The Verdant Shard Realm stretched before them, a maze of glowing trees and Resonance-charged vegetation. The Stabilizer was still intact in the heart of the clearing where they had left it, but the air felt different now—heavier, as though the realm itself was holding its breath.
Kael couldn't shake the unease building in his chest as he stepped closer to the device. The shard pulsed faintly in his hand, but its usual whispers were quiet, almost expectant. Aeris moved beside him, her blade at the ready, her eyes scanning the surroundings with sharp precision.
"Something's wrong," Kael muttered.
Aeris didn't look at him, her attention fixed on the treeline. "No kidding. Feels like we're not alone."
Kael frowned, gripping the shard tighter. Its faint light illuminated the Stabilizer's glyphs, now glowing steadily. "It's still working," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
"That's the problem," Aeris replied. "The kind of people who'd want that thing won't just let us walk out with it."
Before Kael could respond, a deep voice echoed from the shadows. "You'd be correct about that."
Kael spun, raising the shard instinctively. From the treeline emerged a figure clad in dark, weathered armor. His movements were slow, deliberate, and his presence filled the clearing with a weight that Kael could feel in his chest.
The man's face was obscured by a helm shaped like a predator's maw, its edges etched with faint Resonance glyphs. In his hand, he carried a massive greatsword, its surface rippling with faint streams of energy.
"I'd hoped to find a Stabilizer," the man said, his voice calm and steady. "But finding you is far more interesting, shard-bearer."
"Who the hell are you?" Aeris demanded, her blade gleaming in the faint light.
The man removed his helm slowly, revealing a face that was weathered but composed, with sharp features and cold, piercing eyes.
"Raeyn Dhrakkor," he said. "Knight of the Reverie Collective." He shifted his gaze to Kael. "And you're carrying something that doesn't belong to you."
Kael tightened his grip on the shard. "Another one of you claiming it's yours? I'm getting tired of hearing that."
Raeyn stepped closer, the ground beneath him cracking faintly with each step. "The shard isn't just a piece of the Nexus. It's a weapon. And in untrained hands, it will tear apart what little balance remains. Give it to me, and I'll make sure it serves its true purpose."
Kael took a step back. "You mean let the Reverie Collective use it to reshape the Nexus however you see fit? Yeah, no thanks."
Raeyn's expression remained impassive, but his grip on the greatsword tightened. "I don't expect you to understand. The Nexus cannot be restored without sacrifice. Your hesitation only delays the inevitable."
Aeris stepped in front of Kael, her blade pointed at Raeyn. "If you think we're just going to hand it over, you're even dumber than you look."
For the first time, Raeyn's calm demeanor cracked, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Bravado won't save you. But I'll grant you one chance to walk away. Leave the shard—and the Stabilizer—and I'll let you live."
The shard flared brightly in Kael's hand, its energy surging through him. "He will not stop. Strike now, or be struck down."
Kael felt the warning resonate in his chest, the shard's power urging him forward. He glanced at Aeris, who gave him a sharp nod.
Raeyn's smirk faded. "So be it."
The knight moved with terrifying speed, closing the distance in an instant. His greatsword swung in a wide arc, and Aeris barely deflected the blow, her blade sparking against the weapon's Resonance-charged surface.
Kael raised the shard, releasing a burst of energy aimed at Raeyn. The blast struck him squarely in the chest, but the glyphs on his armor absorbed the impact, dispersing the energy harmlessly.
"You'll have to do better than that," Raeyn said, his tone almost mocking.
Kael's jaw tightened as he unleashed another Resonance blast, but Raeyn sidestepped it with ease, his movements fluid despite the weight of his armor.
Aeris lunged, her blade flashing as she aimed for the gaps in Raeyn's armor. He countered with a single-handed swing of his greatsword, forcing her to retreat.
"Stay behind me!" Aeris shouted, her voice tight with effort.
Kael ignored her, the shard's energy building in his hand. He focused on Raeyn's movements, searching for an opening.
Raeyn turned his attention back to Kael, his expression hardening. "You're reckless. That shard will destroy you before you even learn how to use it."
"Better me than you," Kael retorted, releasing another Resonance blast. This time, the energy surged toward Raeyn's weapon, forcing him to deflect it. The knight staggered slightly, his footing faltering for the first time.
Aeris seized the moment, darting in with a series of rapid strikes. Her blade connected with one of the glyphs on Raeyn's armor, disrupting its glow. The knight growled, swinging his greatsword in a powerful arc that sent Aeris skidding back.
Kael felt the shard pulse violently, its energy surging beyond his control. The light around him flared brighter, and for a moment, he felt as though the shard was pulling him into its depths.
"Focus your intent," the voice commanded. "Control the flow."
Kael gritted his teeth, forcing the Resonance energy to stabilize. He raised the shard again, directing its power toward Raeyn. The blast struck the knight's chest, shattering the remaining glyphs on his armor.
Raeyn stumbled, his weapon dipping slightly. Aeris didn't hesitate. She closed the distance in a heartbeat, her blade slashing across his exposed side.
The knight dropped to one knee, his greatsword digging into the ground for support. Blood seeped through the cracks in his armor, but his expression remained stoic.
"You've bought yourselves time," Raeyn said, his voice low. "But the Collective will come for you. And next time, I won't be alone."
He raised his hand, and the Resonance around him flared. Before Kael or Aeris could react, Raeyn disappeared, his form dissolving into light.
The clearing fell silent, the air heavy with the aftermath of the battle. Kael lowered the shard, its light dimming as the energy within it receded.
Aeris sheathed her blade, her breathing uneven. "That was too close."
Kael stared at the spot where Raeyn had vanished, his mind racing. "Who was he?"
"Someone we don't want to see again," Aeris said.
The shard pulsed faintly, its voice quiet but firm. "The balance fractures further. Foes will gather. Prepare."
Kael exhaled sharply, tucking the shard back into his belt. He looked at the Stabilizer, its glyphs still glowing faintly. "We have what we came for. Let's not waste any more time."
Aeris nodded, though her expression remained tense. She started toward the edge of the clearing, her steps brisk.
Kael followed, his thoughts heavy with the weight of what lay ahead. The Stabilizer might give him a chance to control the shard's power, but Raeyn's warning lingered in his mind. The Reverie Collective wasn't going to stop, and neither were the other factions hunting him.
For now, he could only keep moving.