With their initial success reinforcing the veil, a renewed sense of purpose filled the small group.
Lyra consulted her mental map of the Silent Sands Expanse, identifying other significant nexus points where the veil was reported to be dangerously thin.
"The Keepers' readings indicate two more locations with critical weaknesses," Lyra projected, pointing to shimmering areas on her mental projection.
"One is to the east, near the remnants of an ancient battleground, the other to the west, close to the edge of a region known for its volatile temporal distortions."
Zephyr shivered. "Temporal distortions? Sounds… wobbly."
Lyra nodded grimly.
"The Silent Sands Expanse bears the scars of many Void incursions throughout history. These distortions are lingering echoes of those conflicts, making the veil even more fragile in those areas."
They set off across the barren landscape, the hazy light casting long, eerie shadows.
The stillness was broken only by the faint whispering of the weakened veil and the occasional gust of what felt like cold, empty wind.
They encountered more frequent signs of past battles – shattered structures of light, remnants of ancient wards, and lingering pockets of chaotic energy that Zephyr had to carefully navigate around.
As they approached the eastern nexus point, the air grew heavy with a palpable sense of past conflict.
Fractured images flickered at the edge of Einar's awareness – legions of light battling shadowy figures, the clash of powerful energies, and the cries of fallen souls. This place felt deeply scarred, the veil weakened not just by Gorok's recent influence but by the echoes of immense suffering.
The nexus itself was a swirling vortex of greyish-white energy, much larger than the one they had encountered in the Silent Labyrinth, with tendrils of dark energy snaking outwards like grasping claws.
The veil here was almost entirely translucent, offering a terrifyingly clear view into the cold, empty expanse of the Void.
"This is far worse than the last one," Zephyr projected, his orange light flickering with alarm.
Lyra nodded, her expression grim.
"The residual energies of past incursions have made this point incredibly vulnerable. Einar, we need to focus the amplification through the crystalline array. The instability here is too great to rely solely on direct projection."
Lyra began to manipulate her Soul Society energy, attuning one of the mental conduits to the specific frequencies they needed to broadcast.
As she worked, Einar prepared himself, focusing his Void energy, ready to channel it through the amplified conduit towards the tattered veil.
The task ahead felt more daunting, the weight of the potential consequences pressing down on them.
The scars of the past had made the present danger even greater.