The courtyard was bathed in an unnatural glow, the streaks of light in the sky shimmering like fractured glass. The air vibrated with a low, ominous hum that seemed to resonate in Elaine's chest.
Around her, guards scrambled into defensive positions, their weapons drawn. Alchemists clutched hastily prepared vials, their faces pale with fear. Whatever had been drawn by the artifact, it was powerful enough to unnerve even the hardened veterans of the guild.
Elaine stood frozen, her gaze locked on the sky. The streaks of light were converging, their colors shifting and merging into something darker.
Aria, by contrast, was calm—too calm. She stood at the center of the courtyard, her head tilted back as she watched the spectacle unfold. A faint smile played on her lips, her emerald-green eyes gleaming with something between awe and triumph.
"It worked," she murmured. "The artifact's signal reached them."
Elaine's stomach churned. "Reached what?"
Aria didn't answer, her attention fixed on the sky.
The Nexus flickered violently in Elaine's vision, its warnings more urgent than ever:
DIVERGENCE ALERT:
Entity Classification: Veil-Interference Construct (VIC).
Nature: Semi-autonomous extraction system.
Risk: Complete substrate destabilization.
Recommended Action: Escape affected zone immediately.
Elaine's pulse quickened. "Aria, you don't understand what you've done! That thing—it's not here to help us. It's going to destroy everything!"
Aria turned to her, her expression cold. "You think I don't know the risks? The artifact was a key—a way to attract something beyond the Nexus's control. If we can harness it, we'll have power the Crown can't even imagine."
"And if you can't?" Elaine demanded.
Aria's smile widened. "Then I'll ensure the cost is worth it."
The Entity Arrives
The hum in the air grew louder, and the streaks of light in the sky coalesced into a single point, hovering above the compound like a dark star. The light twisted and pulsed, its shape shifting as though it couldn't fully manifest.
Then, with a deafening crack, it descended.
The entity hit the ground with a wave of force that sent Elaine stumbling backward. The courtyard erupted in chaos as guards and alchemists scrambled to maintain order.
When the dust settled, the entity stood before them. Its form was humanoid but fractured, its body composed of shifting, translucent shards that glowed faintly with an inner light. Its eyes were dark voids, and its movements were unnervingly smooth, as though it operated on a different plane of existence.
The Nexus flared in Elaine's vision:
ENTITY IDENTIFIED: VIC-Alpha Node
Purpose: Retrieve nexus-fragmented artifacts. Enforce stability through extraction or annihilation.
Risk Level: Critical.
The entity tilted its head, its void-like eyes scanning the courtyard. When it spoke, its voice echoed in Elaine's mind, layered and hollow:
"Substrate compromised. Retrieval mandated."
A Desperate Stand
Aria stepped forward, her voice ringing with authority. "I am Overseer Aria Venhold. The artifact is under my jurisdiction. If you wish to retrieve it, you will do so on my terms."
The entity's head tilted further, its fragmented body shifting as though it found her words amusing. "Compliance unnecessary. Stabilization imminent."
Elaine's chest tightened. The Nexus's warnings flashed faster, its text flickering in rapid succession:
CRITICAL RISK: Entity will destroy local substrate to enforce stability. Intervention required.
Recommended Countermeasures:
Obstruct Entity's nexus-core synchronization. Force Entity retreat via overload of secondary resonance.
The meaning was clear: if the entity synchronized with the artifact, the compound—and likely the surrounding area—would be annihilated.
Elaine's mind raced. She glanced at her companions, who stood frozen, their faces pale with fear. Kael's hand tightened on his bow, while Lira clutched a vial of essence so tightly her knuckles turned white.
Ferran took a step toward her, his voice low. "What's the plan?"
Elaine swallowed hard. "We can't let it take the artifact. If it synchronizes, we're done for."
"And how do we stop it?" Kael asked, his voice tense.
Elaine's gaze flicked to the artifact, which still lay cracked and inert in the center of the courtyard. "We overload the artifact's resonance. If we push it past its limit, it'll destabilize the synchronization process."
"And blow us all to hell in the process," Ferran muttered.
"It's better than letting that thing finish its job," Elaine shot back.
Kael nodded grimly. "What do you need?"
Elaine's mind raced as she formulated a plan. "Lira, I need a destabilizing catalyst. Ferran, Kael—keep that thing distracted while we work."
Ferran smirked, unsheathing his blade. "This better work."
The Final Gamble
Ferran and Kael charged forward, their weapons glinting in the dim light. The entity turned its void-like gaze on them, its translucent body shifting as it raised an arm. A wave of force rippled outward, sending Kael tumbling to the ground.
Ferran rolled beneath the attack, slashing at the entity's legs. His blade struck its fragmented body, sending shards flying, but the creature reformed almost instantly.
"Keep it busy!" Elaine shouted, her hands trembling as she worked to prepare the catalyst.
Lira knelt beside her, pouring a vial of glowing liquid into the mixture. "This will amplify the resonance by tenfold—but it's unstable."
Elaine forced a grim smile. "Perfect."
The entity turned toward them, its fragmented body glowing brighter. "Interference detected. Anomaly termination required."
"Not yet," Elaine muttered.
She grabbed the catalyst and sprinted toward the artifact. The entity raised an arm, but Ferran tackled it from the side, his blade driving into its core.
"Now, Elaine!" Kael shouted, loosing an arrow that struck the entity's shoulder, sending another wave of shards scattering.
Elaine reached the artifact and poured the catalyst into its fractured surface. The glow intensified, the pulses growing faster and more erratic.
The Nexus flared violently in her vision:
RESIDUAL ARTIFACT ENERGY ACTIVATED. FORCEFUL SYNCHRONIZATION OVERRIDE IN PROGRESS.
The artifact let out a deafening roar, its fractured surface erupting in a blinding cascade of light.
The entity staggered, its form flickering as the resonance overwhelmed it. With a final, distorted cry, it dissolved into a swirling vortex of light, disappearing into the sky.
The Aftermath
The courtyard fell silent. The artifact lay shattered, its energy spent.
Aria stood in the center of the wreckage, her expression unreadable. Slowly, she turned to Elaine, her emerald eyes narrowing.
"You've destroyed it," she said, her voice cold. "Do you have any idea what you've cost us?"
Elaine forced herself to meet Aria's gaze. "I saved us. That thing would've killed everyone here."
Aria's lips curled into a thin smile. "You assume that's a price I wasn't willing to pay."
Before Elaine could respond, the Nexus flickered again, its message stark and final:
DIVERGENCE STATUS: Unstable. Entity retreat confirmed.
Oversight escalation imminent. Prepare for reclassification.
Elaine's chest tightened. The battle was over, but the game had only just begun.