Min Joon tightened his grip on the Fragment of Aeoris as the Guardian's voice faded into the echoes of the chamber. The shard pulsed faintly in his palm, a reminder of the harrowing visions it had shown him.
"What now?" Astra asked, her tone unusually subdued. She wasn't one to be shaken easily, but the weight of Aeoris's downfall seemed to linger in the air.
"We move forward," Min Joon said, his voice steadier than he expected. He slid the shard into his pouch, the faint glow vanishing as he secured it. "Whatever this power is, I have to learn to control it."
"Control it?" Astra raised an eyebrow, her tone skeptical. "The last guy who tried that wiped out an entire kingdom."
"I'm not Aeoris," Min Joon snapped, more sharply than he intended. He took a breath, his gaze softening. "I've seen what happens when this power is abused. That's not what I want."
Dain stepped closer, his arms crossed. "And what do you want, exactly? To play hero? To redeem yourself? The Eye isn't just a tool—it's a weapon. If you're not careful, it'll consume you."
Min Joon met Dain's gaze, unflinching. "I don't have all the answers yet. But I know one thing—I'm not going to let this power define me. Not like Aeoris."
Astra sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Well, whatever your plan is, let's hope it doesn't get us all killed. This place is starting to give me the creeps."
The chamber rumbled again, as if to agree. Dust fell from the ceiling, and faint cracks began to spread along the walls.
"The ruins are unstable," Dain observed, his tone grim. "We need to get out of here. Fast."
As they retraced their steps, the oppressive atmosphere of the ruins seemed to intensify. The corridors were darker now, the flickering runes on the walls barely providing enough light to guide them.
Astra led the way, her blade drawn and her eyes sharp. Min Joon followed closely, the weight of the shard and the Eye a constant presence. Dain brought up the rear, his footsteps eerily silent despite the crumbling floor beneath them.
"Something's off," Astra muttered, pausing at a fork in the path. She turned to Min Joon, her expression tense. "Do you feel it?"
Min Joon nodded. The air was heavy, almost suffocating, as though the ruins themselves were alive and watching them.
A low growl echoed from the shadows, sending chills down his spine.
"Not again," Dain muttered, drawing his twin blades.
From the darkness, a creature emerged. Unlike the stone-and-shadow beast they had faced earlier, this one was smaller, sleeker, but no less menacing. Its body was made of blackened bone, its joints crackling with green energy. Its hollow eyes glowed with an unnatural light, locked onto Min Joon.
"It's after the shard," Astra said, her grip tightening on her sword.
"No kidding," Min Joon muttered, the Eye in his chest flaring as though in response to the creature's presence.
The creature lunged.
Astra was the first to react, her blade slicing through the air with deadly precision. The creature twisted unnaturally, dodging her strike and slashing at her with razor-sharp claws. She barely managed to block, the force of the attack sending her skidding backward.
Dain darted in from the side, his movements fluid and precise. His blades struck the creature's legs, but instead of cutting through, they sparked against its bony frame.
"This thing's tougher than it looks," Dain growled, dodging another attack.
Min Joon stepped forward, the Eye's energy crackling around him. He summoned a crimson tendril of power, lashing out at the creature. The tendril wrapped around its neck, pulling it off balance, but the creature snarled and severed the energy with a snap of its jaws.
"Great," Min Joon muttered. "It adapts."
The creature lunged at him, its claws aiming for his chest. Min Joon raised his arm instinctively, a barrier of crimson energy flaring to life. The creature's claws struck the barrier, sparks flying as it screeched in frustration.
"We need to take it down fast," Astra shouted, rushing in to deliver another strike.
Min Joon's mind raced. The shard in his pouch was reacting to the creature, its faint glow pulsing in sync with the Eye. An idea sparked in his mind—risky, but it might work.
"Astra, Dain!" he called out. "Keep it busy!"
The two nodded, redoubling their efforts to distract the creature. Astra's strikes were relentless, her blade a blur as she forced the creature to focus on her. Dain flanked it, his blades targeting its joints in quick, precise movements.
Meanwhile, Min Joon reached for the shard, feeling its warmth against his palm. He closed his eyes, focusing on the connection between the shard and the Eye. The energy surged through him, wild and untamed, but he didn't fight it.
He directed the energy toward the creature, forming a blazing sphere of crimson light in his hand.
"Move!" Min Joon shouted.
Astra and Dain leapt back just as Min Joon hurled the sphere. The energy struck the creature, engulfing it in a fiery explosion. The force shook the corridor, and for a moment, all was silent.
When the dust cleared, the creature was gone, its remains reduced to ash.
Min Joon sank to his knees, his breathing ragged. The shard in his hand dimmed, its energy spent.
"You okay?" Astra asked, kneeling beside him.
Min Joon nodded, though his body ached from the strain. "Yeah. Just… give me a minute."
Dain sheathed his blades, his expression unreadable. "That was reckless. But effective."
Min Joon managed a weak smile. "I'll take that as a compliment."
As they continued their journey, the shard felt heavier in Min Joon's pouch, its secrets weighing on his mind. The Guardian's words echoed in his thoughts: The truth you seek may not be the one you wish to find.