Fragment 4
The air around us thickened as we neared the dimly lit exit of the underground passage. It wasn't just cold—suffocating, like the darkness itself had a will, intent on crushing us under its weight. The chill ran deeper than fear; it felt like a promise of something far worse lurking ahead.
"Stay close," Amara whispered, her voice steady, though her sharp eyes darted ahead, scanning for any threats. The tunnel was eerily silent, amplifying every step we took. Our footsteps echoed off the stone walls, reminding us how vulnerable we were.
Lilith's hand gripped my arm, her fingers trembling. "Lucian, what if this is a trap?" Her voice barely rose above the tense silence, but I could hear the fear buried in her words.
"I don't know," I replied, keeping my voice as calm as possible Amara got us this far. We have to trust her."
Despite my words, doubt gnawed at the back of my mind. Something was wrong with this place. The darkness felt… alive, aware of us, like it was waiting for the right moment to strike.
Without warning, Nico stopped. His sudden halt made both Lilith and me freeze. He turned to face us, his eyes clouded with pain and something deeper—a struggle raging inside him.
"Lucian," Nico said, his voice low and tight, "I need to stay in control. If the Void takes over… if I lose myself—" His gaze locked onto mine, pleading, desperate. "You have to stop me. No matter what."
His request hit me like a punch to the gut. I swallowed hard, trying to find the right words. "Nico, you won't lose control. We're in this together, alright?"
He nodded, but his eyes told a different story. Doubt lingered in the air between us as we continued forward, an unspoken weight pressing down on all of us. This wasn't just about Nico anymore—it was about all of us.
Amara led us deeper into the labyrinth of old service tunnels, each turn sinking us further into the unknown. The oppressive quiet stretched on until Kien, floating ahead, broke the silence.
"Wait," he whispered, his small form glowing faintly with sapphire-blue light. "There's something… off about the energy here."
We halted, hearts pounding as we strained to feel whatever Kien had sensed. For a moment, the air felt electrified, charged with something unseen, something dangerous. Then, just as suddenly, it vanished.
"False alarm," Kien muttered, though his glow dimmed slightly. "It's gone. Let's keep moving, but stay sharp."
He drifted back to hover beside me, his eyes filled with a weight I hadn't seen before. "Lucian, I wish I could help more," he said quietly, his voice tinged with frustration. "My memories… they're shattered. It's like trying to put together a puzzle with missing pieces."
A knot tightened in my stomach. "What do you remember? Anything that can help us with Nico?"
"There's something," Kien began, his gaze distant. "It's tied to the Phantasmal Sea, to something ancient called 'Naming.' But the details… they're foggy. It involves vast amounts of aether and something else… something I can't quite grasp."
My brows furrowed. "And you think it could help Nico?"
"Maybe. The Void inside him—it's not just darkness, Lucian. It's something older, deeper, tied to things I barely remember." He paused as if testing the boundaries of his fractured memory. "And I know this much: it's far beyond the dark magic we've seen before."
A chill ran down my spine. "What about you, Kien? You already have a name, so why would I need to name you?"
Kien chuckled a weak but genuine sound. "Thanks for naming me again, but next time, try to watch your energy. Naming drains aether like nothing else." He paused, his eyes locking with mine. "Now, thanks to you, I have a steady flow of aether, and I can help you more than I did before."
The realization hit me like a hammer. "Wait… so just saying your name used my energy?"
Kien zipped away, evading my half-hearted attempt to swat at him. "Relax, Lucian. I'll pay you back in full. You'll need me." He winked his tiny form a blur of light.
I sighed, shaking my head. "You better." But despite the humor, a darker thought lingered: we were heading into something far beyond any of us.
Suddenly, Kien froze mid-air, his glow flaring brighter. "Get ready," he hissed. "We're not alone."
As if on cue, the shadows around us shifted and moved, coalescing into solid forms. Cold wind rushed down the tunnel, carrying with it the unmistakable presence of something malevolent.
