In that moment of desperation, Alan's scientific mind kicked into overdrive. If the Knight's armor was attuned to standard magical energy, perhaps something non-standard would affect it. He still had the damaged tuning crystal in his pocket—useless for generating energy, but perhaps it could still conduct it.
As the Knight reached for him, Alan pulled out the crystal and, acting on pure instinct, focused his mind on the quantum wave patterns he had perceived earlier—but this time, he visualized them in chaotic, unpredictable configurations, the opposite of the ordered patterns used in magic.
The crystal grew warm in his hand, then hot, as if responding to his mental projection. When the Knight's armored hand was inches from his throat, Alan thrust the crystal against its chest plate.
The effect was immediate and dramatic. Where the crystal touched the armor, ripples of disruptive energy spread outward, causing the seemingly solid material to fluctuate and destabilize. The Knight recoiled, its mental voice emitting what might have been a cry of pain or surprise.
"The armor—it's not physical matter!" Alan called to Marcus. "It's a stabilized energy field, susceptible to quantum disruption!"
Marcus didn't waste time questioning the unfamiliar terminology. He altered his magical approach, now directing his staff toward the ground beneath the Knight rather than at the creature itself. The stone cracked and shifted, causing the Knight to momentarily lose its footing.
Alan pressed his advantage, advancing on the Knight with the crystal extended. The creature retreated, its armor continuing to ripple and destabilize where the disruption had spread.
"You cannot prevent what comes," the Knight projected, its mental voice now fluctuating in strength. "The Void expands. The Masters will reach this reality. The anomaly will be collected."
"I'm not a specimen to be collected," Alan replied, continuing his advance. The crystal was growing painfully hot in his hand, but he maintained his focus on the chaotic wave patterns.
The Knight reached the edge of the path, seemingly unconcerned about the drop behind it. "This vessel is compromised, but others will come." With those final words, it stepped backward off the cliff, falling silently into the depths below.
Alan rushed to the edge, expecting to see the creature smashed on the rocks. Instead, he witnessed the Knight's form dissolve into shadow before it reached the bottom, dispersing like smoke in the wind.
"It returned to the Void," Marcus explained, joining him at the edge. "Physical manifestations can revert to energy state when damaged."
Alan opened his hand, dropping the now-blackened crystal, which had burned his palm. "It recognized me specifically. Called me 'the anomaly.' How is that possible?"
Marcus examined Alan's burned hand, then reached into his satchel for a small jar of salve. "The Void entities are connected to a collective consciousness. If one sensed you, all now know of you." He applied the cooling salve to the burn. "This is troubling. Void Knights rarely manifest except during major incursions."
"And they don't typically target specific individuals?" Alan asked, wincing as the salve stung before beginning to numb the pain.
"No. They are soldiers, destroyers. Not hunters." Marcus finished treating the burn and repacked his supplies. "Whatever drew you to our world has drawn their attention as well."
Alan flexed his hand, surprised at how quickly the pain was subsiding. "The Knight mentioned 'Masters beyond the Void.' What did it mean?"
Marcus's expression grew grave. "There are theories about intelligences that exist in the space between realities—entities that observe and sometimes interact with our world. Most scholars dismiss such ideas as superstition." He glanced at the spot where the Knight had stood. "I am no longer certain they are wrong."
The implications were disturbing. If Alan's arrival had somehow attracted the attention of interdimensional beings, the danger extended beyond just himself.
"We should continue," Marcus said, breaking into Alan's troubled thoughts. "Reach Ironhammer before nightfall if possible. The mountains become... less hospitable after dark."
They resumed their journey in silence, each processing the encounter in their own way. The path began to descend gradually, winding around the mountain rather than continuing upward. The terrain became slightly less treacherous, though Alan remained acutely aware of every loose stone and narrow passage.
As the afternoon wore on, the greenish tinge in the sky intensified, and the metallic scent in the air grew stronger. Alan began to notice subtle visual distortions at the edges of his vision—fleeting patterns that disappeared when he tried to focus on them.
"The mineral vapors," Marcus noted, seeing Alan's confusion. "They're affecting your perception. Try to focus on the path directly ahead."
Alan did as suggested, but the distortions persisted, gradually becoming more pronounced. Colors seemed more vibrant, edges more defined, and occasionally he thought he saw movement where there should be none.
"Is this... normal?" he asked, his voice sounding strangely distant to his own ears.
Marcus looked concerned. "You're more sensitive than most. The vapors interact differently with each person's energy field." He reached into his satchel and produced a small cloth. "Cover your nose and mouth with this. It's treated with an essence that should reduce the effects."
Alan accepted the cloth gratefully, tying it over the lower half of his face. The fabric had a pleasant herbal scent that helped clear his head somewhat, though the visual distortions continued.
They had been descending for about an hour when the path opened onto a wider ledge with a breathtaking view of the valley beyond. In the distance, partially obscured by the mountain haze, Alan could make out what appeared to be a city built into the face of a massive cliff—Ironhammer, presumably.
But what drew his attention more immediately was the structure directly ahead of them on the ledge—a circle of standing stones, each about twice the height of a man, arranged around a central altar-like stone table.