Chapter 19: A City of Echoes
The ruins of the next city loomed ahead, its jagged spires piercing the sky like broken swords. The group paused at the edge of the crumbling outskirts, their breath visible in the frigid air. Unlike Ashmark, this place felt truly dead. The streets were silent, the buildings hollowed out by time and decay.
"Welcome to Thalgris," Solas said, their voice echoing faintly. "Once a center of knowledge, now a graveyard."
Kaylen tightened his grip on the Ember Core, its hum faint but steady. "What happened here?"
Solas gestured toward the broken skyline. "Thalgris was destroyed during the War of Ascension, centuries ago. The people here sought to control the fragments of the artifact, but they underestimated its power. The city fell in a single night."
Kaylen shivered, glancing at the hollow windows of the buildings. "So, what are we looking for?"
Eryn stepped forward, their blade drawn. "Clues. If there's another fragment here, we need to find it before the Hunters do. But places like this don't stay empty for long."
Kaylen nodded, the weight of the Core in his hand a constant reminder of what was at stake. "Let's get moving."
---
The city was a labyrinth of shattered buildings and collapsed streets, each corner hiding new dangers. The air was thick with an unnatural stillness, broken only by the sound of their footsteps. Kaylen felt the Core's pulse growing stronger, its energy pulling him forward.
"It's resonating," Solas said, their tone calm but wary. "The fragment is close."
"How close?" Kaylen asked, his voice low.
Solas didn't answer immediately, their gaze fixed on a massive tower in the distance. "There."
Kaylen followed their gaze, his stomach sinking. The tower was the largest structure in the city, its walls cracked and scorched. It loomed like a sentinel over the ruins, its shadow stretching across the desolate streets.
"Of course, it's the creepy tower," Eryn muttered, adjusting their grip on their blade.
"Stay sharp," Solas warned. "This city may look abandoned, but it isn't."
Kaylen's hand brushed against the Core, its warmth a small comfort as they approached the tower. The closer they got, the more the air seemed to thrum with energy. Shadows moved at the edges of his vision, shapes that vanished the moment he turned to look.
"Did you see that?" Kaylen whispered, his voice tight.
"Keep your focus," Solas said, their tone steady. "The Veil left its mark on you. The Core will amplify your fears if you let it."
Kaylen nodded, forcing himself to breathe deeply. The tower loomed closer, its entrance a gaping maw that seemed to swallow the light. The Core pulsed harder in his hand, its glow growing brighter.
"It's reacting," Eryn said, their voice sharp. "Whatever's in there, it's powerful."
---
Inside the tower, the air was thick with tension. The walls were covered in strange markings, glowing faintly in the dim light. The floor was littered with debris, shards of glass and stone crunching underfoot. Kaylen felt the Core's energy pull him forward, guiding him deeper into the labyrinthine corridors.
"This place is a tomb," Eryn muttered, their voice echoing faintly. "How did anyone live here?"
"They didn't," Solas replied. "Not after the fragment took root. It twisted the city, turning it into a reflection of its power."
Kaylen shivered, his grip tightening on the Core. The whispers had returned, faint but insistent. He could feel the fragment's presence growing stronger, its energy mingling with the Core's.
"Do you hear that?" Kaylen asked, glancing at Eryn and Solas.
Eryn frowned. "Hear what?"
Kaylen hesitated, the whispers growing louder. "Never mind."
They continued deeper into the tower, the air growing colder with each step. The walls seemed to shift, the markings pulsing in rhythm with the Core's energy. Kaylen's head throbbed, the fragment's pull becoming almost unbearable.
"We're close," Solas said, their voice steady. "Be ready."
---
The chamber at the heart of the tower was vast, its ceiling lost in darkness. At its center stood a pedestal, and atop it rested the fragment. It glowed with a faint, otherworldly light, its energy pulsing in time with the Core.
Kaylen stepped forward, his breath catching in his throat. The fragment was smaller than he'd expected, a jagged shard of crystal that seemed to hum with life. The Core in his hand flared, its energy resonating with the fragment's.
"This is it," Solas said, their voice low. "Be careful, Kaylen. The fragment will test you."
Kaylen nodded, his hands trembling as he approached the pedestal. The whispers were deafening now, filling his mind with fragments of thoughts and voices. He reached out, his fingers brushing against the fragment's surface.
The moment he made contact, the room erupted in light. Energy surged through him, a torrent of power and memories that threatened to overwhelm his mind. He saw flashes of the past—figures wielding the artifact, entire cities crumbling under its power.
"Kaylen!" Eryn's voice broke through the storm. "Focus!"
Kaylen gritted his teeth, forcing himself to breathe. The Core's energy wrapped around the fragment, pulling it into itself. The surge of power subsided, leaving Kaylen gasping for air.
When the light faded, the fragment was gone, its energy absorbed into the Core. Kaylen staggered back, his vision swimming. The whispers had stopped, replaced by a deep, resonant hum.
"Are you all right?" Solas asked, steadying him.
Kaylen nodded weakly, his voice hoarse. "I'm fine. I think…"
Eryn glanced around the chamber, their blade at the ready. "We need to get out of here. Now."
Kaylen followed their gaze, his stomach dropping as shadows began to coalesce at the edges of the room. The air grew heavy, the faint sound of footsteps echoing through the chamber.
"They're here," Solas said, their tone grim. "The Hunters found us."
Kaylen tightened his grip on the Core, its glow steady but ominous. He could feel the fragment's power coursing through it, but he didn't know if he could control it.
"Then we fight," he said, his voice steady despite the fear in his chest.
The shadows moved closer, their forms solidifying into the unmistakable shapes of the Hunters. Kaylen's heart raced, but he stood his ground, the Core burning bright in his hand.
This wasn't over. Not yet.