Amara's blade hissed as she unsheathed it. "Alesta… and a Gritta." Her voice was tight, controlled. "Do not engage unless you have to. They're way above your level."
My heart thudded in my chest. I'd heard stories about Alesta and Gritta—fallen angels twisted by darkness and deadly scorpion-like warriors with venom that could melt steel. But seeing them now, fully formed and towering over us, was something else entirely.
The Alesta, tall and eerily beautiful with wings that seemed to devour the light, locked its gaze onto Nico. A cruel smile spread across his face. "Ah, the Void-touched boy."
Gritta, her massive scorpion tail swaying dangerously, narrowed her eyes at Kien, contempt dripping from every word. "And look, the once-mighty Sea Emperor's lackey, reduced to this pathetic wisp."
Kien floated forward, his glow intensifying as he faced them head-on. "What do you want with us?" he demanded, his voice carrying the weight of someone who had once held power.
The Alesta laughed, a cold, mocking sound that echoed off the tunnel walls. "Your time has passed, little wisp. You're nothing more than a ghost of what you once were."
Without warning, Kien's aura flared, and he unleashed a torrent of hydro energy at the Alesta. But the fallen angel barely reacted, deflecting the attack with a casual flick of his wrist.
The Alesta turned his attention to Nico, his smile widening. "How are your parents, Void-touched? The Emperor has decreed that it's time to collect."
Nico's face twisted in confusion and horror. "My parents… What are you talking about?"
The Alesta waved his hand dismissively. "Details aren't your concern. Just know that your place has been decided. Our lord values you."
In a flash, the Alesta vanished, reappearing within our group. His wings stretched wide, separating Nico from the rest of us. With a swift motion, he pressed a pitch-black crystal into Nico's chest.
"Nico!" I shouted, lunging forward, but I was too slow. Dark energy swirled violently around him, and Nico's body tensed as if the crystal were devouring him from the inside.
Gritta's gaze locked onto mine, her voice dripping with venomous amusement. "Bringer of Calamities, heir to a seatless throne. Why so weak? Do you think you stand a chance against our lord?"
My chest tightened, anger flaring inside me. "I don't care about thrones. And I don't care about your lord. You won't win."
Kien hovered beside me, his voice calm but firm. "Why target Nico? What's your lord's goal?"
The Alesta and Gritta exchanged glances, amusement flashing in their eyes. "You aren't ready for that knowledge," Gritta sneered. "But rest assured little wisp, it's far beyond what your small mind could comprehend."
With that, they both vanished into a swirling portal of darkness, their mocking laughter echoing as they disappeared.
The air settled, but the sense of impending doom lingered like a shadow over us. Nico's body trembled, his skin pale, his eyes now pitch black with swirling purple pupils.
"Nico!" I rushed to his side just as the shadows around him shattered like glass. His eyes cleared, but his body went limp, collapsing into my arms.
"We need to move," Amara's voice cut through the tension, sharp and focused. "We're not safe here."
As we lifted Nico's unconscious form, the weight of the situation pressed down on us. The journey ahead wasn't just about survival anymore—it was about unraveling the mystery of the Void, of Nico's place in all of this, and of the growing darkness that seemed determined to consume everything in its path.
We hoisted Nico's limp body, the weight of his form and the mysterious darkness within him heavier than ever. The crystal embedded in his chest flickered faintly, casting ominous shadows on the tunnel walls. As we moved, every step felt slower, as if the world around us had grown thicker with the oppressive energy left behind by the Alesta and Gritta.
Amara led the way, her sharp instincts and warrior's resolve keeping us focused. Her blade remained unsheathed, reflecting the constant threat that lingered in the shadows. "We don't have much time," she muttered, her eyes scanning ahead. "Whatever they did to Nico, it's spreading. We need to get to Hathor. Fast."
Lilith walked beside me, her eyes glued to Nico's pale face. "Lucian, what if…" her voice wavered, barely holding onto hope. "What if there's no way to stop this?"
