As the group left the fragment, Rowan walked in silence, her usual sharpness dulled. Aiden glanced at her, unsure of what to say.
"You okay?" he asked finally.
Rowan shrugged, her grip on her spear tightening. "I'm fine. Let's just keep moving."
Sylva floated closer, her light warm. "You faced a difficult memory, Rowan. But you overcame it."
Rowan's expression softened slightly. "Yeah, well, it's not like I had a choice."
The group continued in silence, but Aiden couldn't shake the feeling of unease. The ring on his finger felt heavier, its glow faintly tinged with shadow.
"You're overthinking again," Kieran said, walking beside him.
Aiden frowned. "I just… I don't know if I'm strong enough for this. Every time I use the ring, it feels like I'm losing control."
"You're still standing," Kieran said simply. "That's what matters."
Aiden nodded, though doubt still lingered. "I just hope it's enough."
The next fragment was vast and barren, its surface cracked and glowing faintly with crimson veins. The air was heavy, and the whispers were deafening.
"We're getting close to the Core," Sylva said, her voice tense. "Its presence is strongest here."
The ground trembled, and a massive figure emerged from the shadows. It was the sentinel they had faced before, but it had returned stronger, its jagged form pulsing with crimson energy.
"You've got to be kidding me," Rowan muttered, spinning her spear.
Kieran raised his shield, his expression grim. "This one won't go down easy."
The sentinel roared, its massive blade slicing through the air. Kieran stepped forward, absorbing the blow with his shield, but the force sent him skidding back.
"Hit it hard!" Kieran shouted. "Don't hold back!"
Rowan charged, her spear shifting into a whip that lashed at the sentinel's legs. Aiden followed, the quill-sword dissolving into a glowing bow. He fired arrows of light, but the sentinel barely flinched.
The whispers clawed at Aiden's mind, filling his thoughts with doubt. You're not strong enough. You'll fail them. You'll lose her.
"No," Aiden muttered, clenching his fist. The bow dissolved, and jagged chains of darkness erupted from the ground, wrapping around the sentinel's arms. The creature struggled, but the chains held firm.
"Aiden, don't overdo it!" Sylva warned.
"I've got it!" Aiden shouted, his voice strained.
The chains twisted, merging with spikes of light that pierced through the sentinel's chest. With a final roar, the creature shattered into shards of light and darkness, and the fragment stabilized.