The pedestal stood at the center of the chamber, glowing faintly with an ethereal light that pulsed in rhythm with the shard in Caden's pocket. The air was heavy, thick with a tension that made each step feel laborious. The closer they got, the more Caden felt the pull of the fragment—a tether drawing him forward.
"This feels too easy," Garrick muttered, his grip tightening on his staff. His sharp gaze darted around the chamber, scanning every shadow, every crack in the stone walls.
Kael stopped mid-step, raising an eyebrow. "Too easy? Did you miss the part where we fought off Echo beasts just to get here?"
Garrick shook his head. "No, but look at this place. A fragment this powerful doesn't just sit here, waiting to be plucked off a pedestal. Fragments defend themselves—or the System does it for them."
Caden frowned, glancing at the fragment. Its light seemed almost inviting, its hum soothing. But Garrick's words planted a seed of unease.
"You're saying this is a trap?" Caden asked, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
"I'm saying we should tread carefully," Garrick replied. "Fragments don't make things easy, and neither does the System. There's a reason no one else has claimed it yet."
Kael twirled her dagger in her fingers, her expression skeptical. "Maybe the Echo beasts scared off the others. Or the Reclaimers haven't found it yet."
"Maybe," Garrick said, though his tone was thick with doubt. "Or maybe something worse is waiting for us."
Caden took a cautious step forward, his eyes fixed on the fragment. The shard in his pocket pulsed more insistently, its energy humming with an eagerness that sent a shiver down his spine.
"Whatever's here," he said, his voice steady, "we're not leaving without that fragment. If we don't take it, the Reclaimers will."
Garrick gave a reluctant nod. "Just be ready for anything. And if you feel the shard pulling too hard, step back."
Kael sighed, adjusting her grip on her dagger. "Let's just get this over with. The longer we stay, the more likely something nasty comes to join us."
Caden approached the pedestal, the tension in the air growing thicker with every step. The fragment glowed brighter as he neared, its energy thrumming through the chamber like a heartbeat.
He hesitated, his hand hovering above it. "Here goes nothing."
His fingers closed around the fragment.
The chamber erupted in light.
Caden staggered as energy surged through him, the shard in his pocket roaring to life. The air around him seemed to crackle and distort, and for a moment, the chamber dissolved into a swirling void.
[System Fragment acquired. Synchronizing with Shard.]
[Warning: Resonance instability detected.]
The shard's energy surged, intertwining with the fragment's, their combined power flooding his mind. Whispers echoed at the edge of his thoughts, their voices sharp and insistent.
"More... there is more..."
Caden clenched his teeth, forcing himself to focus. He felt the weight of the shard and fragment pressing against him, testing his resolve, threatening to consume him.
"Caden!" Garrick's voice cut through the storm.
Caden opened his eyes to find himself back in the chamber, the fragment still clutched in his hand. But something was wrong.
The walls trembled, fissures spreading across the stone as the fragment's energy destabilized the room. The air grew colder, and the faint hum of power shifted into a low, menacing growl.
"Get back!" Garrick shouted, pulling Caden away from the pedestal.
A deafening roar echoed through the chamber, and from the shadows emerged a towering figure. It was humanoid, but its body was twisted, its limbs elongated and jagged, and its glowing eyes burned with malice.
Kael cursed under her breath, her dagger flashing as she dropped into a defensive stance. "And there's the trap."
Garrick raised his staff, arcane energy crackling at its tip. "I told you. Fragments don't come without a fight."
The creature lunged, its claws raking through the air. Caden barely managed to raise his sword in time, the impact sending him stumbling backward. The shard pulsed wildly in his pocket, its energy reacting to the creature's presence.
[Analyzing… Echo Warden. Threat Level: Severe.]
"An Echo Warden?" Garrick said, his tone grim. "It's a guardian. The fragment wasn't unprotected after all."
Caden gritted his teeth, his sword trembling as he held the creature at bay. "Couldn't we have figured that out before I grabbed it?"
The battle was fierce.
Caden darted to the side as the Warden's claws slammed into the ground, splintering the stone. Kael struck from behind, her dagger slicing into its side, but the creature barely flinched, its glowing eyes locked onto Caden.
Garrick unleashed a blast of arcane energy, the spell striking the Warden's chest and forcing it back a step. "We can't kill it outright," he shouted. "It's tied to the fragment. We have to disrupt its connection!"
"How?" Caden demanded, dodging another swipe.
"The shard!" Garrick said. "Use it to sever the link!"
Caden's chest tightened at the thought. The shard's energy was already unstable, its power pushing him closer to exhaustion with every use. But they didn't have a choice.
He focused, feeling the shard's pulse align with the fragment's. The energy swirled around him, pulling at his thoughts, his strength.
[Ability Activated: Fragment Pulse.]
A surge of raw energy erupted from the shard, slamming into the Warden with a blinding flash of light. The creature roared, its form flickering as the connection to the fragment wavered.
"Now!" Garrick shouted, unleashing another spell. Kael followed with a well-aimed strike, her dagger piercing the Warden's chest.
With a final, guttural roar, the creature dissolved into black smoke, the chamber falling silent once more.
Caden collapsed to one knee, his breaths ragged. The shard in his pocket was quiet now, its energy dimmed but stable.
"That was... unpleasant," Kael said, wiping sweat from her brow.
Garrick helped Caden to his feet, his expression serious. "The shard's power is dangerous, but you handled it well. Still, this isn't sustainable. You need to rest before it takes more from you."
Caden nodded weakly, the weight of the shard and fragment pressing heavily on his mind. "Agreed."
As they made their way out of the ruins, Caden couldn't shake the lingering sense of unease. The fragment was theirs, but Garrick's earlier warning echoed in his mind.
Nothing about this was easy—and the worst was yet to come.