Fragment 5 Wavering Shadows
The quiet hum of the Damping cell lingered in the air as I sat alone in my room, the weight of everything pressing down on me. My mind replayed the last conversation with Nico, over and over. His plea for me to stop him, his confession that he cared… It felt like a noose tightening around my chest.
Outside, the city of Halthor was just waking up, but inside the guest quarters, it was eerily silent. The others must have been processing their fears and uncertainties in their ways. For a moment, I wished Vallen or Lilith would come knock on my door, break the silence, and give me something else to think about. But instead, it was just me and the dim light flickering in the corner.
Suddenly, Kien's faint glow filled the room, the soft shimmer of his presence breaking through my thoughts. "You're restless," he said simply, floating near the window. "Can't sleep?"
I shook my head, running a hand through my hair. "How can I? Nico... everything feels like it's spiraling out of control. And that voice… the one I heard when we were in the Void."
Kien floated closer, his usually playful demeanor replaced with a rare seriousness. "You're not alone in this, Lucian. The bond with the Sea—the 'Keeper of Secrets'—is growing. Whatever you experienced in that void, it's part of that power awakening. But, like Nico, it's tied to something ancient… something far beyond our understanding."
I sighed, leaning back against the cold wall. "Yeah, I get that. But it doesn't make this any easier."
Kien remained silent for a moment, his eyes glowing softly in the dim light. "The Void is trying to pull Nico further into its grasp, but you—you're a tether. A connection to something older than the darkness. Don't forget that."
His words settled in the room, a strange comfort amidst the growing chaos. But deep down, I couldn't shake the feeling that things were only going to get worse.
A soft knock on the door broke the silence. It creaked open slightly, revealing Lilith's familiar silhouette. Her usually confident expression was softened by exhaustion, and for a second, she just stood there, hesitant.
"Mind if I come in?" she asked quietly, her voice not carrying its usual authority.
I nodded, gesturing for her to sit. She entered, closing the door softly behind her, and we sat in the quiet for a moment, the weight of everything hanging between us.
"I can't stop thinking about it," she finally said, her voice low. "About Nico. About what he said... and how it's all falling apart faster than we can keep up."
Her words echoed the turmoil in my mind. I could see the tension in her posture, how she kept clenching and unclenching her fists, trying to hold on to something steady. But there wasn't anything steady anymore, was there?
I studied her for a moment, noticing the faint lines of exhaustion under her eyes, and the way her jaw tightened just a little too often. Lilith was always the one with the plan, the commander who made sure we all stayed on course. Seeing her this shaken was unsettling in itself.
"You're not alone in that," I finally said, my voice quieter than usual. "I feel like every time we get a step ahead, something comes crashing down, pulling us back."
She let out a hollow laugh, rubbing her temple. "Yeah, tell me about it. I'm used to being the one with the answers, you know? The one who sees the path and leads us forward. But now? Now I feel like I'm just grasping at straws."
I shifted on the bed, turning to face her more directly. "We've faced tough situations before, Lilith. You always get us through it."
She scoffed, shaking her head. "This is different, Lucian. It's not just another fight, or some monster we can take down with brute force or strategy. This... this is the Void. It's changing Nico, and if we're not careful, it's going to tear us apart."
Her words hung in the air like a heavy fog. I could see the fear in her eyes, the same fear I'd been wrestling with myself. And for once, Lilith—the one who always kept us moving forward—seemed lost.
"You don't always have to have all the answers," I said gently. "We're a team for a reason."
Lilith looked at me, her sharp eyes softening for a moment. "I know that. But it doesn't make it any easier. Every time I think about what's happening to Nico... I just feel so damn powerless."
I felt a pang in my chest. "You're not powerless. None of us are. We're just... in over our heads right now. But we'll figure it out."
She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, her hands clasped tightly. "You're right. I just... I don't know. I'm not used to feeling this way."
I reached out, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "None of us are. But you don't have to carry this alone. You've always been the one to push us forward, but sometimes... it's okay to let someone else take the lead."
