The air grew cooler as the group descended deeper into the canyon, the towering rock walls narrowing until they formed a jagged corridor of stone. The shards glowed faintly in Lira's arms, their light casting shifting patterns across the ground.
"This temple of yours better be real," Ardyn muttered, her eyes scanning the shadows for signs of pursuit.
"It's real," Rivan said calmly, leading the way. "The old records mentioned it—a place of worship tied to the fractures. If we're lucky, it might hold something we can use."
Elaine followed silently, the shard in her hand pulsing with a steady rhythm. She could feel the pull of the shards growing stronger as they neared their destination, as though they were drawn to the place by some unseen force.
The whispers in her mind returned, faint but insistent.
"The fractures converge here, Custodian. The shards remember their purpose."
"Elaine?" Lira's voice broke through her thoughts. "Are you all right?"
Elaine nodded quickly, her grip on the shard tightening. "I'm fine. Just… focused."
The Temple of Convergence
The canyon opened abruptly into a wide, circular basin. At its center stood a crumbling structure of stone and crystal, its spires reaching toward the sky like jagged shards frozen in place. The air hummed faintly, resonating with the shards' light.
"This is it," Rivan said, their voice low. "The Temple of Convergence."
Lira's eyes widened as she approached the temple, her fingers brushing against the carved symbols that adorned its surface. "These markings… they're the same as the ones on the shards."
Elaine stepped closer, her gaze fixed on the temple's central chamber. "The shards are reacting to this place. There's something inside—something they want us to see."
Ardyn folded her arms, her expression skeptical. "And what happens when Dominion decides to crash the party?"
"Then we deal with it," Elaine said firmly. "But first, we find out what this place is hiding."
Unveiling the Past
Inside the temple, the air was thick with the hum of energy. The walls glowed faintly, their crystalline veins pulsing in time with the shards' light. At the center of the chamber stood a massive, cracked pedestal, its surface etched with intricate patterns that mirrored the shards' designs.
Elaine approached the pedestal, the shard in her hand flaring brightly. The others gathered around her, their expressions a mix of awe and caution.
"What is this place?" Lira whispered, her voice trembling.
"The source of the fractures," Elaine said quietly. "Or what's left of it."
She placed the shard on the pedestal, its light spiraling outward in a wave that illuminated the chamber. The other shards reacted immediately, their energy syncing with the pedestal's glow.
The hum grew louder, and the air around them shimmered as a vision began to form—a fragmented image of a world whole and unbroken, its energy flowing seamlessly through the shards.
"The shards were the foundation," a deep voice intoned, echoing through the chamber. "Their unity sustained the world. But greed and fear shattered them, and the fractures were born."
The vision shifted, showing the rise of the Nexus, its spires piercing the sky as it drew power from the shards. The fractures deepened, spreading across the land as the shards' unity was twisted into control.
Elaine's breath caught as the vision dissolved, leaving the group in silence.
A Heavy Truth
"That's what they were for," Lira said softly, her gaze fixed on the shards. "They weren't just tools or weapons. They were… everything."
"And someone broke them," Rivan said grimly. "To build the Nexus."
Elaine picked up the shard, its light steady in her hand. "And now Dominion wants to do it again. If they succeed, they won't just rebuild the Nexus—they'll destroy the world."
Ardyn scowled. "So what's the plan? Put the shards back together and hope for the best?"
"The shards won't force unity," Elaine said, her voice firm. "That's what the vision showed us. They're not meant to be controlled—they're meant to be whole, on their own terms."
Rivan frowned. "And how do we make that happen?"
Elaine shook her head. "I don't know yet. But this place is the key. The shards remember their purpose—they're guiding us for a reason."
The Shadow of Dominion
A distant rumble echoed through the canyon, shaking the temple's walls. The faint hum of engines followed, growing louder with each passing moment.
"They found us," Ardyn said, drawing her blade.
Elaine turned to Lira, her voice urgent. "Secure the shards. We can't let them take them."
Lira nodded, quickly wrapping the shards in protective cloth as Rivan and Ardyn moved toward the temple's entrance.
Elaine held the shard tightly, its whispers rising to a crescendo in her mind.
"The fractures converge, Custodian. Their will must be fulfilled."
She took a deep breath, her resolve hardening. "We fight. For the shards—and for the world they're meant to protect."