With the black crystal now in his possession, Van realized that a long journey was ahead. His mission was to gather all the fragments and reunite them to seal the Outsider, who might already be stirring.
Amid the chaos and confusion, a mysterious woman emerged from the shadows of the ruins. She wore a black cloak emblazoned with a symbol unfamiliar to Van.
"Van Vallaga," she said in a calm, confident voice. "I am Lyria, a Guardian."
"Guardian?" Van asked, puzzled. "What do you want from me?"
"I've come to tell you that you've been chosen to gather these fragments," Lyria answered seriously. "These fragments are extremely dangerous, and I'm here to ensure they don't fall into the wrong hands."
Van felt disoriented. "What do you mean? Why was I chosen?"
"Because you possess something no one else does," Lyria replied, her gaze piercing. "Something directly tied to the Outsider."
Van felt a shiver run through him. "What do you mean by that?"
"I'll explain more later. For now, we need to move. There's much you need to learn, and the fragments won't wait."
---
And so, their journey began.
As Van stepped out of the ruins, he knew that the world he was about to enter was far from simple. Many secrets awaited discovery, and the deeper he delved, the more truths would be revealed about himself, the Outsider, and the fragments he needed to collect.