The tolling of the iceberg bell echoed ominously through the fragment, each chime a grim reminder of the Titanic's cyclical fate. Aiden stood opposite Captain Smith in the dimly lit grand ballroom, its tarnished mirrors and faded gilded details bearing the weight of countless resets. Outside, the ship groaned against the sea's relentless push, but Smith's calm voice cut through the atmosphere.
"Ignore it," Smith said, his voice calm but firm. His crimson eyes glowed faintly under his captain's cap, the shadowed enforcer uniform blending seamlessly with his commanding presence. "Distractions like that will get you killed."
Aiden nodded, the faint glow of his ring reflecting his resolve. His blade of light pulsed in his grip, but cracks of shadow snaked along its surface—a reflection of his inner imbalance. Sweat dampened his brow as he tightened his stance, every muscle tense with the memory of countless defeats over the past few days.
Smith adjusted his footing, his shadowy sabre materializing with an audible hiss of dark energy. The weapon rippled as though alive, its edges jagged and sharp. "You've improved," he said, his tone almost approving."But you're still holding back."
Without warning, Smith lunged, his sabre slicing through the air with an almost predatory precision. Aiden raised his blade just in time, the clash of light and shadow erupting in a burst of sparks. The force sent him sliding back, his boots scraping against the ballroom's cracked floor.
"Your technique is too rigid," Smith barked, pressing the attack. His strikes were relentless, each one a calculated move meant to overwhelm and expose Aiden's weaknesses. "You can't rely on logic to win. Adapt."
Aiden steadied his breathing and shifted his grip. Instead of retaliating immediately, he allowed Smith to make the next move. The captain obliged, disappearing into a swirling vortex of shadows. He reappeared behind Aiden, his sabre already mid-strike. Aiden spun on instinct, conjuring a Radiant Barrier of light at the last second. The sabre struck the shield, sending ripples of light and shadow cascading through the room.
"Good reaction," Smith admitted. But with a flick of his wrist, the sabre's energy surged, breaking through the barrier and knocking Aiden off balance. "But light alone won't win this fight."
Aiden spun to the side, attempting to counter with something new. The chains erupted from the ground, but infused with jagged, unstable tendrils. They flailed in smith's direction, but Smith's sabre shifted mid-strike, slicing through the blended construct as though it were paper. Aiden's eyes widened as the captain's shadowy form blurred, reappearing behind him.
"Too slow," Smith growled, his foot sweeping Aiden's legs out from under him. Aiden hit the floor hard, the breath knocked from his lungs. Before he could recover, Smith's sabre was at his throat. "You're trying to force the darkness to obey, but that's not how it works. You can't command it—you have to mold it."
Aiden stared up at him, frustration bubbling to the surface. "You're fighting to kill," he said through gritted teeth.
"And you're fighting not to lose," Smith retorted, withdrawing his weapon. "There's a difference. If you can't push yourself beyond your limits, you'll never stand a chance against the Core."
Aiden climbed to his feet, his frustration mounting. He closed his eyes briefly, focusing on the balance within him. When he opened them, the energy around his body began to shift. A faint misty armor formed over his frame, shadowy tendrils curling around patches of light.
Smith's eyes narrowed, his sabre shimmering as he raised it. "Now that's interesting. Let's see how well it holds."
The captain launched forward with a flurry of strikes, each one calculated to test Aiden's defense. The mist armor absorbed the initial blows, rippling with each impact but holding steady. However, as Smith's attacks grew more relentless, cracks of light began to fracture the mist's surface. With a final strike, Smith shattered the armor completely, sending Aiden stumbling back.
"Better," Smith admitted, closing the distance with a blur of movement and lashed at Aiden's feet, sweeping him off balance. "But you're still holding back. Stop fighting the darkness as an enemy and let it flow freely within you."
Aiden ducked under a horizontal slash, using the momentum to draw his bow and fire a Radiant Arrow at close range. Smith deflected it effortlessly, his sabre dissolving the light into harmless sparks.
"You're thinking too much," Smith said, striking Aiden's returning mist armor with the flat of his blade. The force shattered the protective layer, sending Aiden sprawling once more. "You need to feel your way through the fight. Creativity isn't just the Core's domain—it's yours too."
Aiden pushed himself up, his body aching but his resolve stronger than ever. His ring glowed faintly, and his gaze hardened as he prepared for the next round. "Again."
"Again," Smith confirmed, his voice cutting through the tolling bell.
Meanwhile, on the Titanic's main deck, chaos erupted as shadows from the sea swarmed over the railing. The bell's mournful tolling filled the air, accompanied by the haunting yells of the barrelman enforcer. "Iceberg ahead!" He shouted at the top of his lungs.
Below Wallace Hartley led the his bandmates with his violin, the bow slicing through the strings like a blade. The music was not merely for ambiance—it carried a stunning force, freezing shadows in place long enough for the enforcers and civilians to strike them down.
Amara and Rowan stood back-to-back, their weapons glowing faintly. Rowan's whip lashed out, severing a shadow that lunged toward a fleeing woman. "They're getting faster!" she shouted over the din.
Amara fired a precise shot, her rifle dispersing another shadow into a wisp of darkness. "Focus on keeping them away from the civilians! We've got this."
Kieran charged into the fray, his shield a beacon of light as he plowed through a cluster of shadows. "How do they do this every cycle?" he asked, glancing at an enforcer slicing through the darkness with practiced ease.
"Because they have no choice," one of the enforcers replied, their voice calm despite the chaos. "It's the only way to keep the women and children safe."
As the group fought alongside the enforcers, they noticed the men among the civilians picking up makeshift weapons—chairs, pipes, and even dining utensils—to protect the women and children boarding the lifeboats
Rowan spared a glance toward the lifeboats being loaded with civilians. "where do those boats go?"
One of the enforcers approached, their voice calm yet urgent. "The lifeboats head toward areas of light. If they make it far enough, the cycle can't reclaim them."
Rowan glanced at Amara. "We could send you back—back to your town. You could lead again."
Amara hesitated, her gaze lingering on the lifeboats. For a moment, she considered the possibility of returning home, of leaving this endless battle behind. But then she looked at her companions—at Rowan's determined expression, Kieran's unwavering strength, and Sylva's quiet resolve.
"No," Amara said firmly. "We're not done here."
Rowan smirked. "Knew you wouldn't."
Amara returned the smirk, raising her rifle. "Let's finish this."
The shadows intensified, their attacks growing more coordinated. The group and the enforcers fought with everything they had, their combined efforts pushing the darkness back. But the bell's tolling reached a crescendo, and the ship trembled beneath their feet.
"It's beginning," Sylva said, her voice tight with urgency. "The reset is coming."
A deafening crash echoed through the fragment as the iceberg loomed ahead, its jagged surface shimmering with fragments of memory. The Titanic shuddered violently, and a wave of malice swept over the deck.
The group turned to see the Sentinel drop from the sky, his jagged armor gleaming with crimson veins. His blade ignited with dark energy, and his presence was suffocating, the air thick with his malevolent intent.
"Found you," the Sentinel growled, his blade igniting with dark energy. The ship groaned under his weight, the shadows around him twisting and writhing in anticipation.
Rowan stepped forward, her spear glowing brightly. "Not this guy again."
The group readied their weapons, their resolve unshaken despite the overwhelming malice. The Sentinel's laughter echoed across the deck as the shadows surged forward once more.
Sylva hovered behind them, her voice steady. "Stay together. You'll need each other to face this."
"Let's end this," he snarled, charging toward them.