The crystalline relay loomed behind them, its faint hum a constant reminder of the energy flowing through Dominion's network. The team moved cautiously through the corridors, the shard's pulsing light casting erratic shadows on the walls.
"We need to keep moving," Elaine said, her voice steady despite the weight of the shard's whispers pressing on her mind. "The core isn't far."
Kael glanced at her, his expression wary. "You sure you're okay? You don't look like yourself."
"I'm fine," Elaine said quickly. Too quickly.
Ardyn scoffed, her blade resting on her shoulder. "That shard's messing with her head, and we're all pretending it's fine? Great plan."
Elaine stopped, turning to face her. "I don't have time for this, Ardyn. If we don't stop Dominion now, the whole world pays the price."
"And if we lose you to that thing?" Ardyn shot back, gesturing to the shard. "What happens then?"
Rivan stepped between them, their tone measured. "Enough. We all knew the risks coming here. Right now, Elaine's the only reason we're still alive. Let her lead."
The tension was palpable, but no one argued further.
Dominion's Constructs
The corridor opened into a massive chamber, its walls lined with glowing conduits that pulsed in time with the shard. At the center stood a construct unlike any they'd encountered before—a towering figure of jagged crystal and dark metal, its limbs bristling with energy.
Kael raised his bow, his voice tense. "That thing's not here to welcome us."
The construct turned, its movements unnaturally fluid. Its eyes flared with Nexus light as it advanced, the air around it crackling with power.
Elaine gripped the shard, its energy surging in response to the construct's presence. "It's feeding off the fractures. If we don't take it down fast, it'll tear this place apart."
Ardyn charged first, her blade flashing as she struck at the construct's legs. The impact sent a shower of sparks flying, but the construct didn't falter. It swung a massive arm, narrowly missing her as she rolled out of the way.
Kael loosed an arrow, the shot striking the construct's core. The crystal pulsed violently, but the construct seemed unfazed.
"It's too strong!" Lira shouted, scrambling to set up the field generator.
Elaine stepped forward, the shard glowing brightly in her hands. The whispers in her mind grew louder, urging her to act.
"Use me," the Nexus's voice said. "Only my power can end this."
Unleashing the Shard
Elaine hesitated, her grip on the shard tightening. The construct loomed closer, its energy building for a devastating strike.
"Elaine!" Kael shouted. "Do something!"
She closed her eyes, focusing on the shard's energy. It burned through her like wildfire, its power both intoxicating and terrifying.
With a cry, she unleashed a wave of energy that surged through the chamber, striking the construct with blinding force. The crystal in its core shattered, sending shards flying as the construct collapsed in a heap of smoldering metal.
The chamber fell silent, the only sound Elaine's ragged breathing.
"Elaine?" Lira approached cautiously, her face pale. "Are you okay?"
Elaine swayed, the shard's glow dimming in her hands. "I'm fine," she said, though her voice trembled.
Kael frowned. "You sure about that? That looked like it took a lot out of you."
Elaine straightened, her gaze hard. "We don't have time to stop. The core is close—I can feel it."
A Desperate Choice
The team pressed on, the corridors narrowing as they approached the heart of Dominion's base. The shard's energy grew stronger, its light casting jagged patterns on the walls.
Ahead, the path split into two branching tunnels, each pulsing with a different intensity of light.
"Which way?" Ardyn asked, her tone sharp.
Elaine closed her eyes, focusing on the shard. The whispers in her mind grew louder, their fragmented voices overlapping.
"One path leads to salvation," the Nexus's voice murmured. "The other to ruin."
Elaine opened her eyes, her breathing uneven. "We split up. One group takes the left tunnel and disables the secondary conduits. The other follows me to the core."
Kael hesitated. "Splitting up isn't a good idea."
"It's the only way," Elaine said firmly. "If we don't take out the conduits, the core will regenerate faster than we can damage it."
Ardyn stepped forward, her expression unreadable. "Fine. But you'd better make it back in one piece."
The Team Divides
Kael and Lira headed down the left tunnel, their footsteps echoing as they disappeared into the dim light. Elaine, Ardyn, and Rivan continued toward the core, the shard's energy guiding their steps.
The air grew heavier, charged with an oppressive energy that seemed to press down on them. The walls pulsed in time with the shard, their glow intensifying as they neared their destination.
Rivan broke the silence, their voice low. "You're pushing yourself too hard, Elaine. If you lose control—"
"I won't," Elaine said sharply. "I can handle this."
Ardyn glanced at her, skepticism clear in her eyes. "Let's hope you're right. Because if you're not, we're all dead."
The corridor opened into a vast chamber, its center dominated by a massive crystalline structure. The core pulsed with energy, its light blinding as it drew power from the fractures below.
Elaine stared at it, her chest tightening. The shard in her hand flared, its glow merging with the core's light.
"This is it," she said, her voice steady. "Let's finish this."