Dominion's base loomed like a fortress carved from the fractured earth. The structure was massive, its walls pulsing faintly with energy that resonated in the air like a living heartbeat.
Elaine crouched behind a jagged outcrop of rock, the shard in her hand glowing faintly. From their vantage point, she could see the perimeter bristling with activity—constructs patrolling in coordinated patterns, turrets swiveling methodically, and lines of drones sweeping the sky.
Kael crouched beside her, his sharp eyes scanning the defenses. "That's more firepower than I was hoping for."
Ardyn leaned against the rock, her blade resting on her shoulder. "Looks like they've been busy. Any brilliant ideas, Elaine?"
Elaine frowned, her mind racing. The shard's hum was louder now, almost deafening in her thoughts. It pulsed in time with the energy coursing through Dominion's walls, a constant reminder of the connection they shared.
"Those defenses aren't just there to keep us out," Rivan said, joining them. "They're designed to protect the shards inside. Dominion's core is running on their energy."
Lira approached cautiously, her field generator strapped tightly to her back. "And if we shut it down?"
"Then Dominion falls," Elaine said. "But we'll need to get inside first."
A Fractured Path
The group moved carefully along the perimeter, staying low as they searched for a weakness in the defenses. The ground was jagged and unstable, fractures glowing beneath their feet with an ominous light.
Kael stopped suddenly, raising a hand. "There."
Ahead, a section of the wall had partially collapsed, its surface scorched and cracked. The fractures beneath it glowed brighter, their energy destabilizing the structure.
"That's our way in," Elaine said, motioning for the group to follow.
As they approached the breach, the shard in Elaine's hand flared, its energy syncing with the fractures. The hum grew louder, filling her mind with fragmented whispers.
"Unity is inevitable," the Nexus's voice murmured. "You cannot fight what was meant to be whole."
Elaine clenched her fists, her voice low. "I've heard this before."
Ardyn glanced at her, frowning. "What?"
"Nothing," Elaine said quickly. "Let's move."
Inside Dominion
The breach led them into a dimly lit corridor, its walls lined with conduits that pulsed faintly with energy. The shard's glow illuminated the way, its light casting shifting shadows across the metallic surface.
"This place is a maze," Lira said, her voice uneasy. "How are we supposed to find the core?"
"The shard will guide us," Elaine said, her grip tightening on it.
Kael raised an eyebrow. "And we're trusting it now?"
Elaine met his gaze, her voice firm. "We don't have a choice."
The corridor opened into a larger chamber, its center dominated by a massive crystalline structure. The shard in Elaine's hand pulsed violently, its energy resonating with the crystal.
"This is a Nexus relay," Rivan said, their tone grim. "It's amplifying the shards' power. If Dominion's using these, they've already built a network."
Elaine approached the crystal, her steps hesitant. The whispers in her mind grew louder, fragments of voices overlapping in a chaotic chorus.
"Elaine?" Kael said, his voice cautious.
She didn't respond. The shard's light flared, and for a moment, the chamber dissolved around her.
The Shard's Vision
Elaine was standing in an endless void, the ground beneath her feet shimmering with the same energy as the shard. In the distance, she saw the towering spires of Dominion's core, their surfaces glowing with the combined power of the shards.
A figure emerged from the light, their form shifting and indistinct. The voice that followed was calm yet commanding, resonating with the weight of authority.
"You carry the heart of creation, Elaine. Why do you resist?"
Elaine's chest tightened. "Because I know what you are. You're not creation—you're control."
The figure tilted its head, its form solidifying into the shadowy man she had faced before. His eyes gleamed with a faint, otherworldly light.
"Control is what holds the world together. Without it, everything fractures. You've seen it yourself."
"I've seen what happens when you take that control too far," Elaine said, her voice firm. "People lose everything—their choices, their freedom. I won't let that happen again."
The figure stepped closer, its presence overwhelming. "You think freedom is worth this chaos? This suffering? You carry the shard, but you refuse to see its truth. There is no balance without unity."
Elaine's grip on the shard tightened. "You're wrong."
The figure's expression darkened, its form flickering. "Then you will fall, along with the rest of your fractured world."
Breaking the Vision
Elaine gasped as the vision shattered, the chamber snapping back into focus. She staggered, her breathing ragged as the shard's glow dimmed in her hand.
"Elaine!" Kael rushed to her side, steadying her. "What happened?"
"The shard," she said, her voice trembling. "It's… it's trying to pull me in."
Ardyn frowned. "Pull you in? What does that even mean?"
Elaine shook her head, her thoughts racing. "It's connected to Dominion, to the shards, to everything. It wants to unify them—to rebuild the Nexus, no matter the cost."
Lira's face paled. "And if it succeeds?"
Elaine's gaze hardened. "Then there won't be a world left to save."