I tightened my grip on Nico, feeling the unnatural cold seeping from his body. His breathing was shallow, and though his face was peaceful for now, I knew the storm inside him was only growing. "We won't let it get that far, Lilith. We'll get him to Halthor. They have the resources and knowledge to help him."
Even as I said the words, doubt clawed at my mind. That dark energy, the pitch-black crystal, everything about it was unlike anything we had encountered before. It wasn't just some curse or affliction—it was something deeper, more ancient. Something tied to the very essence of the Void itself.
Kien, floating nearby, remained silent for most of the trek, his usual glow dim. Finally, his voice cut through the tense atmosphere, barely more than a whisper. "The crystal… it's a Void conduit. The longer it stays inside him, the more it connects him to the Void. Removing it without understanding its full nature could kill him."
Lilith's eyes widened, and her hand trembled as she reached for Nico's shoulder. "So we're just supposed to leave it in him? Let that… that thing consume him?"
Kien shook his head solemnly. "It's not that simple. The Void operates on laws we don't fully understand. If we make the wrong move, it could tear his soul apart."
"Then what do we do?" I asked, frustration rising within me. "We can't just wait and watch as the Void takes over him."
Kien's gaze met mine, heavy with an ancient sorrow. "We need answers. Halthor may be our best chance, but I fear even their knowledge may not be enough."
The tunnel ahead widened into a large cavern, dimly lit by glowing crystals embedded in the walls. Amara motioned for us to pause, signaling two guards stationed at the far end. Their armor was intricately etched with protective runes, and their eyes immediately fell on Nico as we approached.
"This is the checkpoint," Amara explained, lowering her blade slightly. "We'll regroup here and prepare for the Rift teleporter. Halthor's medical centers are our only hope right now."
The guards nodded at Amara and exchanged a few quick words before motioning us inside the checkpoint. It was a small chamber, illuminated by softly glowing stones embedded in the ceiling, casting an almost serene light over the chaos we had just left behind.
We carefully set Nico down on a makeshift cot, his breathing still shallow, his face pale. Lilith knelt beside him, her fingers brushing through his hair. She didn't say a word, but the fear in her eyes was unmistakable.
I knelt beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We'll save him," I said, more to convince myself than anyone else. "We have to."
Amara, standing near the entrance of the checkpoint, exchanged quiet words with the guards. Their expressions remained serious, but they seemed to trust her. After a moment, she returned, her expression grim. "We're cleared to use the Rift teleporter at dawn. That gives us a few hours to rest, but not much."
"We'll need to be ready," I said, casting a glance at Nico. "The teleportation might affect him, right? With the state he's in…"
Amara's jaw tightened. "It might. But we don't have any other option. We have to risk it."
Kien floated above Nico, his sapphire glows flickering faintly. "Teleportation and Rift crossings affect the body, especially when there's foreign energy involved. But it's the only way to get to Halthor quickly. Just… be prepared for anything."
Lilith finally spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's getting worse, isn't he?"
Kien hesitated before answering, his voice soft but honest. "Yes. The darkness inside him is growing. But there's still time."
I stood, pacing the small room as the weight of the situation pressed down on me. "This Void… it's not just some dark magic. It's something older than anything we've encountered."
Kien nodded slowly. "The Void is tied to the very fabric of existence. It's not just a force—it's an absence. And that crystal in Nico… it's pulling him into that absence."
I felt a cold sweat break out on my skin. "And you can't tell us more because of this Genesis Grid, right? This 'Plausibility Endangerment'?"
Kien looked away, his small form tense. "The Grid exists to protect worlds like yours from knowledge that could unravel them. If I told you everything I knew… it could destabilize your entire reality."
Amara crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. "So we're stuck playing a game we don't understand."
"Not entirely," Kien said, his voice firm. "There are things I can help with. Things I can do to guide you. But there are limits. For now, all we can do is reach Halthor and hope they have answers we don't."
Lilith wiped her eyes, her voice breaking. "But why Nico? Why target him?"
Kien hovered lower, his gaze somber. "I don't know. But whatever they want with him… it's tied to something much bigger than just him. The Void doesn't act on whims."
