The fractures' glow filled the chamber, illuminating the jagged symbols etched into the crystalline walls. The air was thick with tension as the echoes of the fractures' whispers faded, leaving a profound silence in their wake.
Rivan stepped back from the glowing symbols, their expression troubled. "The Custodians didn't just shatter the Nexus—they rewrote it. They corrupted its purpose."
Ardyn's brow furrowed as she studied the glowing phrases still lingering on the walls. "Why? What did they gain by breaking something that was supposed to hold everything together?"
Rivan shook their head, their voice heavy. "Control. The fractures weren't just a network—they were a foundation. A way to keep everything connected, balanced. But the Custodians didn't want balance—they wanted power."
"And now the fractures are falling apart because of them," Ardyn muttered, her grip tightening on her blade. "Great. We're cleaning up their mess."
Dominion's Arrival
A low hum echoed through the chamber, growing louder with each passing moment. The fractures beneath the group pulsed erratically, their chaotic rhythm disrupted by an unfamiliar energy.
"They're here," Rivan said, their tone sharp.
Ardyn turned toward the entrance, her stance defensive. "Dominion?"
Rivan nodded, their gaze fixed on the fractures' erratic pulses. "And they're using something to disrupt the fractures—they're amplifying the chaos."
The shimmering doorway at the chamber's entrance flared brightly as Dominion soldiers stepped through, their weapons glowing with Nexus energy. At their center was a figure carrying a jagged shard, its chaotic light spiraling outward in violent pulses.
The commander's voice echoed through the chamber, cold and commanding. "Step away from the fractures and surrender the shards. You've caused enough damage."
Ardyn smirked, her blade glinting in the fractures' light. "You first."
The Shard of Corruption
The fractures beneath the ground trembled violently as the jagged shard in the commander's hand emitted a powerful pulse of chaotic energy. The chamber's crystalline walls shuddered, cracks spreading outward as the fractures' light dimmed.
Rivan staggered, clutching their head as the fractures' whispers grew louder, their fragmented words overlapping into a cacophony of chaos.
"They're destabilizing everything," Rivan said, their voice strained. "That shard—it's corrupting the fractures."
"Then we take it out," Ardyn said sharply, moving toward the soldiers.
The commander raised the shard, its chaotic energy spiraling upward in jagged waves. "You don't understand what you're dealing with," he said, his voice filled with quiet menace. "The fractures are already broken—they can't be fixed. But we can still control them."
"Control?" Rivan asked, their tone incredulous. "You're destroying them."
The commander's gaze hardened. "Some things must be destroyed to be rebuilt."
A Desperate Fight
The chamber erupted into chaos as the soldiers opened fire, their weapons blazing with Nexus energy. Ardyn darted forward, her blade slicing through the nearest attacker with ruthless precision.
"Rivan!" she shouted, deflecting another barrage of energy blasts. "Whatever you're doing, do it now!"
Rivan moved toward the fractures, their focus locked on the jagged shard in the commander's hand. The fractures' chaotic energy flared brightly, syncing with the shards in Rivan's pack in erratic pulses.
The fractures' whispers filled the air, their fragmented words forming a single, urgent plea.
"Chaos must... be contained. Balance demands... strength. Act now."
Rivan steadied their breathing, placing both hands on the fractures' glowing surface. The shards in their pack flared brightly, their energy spiraling outward in shimmering waves that clashed with the corrupted shard's chaotic light.
The commander staggered slightly, his grip on the shard faltering as the fractures' energy pushed back. "What are you doing?" he demanded, his voice sharp.
"Restoring balance," Rivan said, their tone resolute.
A Narrow Escape
The fractures' energy surged upward, forming a blinding vortex of light that enveloped the chamber. The crystalline walls shuddered violently, their glowing symbols fading as cracks spread across their surface.
"Rivan!" Ardyn shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. "The whole place is coming down—move!"
Rivan turned toward her, their expression filled with quiet determination. "Not yet. The fractures—they're showing us a way out."
The fractures' chaotic rhythm subsided slightly, replaced by a faint, steady pulse. A new pathway appeared at the far end of the chamber, its shimmering light guiding the group toward an exit.
"Go!" Rivan shouted, their voice urgent.
Ardyn hesitated for only a moment before sprinting toward the pathway, her blade still drawn. Rivan followed quickly, their hands trembling as the fractures' whispers quieted into silence.
Behind them, the chamber collapsed, its crystalline walls crumbling into jagged shards that disappeared into the fractures' glowing light.