Elaine stepped into the courtyard, her pulse pounding in her ears as the Shardfang Hound lunged against its chains, snarling. The beast's crystalline spikes refracted the moonlight into jagged shards across the ground, casting sharp-edged shadows that seemed to reach for her.
Behind her, Aria Venhold watched with a faint smirk. The warden stood off to the side, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Elaine's stomach churned. This wasn't a test—it was a spectacle.
The Nexus shimmered, overlaying her vision with faintly glowing runes:
DIVERGENCE MANDATE: IN PROGRESS
Objective: Neutralize Shardfang Hound Without Lethal Force.
Hints: Utilize Ignis and Terris essences. Exploit environmental factors.
"Ignis and Terris," she muttered under her breath. Her mind raced through the possibilities. Fire and earth—heat and stability. But how could those help against something this… monstrous?
The Shardfang Hound growled, its glowing red eyes locking onto her. Its muscles bunched, and with a deafening roar, it strained against its chains, dragging the heavy links across the stone floor.
"Any time now, Caldara," Aria called mockingly.
Elaine's hands shook as she fumbled with the vials on her belt. She had the stabilized Ignis and Terris essences, but no clear plan. A faint heat radiated from the Ignis essence vial, and the Terris essence glowed faintly green. She needed to think fast.
Her gaze darted around the courtyard. The environment—she needed to use it. The beast's crystalline spikes glinted sharply in the moonlight, and an idea sparked in her mind. Crystals. Could they amplify the essences?
She popped open the Ignis vial and held it carefully, feeling the warmth seep into her fingers. "Okay," she whispered. "Let's see what happens when we improvise."
The Shardfang Hound roared again and lunged forward, the chains groaning under the strain. Elaine staggered back, nearly dropping the vial. She had seconds to act.
The Nexus chimed:
SUGGESTED ACTION: Utilize heat resonance with crystalline structures. Amplify via Ignis catalyst.
"Heat resonance," Elaine muttered. The beast's crystalline spikes could potentially carry the heat from the Ignis essence across its body. But how could she deploy it?
The alchemical kit on her belt contained a small rune-etched flask labeled "Fragmentation Capsule." Her fingers moved instinctively, pouring the Ignis essence into the capsule and whispering the activation word: "Ignitionis."
The runes on the capsule flared orange, and the liquid essence inside began to swirl violently. Elaine threw it at the beast just as it lunged again, and the capsule shattered against one of its crystalline spikes.
A wave of heat rippled outward, the Ignis essence igniting in a fiery burst. The Shardfang Hound howled, staggering back as the heat coursed through its crystalline protrusions. Its movements became erratic, and its growls turned to pained whimpers.
[IGNIS EFFECT ACTIVATED: Crystalline Amplification Successful.]
Stability compromised. Follow-up action required.
Elaine gritted her teeth. The Ignis essence had weakened the beast, but it wasn't enough. The Terris essence—earth, stability—might anchor the heat and further destabilize its crystalline structure.
She quickly poured the glowing green Terris essence into the remaining capsule, activating it with the word: "Terrae." The liquid inside thickened, its glow intensifying.
The beast's chains rattled as it shook violently, trying to regain its footing. Elaine took aim at the base of its largest crystalline spike and hurled the capsule.
The impact was immediate. The Terris essence exploded in a dull, concussive wave, sending cracks spidering across the beast's crystalline spikes. The Shardfang Hound staggered, its growls turning into a low, pained whine as the light in its eyes dimmed.
The beast slumped to the ground, its movements sluggish and disoriented.
DIVERGENCE MANDATE COMPLETE.
Reward: Advanced Class Unlocked.
The Nexus shimmered, and a new notification appeared in Elaine's vision:
CLASS UNLOCKED: Experimental Alchemist.
Abilities:
Essence Synergy: Combine essences for novel effects.Environmental Manipulation: Amplify alchemical reactions with environmental factors.
Elaine's knees buckled as the weight of the situation hit her. She had done it. Somehow.
Aria clapped slowly, her smirk widening. "Impressive, Caldara. I wasn't sure you'd survive that."
Elaine pushed herself to her feet, glaring at the overseer. "What was the point of this?"
"The point," Aria said, her tone icy, "was to determine whether you're worth the effort. For now, it seems you are."
Elaine clenched her fists but said nothing.
Aria turned to the warden. "Take her back to her quarters. She'll need her rest. Tomorrow, the real work begins."
The warden gave a curt nod and motioned for Elaine to follow. As they left the courtyard, the Shardfang Hound let out a low, mournful growl, its once-menacing form now pitiful and subdued.
Back in her quarters, Elaine slumped onto the cot, exhaustion overtaking her. The Nexus remained silent, its interface fading to the edges of her vision.
She stared at the ceiling, her mind churning. The encounter had taught her one thing: the Veilshard Nexus was no benevolent guide. If she wanted to survive, she would have to outthink not just this world, but the system controlling it.