It was strange, for a room which only a moment before seemed so full of the worst kinds of energy, now felt actually rather-peaceful. Soft light glowed from broken fragments of the Nexus Core, and the dark energy which had filled the room dissipated like so much fog at morning light. The atmosphere was tense, though, a sign this victory was only the beginning of so much more-so much greater, and so much riskier.
Ember stood beside me, her bright tail twitching in a mixture of success and excitement. "One Core down," she said, the rasp of her voice low, even though her body had been tired. "How many more do you think there are?"
"It's hard to say," I answered and looked at the silent Core. "The System doesn't give any clear guides, but if this was a fragment of the Nexus, then the Heart itself…" I didn't continue because I didn't even want to voice that idea.
