aura flowing into his blade, making the steel hum faintly. He began to work. His movements were precise and efficient. He wasn't just hacking at roots; he was gently prying away the debris, using his sword's sharp edge and the strength of his Aura to clear the ancient channels without causing more damage. He uncovered intricate symbols glowing softly, as if they had light from within the stone itself.
As he worked, a deep hum filled the clearing, rising from the Heartstone. It grew steadily, a resonant vibration that settled into his bones. Lyra, still focused on the Guardian, swayed slightly, but her eyes remained locked on her task.
Suddenly, as Ren cleared a stubborn patch of roots, a faint, ethereal Mana flare erupted from the groove. It wasn't an explosion, but a burst of raw, uncontrolled energy that pushed against him. An ancient ward had reactivated from his touch.
He reacted instantly. He didn't block it with his sword. Instead, he channeled a specific kind of Aura—a grounding, steady pulse—and met the magical flare head-on. It was like two opposing currents clashing in a quiet battle of force. The ward dissipated, absorbed by his controlled Aura, leaving only a faint tremor in the air.
Lyra's eyes widened slightly. "You can... absorb wards?" she whispered, surprise in her voice. "That's not common, even for a Shadow Walker."
Ren ignored her implied question. "Is this enough for the first channel?" he asked, focusing on the now clear, glowing groove.
Lyra nodded, her green eyes still studying him. "Yes. Now... hold steady." She shifted her focus from the Guardian, pouring more of her Divine Power into the cleared channel. The glowing symbols Ren had uncovered flared to life, creating a river of pure light flowing along the groove. It pulsed, connecting to the thrashing Guardian, which instantly calmed. Its movements slowed, and its roars faded into soft groans. The chaotic Aura it had emitted began to coalesce, pulling towards the Heartstone like iron to a magnet.
"It's working," Lyra breathed, relief evident in her voice, though her face was pale. "It's reconnecting."
Ren watched the massive creature, which slowly began to move towards the Heartstone, drawn by the luminous channel of Divine Power. He felt a quiet satisfaction. The crisis was averted for now. But the questions remained. Why had the Guardian been disturbed? What did Lyra's unique abilities and the secrets of these Heartstones and Rune Weavers mean for the future of Aethelgard? He sensed that his quiet journey to Oakhaven had just taken a long and complicated detour.