The ground trembled violently beneath their feet as Rivan and Ardyn sprinted through the glowing pathway, the fractures' light dimming with every step. Behind them, the crystalline chamber collapsed in a cacophony of shattering walls and chaotic energy.
"Faster!" Ardyn shouted, her voice cutting through the roar of destruction. She glanced over her shoulder at the debris spiraling toward them, her grip tightening on her blade.
Rivan's breathing was ragged as they pushed forward, the fractures' whispers faint and fragmented in their mind. The shards in their pack pulsed erratically, their chaotic energy syncing with the fractures in uneven bursts.
"The pathway is unstable," Rivan said, their voice strained. "The fractures—they're barely holding it together."
"Then tell them to hold on a little longer!" Ardyn snapped, dodging a falling shard of glowing debris.
The Fractures' Uncertainty
The fractures beneath them pulsed faintly, their chaotic rhythm faltering as the pathway narrowed into a jagged corridor of light and shadow. The air was heavy with tension, the faint hum of the fractures growing quieter with every step.
Rivan slowed slightly, their sharp eyes scanning the unstable terrain ahead. "The fractures are struggling to guide us. They're... uncertain."
"Uncertain?" Ardyn asked, her tone sharp. "How can glowing rocks be uncertain?"
Rivan shook their head, frustration flickering across their face. "They're not just rocks. The fractures are alive—they're reacting to the chaos. And right now, they don't know what's coming."
"Well, I know what's coming," Ardyn said grimly, pointing toward the jagged outline of Dominion soldiers emerging from the collapsing chamber. "Trouble."
Dominion's Relentless Pursuit
The commander strode forward, his expression calm as the corrupted shard in his hand flared brightly. Its chaotic energy rippled outward in jagged waves, clashing with the fractures' dimming light and further destabilizing the pathway.
"Don't let them escape!" he barked, his voice sharp. "Push the fractures to their limit—they'll collapse before they reach the next Nexus site."
A squad of Dominion soldiers advanced quickly, their weapons blazing with Nexus energy. The fractures beneath them pulsed erratically, their chaotic rhythm spiraling out of control as the corrupted shard emitted another destabilizing pulse.
Ardyn's blade flashed in the dim light as she deflected a barrage of energy blasts, her movements sharp and precise. "Rivan, I can't hold them off forever!" she shouted.
"I'm working on it!" Rivan called back, their hands trembling as they placed a hand on the glowing pathway. The fractures' whispers filled their mind, faint and fragmented but still present.
"Balance... fragile. Chaos must... be contained. The Custodian must... endure."
A Risky Decision
The pathway trembled violently as the fractures' light flared suddenly, casting the jagged terrain in blinding brilliance. The chaotic energy spiraling through the air grew stronger, threatening to collapse the path entirely.
Rivan's breathing steadied as they focused on the fractures' erratic rhythm, their mind syncing with the shards' chaotic energy. "The fractures are giving us one chance," they said, their voice calm but firm.
"One chance to do what?" Ardyn demanded, slicing through another attacker.
"To stabilize the pathway long enough to escape," Rivan replied. "But it's risky. If we fail..."
"We won't fail," Ardyn interrupted, her tone resolute. "Just do it."
Rivan nodded, placing both hands on the fractures' glowing surface. The shards in their pack flared brightly, their chaotic energy spiraling outward in jagged waves that clashed with the corrupted shard's destabilizing pulses.
The Path Forward
The fractures' light pulsed steadily for a brief moment, their chaotic rhythm subsiding into a faint, harmonious beat. The pathway ahead grew brighter, its jagged edges smoothing slightly as the fractures stabilized.
Rivan exhaled slowly, their voice filled with quiet determination. "It's working. The fractures are holding—just barely."
Ardyn grinned faintly, her blade still raised as she glanced toward the pursuing soldiers. "Good. Now let's make sure we're on the right side of this path when it collapses."
The fractures beneath them trembled faintly as the pathway stretched forward, its glowing light guiding the group deeper into the Nexus network. Behind them, the corrupted shard's chaotic energy grew dimmer, its influence waning as the fractures pushed back.
For a brief moment, the air was still, the fractures' faint hum resonating through the shattered terrain.
"We're not out of this yet," Rivan said quietly, their gaze fixed on the glowing horizon.
Ardyn sheathed her blade, her expression tense but resolute. "Then let's keep moving."
The fractures pulsed faintly beneath their feet, their steady rhythm a quiet reminder of the fragile balance they had just preserved.