The cold air wrapped around Caden as he followed Garrick deeper into the sanctuary. Shadows twisted along the stone walls, moving like a dark tide, almost as though they were alive, drawn to the faint glow of the shard in his pocket. The deeper they went, the more the oppressive energy pressed down on him, tightening like a vise around his chest.
Every step felt heavier, and despite the faint pulse of the shard's power, exhaustion seeped into his bones. The sanctuary's corridors wound downward, spiraling into the depths of the earth, the only light coming from the shard and Garrick's staff, which cast a faint glow.
"Stay alert," Garrick whispered, his voice barely more than a breath. "The echoes here are bound to their purpose. They will do whatever it takes to keep us from the fragments."
As they rounded a corner, Caden's vision flickered, and a brief message pulsed in his view.
[Warning: Interference detected. System functions may be unreliable.]
He grimaced, clutching the shard in his pocket. The System had been his guide, his warning, and his weapon. Without it, he felt exposed, vulnerable.
"Garrick," he murmured, the unease sharpening his voice. "The System… it's acting strange. It says there's interference here."
Garrick's face was grim in the dim light. "It's the sanctuary. This place was designed to ward against interference from outside forces, including anything connected to the System. We're on our own down here."
A faint rustling echoed from somewhere ahead, and Caden's muscles tensed. The shadows thickened, coalescing into shapes that flickered and danced, spectral figures that moved with a slow, deliberate grace, their eyes hollow and empty.
One of the figures stepped forward, its form half-visible, as though caught between this world and the next. It wore ancient armor, the metal corroded and cracked, and its eyes glowed faintly, like embers hidden beneath a layer of ash. Caden's breath hitched as the figure raised an arm, its hollow gaze locking onto him.
The System flickered to life with a faint message:
[Analyzing… Echo of the Sentinel. Threat Level: Moderate to High.]
Garrick raised his staff, his voice calm but firm. "These echoes are protectors. They're bound to the sanctuary and its power. They'll guard it with everything they have."
The Sentinel Echo moved closer, its spectral hand reaching toward Caden, the air around it growing colder with each step. Caden took a shaky breath, his hand moving instinctively to the shard. The weight of it grounded him, and he felt the faint pulse of energy responding to his touch.
"Let me handle it," Garrick said, stepping forward, his staff raised defensively. "Conserve your strength. We don't know what else is down here."
Caden hesitated but nodded, stepping back as Garrick faced the Echo. With a swift motion, Garrick thrust his staff forward, sending a crackling arc of energy through the air. The bolt struck the Sentinel, but the Echo merely staggered, its form flickering before it steadied itself, its gaze sharpening.
Garrick's expression tightened, and he muttered something under his breath. "Stronger than I expected."
The Sentinel lunged forward, swinging a spectral weapon that shimmered faintly in the dark. Garrick sidestepped, bringing his staff down in a sweeping arc that sliced through the Echo's form, dispersing its outline in a wave of shadow. For a moment, the figure wavered, then dissolved into wisps of smoke that dissipated into the darkness.
Garrick turned to Caden, his eyes narrowing. "This place is crawling with them. We'll need to keep moving and avoid as many as we can. Even if we can handle them one by one, they'll wear us down."
They moved quickly, pressing deeper into the sanctuary's twisting corridors. Caden's grip on the shard tightened, the faint pulse of its energy a comforting anchor amid the growing dread that filled the air. He could feel it calling to something in the depths below, a pull that grew stronger with each step.
After what felt like an eternity, they entered a wide chamber, the walls lined with faded murals depicting scenes of ancient battles and rituals. At the center of the room stood a pedestal, and on it, a fragment rested, pulsing with a dark, ominous light. The energy radiating from it was overwhelming, a tangible force that pressed down on Caden's senses.
Garrick held out a hand, stopping Caden from approaching. "Wait. This fragment… it's powerful, but something's wrong." He narrowed his eyes, studying the dark energy swirling around it. "It's corrupted. The Shattering left a mark on it, one that could influence even the strongest of wills."
Caden felt a shiver crawl down his spine. "So what do we do? Leave it?"
"We can't just leave it," Garrick replied, his gaze steady. "It's part of the System, and it will continue to draw echoes as long as it remains here. But taking it could be dangerous. You're already weakened."
Caden took a steadying breath, his gaze fixed on the fragment. The power it held was palpable, almost magnetic, and he felt it resonate with the shard in his pocket, pulling at something deep within him.
"I'll take it," he said, his voice firm despite the exhaustion that weighed on him. "If I leave it here, more echoes will come. I can't ignore it."
Garrick studied him for a long moment, then nodded. "Very well. But be careful. The fragment may not behave as your shard does. Corruption changes the nature of things—it may affect you in ways you don't expect."
Caden approached the pedestal, his hand hovering over the fragment. The energy radiating from it was cold, bitter, a sharp contrast to the warmth of the shard he already carried. He hesitated, feeling the weight of Garrick's warning in the back of his mind, but then steeled himself, reaching out to grasp the fragment.
The moment his fingers closed around it, a shock of energy pulsed through him, and the world around him blurred. He staggered, feeling a rush of memories, images, and emotions that weren't his own flooding his mind. Shadows clawed at his thoughts, twisting and writhing, voices whispering in a language he couldn't understand.
[Warning: User integrity compromised. Corruption detected.]
The System's message cut through the haze, but it was faint, as though coming from a great distance. Caden's grip tightened on the fragment, struggling to steady himself, to push back against the surge of dark energy that clawed at his mind.
"Focus, Caden!" Garrick's voice was sharp, grounding him. "Don't let it consume you. It's a piece of the System, and it will bend to your will if you hold strong."
Caden took a deep breath, centering himself, focusing on the shard's faint pulse in his other hand. Gradually, he felt the darkness recede, the whispers fading to a dull hum. The fragment's energy stabilized, merging with the shard's power, a mix of light and shadow that settled uneasily within him.
He looked up, meeting Garrick's gaze. "I… I think I've managed it."
Garrick gave a short nod, though his expression was wary. "You've subdued it, but be cautious. Corruption isn't easily purged. The effects may linger."
Caden swallowed, nodding in acknowledgment. He could feel the fragment's influence, a dark weight pressing on his spirit, lingering like a shadow. It was both powerful and unnerving, a constant reminder of the dangers that came with wielding such fragments.
As they turned to leave the chamber, a low, resonant growl echoed from the darkness, followed by the shuffling sound of more footsteps. Caden and Garrick paused, their gazes darting to the shadows that now seemed to close in from every side. Glowing green eyes flickered to life in the dark, not just one pair, but several.
"More Echo Beasts," Caden whispered, gripping the shard tightly, feeling its faint pulse surge in response to the looming threat.
Garrick raised his staff, a determined look in his eyes. "Taking that fragment must've triggered their defenses. We'll need to fight our way out."
The beasts emerged from the shadows, their twisted forms shifting and flickering as they circled, each one radiating a menacing energy that pressed heavily against Caden's already weary body. He took a deep breath, grounding himself in the shard's pulse, but he knew he couldn't keep drawing on its power without risking collapse.
"Stay close," Garrick said, his voice low but commanding. "We'll use the shard's power sparingly, only if we have to."
Together, they faced the growing horde, backs to each other as the creatures closed in. The air thickened with the stench of corruption, and Caden braced himself, knowing that every step toward freedom would demand his strength, resolve, and a determination to push past his limits once again.