The northern winds swept across the cracked desert floor, carrying with them a faint hum of energy. The shards in Lira's pack glowed softly, their light flickering as if reacting to the charged air around them.
Elaine led the way, her steps deliberate but cautious. The shard in her hand pulsed faintly, its whispers quieter now but still present—a constant reminder of the fractures' pull.
"Do you feel that?" Lira asked, her voice uneasy.
Elaine nodded, her gaze fixed on the horizon. "The air's heavier. It's Nexus energy—Dominion must have activated something nearby."
Lira hesitated, adjusting the straps of her pack. "Do you think it's… them?"
Elaine shook her head. "No. This is different. It's coming from the fractures."
Ahead, the terrain began to shift—a jagged chasm cutting through the earth, its edges glowing faintly with chaotic light. The hum grew louder as they approached, vibrating through the air like an unsteady heartbeat.
The Nexus Storm
The glow intensified as Elaine and Lira reached the chasm's edge. Swirling currents of energy spiraled upward, forming a translucent storm that crackled with unstable power.
"What is that?" Lira whispered, her voice trembling.
"A Nexus storm," Elaine said, her tone grim. "It's what happens when the fractures grow too unstable. Dominion's interference must be making it worse."
The storm's energy pulsed outward, sending ripples through the ground. Elaine stumbled slightly, catching herself on a nearby rock.
"We need to cross," Elaine said, her gaze narrowing. "The shards are pulling us through."
Lira's eyes widened. "Are you serious? That thing could tear us apart!"
Elaine raised the shard in her hand, its light flaring as she channeled its energy toward the storm. The chaotic currents seemed to slow, their rhythm syncing with the shard's pulse.
"I can stabilize it," Elaine said, her voice steady. "But we have to move quickly."
A Treacherous Crossing
Elaine stepped forward cautiously, the shard's energy forming a faint barrier around her. The storm's currents swirled violently, but they seemed to part slightly in response to the shard's presence.
"Stay close to me," Elaine said, glancing back at Lira.
Lira nodded reluctantly, gripping the straps of her pack as she followed. The air crackled with energy, each step through the storm a careful balance between progress and survival.
The ground beneath them trembled, fragments of rock breaking away and vanishing into the storm's spiraling depths.
"Elaine!" Lira cried, her voice sharp with panic. "It's closing in!"
Elaine gritted her teeth, raising the shard higher. Its light flared, sending out a pulse that pushed the storm's energy back slightly.
"Just a little farther," Elaine said, her voice strained.
Dominion's Plans Revealed
Miles away, Rivan and Ardyn crouched behind a cluster of boulders, the sprawling Dominion encampment spread out before them. Dozens of tents and vehicles dotted the landscape, their faint lights casting long shadows across the Northern Plains.
"We're definitely in the right place," Rivan said quietly, their sharp eyes scanning the camp. "Look."
Ardyn followed their gaze, her expression hardening as she spotted a massive crystalline structure in the center of the encampment. It pulsed faintly, its light syncing with the fractures beneath it.
"They've already started," Ardyn muttered. "They're rebuilding the Nexus."
Rivan's brow furrowed. "And they're not just using shards. Look at those conduits."
Ardyn squinted, her jaw tightening as she noticed the thick cables running from the crystal to the surrounding fractures. "They're amplifying the fractures. Using them like… like fuel."
"Fuel for control," Rivan said, their tone grim. "If they finish this, they'll have the power to control every shard—and destroy anything that resists."
Ardyn's grip on her blade tightened. "Then we don't let them finish."
A Narrow Escape
Back at the chasm, Elaine and Lira reached the other side, their breaths coming in ragged gasps as they stumbled onto solid ground.
The Nexus storm roared behind them, its energy spiraling upward in chaotic waves. Elaine collapsed to one knee, the shard in her hand dimming as its energy receded.
Lira dropped her pack, her hands trembling as she steadied herself against a rock. "That… that was insane," she said, her voice shaking.
Elaine looked up, her expression weary but resolute. "It's going to get worse. Dominion's forcing the fractures to destabilize—they're trying to break the balance completely."
Lira's gaze dropped to the shards, their faint glow a reminder of the burden they carried. "And we're supposed to stop that?"
Elaine stood, her grip on the shard tightening. "We have to."
The shards pulsed faintly, their light syncing with the fractures beneath the ground. The pull toward the first fracture was stronger now, its rhythm steady and unrelenting.
"We're close," Elaine said, her voice quiet but firm. "The first fracture is just ahead."