The jagged walls of the canyon loomed before them like ancient sentinels, their surfaces etched with faint, shifting patterns that seemed almost alive. The whispers grew louder as Ryu, Aris, and Draven ventured deeper, their tones weaving between urgency and foreboding.
"It's like the walls are watching us," Aris muttered, her daggers at the ready.
Ryu glanced at the patterns, feeling an uneasy pull in his chest. "They might be. Let's stay sharp."
The glowing thread from the shard led them further into the canyon, twisting and dipping through narrow pathways. The air felt heavier with every step, and the faint vibrations beneath their feet became more pronounced.
Draven broke the silence. "I'd bet good gold we're walking straight into a boss fight."
Aris shot him a look. "Do you ever stop being so damn casual?"
Draven shrugged. "If we're going to die, might as well have fun getting there."
"Not dying would be more fun," she snapped.
Ryu cut in before the argument could escalate. "Enough. We've made it this far. Let's just focus.
As they rounded a sharp bend, the path opened into a vast chamber carved into the canyon's heart. At its center stood an enormous structure—a monolithic altar of obsidian and crimson crystal, pulsating with dark energy. Jagged pillars surrounded it, each inscribed with glowing runes similar to those in the Nexus Gate room.
The shard in Ryu's inventory pulsed violently, as if it was burning against his skin. A system notification flashed across their HUDs:
[Nexus Thread Core Detected. Warning: High-Level Threat Present.]
"High-level threat?" Aris muttered, her voice tense. "I knew this was a terrible idea.
Before anyone could react, the earth beneath them shuddered, and a deep, resonant growl rumbled through the chamber. The pillars seemed to brighten in illumination, their runes twisting and writhing like alive things.
Ryu unsheathed his sword and stepped forward instinctively. "It's here.
From behind the altar, a massive figure emerged. It was a beast of shadow and flame, its form constantly shifting between solid and ethereal. Its eyes burned with an intense crimson light, and jagged, molten horns curved upward from its head.
A name appeared above it:
[Malrath, Keeper of the Nexus Core]
Level 35.
"Level 35?" Aris gasped, her voice filled with panic. "That's insane! We're barely Level 20!"
Draven grinned, twisting his spear. "At last, a challenge worthy of the name."
"Are you kidding?" Aris shot back, her voice rising. "That thing will crush us!"
Ryu didn't waste time arguing. "Concentrate! We can work this out."
Malrath let out a deafening roar, sending a wave of heat sweeping across the trio. Unpredictably, it launched forward, its massive claws raking across the ground.
"Move!" Ryu shouted, dodging to the side.
The beast's claws tore through the spot where they'd been standing, leaving deep gouges in the stone. Aris rolled to her feet, activating Shadow Step to vanish and reappear behind Malrath. She struck with her daggers, but the blades barely scratched its hide.
"Great," she muttered. "It's got armor."
Draven sprang into the air, his spear glowing as he launched into Piercing Strike. It struck the beast's flank, and it staggered a little, but then Malrath counterattacked with a swing of its tail, and it sent Draven flying back into a pillar.
"Draven!" Ryu yelled, but there was no time to check on him. Malrath set its molten eyes upon him, and it centered them on his sword.
Ryu charged forward with Blade Surge, shooting a shockwave towards the monster. The strike hit but was not even scratched. The growl of the creature deepened as it launched itself towards him.
He barely had time to deflect the blow. A jarring vibration shot up through his arms from the impact. "Its defense is too high! We need a strategy!"
Aris stepped alongside him, her breath labored. "You think?"
Draven gained his footing, still flashing a grin. "We're doing this wrong. Look at the pillars!"
Ryu and Aris turned their attention to the glowing structures surrounding the room. The runes on every pillar were pulsing to the beat of the monster's movements.
Draven continued, "They are connected to it somehow. We take out the pillars, we weaken the boss!
"Or trigger something worse," Aris muttered, but she nodded. "Fine. Let's split up."
"Agreed," Ryu said. "Aris, take the left side. Draven, the right. I'll keep it busy."
Draven clapped him on the shoulder. "Good luck, kid. Try not to get eaten."
Before Ryu could respond, Draven and Aris dashed toward the pillars, leaving him alone with the beast. Malrath growled, its focus entirely on Ryu now.
Come on, then," Ryu whispered, raising his sword. "Let's dance."
The beast charged again, its massive claws slamming down where Ryu had stood. He dodged to the side, activating Quick Step to close the distance and slash at its legs. The attack didn't break through its armor, but it drew the beast's attention away from his teammates.
Meanwhile, Aris reached the first pillar, studying the shifting runes. "How do I destroy this thing?"
A system notification appeared before her:
[Deactivate Nexus Pillar? Warning: This will weaken Malrath but increase its aggression.]
"Perfect," she muttered, activating her daggers' skill Rune Carve to slice through the glowing runes. The pillar dimmed, and Malrath let out a deafening roar.
Its movements grew faster and wilder. Ryu struggled to dodge as it reached out with its claws with a blow that shook the earth with each strike.
Draven reached his pillar and used Impact Thrust to shatter the bottom of the pillar with a single blow. The second pillar's light faded as Malrath howled, her form churning wildly.
"We're making progress," he yelled.
Ryu ground his teeth, evading another strike. "Come on! I cannot keep this up for too long!
She went to the next pillar, her hands shaking as the whispers increased. The runes refused to budge, but she attacked on, her daggers brightening with each blow.
Finally, the last pillar toppled, and the chamber plunged into darkness. Malrath let out one final, earth-shaking roar as its armor cracked and its crimson light dimmed.
"It's vulnerable!" Ryu shouted. "Now's our chance!"
Three converged on the weakened beast: Their combined attacks overwhelmed it. Ryu's Blade Surge and Draven's Piercing Strike and Aris's Shadow Step Assault hit all at once, shattering Malrath's form into a burst of light.
[Malrath, Keeper of the Nexus Core, Defeated.]
[Thread Progression: 100%. Nexus Core Secured.]
As the notifications faded, the shard in Ryu's inventory began to glow brightly, its light filling the chamber. A portal appeared at the center, swirling with energy.
"That," Draven said, catching his breath, "was insane."
Ryu nodded, exhaustion washing over him. "But we did it."
Aris sheathed her daggers, her voice laced with both relief and frustration. "If the rest of this journey is like that, we're in for a long ride."
The portal pulsed invitingly, and Ryu took a deep breath. "Only one way to find out."
Without hesitation, the trio stepped into the portal, their next destination unknown.