The wind howled across the barren landscape as Elaine and her team pressed onward. The terrain was harsh, a patchwork of jagged rocks and scorched earth that seemed to stretch endlessly toward the horizon. The shard in Elaine's satchel pulsed faintly, its light barely visible in the dim light of the overcast sky.
"How much farther until we reach the next settlement?" Lira asked, her voice tinged with exhaustion.
Kael scanned the horizon, his bow slung across his back. "If the map Rivan gave us is accurate, another day—maybe two. Assuming we don't run into trouble."
Ardyn snorted. "Trouble's the only thing we can count on."
Elaine remained silent, her gaze distant as she led the group. The shard's faint hum echoed in her mind, a reminder of its presence and the choices that weighed on her.
"Elaine," Kael said, his voice pulling her back to the present. "You've been quiet. What's on your mind?"
She hesitated, her hand brushing the satchel. "The shards. Even severed from the Nexus, they're still dangerous. And now that we know someone's trying to rebuild…"
Ardyn interrupted, her tone sharp. "We stop them. It's that simple."
Elaine glanced at her. "It's never that simple."
An Unexpected Encounter
As the sun began to set, the group spotted a small camp nestled in a shallow ravine. Smoke curled from a makeshift fire, and figures moved among the scattered tents and supplies.
"Think they're friendly?" Lira asked.
Kael crouched, his hand on his bow. "Friendly doesn't matter. Desperate people do desperate things."
Elaine studied the camp, her eyes narrowing. "We don't have the supplies to go around them. If we approach carefully, maybe we can barter."
Ardyn crossed her arms. "And if they decide they want the shard?"
"Then we deal with it," Elaine said firmly.
The group descended cautiously, their hands close to their weapons as they approached the camp. A young woman looked up from the fire, her eyes widening as she spotted them.
"Travelers," she called, her voice tinged with both curiosity and caution. "What brings you here?"
Elaine raised her hands in a gesture of peace. "We're passing through. Looking for supplies."
The woman studied them for a moment, then nodded. "Come closer. But leave your weapons by the fire."
A Tense Exchange
The group sat around the fire, the warmth a welcome relief from the biting cold. The woman introduced herself as Arven, a scavenger who had been traveling with a small group of survivors.
"We've been trying to avoid the fighting," Arven said, stirring a pot of soup over the fire. "But it seems like it's following us wherever we go."
Kael frowned. "What fighting?"
Arven gestured vaguely toward the north. "Factions. Warlords. People trying to carve out their own piece of what's left. Word is there's someone new pulling the strings—a man with big ideas and the power to back them up."
Elaine's chest tightened. "Have you seen him?"
Arven shook her head. "No, but I've heard stories. They say he's gathering people—Convergence remnants, scavengers, mercenaries. Anyone who'll listen to his talk about rebuilding the world."
Lira shivered. "Rebuilding? Sounds familiar."
Arven's gaze shifted to Elaine. "You're carrying something, aren't you? Something valuable."
Elaine's hand instinctively moved to her satchel, but she didn't answer.
Arven smirked faintly. "You'd better be careful. People like him—they don't stop until they get what they want."
The First Warning
Later that night, as the group prepared to leave the camp, Arven pulled Elaine aside.
"Listen," she said, her voice low. "There's something else you should know. I've been hearing rumors about a shard—not just one, but many. People are saying they've started appearing, scattered across the territories."
Elaine's breath caught. "That's not possible. The shards were hidden."
"Maybe they were," Arven said. "But they're not anymore. Someone—or something—is bringing them out into the open."
Elaine's grip on her satchel tightened. "Do you know where?"
Arven hesitated, then shook her head. "No. But if you're carrying one, it won't be long before they find you."
An Ambush in the Dark
The group left the camp before dawn, moving quickly and quietly through the ravine. The sky was still dark, the faint glow of the shard casting eerie shadows across the rocky walls.
Kael suddenly raised a hand, signaling for the group to stop. "Something's wrong," he whispered, his eyes scanning the shadows.
Ardyn drew her blade, her expression sharp. "We're being watched."
Before anyone could react, a figure stepped from the darkness, their armor gleaming faintly in the shard's light.
"Elaine," the man said, his voice calm and measured. "We meet again."
It was the shadowy figure from the Convergence.
Elaine stepped forward, her blade in one hand and the shard in the other. "What do you want?"
The man tilted his head, a faint smile on his lips. "What I've always wanted: unity. You severed the Nexus, but its purpose remains. Join me, and we can rebuild it together."
Kael raised his bow, his voice cold. "Not happening."
The man sighed, his tone almost regretful. "Then you leave me no choice."
Figures emerged from the shadows, their movements precise and coordinated. Operatives in Convergence armor, their weapons trained on the group.
A Desperate Fight
The battle erupted in a blur of motion. Kael loosed arrows into the advancing operatives, while Ardyn charged forward, her blade flashing in the dim light.
Lira scrambled behind a rock, clutching the field generator as she worked to activate it. "I need time!" she shouted.
Elaine faced the shadowy man, the shard glowing brighter in her hand. Energy crackled in the air as she raised it, the faint hum growing into a roar.
"You can't stop this," the man said, his voice steady. "The shards will call to each other. It's only a matter of time."
Elaine's eyes narrowed. "Then I'll destroy them."
She unleashed a wave of energy from the shard, the light blinding as it surged across the battlefield.