The tunnel's jagged walls gave way to a cavern so vast that the ceiling disappeared into darkness. At its center loomed the Node—a massive, fractured sphere pulsing with corrupted energy. Tendrils of red and black light spiraled outward from its surface, carving glowing fissures into the stone floor and walls. The room trembled with every pulse, a low hum reverberating through the air.
Kael staggered slightly as the Node's energy washed over him, cold and sharp, like shards of ice pressing against his chest. His shadow writhed at his feet, stretching unnaturally toward the Node.
"This is worse than the last one," Torran muttered, gripping his sword tightly. His shield was raised, his stance braced for the inevitable fight.
Elira stepped forward cautiously, her bow drawn. "It's not just worse. It's unstable." She gestured to the spiraling tendrils. "If it collapses, it'll take this entire chamber—and us—with it."
Kael forced himself to move, his breath shallow as the pull of the Node grew stronger. "How do we even get close to that thing without being torn apart?"
Elira scanned the chamber, her sharp eyes flicking over the glowing runes etched into the stone surrounding the Node. "The runes—they're like the ones from the last Node. They're controlling the energy flow."
"So, we break them?" Torran asked, his shield glowing faintly as he activated a defensive skill.
"Not break," Elira said sharply. "If we disrupt them without stabilizing the Node first, it'll explode."
Kael swallowed hard, the weight of the situation pressing against him. The shadow at his feet twitched again, stretching further toward the Node as if it had a mind of its own.
Elira shot him a wary glance. "Your shadow—it's reacting more than before. You sure you're okay to do this?"
Kael nodded, though uncertainty gnawed at him. "I don't think I have much of a choice."
Torran stepped beside him, his shield raised. "Then let's move. Whatever happens, stick together."
As the trio advanced toward the Node, the room quaked again, and the corrupted energy flared brighter, casting ominous shadows that danced along the walls.
The air around the Node felt alive, charged with crackling energy that lashed out sporadically, scorching the stone. Kael, Elira, and Torran moved cautiously, keeping to the edges of the chamber as they approached. The tendrils of corrupted light swirled faster, distorting the space around the Node.
Elira crouched near one of the glowing runes etched into the stone floor, her sharp eyes tracing the intricate patterns. "These runes aren't just containment. They're amplifying the corruption—feeding it."
"Then we shut them down," Torran said, his shield raised against the oppressive heat radiating from the Node.
"It's not that simple," Elira shot back, her tone clipped. "If we disrupt them without stabilizing the Node first, we'll trigger an explosion."
Kael glanced at the Node, its pulsing energy resonating with the cold pull in his chest. His shadow stretched unnaturally toward the tendrils of light, flickering erratically. "What if I can stabilize it?"
Elira looked up sharply. "Kael—"
"I've done it before," he interrupted, his voice resolute. "At the last Node. My class—it's connected to this somehow. I can channel the energy, at least long enough for you to disable the runes."
Torran frowned, his expression skeptical. "And what happens if you lose control? If this thing blows, we all go with it."
Kael clenched his fists, his shadow twitching as if in response to Torran's doubts. "Then let's hope I don't lose control."
Elira hesitated but nodded. "Fine. I'll focus on disabling the runes. Torran, keep the creatures off us."
Torran grunted in agreement, moving to guard their position.
Kael stepped closer to the Node, the pull of its energy intensifying with every step. His breath quickened as the cold sensation seeped into his limbs, making his hands tremble.
[Skill Activated: Shadow Conduit]
Effect: Channels shadow energy to stabilize corrupted Nodes. Drains Health and Mana over time.
Dark tendrils unraveled from Kael's shadow, twisting upward and intertwining with the Node's spiraling energy. The collision sent a shockwave through the chamber, and Kael staggered, his vision blurring as the strain hit him.
[Mana: 50 → 25 → 10...]
[Health: 120/150...]
The Node's glow faltered, its chaotic pulses slowing slightly. Elira darted between the glowing runes, her fingers moving deftly as she disabled one after another. Each deactivated rune dimmed the room slightly, but the energy around the Node remained volatile.
A guttural growl echoed from the far side of the chamber. Torran turned, raising his shield just as a group of corrupted creatures emerged from the shadows. Their twisted forms flickered with the same unstable energy as the Node, their glowing red eyes fixed on the trio.
"We've got company!" Torran bellowed, charging to intercept the attackers. His shield glowed as he activated a skill, smashing into the lead creature and sending it sprawling.
[Skill Activated: Shield Slam]
Effect: Deals knockback damage to a single target. Stuns enemies briefly.
Kael gritted his teeth, sweat dripping down his face as the Node's energy pushed back against him. The dark tendrils connecting him to the Node flickered violently, threatening to snap.
"Elira!" he shouted, his voice strained. "How much longer?"
"Almost done!" she called, her focus unwavering as she worked on the final rune.
Another pulse of energy erupted from the Node, sending Kael to his knees. His Health bar flashed a warning as the strain of channeling the corrupted energy took its toll.
[Warning: Critical Health Levels Detected.]
"Elira, hurry!" Torran roared, fending off another wave of attackers.
Kael's vision dimmed at the edges, his strength waning as the Node's energy grew more violent. He clenched his fists, summoning the last of his resolve. "Hold... together..."
The Node pulsed violently, sending a shockwave through the chamber that rattled the stone walls. Kael collapsed to one knee, his shadow flickering wildly as the tendrils connecting him to the Node quivered under the strain. Elira worked frantically on the last rune, her sharp breaths audible over the hum of corrupted energy.
"I can't hold this much longer!" Kael shouted, his voice strained as the Node pushed back against his efforts.
"You're almost there!" Elira called back, her fingers moving with precision to disable the final rune.
Suddenly, the chaotic energy around the Node shifted, its pulses slowing unnaturally. The oppressive hum dulled, replaced by a sharp, rhythmic clicking sound that sent a chill down Kael's spine.
"She's here," Kael muttered, his shadow twitching in recognition.
From the far end of the chamber, Sahra emerged, her corrupted form glowing faintly in the dim light. The shard Kael had given her hovered above her hand, spinning slowly and radiating dark energy.
"Well, well," she said, her voice smooth and amused. "You're putting on quite the show, Edgeweaver. But you can't hope to stabilize something like this on your own. It's beyond you."
Torran turned, his sword raised defensively. "You again. What do you want this time?"
"Only to help," Sahra said, her smile widening. "After all, you're meddling with forces you don't fully understand." She stepped closer, her corrupted aura spreading like a shadow across the room.
"You call this helping?" Elira snapped, her bow drawn.
"Calm yourself," Sahra replied, unbothered. "You're all so focused on stabilizing this Node, but have you considered what will happen if you succeed? The corruption doesn't stop here—it's in every Node, every fragment of this dungeon. This one is just... a symptom."
Kael's grip on his connection to the Node wavered, his breath coming in sharp gasps. "Then why are you here?"
"To show you," Sahra said simply. She raised the shard, and the Node's energy shifted again, its light dimming as Sahra channeled her own power into it. The room quaked violently, cracks splintering across the walls as the shard's glow intensified.
In the shifting light, Kael caught a glimpse of something within the Node—a vast network of tendrils stretching outward, connecting to unseen points in the distance.
"The Nodes are linked," Sahra said, her voice low. "Stabilizing this one means nothing unless you control them all. And controlling them means facing the Reset head-on."
Her smile sharpened as the Node surged, the ground beneath them shaking. "Are you ready for that, Edgeweaver?"
Kael clenched his fists, his shadow trembling as the Node's energy flared brighter, threatening to overwhelm him.