Amara stepped forward, her voice decisive. "We'll get him to Halthor. After that, we'll find out what's going on. One step at a time."
The weight of Amara's words hung in the air. One step at a time. But it felt like we were standing on the edge of an abyss, one that threatened to swallow us whole if we made the wrong move.
The hours passed in a restless blur. Lilith stayed by Nico's side, her gaze never leaving his pale face, while I paced back and forth, my mind racing through possibilities. Kien hovered nearby, his once steady glow now flickering erratically as if the uncertainty of what was coming next was taking its toll on him too. The void that surrounded Nico felt like a ticking time bomb.
"Lucian, what happens if…?" Lilith's voice broke the silence, her words heavy with unspoken fears. She didn't finish the sentence. She didn't need to. I knew exactly what she meant.
I stopped pacing and knelt beside her. "We're going to save him," I said, trying to inject as much conviction into my voice as I could muster. "We're going to get him to Halthor, and they're going to help him. They have to."
She nodded, but her eyes were still clouded with doubt. "I've never seen anything like this before, Lucian. I'm scared… and I don't know what to do."
I squeezed her hand gently, trying to ground her in the moment. "We'll figure it out. Together."
Before the conversation could deepen, Amara returned from her discussion with the checkpoint's guards, her expression grim. "It's time," she said, her voice steady but urgent. "The teleporter's ready. We need to move now."
We carefully lifted Nico's limp form, securing him onto the stretcher. His breathing remained shallow, the eerie glow of the crystal in his chest still pulsing faintly. The tension in the air was palpable, a quiet understanding that this next step could either save him—or make things worse.
As we moved toward the Rift teleporter, Kien floated beside me, his voice barely above a whisper. "Lucian, I don't want to alarm you, but when we teleport… there might be side effects for Nico. His connection to the Void… it's already unstable. If the teleportation reacts badly with the crystal…"
"I know," I cut him off, my stomach twisting at the thought. "But it's our only chance."
We reached the teleporter room, the air buzzing with an electric hum. The device itself was a massive circular platform, illuminated by swirling lights that danced around the edges. It pulsed with raw energy, reminding me just how volatile Rift technology could be.
"Everyone ready?" Amara asked, her eyes scanning the group. There was a shared sense of nervousness between us, but there was no turning back now. We had to take this leap.
"I'm ready," I said, though the knot in my stomach told me otherwise.
Lilith looked pale but determined. "Let's do this."
Amara activated the teleporter, and instantly, the platform beneath our feet began to hum with increasing intensity. The air around us shimmered as the teleportation sequence initiated. Colors bled into one another, the world distorting around us as reality itself seemed to bend.
For a moment, it felt like we were being pulled in every direction at once. The sensation was disorienting—like being stretched and compressed simultaneously. I gritted my teeth, trying to focus through the chaos, but then I felt it—something wrong. A deep, dark energy clawing at the edges of my consciousness.
I turned toward Nico, and my heart sank.
The crystal embedded in his chest was glowing brighter, pulsing wildly. Dark tendrils of energy spiraled out from it, wrapping around his body like chains. His face twisted in pain, and his body convulsed.
"Nico!" I yelled, trying to move toward him, but the forces pulling at us made it impossible to reach him. His eyes snapped open, revealing that same swirling black and purple vortex. The Void was consuming him.
"Kien! What's happening?!" Lilith cried out, her voice strained from the pressure of the teleportation.
Kien's voice trembled, something I'd never heard before. "The Void… it's reacting to the teleportation. We need to stabilize him before it's too late!"
Everything was happening too fast. The swirling lights, the overwhelming pressure, Nico's body writhing as the Void tried to take hold of him—it felt like we were losing him.
And then, with a violent jolt, everything stopped.
The world snapped back into focus. The distorted colors, the warped reality—all of it settled into a calm, though disorienting, stillness. We had arrived in Halthor, but something was very wrong.
