The next fragment was vast and desolate, resembling a barren wasteland. Jagged rocks jutted from the ground, and crimson veins pulsed through the earth. The air was oppressive, and the whispers were deafening.
"This place feels worse than anything we've seen," Rowan muttered, gripping her spear tightly.
Sylva's light dimmed as she hovered closer. "That's because we're nearing the Core's domain. Its influence is strongest here."
The ground trembled, and a massive figure emerged from the shadows. It was larger than any harbinger they had faced before, its jagged form pulsing with crimson energy. Its armor glinted darkly, and its glowing eyes burned with malice.
"That's not a harbinger," Kieran said, raising his shield. "That's a sentinel."
Sylva's voice was tense. "This is one of the Core's strongest agents. Be careful."
The sentinel roared, its voice shaking the ground. It swung a massive blade, and the group scattered to avoid the strike. Aiden raised the quill-sword, which shifted into a glowing bow. He fired an arrow of light, but it barely scratched the sentinel's armor.
"Hit it harder!" Rowan shouted, her spear shifting into a whip. She lashed at the creature's legs, but its armor deflected the blows.
Kieran charged, his shield transforming into a hammer. He struck the sentinel's side, sending cracks rippling through its armor. The creature roared, lashing out with tendrils of shadow that forced him back.
"We're barely making a dent," Rowan muttered, dodging another attack.
Aiden gritted his teeth, the whispers clawing at his mind. You're not strong enough. You'll never win. She's already lost.
"No," Aiden muttered, clenching his fist. The quill-sword dissolved, and the ring on his finger glowed brightly. He raised his hand, summoning chains of light and darkness that wrapped around the sentinel's arms.
The creature struggled against the bindings, its movements slowing. "Now!" Aiden shouted.
Rowan's whip snapped back into a spear, and she leaped into the air, driving it into the sentinel's chest. Kieran followed, his hammer glowing brightly as he struck the creature's head. The sentinel staggered, cracks spreading across its jagged form.
But the sentinel roared, its body pulsing with crimson energy. The chains binding it began to break, and Aiden felt the weight of the whispers intensify. He stumbled, the glow of the ring dimming.
"You've got this, rookie!" Rowan shouted. "Focus!"
Aiden closed his eyes, drawing on the light within him. The ring glowed brighter, and the chains reformed, this time merging with jagged spikes of shadow. The sentinel froze, and Aiden raised his hand, summoning a massive, radiant blade. With a powerful swing, he struck the sentinel, shattering it into shards of light and darkness.
The fragment grew still, and the whispers faded.