The air was heavier on the way out of the Verdant Sink, as if the swamp itself was bearing down on them. The artifact's faint glow pulsed in rhythm with Elaine's heartbeat, and she could swear the oppressive essence saturation had grown worse since they'd activated it.
Kael led the group in tense silence, his eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. Ferran followed close behind, his blade at the ready, while Lira and Jothan stayed in the center of the formation, their nerves fraying with every step.
Elaine brought up the rear, the artifact clutched tightly in her arms. Each pulse of its energy sent a faint vibration through her body, like a barely audible hum just at the edge of hearing.
"How much farther?" Ferran growled, his voice low.
Kael pointed ahead. "Another half hour, if the path holds. But this place doesn't like to stay the same for long."
Elaine frowned. "What does that mean?"
"The essence," Kael replied without looking back. "It changes things. Paths disappear. Landmarks shift. It's why no one comes here unless they're desperate or stupid."
Ferran snorted. "Or ordered by someone who doesn't care if they live or die."
Elaine felt a pang of agreement but kept quiet.
The Swamp's Shifting Nature
They reached a narrow causeway flanked by glowing pools of stagnant water. The faint light reflected off the surface, creating an illusion of depth that made Elaine's stomach churn.
Kael knelt at the edge of the path, his fingers brushing the ground. "This wasn't here on the way in," he murmured.
"Meaning what?" Lira asked, her voice tight.
"Meaning the swamp's shifting," Kael said grimly. "We're going to have to move fast before it changes again."
Elaine's grip on the artifact tightened. She glanced at the glowing pools, their surfaces rippling unnaturally despite the lack of wind. The energy in the air was suffocating, pressing against her lungs with every breath.
The Nexus flickered faintly in her vision, offering fragmented text:
ENVIRONMENTAL ANOMALY DETECTED:
Artifact Resonance Impact: 41%
Warning: Localized essence destabilization in progress.
Elaine's pulse quickened. The artifact wasn't just responding to the swamp—it was changing it.
"Kael," she said quietly, "the artifact is affecting the swamp. The resonance—it's destabilizing everything around us."
Kael shot her a sharp look. "Can you stop it?"
Elaine shook her head. "Not without the right tools, and definitely not here. We need to get it out of this place."
"Then keep moving," Ferran snapped.
The Ambush
They were halfway across the causeway when the swamp came alive.
It started as a faint rustling in the trees, the sound too steady and deliberate to be the wind. Kael froze mid-step, his hand raised in warning.
"Something's watching us," he whispered.
Elaine's grip on the artifact tightened, her eyes darting to the shadows. The rustling grew louder, and faint red glows began to flicker among the twisted roots and branches.
"Not another Myriapod," Lira muttered, her voice trembling.
Kael shook his head. "No. This is worse."
From the darkness emerged figures—humanoid shapes twisted by essence saturation. Their bodies were gaunt and skeletal, their skin translucent and veined with glowing light. Crystalline growths jutted from their limbs, and their eyes burned with an unnatural red hue.
"Essence revenants," Kael growled, drawing his bow.
Ferran stepped forward, his blade glinting in the faint light. "Lovely. How do we kill them?"
"Destroy the crystals," Kael said. "It's the only way."
The revenants moved as one, their motions jerky but unnervingly fast. They surged toward the group, their glowing eyes fixed on the artifact.
Elaine stumbled back, clutching the artifact as Lira hurled a vial of corrosive essence. The liquid splashed across one of the revenants, its crystalline growths hissing and cracking. The creature shrieked, its body collapsing into a pile of ash.
Ferran charged another revenant, his blade slashing through the crystalline spikes on its arms. It let out a guttural growl, swinging wildly, but Ferran dodged and drove his blade into its core.
Elaine's hands trembled as she fumbled for a vial on her belt. The Nexus flickered in her vision, offering a frantic suggestion:
TACTICAL RECOMMENDATION:
Use artifact resonance to disrupt revenant coordination. Risk: Moderate.
Risk or not, it was their best shot.
"Cover me!" she shouted, dropping to one knee and placing the artifact on the ground.
The revenants turned toward her instantly, their movements growing more frenzied. Kael loosed an arrow, striking one in the chest, while Lira hurled another vial of essence.
Elaine focused on the artifact, her hands hovering over its surface. The energy pulsed erratically, the chaotic rhythm matching her racing heartbeat.
"Come on," she muttered, willing the resonance to stabilize.
The artifact flared brilliantly, a wave of multicolored light rippling outward. The revenants froze mid-motion, their crystalline growths vibrating violently.
"They're destabilizing!" Lira shouted.
Elaine gritted her teeth, pushing more energy into the artifact. The resonance grew stronger, and the revenants let out piercing wails as their bodies began to crack and splinter.
One by one, they collapsed, their forms dissolving into glowing shards that rained down like embers.
DIVERGENCE ALERT:
Environmental Threat Neutralized. Artifact Stability: 24%.
Elaine sagged, her energy spent. Ferran hauled her to her feet, his expression grim.
"Nice trick," he said. "But you can't keep doing that. We're running out of swamp—and time."
Elaine nodded, glancing at the artifact. Its light was dimmer now, its energy almost depleted. But the swamp had grown quieter, the oppressive energy easing slightly.
"Let's go," Kael said, leading the way forward.
A Final Warning
As they neared the edge of the swamp, the Nexus flickered in Elaine's vision again, its tone urgent:
DIVERGENCE INSIGHT:
External entities tracking artifact resonance. Immediate debrief with Aria Venhold unavoidable.
Warning: Artifact's compromised state may provoke termination protocols.
Elaine's blood ran cold. Aria wasn't just waiting for them to return—she was prepared to eliminate anyone who threatened her control of the artifact.
The Veilshard Fragment's warning rang in her mind: "Beware the overseer who bends the rules."
She didn't have much time to figure out her next move. If she didn't act carefully, Aria might make sure her probationary status ended permanently.