The next fragment was eerily quiet, resembling a city plaza from Aiden's world. Broken benches and overturned tables littered the ground, and faint whispers echoed through the air.
"This place feels… wrong," Rowan said, her voice low.
Sylva floated closer, her light dimming. "This fragment is connected to the real world. The Core's corruption is leaking through."
Aiden's chest tightened as he saw cracks running through the ground, each one glowing faintly with crimson light. Through them, he glimpsed distorted images of his world—cars rushing by, people walking, all flickering like a broken screen.
"What are those?" Aiden asked, his voice uneasy.
"Cracks," Sylva said. "They are breaches between the Otherworld and your reality. The Core uses them to spread despair and draw more souls into its grasp."
As they approached one of the cracks, a ghostly figure appeared—a man in a tattered suit, his form flickering with static. He turned toward Aiden, his face hollow and distorted.
"You," the figure said, its voice a low growl. "You did this."
Aiden stepped back, his heart racing. "What… what are you talking about?"
The figure didn't answer. Instead, it dissolved into shadows, which lunged at the group. Aiden raised the quill-sword, slashing through the air and drawing glowing spikes that erupted from the ground, impaling the creatures.
Rowan and Kieran joined the fight, their weapons cutting through the shadows. But the cracks continued to grow, and the whispers intensified.
"We need to close these cracks!" Sylva shouted. "Aiden, use your light!"
Aiden closed his eyes, focusing on the glow of Yggdrasil. The quill-sword dissolved into the ring on his finger, which pulsed with energy. He raised his hand, and waves of light flowed from the ring, sealing the cracks and dispersing the whispers.
When the last crack closed, the fragment grew still. Aiden lowered his hand, his chest heaving.
"It's not just about this world anymore," he said quietly. "The Core is trying to destroy both."