Lilith's shoulders relaxed a little under my touch, and for a moment, the commander's facade cracked. She looked up at me, her eyes reflecting something deeper than just frustration or fear. There was a vulnerability there I hadn't seen before.
"I don't know how you do it," she said softly. "How you keep everything together. I look at you and think... how does he handle all of this? Nico, the Void, the Phantasmal Sea... it's so much."
I smiled, though it was a tired one. "I don't handle it, not really. I just... keep going. Because what else can I do?"
Her eyes lingered on mine, something unspoken passing between us. For all her strength, Lilith wasn't invincible. And for the first time, I think she was realizing that maybe she didn't have to be.
She leaned back, exhaling slowly. "You're a pain in the ass sometimes, you know that?"
I chuckled, glad for the slight shift in mood. "Yeah, I've heard that before."
For a few moments, the tension lifted, and we just sat in comfortable silence. But eventually, the weight of everything crept back in.
"You're right though," Lilith finally said, her voice quieter now. "We need to rely on each other more. I need to... stop trying to do it all on my own."
I nodded. "We'll get through this. Together."
She smiled faintly, the exhaustion still there but less consuming now. "Thanks, Lucian. I needed that."
Before she left, there was a pause, like she wanted to say something more, but the moment passed, and she stood. "Get some rest," she said, her commander tone slipping back into place, though softer now. "We'll need it."
As she left the room, I couldn't help but feel a little lighter, despite everything. There was something about Lilith's vulnerability that made me realize we weren't as alone in this as it sometimes felt.
The next day, the heaviness that had settled over us remained, but now, there was a sense of urgency that hadn't been there before. With Nico contained, but still very much in danger, the looming threat of the Rift Nexus and the Void's influence was no longer a far-off concern.
We gathered again in the strategy room, this time without the suffocating energy of panic but with a sharpened focus. Amara sat at the head of the table, her gaze steady and determined. Vallen, freshly cleaned up from another intense training session, took his usual spot. Lilith sat next to him, her posture still rigid but her eyes a little more clear after last night's conversation.
Rose was pacing near the far wall, her arms crossed and her brow furrowed. Nico, still within the dampening field, sat in the corner, his expression unreadable. The Void's influence still lingered around him, subtle but present, a shadow that hung just behind his calm demeanor.
Amara stood, placing her hands on the table, looking at each of us before speaking. "We need a plan. The Rift Nexus is a dangerous place, but if Nico's visions are to be trusted—and I believe they are—we don't have a choice."
Nico's calm voice cut through the tension. "The Void is waiting for something. The Nexus is part of that. If we get there first, we might have a chance to stop whatever is coming."
Lilith leaned forward, her voice laced with skepticism. "And what exactly is coming, Nico? Is the sky turning black? The Dukes of Chaos? This sounds like a nightmare, not a plan."
Nico's eyes flashed, just for a moment. "It's more than that. The Void isn't just chaos. It's order. It's everything we fear, but it's also everything we need to face."
Vallen, ever the quiet observer, finally spoke. "What about you, Nico? What happens to you if we go to the Nexus?"
Nico didn't answer immediately. His gaze flickered to me, and for a moment, I saw something in his eyes—fear, uncertainty, maybe even regret. "I don't know," he admitted quietly. "But it's the only way."
The room was quiet again, everyone processing the gravity of his words. The Rift Nexus was dangerous. The Void was unpredictable. And Nico... Nico was on the edge of something none of us could understand.
But there was no turning back now.
The morning light barely filtered through the thick glass windows of our quarters. Despite the brightness outside, the tension inside had yet to lift. Nico was still being held in the Damping cell, the soft hum of its energy fell throughout the base like a constant reminder that we were balancing on a knife's edge.
Amara had gone to confer with Rose about the next steps, leaving the rest of us to process everything Nico had revealed. The Rift Nexus, the vision of the sky turning black, and the looming threat of the Dukes of Chaos weighed heavily on all of us. Nico's words replayed in my mind, but it was his calm demeanor that stuck with me the most—too calm for someone facing an apocalyptic threat.
Lilith and Vallen were off somewhere, talking quietly. I couldn't hear them, but the way they leaned in close to each other, the occasional glance over their shoulders, showed just how much everything was weighing on them too. It was clear they were trying to make sense of it all in their way.
