The return to the Nexus was brief and tense. With every step, Aiden's body throbbed with pain, but his mysterious guide and ally stood as composed as ever. The Core of the Nexus glowed faintly. Its hum was quieter now, yet it seemed to promise a further journey as challenging as this one was trying.
"How many more of these collapsing realms are there?" he asked, rubbing his sore arms.
The woman studied the map of realms, her brow furrowed. "The spread of the rift is unpredictable, but if we stabilize the key anchors, the Nexus can regain control. Each victory weakens the rift, though the hardest battles are yet to come."
"Harder than nearly being swallowed by time loops and shadow monsters?
Her lips twitched in a brief smile. "Much harder." She pointed at a new realm on the map, its light flickering in and out. Unlike the others, this orb was surrounded by a ring of faint blue, like an underwater glow.
The Sunken Citadel," she said. "A city submerged beneath an endless ocean. Its anchor is the Pearl of Tides, a relic that governs the realm's currents and ensures the city remains habitable. The rift has disrupted the tides, flooding the Citadel and driving its people into madness."
Aiden grimaced. "Madness? That's just fantastic. Anything else I should know before we dive in?
"The Citadel is… different," she admitted. "The water itself is imbued with the realm's magic. It's beautiful but dangerous. If you lose focus, it'll pull you under—literally and metaphorically."
"Great. Drowning in magical water. Just what I needed," Aiden muttered.
The woman triggered the portal, its edges rippling like the surface of a pond. The air around them grew cooler, carrying a faint scent of salt and brine.
Stay close," she said, stepping through.
Aiden hesitated for only a moment before following.
The first thing Aiden noticed was the weightlessness. The portal deposited them into a vast underwater world, but instead of sinking, they hovered as if suspended in air. Schools of glowing fish darted past, their iridescent scales illuminating the murky depths. Massive structures loomed in the distance, their surfaces covered in coral and seaweed.
"This is…" He didn't know how to finish the sentence. "Incredible."
"It used to be," the woman said, her voice laced with melancholy. "When there was no schism."
As they floated past a series of water-like creatures, Aiden noticed grotesque figures floating in nearby clusters. They were men-like but transparent, forming as if jellyfish could have. They seemed as if they wouldn't do anything mean; however, their empty eyes gave him this goosebump.
"They're who?" he asks.
The remnants of the Citadel's people," she said. "The rift's corruption has taken their minds, leaving only shadows of who they were. Avoid them. If they touch you, they'll pull you into their madness."
Aiden shivered, keeping his distance.
They swam—or floated—toward the Sunken Citadel, a sprawling city built into a submerged canyon. Towering spires jutted from the seabed, their surfaces glowing faintly with runes. The architecture was breathtaking, a blend of intricate carvings and flowing designs that seemed to mimic the ocean's currents.
But the beauty was marred by decay. Cracks ran through the buildings, and dark tendrils of rift energy coiled around the structures like suffocating vines.
At the heart of the city was a vast dome, its surface encrusted in a mosaic depicting oceanic gods and mythical creatures. A faint blue glow pulsed from within.
"The Pearl of Tides is inside that dome," said the woman, pointing toward it. "We must get to it before this corruption spreads any further.
Before Aiden could respond, the water around them grew darker, and a low, resonant hum filled the air. He turned to see a massive shadow moving through the depths, its form obscured by the murky water.
"What is that?" he whispered, his heart pounding.
"The Rift Leviathan," she said, drawing her sword. "A guardian twisted by the rift's power. It won't let us reach the Pearl without a fight."
As if on cue, the shadow surged towards them, showing itself as a monstrous serpent-like creature with red glowing eyes and jagged fins. Its scales were shimmering with an unnatural light, and its maw was lined with razor-sharp teeth.
"Move!" the woman shouted, pushing Aiden out of the way as the Leviathan lunged.
Aiden was tumbling through the water, struggling to right himself. The Leviathan roared, its noise vibrating his entire body.
The woman darted towards the creature, her sword glowing bright with fierce light. She struck its side and the Leviathan let out a bellow of pain, thrashing wildly.
"Aiden! Get to the dome!" she yelled, dodging another attack.
He paused, divided between acting to assist her and doing as she commanded. However, the thrashing of the Leviathan forced his decision for him, sending him swimming toward the dome.
The entrance was sealed, but runes on the surface of it glowed faintly at his approach. Aiden placed his hands on the door and felt the power of the Nexus flow through him. The runes lit up with a warm glow, and the door slid open with a deep rumble.
Inside, on the center pedestal at the dome's top lay the Pearl of Tides. It was this gargantuan, glowing orb. On its surface, whirls of light and colors patterned the globe.
He carefully approached, his skin alive with the raw power.
Traveler… balance be restored…
The Pearl's voice was stronger than the other anchors, resonating in his mind like a chorus. Aiden put his hands on the orb, and the patterns on his skin began to glow.
The Leviathan roared again outside, and the dome shuddered. Aiden's focus wavered, but he pushed it back together. He could feel the Pearl's energy, broken and erratic, and he worked to mend it, channelling the Nexus's power.
The Leviathan crashed into the dome, a crack that split across its surface.
"Come on, Aiden!" the woman's voice carried faintly.
"I am trying!" he yelled back, his face dripping with sweat, even in the cooling water.
The Pearl shone bright in one last burst of energy, light spilling over the dome. The crack in the dome closed up, and the waters around them steadied.
In his last dying cry, the Leviathan dissolved into a darkness cloud.
Outside the dome, Aiden entered to find a changed city. The tendrils of shadow were nowhere to be found, but the runes glowing across the structures were brighter and stronger. The people who remained behind in the remnants of the Citadel were nowhere to be seen, and in their place, were the fading echoes of laughter and song.
She came for him, armor scratched but whole. "You did it again," she said, with a bit of pride in her voice.
Aiden smiled weakly. "Only because you kept that thing off my back."
She nodded, and her expression softened. "We make a good team."
As the portal to the Nexus began to take shape, Aiden turned back toward the city restored behind them, a spark of hope lighting within his chest.
"Three down," he said. "How many more to go?"
The woman's smile faded. "More than we can count. But we'll face them together."