The explosion echoed across the desert, its reverberations shaking the ridge where Elaine and Lira had taken refuge.
"That can't be good," Lira muttered, clutching the shards tightly.
Elaine stood, her gaze fixed on the horizon. A faint plume of smoke rose in the distance, accompanied by the flicker of energy weapons firing sporadically.
"It's them," Elaine said, her voice taut with worry. "We have to go."
Lira's eyes widened. "Are you serious? If Dominion's there, we'll be walking straight into a fight!"
Elaine turned, her grip on the shard tightening. "If that was Rivan and Ardyn, they might need us. I'm not leaving them behind."
Lira hesitated, then nodded reluctantly. "Okay. Let's go."
The pair set off, moving quickly but cautiously toward the source of the explosion. The shards' pulsing light cast faint patterns on the sand as they moved, a reminder of the burden they carried.
The Signal Booster Sabotage
Rivan and Ardyn crouched in the shadow of the outcrop, their breaths shallow as the Dominion patrol scrambled in the chaos. The signal booster lay in smoldering ruins, its crystalline core shattered by Ardyn's blade.
"That got their attention," Ardyn said with a smirk, wiping soot from her face.
"Too much attention," Rivan muttered, their eyes scanning the shifting dunes. "They'll regroup fast. We need to move."
The remaining Dominion soldiers shouted commands, their movements frantic as they assessed the damage. One of them raised a hand, signaling to a nearby vehicle.
"They're calling reinforcements," Rivan said, their tone grim.
Ardyn's smirk faded. "We're not getting out of here quietly, are we?"
"Not a chance," Rivan replied, loosing an arrow that struck the soldier mid-command.
The sudden attack sent the Dominion patrol into disarray, their weapons firing wildly as they searched for the source. Ardyn took advantage of the confusion, charging forward and cutting down two soldiers before retreating to cover.
"We can't hold this for long," Rivan said, firing another arrow. "They'll overwhelm us."
Ardyn gritted her teeth, her blade flashing in the dim light. "Then let's make sure they regret trying."
Reunion Under Fire
Elaine and Lira arrived at the edge of the skirmish, crouching low behind a dune as they took in the chaotic scene. Smoke and sparks filled the air, and the faint hum of energy weapons was nearly drowned out by the shouts of Dominion soldiers.
"There they are," Elaine said, spotting Rivan and Ardyn near the ruined signal booster.
"They're pinned," Lira said, her voice trembling. "How are we supposed to help?"
Elaine raised the shard in her hand, its light flaring in response to her determination. "We make an opening."
Before Lira could protest, Elaine stepped forward, channeling the shard's energy into a wave that swept across the battlefield. The pulse disrupted the soldiers' weapons, sending several of them sprawling.
Rivan looked up, their eyes narrowing as they spotted Elaine. "Took you long enough."
Elaine sprinted toward them, her voice sharp. "Fall back to the ridge! We'll cover you!"
Ardyn hesitated, her blade still raised. "We can take them!"
"No," Elaine said firmly, raising the shard again. "Now!"
Reluctantly, Ardyn moved toward the ridge, covering Rivan as they retreated. Elaine sent another pulse of energy, buying them precious seconds as the Dominion forces regrouped.
A Desperate Defense
The team regrouped at the ridge, using the natural terrain as cover. Dominion's reinforcements arrived quickly, their vehicles' headlights cutting through the smoke.
"We can't hold this position for long," Rivan said, their bow drawn.
"Then we don't," Elaine replied, her voice steady despite the chaos. She turned to Lira. "Get the shards ready. If we have to run, they're our priority."
Lira nodded, her hands shaking as she secured the shards in her pack.
Dominion's forces advanced, their weapons firing in controlled bursts. Elaine raised the shard, its light flaring brightly as she sent another wave of energy toward the soldiers. The ground trembled beneath the ridge, and faint cracks appeared in the sand, glowing with the fractures' chaotic light.
"They're reacting again," Lira said, her voice trembling. "Elaine, you have to stop!"
Elaine gritted her teeth, the whispers in her mind growing louder.
"The fractures demand resolution, Custodian. Will you act, or will you falter?"
"I won't let them win," Elaine muttered, channeling more energy into the shard.
The Fractures' Warning
The ground beneath the ridge shifted violently, the fractures' glow intensifying. The shards in Lira's pack pulsed erratically, their light syncing with the shard in Elaine's hand.
"Elaine, stop!" Rivan shouted, their voice cutting through the noise. "You're going to bring the whole ridge down!"
Elaine staggered, the strain of controlling the shard's energy overwhelming her. The fractures' whispers filled her mind, overlapping into a deafening roar.
"Balance demands sacrifice, Custodian. Choose wisely."
Her vision blurred, and for a moment, she saw the fractures spreading outward, consuming the desert in a wave of destruction. Dominion's forces crumbled beneath the chaos, but so did everything else.
Elaine took a shaky breath, forcing the shard's energy to recede. The fractures dimmed, their light fading to a faint glow.
"We're leaving," she said, her voice trembling but resolute. "Now."
The Retreat
The team moved quickly, slipping away from the ridge as Dominion forces struggled to regroup. The shards' light flickered faintly, their energy subdued but still present.
As they reached a safer distance, Rivan turned to Elaine, their tone sharp. "You nearly destroyed everything back there."
Elaine met their gaze, her voice steady. "I did what I had to. And we survived."
Ardyn crossed her arms, her expression hard. "Barely. If those fractures had gone any further…"
"They didn't," Elaine said firmly. "And now we know what we're up against."
Lira's voice was quiet, but filled with doubt. "Do we? Because it feels like we're just barely staying ahead of this."
Elaine looked down at the shard in her hand, its light a steady pulse. The fractures' whispers echoed faintly in her mind, a reminder of the fragile balance they were trying to maintain.
"We'll figure it out," Elaine said, more to herself than anyone else. "We have to."