Kael pressed his back against the jagged stone wall of the tunnel, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. His legs trembled with exhaustion, and the shard in his hand felt heavier than ever, its faint glow barely illuminating the narrow path ahead.
The barrier he had conjured shimmered faintly behind him, a thin wall of blue energy holding back the shadowy creatures clawing at its surface. The creatures' guttural shrieks echoed through the passage, their red eyes burning with unrelenting malice.
For now, they couldn't reach him—but Kael could feel the barrier weakening with each passing moment.
"You must move forward," the voice urged, its tone calm but insistent.
Kael clenched his teeth, frustration bubbling to the surface. "Move where? Do you know where I even am? I don't even know where I am!"
The voice remained steady. "The shard will guide you. Trust it."
Kael exhaled sharply, glancing down at the shard. Its glow pulsed faintly, syncing with the faint blue symbols etched into the walls around him. Though his body screamed for rest, the tension in the air—and the growing hum of Resonance—urged him onward.
"Fine," he muttered, pushing himself upright. "But if this leads to another deathtrap, we're done talking."
The tunnel sloped downward as Kael moved forward, the air growing colder with every step. The blue symbols carved into the walls pulsed erratically, flickering like dying embers.
The hum of Resonance grew stronger, vibrating faintly in Kael's chest. The shard in his hand pulsed in rhythm with the symbols, its glow growing slightly brighter.
Kael tightened his grip on the shard, his thoughts racing. He still didn't know what the shard was—or why it had chosen him. But it was the only thing keeping him alive, and for now, that was enough.
The tunnel eventually opened into a small chamber, and Kael stopped in his tracks.
The space was cramped and uneven, its walls streaked with faintly glowing patterns that mirrored the shard's markings. At the center of the chamber stood a small, black obelisk, its surface smooth and reflective like polished glass. Intricate lines carved into its surface shifted faintly under the dim blue light.
The shard pulsed violently in Kael's hand, its glow syncing perfectly with the obelisk. The hum of Resonance filled the air, growing louder as Kael stepped closer.
"What is this?" Kael muttered under his breath.
"A Resonance Anchor," the voice replied, its tone softer now. "A fragment of the Nexus's design. It will stabilize the shard."
Kael frowned, his gaze shifting between the shard and the obelisk. "Stabilize it? What does that even mean?"
The voice didn't answer immediately, and Kael's frustration grew. But before he could press further, the ground beneath him trembled.
The faint red glow of cracks began to spread across the walls, creeping toward the chamber. Kael glanced back, his stomach twisting as he realized the shadowy creatures were pressing harder against the barrier he had left behind.
The voice sharpened, commanding now. "Touch the obelisk. Let the shard connect. Quickly."
Kael hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to run. But the shard in his hand pulsed violently, its energy growing hotter, almost unbearable.
With a deep breath, Kael stepped forward and raised the shard toward the obelisk.
The moment they connected, a surge of energy coursed through him. Kael gasped, his knees buckling as his vision blurred.
Kael found himself standing in an endless expanse of light and shadow, the ground beneath him rippling like liquid glass. Faint shapes moved in the distance—shattered fragments of buildings, floating islands, and glimpses of people locked in desperate battles.
The voice spoke again, softer this time.
"You are awakening."
Kael turned in a circle, searching for the source of the voice, but the expanse around him remained empty.
"What does that mean?" he demanded.
The air rippled, and Kael was struck with another vision:
A massive obelisk, much larger than the one in the chamber, towering over a sprawling city built atop floating platforms. In the sky above, cracks spread like fractures in glass, growing wider with every passing second.
A figure stood at the edge of the city, their hand raised toward the sky. Kael couldn't make out their features, but the raw power radiating from them was overwhelming. As they moved, the obelisk shattered, and the city crumbled into the void.
A voice—different from the one guiding Kael—echoed through the vision, deep and filled with malice.
"You cannot escape this. The Nexus will fall, and you will fall with it."
Kael jerked back, the vision shattering around him. He collapsed to his knees, gasping for air as the obelisk in the chamber dimmed.
"What… was that?" he whispered.
The guiding voice returned, steady but grave.
"A warning. And a memory. The shard carries the Nexus's will, but also its burden. Each use brings you closer to the truth—and closer to its price."
Kael forced himself to his feet, the shard still warm in his hand. The obelisk's light had dimmed, but the hum of Resonance remained steady.
Before Kael could catch his breath, the barrier at the tunnel entrance shattered, and the faint sound of clawed footsteps echoed through the chamber.
"They're here," Kael muttered.
"Then you must run. Now."
Kael turned toward the far side of the chamber, spotting another tunnel leading deeper into the Nexus. With no other options, he sprinted forward, the faint hum of Resonance guiding his steps.