The oppressive silence of the ruins pressed down on Kael as he followed Elias and Aeris. The shard pulsed faintly in his grip, its glow reflecting off the jagged remnants of shattered structures. Kael's steps were slow, deliberate, his senses alert. He felt the pull of Resonance in the air, like static before a storm.
"Something's off," Elias said suddenly, his voice barely above a whisper. He slowed, his gaze sweeping across the fractured terrain.
Aeris's hand went to her blade, her movements sharp and controlled. "We're being tracked."
Kael tensed, the shard flaring briefly as if in agreement. "Spiral Choir?"
"Who else?" Elias muttered, scanning the shadows. "They're relentless. I warned you that thing you're carrying might as well be a beacon."
Kael's jaw tightened. "Not like I can turn it off."
Elias turned to smirk at him. "Then we'd better make sure you can fight while it's on."
The faint hum of Resonance cut through the air, building to a sharp crescendo. Kael barely had time to react before a bolt of energy tore through the air, slamming into the ground between them. The impact sent shards of stone flying in every direction.
"Move!" Aeris shouted, drawing her blade in one smooth motion.
Kael dove behind a crumbling wall, the shard flaring brightly in his hand. He peeked out just in time to see figures stepping into the open. They were clad in flowing robes adorned with glowing glyphs, their weapons crackling with Resonance energy.
"Enforcers," Elias muttered as he ducked beside Kael. "They won't stop until they take you—or that shard."
Another bolt of Resonance energy screamed through the air, striking the wall Kael hid behind. The force of the blast sent him sprawling to the ground.
"Time to stop hiding, kid," Elias said, rolling to his feet. He raised his curved blade, its edge glowing faintly with Resonance.
Kael stood, the shard's light building in his palm. He felt the familiar surge of power coursing through him, the energy wild and volatile. The enforcers advanced with measured precision, their weapons raised.
"Hand over the shard," one of them called out, their voice calm but authoritative. "It doesn't belong to you."
Kael raised the shard instinctively. "It's not yours either!"
The enforcers didn't hesitate. Two of them broke formation, charging forward with unnatural speed. Kael reacted instinctively, releasing a burst of energy from the shard. The Resonance blast struck the first enforcer, sending them flying backward, but the second dodged, closing the distance.
Kael braced himself, but before the enforcer could strike, Aeris stepped in. Her blade moved with deadly precision, intercepting the attack and forcing the enforcer back. Her movements were fluid, almost inhumanly fast, her blade glowing faintly with Resonance.
Kael froze, watching her. "Aeris—"
"Focus!" she snapped, cutting down another enforcer.
The shard pulsed violently, its energy surging outward. Kael felt a strange connection form—like a thread of Resonance linking him to Aeris. Her movements seemed to sync with the shard's pulse, and for a moment, her blade glowed brighter, her strikes faster and more precise.
"What the hell?" Kael muttered, the shard vibrating in his hand.
Aeris didn't answer, her focus entirely on the fight. She moved like a whirlwind, her blade slicing through the enforcers with an efficiency that left Kael stunned.
Elias joined the fray, his curved blade deflecting a Resonance bolt before countering with a sharp, precise strike. "You going to stand there gawking all day, or are you going to help?"
Kael shook himself and raised the shard again. The energy within it surged, and another Resonance blast tore through the battlefield, forcing the remaining enforcers to retreat.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Kael staggered back, his chest heaving as the shard's light dimmed. Aeris stood a few paces away, her blade still in hand, her posture tense.
Kael pointed at her, his voice sharp. "You didn't tell me you could use Resonance."
Aeris sheathed her blade without meeting his gaze. "Didn't think it mattered."
"Didn't think it—" Kael cut himself off, frustration bubbling to the surface. "You're Resonant. How? Why didn't you say anything?"
Aeris finally looked at him, her expression guarded. "Because it doesn't matter. I'm not like them." She gestured toward the fallen enforcers. "I don't use it like they do."
Kael narrowed his eyes. "That's not an answer. I felt the shard sync with you. What was that?"
Aeris's gaze flicked to the shard, then back to Kael. "I don't know. But whatever it was, it worked, didn't it?"
Kael clenched his jaw, his grip on the shard tightening. He felt the faint stirrings of the voice in his mind, its tone heavy with warning.
"Resonance feeds Resonance. The shard amplifies what it touches. Beware."
Kael exhaled sharply, lowering the shard. "We can't keep doing this. If the shard is connecting to people like you, what happens next time? What happens if I can't control it?"
Aeris shrugged, her tone flippant. "Then I guess we'll deal with it."
Kael stared at her, anger and confusion warring in his chest. "Why are you even here, Aeris? What aren't you telling me?"
Aeris met his gaze, her expression unreadable. "You don't want those answers. Trust me."
Kael opened his mouth to argue, but Elias cut in. "Hate to break up the moment, but we need to move. The Choir doesn't send one group at a time. More will be coming."
Kael hesitated, then nodded. He turned and followed Elias, the shard pulsing weakly in his hand. Aeris lingered for a moment before falling in step behind them.
As they moved through the ruins, Kael couldn't stop replaying the fight in his mind—the way the shard had synced with Aeris, amplifying her Resonance. He glanced back at her, questions swirling in his head, but Aeris's expression gave nothing away.
The shard pulsed faintly, its warning echoing in his mind.
"Resonance brings power. Power brings ruin."
Kael gritted his teeth and pressed on, knowing that the answers he sought were still out of reach.