The air felt lighter as Eren climbed out of the chasm with Kael's strong grip pulling him to safety. The bright light of the surface was blinding after the darkness below, and the rush of fresh air filled his lungs with a sense of fleeting relief. But the moment was short-lived; tension hung over the camp like a dark cloud.
Liora stood nearby, her bow in hand, her expression tight with worry. The sight of Eren's exhausted form and the faint glow of another fragment at his side brought no relief—only a deeper furrow to her brow.
"What happened down there?" she demanded, stepping forward. "You said you wouldn't—"
"I didn't," Eren interrupted, his voice sharp but tired. "I didn't use it."
Kael let out a long breath, running a hand through his hair. "Well, that's something, at least." He studied Eren carefully, his eyes narrowing. "But you look like you've been through hell. What's going on, Eren?"
For a moment, Eren didn't respond. The weight of what he had seen—the vision, the emissary, the crimson fragment—settled heavily on his shoulders. He felt their eyes on him, questioning, doubting. Finally, he spoke.
"There was another fragment," he said, pulling the wrapped piece from his pouch. The faint red glow bled through the fabric. "And Malrik's emissary was there. He wanted it... and I couldn't let him take it."
Liora's eyes widened, and Kael's mouth set in a grim line.
"Another one?" Kael muttered, his voice low. "How many of these things are there?"
"Enough to tear this world apart," Liora said quietly, her gaze fixed on the fragment. She looked back at Eren, her voice softening. "You didn't... you didn't take its power, did you?"
Eren hesitated, the memory of the fragment's pull still fresh in his mind. "I didn't. But it's getting harder to resist."
"That's because these things aren't meant to be resisted," Kael said, crossing his arms. "They're weapons, Eren. You either use them, or they use you."
Eren's jaw tightened. "I don't want to use them. I just want to stop Malrik."
"Then we need a plan," Liora interjected, her voice steady but urgent. "We can't keep stumbling into these situations blindly. If Malrik's emissaries are this close, it means he's watching us. We're running out of time."
---
The Campfire Revelation
As night fell, the trio gathered around a small campfire. The ruins of the fortress offered little shelter, but it was better than nothing. The flames cast flickering shadows over their faces, highlighting the weariness etched into their features.
Eren sat silently, staring into the fire. The fragments felt heavier now, as though they were feeding off his thoughts. He clenched his fists, his knuckles white.
Liora broke the silence. "When I was young, my village used to tell stories about the fragments," she began, her voice distant. "They said they were pieces of a god's crown, shattered when the world was torn apart. Each piece held a part of the god's power... and his curse."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "A curse?"
"They said anyone who tried to wield the fragments would be consumed by their power," Liora explained. "That they would become a vessel for the god's will, no longer themselves."
Eren looked up, his expression grim. "That's what Malrik wants. To use the fragments to bring back... whatever that god was."
"And what happens if he succeeds?" Kael asked, though the answer was already clear.
Liora hesitated, then shook her head. "No one knows. Maybe the world ends. Maybe it becomes something worse."
Kael let out a low whistle. "Great. So we're up against a power-hungry maniac with a god complex, and we're armed with the very things he needs. What could go wrong?"
Eren's gaze hardened. "We stop him. That's what we do."
"And how do you propose we do that?" Liora asked, her tone sharper than intended. "You can't even look at the fragments without them calling to you. How do we stop Malrik when we can barely hold ourselves together?"
Her words stung, but Eren knew they were true. He met her eyes, his voice steady. "We keep moving. We find the other fragments before he does. And we destroy them."
Kael snorted. "Destroy them? You make it sound easy. These things are practically indestructible."
"Nothing's indestructible," Eren said firmly. "There has to be a way. We'll figure it out."
Liora sighed, her frustration evident. "I hope you're right. Because if we fail..."
She didn't need to finish. The weight of their mission settled over them like a suffocating fog.
---
A Visitor in the Night
The night passed uneasily. Eren couldn't sleep, his mind racing with thoughts of the fragments and the emissary's words. He lay staring at the stars, the faint hum of the fragments a constant presence in his mind.
It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that he heard it—a faint rustling in the ruins. His hand went to his sword instinctively, and he sat up, scanning the darkness.
"Kael?" he whispered. "Liora?"
No response. The fire had burned low, casting weak light over the camp. Eren rose slowly, his movements careful. The noise came again, this time closer.
He stepped out of the camp's perimeter, his sword at the ready. The ruins were silent save for the occasional whisper of the wind. But he knew he wasn't alone.
"Show yourself," he called, his voice low but firm.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, from the shadows, a figure emerged. It was cloaked, its face obscured, but its presence radiated danger.
"You carry the fragments," the figure said, its voice soft and melodic. "You are marked by their power."
Eren tensed. "Who are you?"
"A friend," the figure replied, though there was no warmth in its tone. "Or an enemy. That depends on you."
Eren tightened his grip on his sword. "I don't have time for riddles."
The figure chuckled softly. "You seek to stop Malrik. A noble goal, but one fraught with peril. The fragments will destroy you before you reach him."
"Then tell me how to destroy them," Eren demanded.
The figure tilted its head, as though considering. "Perhaps I will. But first, you must prove your worth."
Before Eren could respond, the figure vanished, leaving behind only a faint shimmer in the air.