Kael and Aeris trudged into a new realm, the transition from the tunnels abrupt and jarring. The brittle stone beneath their feet gave way to soft, uneven soil, and the air grew lighter, though it carried a sharp chill. Around them stretched a dense, tangled forest, its massive trees pulsating faintly with blue light. Their gnarled roots twisted across the ground, forming jagged pathways that seemed to lead in every direction.
Kael paused to catch his breath, leaning against one of the trees. His grip on the shard had not loosened since Elyra's departure. Its faint pulse was steady now, almost comforting, but he couldn't shake the weight of her words.
"Let me guess," Aeris said, her voice breaking the silence, "you're still thinking about what she said."
Kael glanced at her. "Shouldn't I be? What if she's right? What if I am making everything worse by using this thing?" He raised the shard, its light casting sharp shadows across his face.
Aeris folded her arms, her expression unreadable. "If Elyra's right, we're all doomed anyway. She's Spiral Choir—they're masters of twisting facts to suit their goals."
"And you're so sure you're different?" Kael shot back.
Aeris smirked, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I didn't say that. But at least I'm honest about my lies."
Kael let out a dry laugh despite himself. He straightened, pushing himself off the tree. "Let's just keep moving."
They followed a winding path deeper into the forest, the shard's faint glow lighting the way. The trees grew denser, their twisted roots forming barriers that forced them to climb or double back more than once. The soft hum of Resonance hung in the air, growing stronger with each step.
"Something's wrong here," Aeris muttered, her gaze darting to the shadows between the trees.
Kael frowned. "What do you mean?"
"The Resonance," she said. "It's... warped. Like it's not just part of the forest—it's watching us."
The shard pulsed in agreement. "The balance here is fragile. Something stirs."
Kael stopped in his tracks, his fingers tightening around the shard. He glanced around the clearing, his unease growing. "You could've mentioned that sooner," he muttered to the voice.
"Who are you talking to now?" Aeris asked, drawing her blade.
"Just the usual ominous warnings from this thing," Kael replied, holding up the shard.
Aeris gave him a sidelong glance but said nothing.
Then the forest grew silent.
The faint hum of Resonance disappeared, replaced by a heavy stillness that pressed down on them like a physical weight. The light filtering through the canopy above dimmed, and the air grew colder.
Kael's breath caught. He spun toward Aeris, who was already scanning the shadows, her blade gleaming faintly in the shard's light.
"They're back," she said, her voice tight.
From the darkness, the first figure emerged. It was tall and indistinct, its form shifting like smoke. Its eyes glowed red, piercing through the shadows. More figures followed, stepping silently from between the trees until the clearing was surrounded by shadowy creatures.
Kael's grip on the shard tightened. "How are they still finding us?"
"Ask your magic rock later," Aeris said. She dropped into a defensive stance, her blade steady. "Right now, we focus on surviving."
The first creature lunged, its movements unnaturally fast. Aeris met it with a sharp swing of her blade, the clash sending a shower of Resonance sparks into the air. Kael turned as another creature charged him, raising the shard instinctively.
The shard flared, and a burst of energy shot out, slamming into the creature and disintegrating it in a flash of light.
More shadows moved in, their red eyes glowing brighter. Kael swung the shard again, sending another wave of Resonance energy outward. The creatures recoiled but quickly regrouped, their coordination unsettling.
"They're smarter than before," Kael said, his voice strained.
"Stronger too," Aeris replied, narrowly dodging a strike. She countered with a slash, her blade cutting cleanly through one of the creatures.
The air grew colder still, and the shard's light dimmed. Kael felt a heavy pressure in his chest, like the forest itself was pressing down on him. The shadows stopped their advance, their movements slowing as a new figure emerged from the darkness.
Kael froze. This figure was different. It was taller than the others, its form fractured and flickering like a broken projection. Its presence was overwhelming, the weight of it pressing down on Kael's mind.
The shard flared weakly, its light syncing with the figure's broken movements.
Aeris stepped back, her blade still raised. "What the hell is that?"
The figure didn't attack. Instead, it spoke, its voice a distorted chorus of overlapping tones. "Shard-bearer."
Kael's heart raced. "Who are you?"
The figure tilted its head, its fractured form rippling. "A fragment of what was. A shadow of what may come."
"What does that mean?" Kael demanded.
The figure's red eyes fixed on him. "The shard you carry is a piece of the Prime Echo, the Nexus's heart. Every time you use its power, you unravel the balance further."
Kael's grip on the shard tightened. "That's not true. I've seen the visions. I'm trying to stop the collapse, not cause it."
The figure's form flickered violently, its voice growing louder. "The shard's power is not yours to wield. Its resonance accelerates the decay. Each use brings the final song closer."
Kael stepped back, his chest tightening. "What's the final song?"
The figure ignored his question. It raised a hand, and the shadows around it began to writhe, their forms distorting. "Beware, shard-bearer. Your path is one of destruction. You will either save the Nexus... or end it."
The pressure in the clearing intensified, and Kael fell to his knees. The shard flared brightly, and the figure dissolved into mist, leaving the shadows behind.
The creatures surged forward again.
Aeris grabbed Kael by the arm, yanking him to his feet. "Move!"
Kael swung the shard instinctively, releasing another wave of Resonance energy. The shadows disintegrated under the blast, but more kept coming.
"This way!" Aeris shouted, pulling him toward a narrow path between the trees.
They ran, the sound of the shadows following close behind. Kael's chest burned, and the shard grew heavier in his hand with every step.
The path twisted and turned, the trees forming barriers that forced them to change direction constantly. Finally, they burst into a small clearing, the light of the shard illuminating the space.
The shadows stopped at the edge, their red eyes glowing faintly before fading into the darkness.
Kael collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. Aeris leaned against a tree, her blade still in hand.
"What the hell was that thing?" she asked, her voice shaky.
Kael stared at the shard, its glow faint but steady. "It said it was a fragment of the Prime Echo. And it said... I'm making things worse."
Aeris frowned, lowering her blade. "You believe it?"
Kael didn't answer. He couldn't shake the figure's warning—or the feeling that it wasn't entirely wrong.