Kael emerged from the tunnels into a realm that was eerily quiet. The air was thin, and the sky above was fractured, streaked with faint streams of Resonance light. His boots crunched against brittle ground as he scanned the area, the shard pulsing softly in his hand.
Aeris trailed behind, her movements deliberate, her gaze sharp as she studied their surroundings. "Well, this is cheerful," she muttered, kicking a piece of fragmented stone.
Kael didn't reply. His mind was too occupied with what he had seen in the Nexus Archive. The vision of the Prime Echo still burned in his thoughts, and the warning from the shard's voice lingered like a bad taste.
The silence didn't last. A low, rhythmic hum echoed through the realm, growing louder with each passing moment. Kael turned, his grip tightening on the shard.
"They're here," Aeris said flatly, drawing her blade.
Before Kael could ask who, a group of figures emerged from the shadows. They wore flowing robes adorned with faintly glowing glyphs, and their movements were precise and measured. At the center of the group stood a tall woman with sharp features and piercing silver eyes. Her presence was commanding, her expression unreadable.
"Welcome, shard-bearer," she said, her voice calm but carrying an edge of authority.
Kael raised the shard instinctively, its light growing brighter. "Who are you?"
The woman took a step closer, her hands clasped behind her back. "I am Elyra, Warden of the Spiral Choir. We've been tracking you since the shard awakened."
Aeris's blade didn't lower. "And what exactly does the Spiral Choir want with him?"
Elyra's gaze shifted briefly to Aeris, her expression softening into something almost condescending. "The shard he carries is a fragment of the Prime Echo—a piece of the Nexus itself. It belongs with those who understand its purpose."
Kael scoffed. "You mean it belongs with you."
Elyra smiled faintly. "Precisely. The shard is not a toy for untrained hands. Every use destabilizes the balance further. Give it to us, and we can prevent the Nexus's collapse."
The shard pulsed violently, reacting to Elyra's words. Kael felt a sudden rush of heat in his chest, a deep instinctual rejection of her claim.
"Why should I believe you?" Kael said, taking a step back. "How do I know you're not just going to use it for your own plans?"
Elyra tilted her head slightly. "Because the Spiral Choir exists to protect the Nexus. We are its stewards, its guardians. Without us, the multiverse would have unraveled long ago."
Aeris let out a sharp laugh, her blade still raised. "Protect it? You mean control it. You're no different than the Reverie Collective or the Silent Path."
Elyra's eyes narrowed. "The Collective and the Silent Path seek only power. We seek preservation. Surely you can see the difference."
Kael glanced at Aeris, unsure. Her jaw tightened, her posture stiff.
"You don't trust them," Kael said quietly.
"Not for a second," Aeris replied, her voice low but firm.
Kael turned back to Elyra. "Even if what you're saying is true, I'm not giving you the shard. If it's so important, I need to figure out why it chose me."
Elyra's smile faded. Her silver eyes glimmered with cold intensity. "The shard does not choose. It is a fragment of the Nexus's will, nothing more. Your connection to it is a coincidence."
"Maybe," Kael said, his grip on the shard tightening. "But I'm not handing it over."
The tension in the air grew thicker. Elyra's subordinates shifted slightly, their hands hovering near the weapons at their sides.
After a long pause, Elyra raised a hand, signaling them to stop. "Very well. But consider this your only warning. The Spiral Choir is not your enemy—yet. Others will not be so merciful."
She turned to leave, her followers falling into step behind her. Before she disappeared into the shadows, Elyra glanced over her shoulder.
"Beware the Collective and the Silent Path. And beware your own reflection, shard-bearer. The Prime Echo's will is not as benevolent as you may believe."
Kael waited until they were gone before exhaling shakily. The shard's light dimmed, its pulse returning to its steady rhythm.
Aeris lowered her blade, sheathing it with a sharp click. "That could've gone worse."
"You think they're lying?" Kael asked, his voice quiet.
"Of course they're lying," Aeris said bluntly. "They're just better at it than most."
Kael frowned, staring down at the shard in his hand. "If they're right about the shard destabilizing the Nexus…"
"They're not," Aeris interrupted. "Or at least, not entirely. They're telling you just enough truth to scare you into playing along. Don't fall for it."
Kael nodded, though the doubt in his chest didn't fade.
They started walking again, the silence between them heavy. The shard pulsed faintly, but Kael couldn't shake the feeling that Elyra's warning was just the beginning.