POV: Kaycee
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The feeling of crouching in the shadows, unseen to her companions who were mere feet away from her, felt surreal to Kaycee. It was strange, but it gave her a feeling of power that she wasn't familiar with. There, in an alien world with enemies she barely understood, she watched Darren and Asher Hardy.
The look of surprise on Darren's face as she activated Shadow Step and disappeared from view made her smile to herself. She was pretty sure she loved the man, but that didn't mean she couldn't have a little fun at his expense. Plus, she'd really wanted to try out her new ability. She wasn't even aware it had been unlocked before Darren asked, but once she realized what she could do she just had to do it.
She turned and activated Shadow Step again, moving swiftly and silently, invisibly, between the shadows stretching menacingly across the Twilight ground. The movements felt as natural as breathing.
As safely as she could, she made her way away from her companions and toward the bottom of the ravine. Her path was treacherous, and each step threatened to be the one that sent her tumbling downward.
The thick mist was layered and the deeper she went, the more odorous the air became. It was a relatively short trip down, though, and soon she found herself shrouded in the mist herself. Shadows stretched ominously across the ravine, overlaying the mist and the ground.
She strained her senses, listening for any sort of enemy approach. The stillness was eerie and yet somehow comforting to Kaycee. There where no one could see her, she could be anything she wanted. There were no expectations to fulfill, no burdens to carry; she could be her true self.
Or perhaps she was just sinking into the moment a little too deeply. With a shake of her head, she remembered her purpose for being there and started forward. She took only a few steps before beginning to hear muffled voices speaking in a language she could not understand.
She slipped a bit closer, knowing she was virtually undetectable to the Duskborne. Once she was close enough to see the creatures, she halted, staying absolutely still in order to increase the effectiveness of her stealth, thanks to Silent Stride, of course.
The remaining Duskborne were huddled around their leader, with none of them paying any attention to their surroundings. A gruff sound came from where Kaelen Veyl lay, and he sat up slowly. They carried on a quiet conversation, undoubtedly informing Veyl of what had happened at the end of his battle with Darren.
As she watched, the creatures began to shift backward, giving room to their Blood Captain so that he could stand. He did so gingerly, and with a look of pain on his face. Kaycee was surprised that the Duskborne hadn't simply left Veyl to die. They seemed like a brutal and war-loving people, the type that, to her mind, shouldn't have cared enough about their leader to save him.
Her thoughts zipped back to the present as she saw what she was looking for: the artifact. The Duskborne had dropped it near a narrow and treacherous looking path that appeared to lead up and out of the ravine, though on the opposite side from where she came down.
She waited, though, waiting for the right moment to act. The minutes dragged on as she crouched silently in the shadows. Her legs were beginning to burn, and discomfort was reaching a high she didn't like.
Then her chance came. An open corridor opened up between her and the artifact. She closed her eyes and felt all the shadows within range of her ability. The artifact itself was casting a shadow, but it was too small for Kaycee to slide into at this point.
Instead, without hesitation, she slipped from the shadow she was crouching in, to that cast by a massive, clawing, decaying tree at the top of the ravine ahead of her. She came out inches from the artifact and grabbed it quickly, cradling it in the crook of her left arm. Intuitively, she knew that anything she was touching would be able to move through the shadows with her, so before a breath could be exhaled she and the artifact were gone.
This time her Shadow Step took her to the limits of her vision, which admittedly wasn't very far. Without pausing she continued melting from shadow to shadow, very rapidly finding herself back at the top of the ravine from which she'd descended.
She heard a guttural war-cry echo through the ravine behind her. A small smile appeared on her lips. She was satisfied with her successful efforts to obtain the artifact, so she allowed herself that. Remaining any longer was out of the question, though.
Seconds later she was once more in the company of Darren and Asher.
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POV: Hardy
Hardy's body ached, though Kaycee had done what she could with the limited time she'd had. He knew Darren was feeling the pain too, having also been hurt in their battle with the Duskborne. He didn't think Kaycee would take very long in completing her task, but he decided to sit with his back against a nearby tree and rest a bit while he waited. Darren stayed silent, looking into the trees in the direction of the ravine.
He thought again about what EDS had previously mentioned about FLUX cores. He was on the Radiant Path, something he didn't even know was possible mere days ago. And now he had this Core inside his body, or spirit, or both, and he didn't really know what to make of that either.
He supposed the best path forward was to work on developing his Core and becoming an asset to the Knights. He wasn't one of them, but he could be helpful to them. He knew that at his current level he was no match for either of his companions, but he was much stronger and faster than any other person he'd ever met, and if he focused on developing further then there was no telling how powerful he could become.
He focused on Kaycee's status bars, making sure she was still at full health. The HUD was another thing he wasn't used to, but he had only just gotten the Knight's Beacon and Companion Band recently. Perhaps he would become accustomed to all of these changes in time. He hoped he would.
Suddenly, Kaycee appeared in a nearby shadow and walked toward Darren with the artifact cradled in an arm. Asher rose to his feet and moved closer to the pair. His eyes locked on the artifact and he was unable to look away. He'd sensed something strange while still in the Gate House, but he'd been so preoccupied by the battle that he didn't have time to stop and think about what that feeling could be. Now, though, with no imminent threat, he found himself drawn to the item.
"EDS, what is that thing?" he asked aloud, knowing the entity would hear him.
Then, as if from nowhere, EDS responded. "Wait while I perform a scan."
The large, ruby-like stone pulsed with a deep, mesmerizing glow. It wasn't just the blood-red hue that struck him, but the way it seemed to call out, a thrumming energy that resonated deep within his FLUX core, like a heartbeat. As if alive, it radiated waves of power that stirred something primal inside him. His pulse quickened as he drew closer, feeling the warmth emanating from the stone's surface, like embers trapped within glass. With each step, the energy intensified, tugging at his very core, pulling him into alignment with it.
"That," EDS began, an echo of awe lacing his words, "is the Astral Heartstone."
"Astral Heartstone?" Asher muttered, "Can I hold it?"
Kaycee paused, glancing toward Darren, before shrugging and handing the Heartstone to Asher. It was all sharp angles and smooth edges, and was roughly the size of a soccer ball, though not spherical. As he took the Astral Heartstone in his hands, Asher's core seemed to vibrate powerfully in his chest. He heard Darren ask EDS for more information, but was completely absorbed by the artifact.
"The origin of the Astral Heartstone is unknown, and its whereabouts have also been unknown for several thousand years," EDS explained. Hardy tried to listen through the pulsing sounds in his ears. "It is an artifact of immense power, used by some of the greatest walkers of the Radiant Path in history. Its exact abilities are not recorded. I do wonder how it came to be here on Twilight, of all places."
Hardy began to speak as knowledge of the Astral Heartstone sank into his mind and Core. "The Duskborne found this Astral Heartstone hidden within Twilight's depths, and used it to tear open a breach to Earth. But it is capable of far more. It is a reservoir of untapped energy; a gateway across worlds and dimensions. There is an entire dimension, an astral plane of sorts, embedded within its depths. I can almost see it: a flickering expanse on the edge of perception… I think the wielder of this Astral Heartstone might one day be able to enter its hidden realm."
The stone continued to pulse, as if answering his thoughts. With a sudden jolt, Hardy realized it was more than just a tool; it was an ally, a guide to other powerful artifacts and energies hidden across worlds. It was a forge for his very essence.