The debrief chamber was suffocatingly small, its stone walls bare except for the faint glow of a single rune-lamp. Elaine paced in tight circles, her thoughts racing as the weight of the situation pressed down on her.
Ferran leaned against the wall, his arms crossed and his expression dark. Kael stood near the door, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade, while Lira sat hunched over a table, her fingers twitching nervously. Jothan, ever the scribe, was scribbling feverishly in his notebook, his lips moving as though reciting a silent incantation.
No one spoke.
The silence was broken by the hum of the Nexus, its text shimmering faintly in Elaine's vision.
DIVERGENCE ALERT:
Overseer Venhold initiating resonance tests. Artifact instability increasing. External monitoring systems detected.
Recommended Actions:
Disrupt Overseer's progress. Secure artifact or ensure its destabilization. Evaluate team trustworthiness for cooperative escape.
Escape. The word stuck in Elaine's mind like a barb. She glanced at her companions, her grip tightening on the back of a chair. Could she trust them to help her, or would they sell her out to save their own lives?
Tensions Mount
Ferran's voice cut through the silence. "So, we just wait here like lambs for the slaughter?"
Kael's gaze flicked to him, his tone calm but edged with steel. "What would you have us do? Storm the overseer's lab and hope we don't get cut down by her guards?"
Ferran pushed off the wall, his movements sharp. "Better than sitting here while she decides what to do with us."
Lira looked up, her voice shaky. "We don't know that she's going to—"
"We know," Ferran interrupted, his voice hard. "She sent us into that swamp knowing half of us wouldn't make it back. And now she has what she wants."
Elaine swallowed hard, her mind racing. Ferran was right—Aria wouldn't hesitate to eliminate loose ends.
"She's testing the artifact already," Elaine said, her voice cutting through the rising argument.
All eyes turned to her.
"How do you know that?" Kael asked, his expression sharp.
Elaine hesitated. The Nexus hummed faintly in her mind, its presence both a comfort and a weight. "Call it an educated guess," she said carefully. "She's not the type to wait."
Ferran's eyes narrowed. "And how exactly would you know what type she is?"
Lira cut in before Elaine could respond. "It doesn't matter how she knows. What matters is what we do next."
Kael nodded slowly. "Agreed. If Venhold is already experimenting with the artifact, we need to figure out what she's planning."
The First Crack
Before anyone could respond, the door to the chamber creaked open, and two guards stepped inside. Their weapons were drawn, and their expressions were as cold and impassive as stone.
"Overseer Venhold has summoned Caldara," one of them said.
Elaine's stomach twisted. She glanced at her companions, their expressions a mix of unease and suspicion.
"Alone?" Kael asked, his voice sharp.
The guard's gaze didn't waver. "Her orders."
Ferran muttered a curse under his breath, but no one moved to stop them as the guards motioned for Elaine to follow.
Aria's Lab
Elaine was led through the winding halls of the guild compound, the guards flanking her like silent sentinels. The tension in the air was suffocating, and the faint hum of the Nexus grew louder with every step.
When they reached Aria's laboratory, the guards opened the door and ushered her inside.
The lab was massive, a sprawling space filled with towering shelves of alchemical equipment and glowing runes etched into the walls. At its center was the artifact, suspended in a web of crackling energy.
Aria stood beside it, her expression sharp and calculating. She glanced at Elaine and smiled faintly, though the gesture held no warmth.
"Caldara," she said, her voice smooth. "Your timing is perfect."
Elaine forced herself to keep her tone steady. "What do you need?"
Aria gestured to the artifact, its glow pulsing erratically. "You handled this in the field, and you've demonstrated a talent for stabilizing volatile essences. I want you to assist with the next phase of testing."
Elaine's pulse quickened. The artifact's instability was palpable, the resonance vibrating through the air like a low hum. "What kind of testing?"
Aria's smile widened, her green eyes gleaming. "We're pushing the artifact's limits. I need to know how much energy it can channel before the resonance fractures."
Elaine swallowed hard. "That's… risky."
"Risk is the price of progress," Aria said coolly. "And you, Caldara, will help me pay it."
The Nexus Intervenes
As Aria began explaining the procedure, the Nexus flared in Elaine's vision, its text urgent:
CRITICAL WARNING:
Artifact destabilization imminent. Overseer's plan will trigger catastrophic resonance cascade. Risk: Localized substrate collapse.
Recommended Actions:
Subvert Overseer's instructions to delay testing. Sabotage resonance flow to force artifact deactivation. Conceal critical insights to preserve leverage.
Elaine's mind raced. If she followed Aria's instructions, the artifact could trigger a disaster—but outright sabotage would put her life at immediate risk.
"What's the matter, Caldara?" Aria asked, her tone mocking. "Second thoughts?"
Elaine forced a steady breath. "No," she said, her mind already working to devise a plan. "Let's get started."