The First Shard pulsed beneath Rivan's hand, its jagged edges glowing with a blinding light that rippled outward in chaotic waves. The fractures beneath their feet trembled violently, their rhythm faltering as the shard's ancient energy clashed with the corrupted chaos unleashed by Dominion's weapon.
"They're losing control," Rivan said, their voice barely audible over the fractures' deafening hum. "The shard—it's too unstable."
Ardyn stood with her blade drawn, deflecting another barrage of energy blasts from the advancing Dominion soldiers. "Then stabilize it!" she shouted, slashing through another attacker. "Or whatever this thing is will bring the whole region down!"
Rivan's breathing steadied as they closed their eyes, their mind syncing with the fractures' erratic whispers. The shard's energy surged through them, filling their thoughts with fragmented images of the Nexus, whole and radiant, and the moment it was shattered into chaos.
"The First Shard holds balance. The Custodian must... guide. Chaos must... be contained."
"I can feel it," Rivan said, their voice trembling. "The shard's power—it's connected to the fractures, but it's fractured itself. If I can align it with the Nexus's original rhythm..."
"Less talking, more fixing!" Ardyn snapped, cutting down another soldier as Dominion's forces pressed forward.
Dominion's Fracture Breaker
Far behind the battle, the commander stood near Dominion's Fracture Breaker, a massive device humming with chaotic energy that mirrored the corrupted shard in his hand. The weapon's jagged spires glowed brightly, emitting pulses of destabilizing energy that rippled through the fractures, weakening their connection to the shard.
"Increase the output," the commander ordered, his tone cold.
A nearby engineer hesitated. "Sir, the fractures in this region are already on the brink of collapse. If we push the weapon too hard—"
"Then they collapse," the commander interrupted, his gaze hard. "This entire network is a tool. If it breaks, we'll rebuild it stronger—on our terms."
The engineer nodded reluctantly, adjusting the weapon's controls. The Fracture Breaker emitted a massive pulse of chaotic light, sending shockwaves through the terrain that shattered the ground around it.
The Shard's Chaos
Rivan staggered as the fractures beneath them trembled violently, their chaotic rhythm spiraling out of control. The First Shard's light flared brightly, its jagged edges glowing with an intensity that threatened to overwhelm them.
"The shard—it's reacting to the weapon," Rivan said, their voice strained. "The fractures—they're breaking faster than I can stabilize them."
Ardyn deflected another attack, her blade flashing in the fractures' erratic light. "Then we need to shut that thing down before it tears everything apart!"
Rivan shook their head, their focus locked on the shard. "If we abandon the shard now, the fractures will collapse completely. We need to synchronize it with the network, or there won't be anything left to save."
The fractures' whispers grew louder, filling the air with fragmented words that overlapped into a single, desperate plea.
"Act now. Balance demands strength. The Custodian must... endure."
Rivan's hands trembled as the shard's energy surged through them, its chaotic light syncing with the fractures in uneven pulses. "I need more time," they said, their voice barely audible.
"Then buy it," Ardyn said sharply, charging toward the Fracture Breaker.
A Desperate Push
Ardyn moved with ruthless efficiency, her blade slicing through Dominion's ranks as she approached the towering weapon. The fractures beneath her feet pulsed erratically, their chaotic energy surging upward in jagged waves that clashed with the Fracture Breaker's destabilizing pulses.
The commander stepped forward, his expression calm as he raised the corrupted shard in his hand. "You're too late," he said, his voice cold. "This weapon will break the fractures—and your so-called Nexus—with or without your interference."
Ardyn smirked, her grip tightening on her blade. "Then I guess I'll have to break it first."
The fractures beneath them trembled violently as the corrupted shard emitted another pulse, its chaotic energy spiraling outward in jagged bursts. Ardyn staggered slightly but held her ground, her blade glowing faintly as it resonated with the fractures' fading rhythm.
"You don't understand what you're dealing with," the commander said, his tone edged with contempt. "The fractures are already broken—why fight to save them?"
Ardyn's gaze hardened. "Because someone has to."
The Shard's Decision
Back at the shard, Rivan's focus deepened as they reached into the fractures' chaotic rhythm, syncing their mind with the shard's erratic energy. The images in their mind grew sharper, revealing flashes of the Nexus's original design—its harmonious light flowing through the fractures like rivers of energy.
But the vision shifted, showing the moment it was shattered: shards of chaotic energy spiraling outward as shadowed figures severed the network's connections, rewriting its purpose.
"The Custodians," Rivan said softly, their voice trembling. "They broke it... to control it."
The fractures' whispers grew louder, their fragmented words forming a single, commanding voice.
"Restore balance. Guide the shard. The Custodian must... decide."
Rivan's breathing steadied as they placed both hands on the shard, their mind syncing fully with its chaotic energy. The fractures beneath them pulsed faintly, their rhythm growing steadier as the shard's light flared brightly.
"I won't let this end here," Rivan said, their tone resolute. "The fractures—they deserve a chance to heal."
The shard's energy surged outward in a blinding wave of light, syncing with the fractures in a resonant pulse that rippled through the terrain.