As for me, I felt lost.
I made my way toward Nico's cell, needing to talk to him, to find some kind of answer or reassurance. But as I approached, a strange sensation prickled at the edge of my mind—the same feeling I'd had when the Void had nearly swallowed him. A subtle, unsettling presence.
He was sitting inside, his head slightly tilted, eyes closed as if meditating. His usual air of control still lingered, but there was an undercurrent of something darker. Something that wasn't Nico.
"You came to check on me?" His voice broke the silence, soft but with a strange edge to it.
"Yeah," I said, hesitating as I stepped closer. "How are you feeling?"
He opened his eyes, a faint smile on his lips, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Better. The Damping cell helps, keeps the Void at bay… for now."
There was a long pause between us. I studied him carefully. His calm, collected demeanor was still there, but there was something off about it—like a mask that didn't quite fit anymore.
"You talked about the Rift Nexus," I began, trying to keep my voice steady. "About the Void… and everything that's coming. Are you sure this is the right path? It feels like we're walking into something we don't fully understand."
Nico's smile widened slightly, his gaze sharp. "Lucian, we don't understand it. That's the point. But waiting, hesitating, being cautious—that won't save us. The Void isn't going to wait for us to catch up."
His words were logical, even persuasive. And yet, something about them gnawed at me. There was a detachment in his tone, as if he no longer considered the consequences for any of us, only the end goal.
"But what about the team?" I pressed. "You're pushing us toward increasingly dangerous situations. Lilith, Amara, Vallen… they're all starting to doubt whether we can handle this."
Nico's expression softened, but his eyes remained cold. "The team is stronger than they realize. And you, Lucian… you're stronger than you realize. Trust me."
I frowned, unsure whether to push further. He had a way of making everything sound so reasonable, so clear-cut. But beneath the surface, I could feel something was wrong. This wasn't just Nico being logical—there was an undertone of something darker, something manipulative.
"I want to trust you," I said, my voice quieter now. "But… this doesn't feel right."
Nico leaned back slightly, his eyes never leaving mine. "The Void is powerful, Lucian. It's not just destruction—it's rebirth and transformation. We've been taught to fear it, but maybe… maybe there's something more."
The words sent a chill down my spine. Rebirth? Transformation? Nico was talking about the Void like it was something we could control, something we could use.
I wanted to say more, to challenge him, but he flashed me a charming smile—so reminiscent of the Nico I knew that it disarmed me for a moment. "Don't worry," he added, his tone lighter. "I've got this under control."
But did he? Or was the Void already controlling him?
Later, after the strategy meeting ended, I slipped away, my thoughts too clouded to join the others. Kien had been quiet throughout most of the discussion, hovering nearby but not saying much. Now, he floated beside me as I walked down one of the empty corridors, his glow faint but steady.
"I don't trust him," I said aloud, though I wasn't sure if I was talking to Kien or just myself. "Nico… he's changing."
Kien was silent for a moment, his sapphire-blue light dimming as though in thought. "The Void works in subtle ways," he finally said, his voice low and cautious. "It doesn't just corrupt outright. It weaves itself into a person's desires, their fears, their ambitions. It manipulates, and slowly, piece by piece, it becomes part of them."
I stopped walking, the weight of his words sinking in. "You think Nico's… already too far gone?"
"I don't know," Kien admitted. "But the Void is insidious. It makes people think they're in control when, in reality, it's pulling the strings."
A knot tightened in my chest. The more I thought about Nico, the more I realized how easily he had been manipulating the team, using logic and charm to guide us toward increasingly dangerous paths. And the worst part was, none of us had questioned him—because his reasoning was always flawless.
I leaned against the cold stone wall, closing my eyes. "What do we do then? If Nico is falling deeper into the Void, how do we stop it?"
Kien floated closer, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. "The Phantasmal Sea may hold the answer."
My eyes snapped open. "The Phantasmal Sea?"
He nodded, his usually playful demeanor now serious. "It's the birthplace of all mystical energies—Aether, the Void, and forces far beyond our understanding. It's where the balance of the universe is maintained."
