The shard's corrupted light dimmed slightly, its once-violent pulses subsiding into faint, jagged waves that rippled across the fractured terrain. Rivan's hands trembled as they maintained their connection, their focus locked on the shard's unstable rhythm.
"It's holding," Rivan muttered, their voice strained. "But it's not stable yet."
The fractures beneath their feet trembled violently, their chaotic energy spiraling upward in jagged bursts that illuminated the battlefield. The whispers in Rivan's mind grew louder, their fragmented words forming a single, urgent command.
"The shard must... endure. Balance demands... sacrifice. The Custodian must... act."
Ardyn's voice cut through the chaos, sharp and commanding. "Rivan! If you're not done soon, we're out of time!"
The Dominion commander pressed his advantage, his blade striking against Ardyn's with relentless precision. Each clash sent sparks flying, the fractures' dim light reflecting off the jagged edges of their weapons.
"You fight well," the commander said, his tone almost begrudgingly respectful. "But skill will only take you so far."
Ardyn grinned faintly, her breathing steady despite the strain of the battle. "Good thing I've got more than skill."
Rivan's Breaking Point
The shard pulsed violently, its energy surging through Rivan with a force that made their vision blur. Their connection to the fractures deepened, the chaotic energy filling their thoughts with images of the Custodians' experiments and the Nexus's collapse.
"I can't hold it much longer," Rivan said through gritted teeth. "The shard—it's too unstable."
The Watcher stepped forward, their shimmering cloak glowing faintly. "You must endure," they said calmly. "The shard's energy is bound to the fractures. If you falter, the Veilspire will collapse."
"I know that," Rivan snapped, their voice edged with frustration.
The fractures beneath them trembled again, their chaotic rhythm spiraling out of control as the shard's pulses grew more erratic.
Ardyn spared a glance toward Rivan, her expression filled with concern. "Rivan, listen to me. You've got this. Just hold on a little longer."
Rivan exhaled slowly, their focus sharpening as they poured their energy into stabilizing the shard. The fractures' whispers grew clearer, forming a single, resonant plea.
"The path must hold. Balance demands strength. The Custodian must... endure."
The Commander's Gambit
The Dominion commander raised his weapon, its jagged edge glowing faintly with the shard's corrupted energy. "Your efforts are futile," he said coldly. "The fractures will not save you—they will destroy you."
Ardyn's blade flashed as she deflected his strike, her movements growing more deliberate with each passing moment. "Funny," she said, her tone edged with defiance. "That's exactly what I was going to say to you."
The commander's expression darkened, his strikes growing faster and more aggressive. Ardyn countered each one with calculated precision, her sharp eyes focused on finding an opening in his defense.
As their blades clashed, the fractures beneath them pulsed violently, their chaotic rhythm clashing with the shard's unstable energy. The ground trembled beneath their feet, jagged fissures opening and closing in rapid succession.
"We're running out of time," Ardyn muttered, her gaze flicking toward Rivan.
The Watcher's Move
The Watcher stepped forward, their shimmering cloak glowing brightly as they raised a hand toward the Dominion commander. A wave of fractures' energy spiraled outward, disrupting the shard's corrupted pulses and forcing the commander to stagger slightly.
"What are you doing?" Ardyn asked sharply, her blade still raised.
The Watcher's expression remained calm. "Ending this," they said simply.
The Dominion commander recovered quickly, his gaze locking onto the Watcher with a mixture of recognition and fury. "You," he said, his voice filled with venom. "I should have known."
Ardyn frowned, her grip tightening on her blade. "Care to explain what that's about?"
The Watcher's faint smile flickered. "The commander and I have... history," they said cryptically. "But that is a story for another time."
The Shard's Resolution
Rivan's connection to the shard reached its breaking point, the chaotic energy surging through them with a force that made their entire body tremble. The fractures' whispers filled their mind, their fragmented words overlapping into a single, desperate plea.
"The shard must... hold. The Custodian must... act. Balance demands... sacrifice."
With a final surge of effort, Rivan poured their energy into the fractures, syncing their thoughts with the shard's unstable rhythm. The chaotic pulses began to subside, their jagged waves smoothing into a steady, harmonious rhythm that rippled across the Veilspire.
The fractures' light flared brightly one last time before dimming into a faint, steady glow. The shard's chaotic energy stabilized, its jagged edges glowing softly as the battlefield grew still.
"It's done," Rivan said softly, their voice filled with quiet relief.
A Fragile Victory
The Dominion commander stepped back, his weapon lowered as he surveyed the battlefield. The fractures' stability seemed to sap the strength from his forces, their movements faltering as the chaotic energy around them faded.
"This is not over," the commander said coldly, his gaze locking onto the Watcher. "You cannot stop what is coming."
The Watcher's expression remained unreadable. "Perhaps not," they said. "But today, you have failed."
The commander's jaw tightened, his expression filled with frustration as he signaled for his remaining forces to retreat.
Ardyn lowered her blade, her shoulders sagging slightly as the tension began to fade. "We won," she said, her tone filled with cautious optimism.
"For now," Rivan replied, their gaze fixed on the shard.