The artifact hummed in Elaine's hands, its surface rippling with chaotic, multicolored light. Each pulse sent a wave of energy coursing through her body, making her limbs tremble and her head throb.
"Elaine, don't!" Lira shouted, reaching for her.
Elaine shook her head, pulling the artifact closer. "It's this or we all die!"
The Myriapod screeched, its segmented body weaving through the crystalline cavern like a serpent. Ferran and Kael flanked it, striking at its legs and joints, but their weapons barely left a mark on its hardened carapace.
The Nexus flickered violently in her vision, text scrolling too fast to read. It was overwhelmed, its usual calm precision replaced by frantic alerts.
"Come on," Elaine muttered, gripping the artifact tighter. "Work with me."
[SHARD COGNITION ACTIVATED.]
Artifact Stability: 37%
Suggested Action: Synchronize artifact resonance with environmental essence to neutralize Overgrown Entity.
Synchronize? The phrase stuck in her mind, cryptic as always. She glanced at the glowing crystals surrounding the cavern, their light pulsing in uneven rhythms. The artifact seemed to respond, its own glow shifting as if trying to match their resonance.
Elaine closed her eyes, focusing on the artifact's energy. The hum grew louder, drowning out the chaos around her, until it was all she could hear.
INITIATE SYNCHRONIZATION?
(Y/N)
"Yes!" she hissed.
A surge of energy shot through her body, so powerful it nearly knocked her off her feet. The artifact flared brilliantly, its light consuming the cavern as the crystals around it began to vibrate in harmony.
The Myriapod froze mid-lunge, its body twitching violently as the resonance spread through the cavern. The glow of its crystalline carapace flickered, dimming in patches as cracks began to spiderweb across its surface.
"It's working!" Elaine shouted.
The Creature Strikes
But the victory was short-lived. The Myriapod let out a guttural roar, its segmented body thrashing wildly. The resonance had weakened it, but the creature wasn't defeated yet.
"Keep it distracted!" Kael yelled, loosing another arrow. The projectile struck one of the cracks, shattering a chunk of the Myriapod's crystalline armor.
Lira fumbled with a vial of corrosive essence, her hands shaking. She hurled it at the creature's exposed side, the liquid sizzling on impact and eating through the weakened crystal.
The Myriapod screeched in fury, its massive form lunging toward Ferran. He rolled to the side just in time, its mandibles snapping shut inches from his shoulder.
"Elaine, whatever you're doing, do it faster!" Ferran shouted.
Elaine gritted her teeth, focusing on the artifact. The resonance was growing stronger, but the strain on her body was immense. Her vision blurred, and the Nexus flickered erratically in her mind, its text flashing in warning.
WARNING: Synchronization Overload Imminent. Artifact Stability: 19%. Substrate Risk: Extreme.
"I don't care!" Elaine snarled. "Just hold together!"
She poured every ounce of focus into the artifact, willing it to stabilize. The crystals around the cavern began to shatter, their energy funneling into the artifact in a blinding cascade of light.
The Myriapod let out a final, ear-splitting shriek as the resonance consumed it. Its crystalline body collapsed inward, shattering into a thousand glowing shards that rained down across the cavern.
The Aftermath
The light from the artifact dimmed, and Elaine fell to her knees, gasping for breath. Her hands burned where they had gripped the artifact, faint trails of smoke rising from her palms.
The cavern was eerily quiet. The Myriapod was gone, its remains scattered like fallen stars.
Ferran approached cautiously, his blade still drawn. "Is it dead?"
Elaine nodded weakly. "It's… neutralized."
Lira knelt beside her, her face pale. "What did you do? That resonance… it was like nothing I've ever seen."
Elaine shook her head, too exhausted to explain. She set the artifact down carefully, its surface now dull and cracked.
The Nexus chimed faintly, its text sluggish:
ARTIFACT SYNCHRONIZATION COMPLETE.
Environmental Stabilization: Achieved.
Substrate Integrity: Compromised. Rest Period Required.
Kael surveyed the cavern, his expression grim. "We need to move. That much energy won't go unnoticed."
Elaine groaned, forcing herself to stand. Her legs felt like lead, but she knew he was right. The swamp was still dangerous, and they couldn't stay here.
"Help me with the artifact," she said.
Ferran hesitated, his eyes narrowing. "Are you sure it's safe to touch?"
"It's stable," Elaine said. "For now."
He muttered something under his breath but helped her lift the artifact. It was heavier than she'd expected, its energy drained but still faintly pulsing.
A New Warning
As they began their trek back to the surface, Elaine felt a familiar hum in her mind. The Nexus was stirring again, its text appearing with unusual clarity:
DIVERGENCE INSIGHT UPDATED:
Artifact Activation Detected by External Systems.
Tracking Protocols Initiated by Crown Overseer.
WARNING: Aria Venhold will be alerted to artifact state upon return. Prepare for hostile inquiry.
Elaine's chest tightened. She glanced at the artifact in her arms, its faint glow casting long shadows in the dim light.
Whatever she had unlocked, it wasn't just dangerous—it was a beacon, and the people watching were far more dangerous than the swamp creatures they had left behind.