The Voice of the Convergence stood motionless before the crystalline structure, their featureless mask gleaming faintly in the chamber's dim light. Energy pulsed through the conduits surrounding them, feeding the glowing web that spanned the room.
"You've already lost," the Voice said, their tone almost conversational. "The Nexus isn't just a memory. It's an inevitability."
Elaine tightened her grip on her blade, her voice steady. "I've heard that before. It didn't end well for the last group who tried."
The Voice tilted their head slightly, their tone tinged with amusement. "You misunderstand. The Nexus wasn't destroyed—it simply evolved. And you carry its seed within you."
Elaine's chest tightened as the shard in her satchel pulsed violently, its energy resonating with the crystalline structure.
"What are you talking about?" she demanded.
The Voice gestured toward the web of fragments. "The shards are not relics. They are pieces of a living system, one that you cannot hope to comprehend. Every step you've taken has brought you closer to fulfilling its purpose."
Ferran stepped forward, his sword raised. "Enough of this. If you're so powerful, let's see you fight instead of talk."
The Voice's chuckle was low and cold. "Very well."
The Battle Begins
The Voice raised a hand, and the air in the chamber seemed to crackle with energy. From the crystalline conduits, jagged constructs emerged, their forms crackling with unstable light as they moved with unnatural speed.
Elaine dodged to the side as one of the constructs lunged at her, its glowing limbs slicing through the air. Her blade flashed as she countered, striking its core and sending shards of energy scattering across the floor.
"Ferran, take the constructs!" she shouted. "I'll handle the Voice."
Ferran grinned, his blade swinging in a wide arc as he charged into the fray. "Finally, something to hit!"
Elaine turned her focus to the Voice, who stood calmly amidst the chaos, their mask tilted slightly as though observing her.
"You cannot defeat me," they said, their voice resonating with the hum of the chamber. "You are a fragment, just as the shards are. Broken. Incomplete."
Elaine lunged forward, her blade aimed for their chest. The Voice moved with inhuman speed, their form blurring as they sidestepped the strike.
"You are predictable," they said, raising their hand. A wave of energy surged toward Elaine, forcing her to leap back.
A Growing Awareness
As Elaine fought, the shard in her satchel pulsed erratically, its energy pressing against her mind like a wave. Flashes of light filled her vision—fragments of memory, faces and voices she didn't recognize.
She stumbled slightly, her blade faltering. The Voice stepped closer, their tone cold and unrelenting.
"Do you feel it?" they asked. "The shard is awakening. It remembers."
Elaine gritted her teeth, forcing herself to steady. "I don't care what it remembers. I'm ending this."
She charged again, her blade moving in a flurry of strikes. The Voice parried with ease, their movements fluid and precise.
"Your resistance is meaningless," they said. "The Nexus will rise again, and you will be its foundation."
Turning the Tide
Meanwhile, Ferran hacked through the last of the constructs, his sword cleaving through their cores with brutal efficiency.
"Lira, how are we doing?" he called into the comm crystal.
Lira's voice crackled through the connection, strained but determined. "The defenses are down, but I don't know how long I can keep them that way. You need to hurry!"
Kael's voice cut in. "We've got reinforcements heading your way. Big ones."
Elaine heard the urgency in their voices but didn't let it distract her. She focused on the shard, its pulsing energy aligning with her movements as she pushed the Voice back toward the crystalline structure.
"You think you can stop the Convergence?" the Voice sneered. "You are merely a tool—a piece of the puzzle."
Elaine's blade flashed, striking their arm and sending sparks flying. "Then I'll break the puzzle apart."
A Desperate Move
The shard in Elaine's satchel flared brightly, its energy surging as it resonated with the central crystal. The room trembled, the conduits sparking violently as the Nexus fragments began to destabilize.
The Voice staggered slightly, their composure cracking. "What have you done?"
Elaine stepped closer, her blade poised. "Disconnected you."
Ferran joined her, his sword raised. "Say goodnight, whoever-you-are."
Before the Voice could react, Elaine drove the shard into the base of the crystalline structure. The impact sent a shockwave through the chamber, the glowing web shattering as the fragments lost their cohesion.
The Voice let out a distorted roar, their form flickering as the energy around them collapsed.
Escape
The chamber began to crumble, shards of crystal raining down as the conduits overloaded.
"Time to go!" Ferran shouted, grabbing Elaine's arm and pulling her toward the exit.
Elaine stumbled, her body aching from the energy surge. The shard in her hand dimmed, its light flickering weakly.
Kael and Lira met them at the entrance, their faces pale. "The whole place is coming down!" Lira shouted.
"Move!" Elaine ordered, leading the group out as the hub collapsed behind them in a deafening roar.
A New Threat
As they reached the safety of the ravine's edge, the team collapsed onto the rocky ground, their breaths coming in ragged gasps.
"It's done," Ferran said, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "We took it out."
Elaine shook her head, her grip tightening on the shard. "No. It's not done. The Voice said the Nexus wasn't destroyed—it evolved. The Convergence is just one part of something bigger."
Kael frowned. "What does that mean?"
Elaine stared at the shard, its faint pulse steady once more. "It means we're not just fighting the Convergence. We're fighting the Nexus itself."