The bridge of light stretched across the chasm, flickering faintly as if it, too, were straining under the weight of the corruption below. The god-king walked ahead, his steps steady despite the exhaustion that lingered in his movements. Nia followed closely behind, her senses on high alert. Every creak of the energy bridge and every whisper of the wind set her nerves on edge.
The structure on the other side of the chasm grew larger with each step. It was a monolith of ancient design, carved from dark stone that seemed to drink in the surrounding light. The faint glow of runes etched into its surface pulsed like a heartbeat, casting the shadows around it into eerie motion.
Nia's voice broke the silence. "What is this place?"
The god-king didn't look back as he replied. "It is a conduit. A place where the flow of power between the markers was once controlled. Before the fall, it served as a regulator, ensuring that no force overwhelmed the balance. Now, it stands as a relic of ruin, corrupted and turned against its purpose."
Nia swallowed, her eyes tracing the jagged spires of the structure. "If this was meant to maintain balance, why didn't it protect itself?"
"It tried," he said grimly. "But the corruption came from within. The moment the first marker fell, the balance began to collapse, and this place became a beacon for the darkness."
As they reached the other side of the bridge, the oppressive weight of the chasm seemed to lift, replaced by a suffocating stillness. The air was thick, heavy with the scent of decay and something acrid that burned Nia's throat with each breath.
The god-king stopped in front of the towering gates of the structure. They were sealed shut, massive and unyielding, with jagged lines of blackened energy coursing across their surface.
"It is bound," he said, placing a hand against the gate. The runes flared brightly for a moment, then dimmed again. "The corruption has rooted itself here deeply. To enter, we will have to break its hold."
Nia frowned, her grip tightening on her knife. "And how do we do that?"
Before he could answer, the ground trembled violently, and the air filled with a low, resonating hum. Shadows began to seep from the cracks in the earth, coiling and twisting into grotesque shapes. From the darkness, figures emerged—humanoid, but wrong. Their forms were warped, their faces featureless save for glowing, hollow eyes.
"They are the lost," the god-king said, his tone heavy with sorrow. "Those who once dwelled here, consumed by the corruption. Their bodies are gone, but their essence remains, twisted into servants of the abyss."
Nia took a step back, her heart pounding. "Can they be saved?"
"No," he said firmly, his hands beginning to glow with golden light. "There is nothing left of them to save. We must end their suffering."
The figures surged forward, moving with unnatural speed. Nia barely had time to react as one of them lunged at her, its claw-like hands swiping through the air. She ducked, slashing upward with her knife. The blade met resistance, and the creature let out a guttural hiss as it dissolved into ash.
More of them swarmed toward her, and she fought desperately to hold her ground. For every strike she landed, another creature seemed to take its place. Her arms burned with the effort, her movements growing sluggish as exhaustion set in.
The god-king stood at her side, his light blazing as he fought off the endless tide of shadows. Each wave of his power sent several creatures scattering, but they reformed almost instantly, their twisted shapes relentless in their assault.
"This isn't working!" Nia shouted, her voice tinged with panic.
The god-king's eyes narrowed, his expression grim. "They draw strength from the gate. As long as it remains bound by the corruption, they cannot be destroyed."
"Then we need to unbind it!"
He nodded, his light flaring brighter. "Keep them off me. I will do what I can."
Nia gritted her teeth, stepping in front of him as he knelt before the gate, his hands glowing as he began to trace the runes carved into its surface. The creatures seemed to sense what he was doing and turned their attention toward him, their movements growing more frenzied.
Nia fought with everything she had, her knife flashing in the dim light as she cut down one creature after another. Her arms felt like lead, and her breaths came in ragged gasps, but she refused to let them reach the god-king.
Behind her, the runes on the gate began to glow brighter, their light cutting through the darkness. The god-king's voice echoed across the battlefield, resonating with a power that seemed to shake the very air.
"In the name of the light that once bound this place, I command you—be unmade!"
The runes flared one final time, and the gate shuddered violently. The blackened energy that bound it fractured, cracks spreading across its surface like a web. With a deafening roar, the corruption shattered, and the gate swung open, releasing a burst of blinding light.
The creatures let out ear-piercing shrieks, their forms dissolving into nothingness as the light consumed them. The oppressive weight of the corruption lifted, and the air grew still once more.
Nia collapsed to her knees, her knife slipping from her hand as she struggled to catch her breath. The god-king rose to his feet, his light dimmed but steady.
"It is done," he said, his voice soft but resolute.
Nia looked up at him, exhaustion etched across her face. "What's waiting for us in there?"
"Truth," he said, his gaze fixed on the darkened interior of the structure. "And more trials. The corruption may have lost its hold here, but its source lies deeper still."
As they stepped through the gates, the air inside was colder, sharper, and laced with a strange energy that set Nia's nerves on edge. The walls of the structure were lined with intricate carvings, depicting scenes of a world once thriving, then falling into ruin.
At the center of the chamber stood another marker, its surface cracked and glowing faintly. But unlike the others, this one pulsed with a rhythm that felt alive, as though it were connected to something far greater.
The god-king approached it cautiously, his expression unreadable. "This marker is different," he said. "It is not simply broken—it is tethered to something beyond this realm."
"What does that mean?" Nia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Before he could answer, the ground beneath them began to shake, and the air filled with a deep, resonating hum. The light from the marker flickered, and a voice echoed through the chamber—low, cold, and filled with malice.
"You dare to intrude upon my domain?"
Nia's blood ran cold as the shadows around them began to coalesce, forming into a massive, hulking figure. Its presence was suffocating, its eyes burning with a hatred that seemed to pierce through her very soul.
The god-king stepped forward, his light flaring to life once more. "We do not fear you," he said, his voice unwavering.
The figure laughed, a sound that shook the chamber. "You should."
And as the shadows closed in around them, Nia realized that this was only the beginning of a far greater battle.