Nico lay motionless, the dark tendrils of energy still faintly clinging to him. His breathing was shallow—barely noticeable. I rushed to his side, kneeling next to him. The crystal was still there, glowing ominously, but it had dimmed slightly. Whatever had happened during the teleportation had drained him even further.
"Is he…" Lilith began, her voice choked with fear.
"He's alive," I said, though the relief was fleeting. "But we need to get him help. Now."
Amara wasted no time. "Follow me," she ordered, her voice all business as she led us through the city's streets.
Halthor was breathtaking. Massive spires of glass and steel rose into the sky, their surfaces glistening under the morning light. Waterfalls cascaded from the tops of towering structures, flowing into rivers that crisscrossed the city below. It was a place of incredible beauty and advanced technology—yet right now, all of it felt distant. My only focus was on Nico.
We arrived at the medical center, a sprawling facility surrounded by lush greenery and shimmering water features. Inside, the sterile, white hallways were filled with the hum of technology and the quiet urgency of healers moving from room to room.
We were met by a team of healers, who immediately took Nico from us, rushing him to an isolated room. Mother Rose Vermillion, the head of the facility, that Amara had told us about quickly on the side before we appeared here appeared shortly after. Her presence commanded immediate respect, her calm yet stern demeanor making it clear she was someone of immense authority.
"You must be Lucian," she said, her voice steady. "And this must be Nico. We've heard about what happened. Rest assured, we'll do everything we can."
She glanced at the crystal in Nico's chest, her expression darkening. "This is beyond even what we've seen. It will take time to understand what we're dealing with. The Void is… unpredictable."
Amara, standing beside me, crossed her arms. "What's our next step?"
Mother Rose studied Nico for a moment longer before turning to us. "You need rest. You've been through a lot, and while we tend to Nico, there's little you can do here. Trust us to take care of him. For now, go and recover your strength."
Lilith looked torn, her eyes locked on Nico's still form. "I don't want to leave him."
Mother Rose offered a small, reassuring smile. "He is in good hands. You've done your part. Let us do ours."
Amara nodded. "We'll rest, but keep us informed."
As we left the medical center, a sense of helplessness washed over me. We had made it to Halthor, but Nico was far from safe. Whatever had happened during the teleportation had brought him closer to the edge, and now all we could do was wait and hope that the healers could pull him back.
Later that Evening
The exhaustion finally caught up with me. We had been provided with rooms in the city's guest quarters, and despite the growing unease gnawing at my gut, sleep eventually overtook me.
But it was restless, filled with dreams of swirling shadows and Nico's anguished face.
When I woke, the room was dark, and for a moment, I felt disoriented. Then, a strange sensation washed over me—a cold, creeping feeling like something was wrong. Very wrong.
I sat up, my heart racing.
"Kien?" I whispered, scanning the room.
The small dragon-like spirit hovered by the window, his glow faint but steady. "Something's happening… in Nico's room."
I didn't wait for more. I jumped to my feet, bolting out of the room and down the hall. Lilith and Amara must have felt it too because they emerged from their rooms at the same time, fear etched on their faces.
We rushed through the halls of the medical center, the cold dread growing with every step. By the time we reached Nico's room, we could already see it—the shadows spilling out from under the door, thick and unnatural, swirling like a living storm.
"Nico!" I shouted, throwing the door open.
Inside, the scene was even worse than I could have imagined.
Nico was sitting up in bed, his eyes wide open but filled with darkness—those same swirling black and purple pupils. The shadows coiled around him like a second skin, and as I stepped closer, they cracked and shattered like glass.
For a moment, his eyes cleared, and he locked onto me.
Then he smiled.
A smile that didn't reach the depths of his gaze. A smile that wasn't Nico's.
"Lucian…" His voice was a whisper, barely audible, but it sent a shiver down my spine.
Before I could respond, his body went limp again, collapsing into the bed as the shadows faded.
I stood frozen, staring at my friend—my mind racing, my heart pounding.
Whatever was happening to Nico, it was getting worse.
And we were running out of time.