Kien paused as if gathering his thoughts. "I served two great beings once: Bahamut, the soaring majesty of balance, and Tiamat, the chaotic force of creation and destruction. Both of them embody the duality of existence. Bahamut maintained harmony, while Tiamat… well, she thrived on chaos. But together, they kept the universe in check."
I listened closely, the names stirring something deep within me. Bahamut, Tiamat… these weren't just any gods. They were ancient, powerful, and tied to the very fabric of the world.
"Bahamut and Tiamat," I repeated softly. "They could help us, right? If they control such immense power, they could stop the Void."
Kien hesitated, his glow flickering slightly. "In theory… yes. But the gods don't intervene easily, and even if they did… you're asking for a power far beyond anything we can control. The balance is delicate, and sometimes, interference can do more harm than good."
I frowned, the hope I had briefly felt slipping away. "So we're just supposed to handle this on our own?"
Kien didn't answer immediately. Instead, he drifted toward the window, looking out over the city of Halthor. "The gods allow prayers, Lucian, but they don't always answer. There's a reason for that. Bahamut and Tiamat… they have their roles to play, their battles. Sometimes, the only way to face a threat like the Void is to find the strength within ourselves."
His words struck me deeply. I had always thought that if things got too dire, we could turn to some higher power, some divine intervention. But now… it seemed that wasn't an option.
Kien floated back toward me, his glow soft but steady. "Nico's power is growing, and the Void's influence is far more dangerous than any of us realize. You're connected to something ancient now, Lucian—something tied to the Phantasmal Sea. But you have to be careful. The Void will try to twist that power, just like it's twisting Nico."
A chill ran down my spine. "What do I do then?"
Kien's eyes gleamed with a strange, ancient wisdom. "You do what you've always done, Lucian. You fight. Not with brute strength, but with the knowledge you gain, with the power that's growing inside you. The Phantasmal Sea is your inheritance, and with it, you'll find the strength to face whatever comes next."
I nodded slowly, taking in his words. The path ahead wasn't clear, but Kien's insights gave me a new perspective. Nico's power was growing, but so was mine. And I couldn't let the Void consume him—or any of us.
As I walked back toward the others, Kien's final words echoed in my mind.
"The Void is cunning. Don't let it take you too."
As I made my way back to the others, Kien's words played on a loop in my head. The Void was a master of subtlety, and the thought of Nico falling deeper into its grasp made my chest tighten. I had to keep a clear head, now more than ever, but it felt like I was walking a tightrope. One wrong step, and I could fall into the same abyss that was threatening to swallow Nico.
The strategy room came into view, the soft murmur of voices growing louder as I approached. Lilith was seated near the center of the table, her gaze sharp, but I could see the weight of the situation pressing down on her too. Vallen sat across from her, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed, his usual calm demeanor masking the tension I knew he felt. Amara stood by the window, her posture rigid, hands clasped behind her back. The only person missing was Nico.
I slid into the room quietly, taking my place at the table. Lilith glanced at me, her expression softening for a brief moment before she turned her attention back to Vallen.
"So, what's the plan?" I asked, keeping my voice even, though my mind was still racing with everything Kien had said.
Lilith sighed, running a hand through her hair. "We're still trying to figure that out. Nico suggested the Rift Nexus, but… it's too dangerous. I don't like how much he's pushing for it."
I nodded, her concerns mirroring my own. "Yeah, it feels… off."
Amara turned from the window, her gaze fixed on me. "He's been acting different for a while now. Too confident, too calm. I know Nico's always been good at hiding his emotions, but this is something else."
Vallen shifted in his seat, uncrossing his arms. "It's like he's become a different person."
I wanted to deny it, to argue that Nico was still Nico. But I couldn't. Kien's warnings, Nico's growing manipulation—it was all too clear.
"We need to be careful," I said, my voice firmer now. "Nico's changing, and I don't think he's fully aware of it. The Void… it's twisting him, making him think he's in control when he's not."
Lilith narrowed her eyes, leaning forward. "So what do we do? We can't exactly confront him outright without pushing him further away."
