The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of crimson and gold as Gabi-Hi and Kael pressed forward. The ruins of Lyrienne lay just ahead, their jagged spires silhouetted against the dying light.
The battle with the Specters lingered in the air between them, unspoken but heavy. Gabi-Hi could still feel the Blade of Shadows pulsing faintly at her side, its dark energy coiling like a serpent.
"Do you feel that?" Kael asked, his voice breaking the tense silence.
Gabi-Hi frowned. "Feel what?"
He gestured ahead. "The air—it's... wrong."
As they approached the ruins, a chill settled over them. The once-proud city was a husk of its former self, its stone walls crumbled and overgrown with thorny vines. Shadows seemed to writhe and shift of their own accord, and the faint sound of whispers drifted on the breeze.
Kael tightened his grip on his sword. "This place feels cursed."
"It probably is," Gabi-Hi muttered. She didn't have time for fear. The relic was here—she could feel its pull, a faint yet insistent tug deep in her chest.
They entered the ruins cautiously, their footsteps echoing on the cracked stone. The whispers grew louder, indistinct but haunting, as if the city itself was mourning its demise.
At the heart of the ruins stood a crumbling cathedral, its stained-glass windows shattered long ago. Gabi-Hi paused at the entrance, her eyes scanning the intricate carvings that adorned the archway.
"These symbols," Kael said, tracing one with his fingers. "They're ancient. Pre-clan era."
"They're a warning," Gabi-Hi said grimly. "Whatever's inside, it was never meant to be disturbed."
"Then why are we doing this?" Kael asked, his tone laced with frustration.
"Because we don't have a choice," she snapped, pushing open the heavy doors.
Inside, the cathedral was bathed in an eerie, otherworldly light. The air was thick with a palpable energy, and the whispers grew louder, forming words just at the edge of comprehension.
At the center of the room stood an altar, its surface etched with more ancient symbols. Resting atop it was a shard of black crystal, pulsing faintly with a rhythmic glow.
"The relic," Gabi-Hi whispered, her breath catching.
Kael hesitated. "It doesn't look... safe."
"Nothing about this is safe," she said, stepping forward.
As she reached for the shard, a voice echoed through the cathedral, low and resonant.
"Who dares disturb the Veil of Truth?"
Gabi-Hi froze, her hand hovering above the relic. The shadows around them coalesced, forming a figure cloaked in darkness. Its eyes burned with an intense, otherworldly light.
"You seek the relic," the figure said, its voice reverberating through the room. "But do you understand the cost?"
"What cost?" Gabi-Hi demanded, her voice steady despite the fear clawing at her.
The figure tilted its head, studying her. "To wield the power of the relic is to bind yourself to the Abyss. Its power will grant you victory, but it will also consume you."
Gabi-Hi clenched her fists. "I don't care about the cost. If I don't take this relic, countless lives will be lost."
The figure's gaze shifted to Kael. "And you? Will you stand by her side, knowing what she risks?"
Kael hesitated, his eyes darting between Gabi-Hi and the shadowy figure. "I won't abandon her," he said finally, his voice firm. "No matter what happens."
The figure seemed to smile, though it was hard to tell in the shifting shadows. "Very well. But remember this: the path you walk leads only to darkness. There will come a time when you must choose—sacrifice yourself, or sacrifice the world."
Before either of them could respond, the figure dissolved into the shadows, leaving only silence in its wake.
Gabi-Hi reached for the relic again, her fingers closing around the cool, smooth crystal. A surge of power coursed through her, sharp and electric, and she gasped as visions flooded her mind.
A city consumed by flames. A towering figure draped in shadows. A familiar face twisted in betrayal.
When the visions faded, she staggered back, the relic clutched tightly in her hand.
"What did you see?" Kael asked, his voice laced with concern.
"Nothing good," she said, slipping the relic into her satchel. "Let's get out of here."
---
As they exited the cathedral, the whispers faded, replaced by an oppressive silence. The relic's power thrummed faintly at Gabi-Hi's side, a constant reminder of the weight she now carried.
But the shadow's warning echoed in her mind. Sacrifice herself, or sacrifice the world.
She shook her head, her resolve hardening. She would find a way to break the cycle. She had to.
Unseen by either of them, the shadows around the ruins shifted and coiled, watching them as they disappeared into the night.