The cramped neon-lit alleyways of the Bazaar buzzed with a kind of chaotic life that could only belong to wasteland like the Shatterzone Jarek always found it weird that the lights were still on even in during daytime. As he walked towards his destination, merchants hollered over each other, peddling everything from questionable tech to even more questionable remedies, while shadowy figures haggled in half-lit corners. Jarek moved through the mess like a ghost, his hood pulled low, his stride purposeful. He wasn't there to shop, his destination was buried deep in the Bazaar's guts a dingy back-alley workshop most people avoided unless they were desperate or just plain stupid.
When he reached the battered door, Jarek didn't bother knocking he just barged in. Tek's workshop wasn't the kind of place where courtesy got you anywhere. He stepped inside, the air immediately hitting him with an unpleasant combination of smells, burnt circuits, plastic, and a hint of something metallic that always seemed to cling to the place. The space was a disaster zone of tools scattered everywhere, wires, and half-assembled tech, the hum of old machinery underscoring the occasional spark of static that could start a fire at any moment.
Tek glanced up from his cluttered workbench, his face lighting up with that trademark grin of his, half genuine, half trouble. "Well, well, if it isn't the Shatterzone's own punching bag. What brings you to my palace of wonders on this fine day?" Tek teased.
Jarek ignored the jab, pulling the shard from his pocket and putting it on the counter. Its faint glow stealing away Tek's attention immediately, gradually the smirk on his face faded away as his eyes locked onto it.
"Oh," Tek said, leaning back in his chair which creaked desperately under his weight. "The mystery rock returns once more." "Didn't you swear this thing was more trouble than it was worth? Huh Jarek?". Tek asked a trace of mockery could be gleamed from his voice.
"I've changed my mind," Jarek said flatly.
Tek arched an eyebrow, leaning forward with a glint of curiosity sparking in the depths of his eyes. "That's never a good sign. What happened to make you to change your mind?" he asked Jarek.
Jarek's clenched his teeth, the words dragging out reluctantly. "It's... doing something to me. Pulling me into places. I need to know why and how and also know what it is."
Tek let out a low whistle, folding his hands under his chin like he was savoring the drama. "Alright. But let's talk business first."
Jarek's eyes narrowed. "Business?" he asked, completely baffled.
"Let's be real Jarek," Tek said his voice several times more serious . "Knowledge ain't free you know? especially when it comes to stuff that could leave the whole Shatterzone in ruins if word got out."
Jarek's patience, already wearing thin, snapped. "I'm not in the mood for games, Tek. You got me into this mess in the first place."
Tek's grin faded, his tone shifting. "Neither am I Jarek. Whatever this thing is, it's not just your life on the line, it's mine too if the wrong people catch wind of this were as good as dead" his voice trailed off laced with a hint of fear and panic.
Jarek glared at him, but Tek held his ground, cool as ever.
With a sharp exhale, Jarek pulled a stack of creds from his jacket and slapped them onto the counter. "That good enough for you?"
Tek's grin returned as he swiped the creds. "Pleasure doing business with you." He said with a wide grin on his face.
He grabbed a handheld scanner from his workbench and hovered it over the shard as he said, "I had to borrow this from a friend and it wasn't cheap." As data began scrolling across the screen, Tek's expression shifted, his curiosity drifting away and turning into something far more serious.
"This isn't your everyday dream-tech," Tek said, his voice dropping an octave. "The energy signature's unstable, like it's alive. I've heard whispers about stuff like this, experimental prototypes built to mess with the Hollow Realm directly."
Jarek's heart sunk. "Mess with it how?"he asked.
Tek gestured vaguely, his eyes still glued to the scanner. "Think of it as a skeleton key. Not just to access the Realm, but to bend, it shape it, draw power directly from it. Dangerous power."
"And the catch?" Jarek asked, though he already had a sinking feeling he knew the answer.
Tek hesitated, his fingers drumming on the edge of the counter. "The more you use it, the more it uses you. These things don't just run on battery juice—they drain you. Piece by piece."
Jarek felt the words hit like a gut punch. "How do I stop it?"
Tek chuckled, but it was a dry, humorless sound. "Stop it? That's cute. Once it's bonded to you, it's a part of you. The best you can do is lay low and hope nobody notices."
"That's not good enough," Jarek growled.
"Welcome to reality, Jarek" Tek shot back. "You think you're the first person to get tangled up with one of these? The Cabal's been playing with this kind of tech for decades, and every story ends the same way, a pitiful and tragic death."
Jarek's fists clenched, the tension in his shoulders making his head pound. "So I just wait for it to kill me? Great plan, Tek." he said his voice almost melancholic.
Tek leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "There's a rumor. Someone out there might know how to break the bond. A dream cultivator who went dark years ago. Name's Morrigan."
"Morrigan? Where do I find her?" Jarek asked.
Tek shrugged, spreading his hands. "No clue. But if you're serious about this, you'll need to start digging, and fast."
Jarek grabbed the shard, its glow flaring briefly under his touch brightening the room for a brief moment before he shoved it back into his pocket.
"Thanks," he muttered, turning toward the door.
"Hey, Jarek," Tek called after him. "Be careful. The shard you're playing with? It doesn't let go easy."
Jarek didn't respond as he left the room , the door creaked shut behind him, then he stepped back into the chaos of the Bazaar. The shard's pulse thrummed against his chest like a second heartbeat, steady and unrelenting.
The answers he needed were out there somewhere. So were the dangers.
He just hoped he'd find Morrigan before the shard found a way to tear him apart.