Amara's gaze darkened. "I say we keep an eye on him. If he makes any sudden moves, we need to be ready to intervene."
I hesitated, remembering Nico's plea for me to stop him if he lost control. "He asked me to stop him… if the Void takes over completely."
The room fell silent at my words, the weight of what I'd just said sinking in.
"He knows, then," Vallen murmured, his eyes distant. "At least some part of him knows."
Lilith tapped her fingers against the table, her expression thoughtful. "We'll need a backup plan. We can't go into the Rift Nexus unprepared, and we can't afford to let Nico lead us blindly. But we also can't ignore the fact that the Void is growing stronger by the day."
Amara's voice was low, filled with resolve. "Then we prepare for the worst."
Before I could respond, the door creaked open, and Nico stepped into the room. His posture was relaxed, his face calm, but I could feel the shift in the air—the underlying tension that came with his presence. He smiled, that familiar, charming smile that had always put everyone at ease. But now… now it felt like a mask.
"Sorry to keep you all waiting," he said, his tone light. "What did I miss?"
Lilith was the first to speak, her voice steady. "We were just discussing our options. The Rift Nexus… it's a dangerous move."
Nico's smile didn't falter. "Every move we make from here on out is dangerous. But we have to be bold if we're going to stop the Void."
Amara crossed her arms, her eyes locked on Nico. "We know the risks, Nico. But we can't rush into this."
Nico's eyes flickered, just for a moment, a shadow crossing his face before he quickly masked it with that same calm expression. "I understand the hesitation, but we don't have time to waste. The Void isn't going to wait for us to be ready. We have to act."
His logic was sound—too sound. But underneath it, I could hear the undercurrent of something darker, something pushing him to lead us down this path.
"We'll prepare," Lilith said, her tone final. "But we're not going in blind."
Nico nodded, his smile returning. "Of course."
As the meeting continued, Nico laid out his plans with precision and care, each step mapped out perfectly. But the more he spoke, the more unsettled I felt. There was a coldness to his words, a detachment that wasn't there before. The rest of the team seemed uneasy too, though no one said anything outright. Nico's charm, his persuasive reasoning—it was hard to argue against.
But I knew. Deep down, I knew something was wrong.
When the meeting finally ended, and the others began to disperse, I lingered behind. Nico stayed too, his gaze following Lilith and Amara as they left the room. He turned to me, his smile fading slightly.
"You're quiet tonight," he said, his voice soft.
I hesitated, unsure how to respond. "Just… thinking."
Nico stepped closer, his expression unreadable. "About what?"
I met his gaze, the familiar warmth in his eyes still there, but it felt distant now like it was just beyond my reach. "About you."
His smile returned, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Worried about me?"
I didn't answer right away. Instead, I studied his face, searching for any trace of the Nico I used to know. "Are you?"
For a moment, something flickered in his expression—genuine emotion, raw and unguarded. But it was gone as quickly as it came.
"I'm fine, Lucian," he said, his tone light, but there was an edge to it. "You don't need to worry about me."
But I did. I worried more than I wanted to admit.
"I'm always going to worry," I said quietly. "You're my friend."
Nico's gaze softened, and for a brief moment, I saw the old Nico—the one who always had my back, the one I trusted more than anyone. But then his eyes darkened again, the Void's shadow creeping back in.
"Lucian…" He hesitated, his voice quieter now. "If it comes to it… you'll do what needs to be done, right?"
The weight of his words settled between us, heavy and unspoken. He didn't need to elaborate. I knew what he was asking.
"I don't want it to come to that," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
Nico's smile was sad, almost resigned. "Neither do I."
We stood there in the dim light of the strategy room, the silence stretching between us. The bond we shared, the years of friendship, felt fragile now like it could break at any moment. I wanted to reach out, to pull him back from the edge. But I didn't know how.
Eventually, Nico turned away, heading for the door. "Get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."
I watched him leave, the knot in my chest tightening. The Void was pulling him deeper, and I wasn't sure if I could stop it.
As I made my way back to the guest quarters, Kien's words echoed in my mind.
"The Void is cunning. Don't let it take you too."