The forest gave way to rolling plains as the group traveled under the pale light of a crescent moon. The battle with the Reaper had left them weary, their bodies battered and their spirits worn thin. Though they moved as a unit, the air between them was heavy with unspoken words.
Eren led the way, the fragment he carried pulsing faintly in the dim light. His face was set in a determined grimace, but his thoughts were turbulent. Each step seemed to deepen the whispering in his mind, a low hum that promised power, purpose, and release.
Behind him, Liora and Kael walked in tense silence. The fight had shaken them—not just because of the Reaper's ferocity, but because of the glimpse it gave them of Malrik's growing reach.
Finally, Kael broke the quiet. "We need to talk about the fragments."
Eren didn't stop walking. "What about them?"
Kael quickened his pace, stepping in front of Eren and blocking his path. "About what they're doing to you."
Liora shifted uncomfortably, her hand tightening on her bow. "Kael—"
"No, Liora," Kael interrupted. "We've been skirting around this for too long. You've felt it too. He's changing."
Eren's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword. "I'm fine. The fragments are a tool, nothing more."
Kael crossed his arms. "You're not fine. You barely sleep. You're reckless in battle. And that thing in your hand? It's whispering to you, isn't it?"
Eren froze, his jaw clenching. "You don't know what you're talking about."
Kael stepped closer, his voice lowering but no less firm. "I know what I see. And what I see is someone letting the fragments get inside his head."
---
A Fractured Trust
Liora stepped between them, her expression one of concern rather than anger. "Enough, both of you. This isn't helping."
Kael backed off, though his glare didn't waver. "I'm not trying to fight, Liora. I'm trying to protect us. If we don't address this now, it could get us killed."
Eren scoffed, shouldering past him. "I don't need protecting. I'm the only reason we've gotten this far."
Kael's temper flared. "Oh, really? So Liora's scouting and my blade mean nothing? Or is it the fragment talking for you now?"
Eren spun around, his sword half-drawn. "Watch your mouth, Kael."
Liora stepped forward, placing a firm hand on Eren's arm. "Stop it! Both of you!"
Her voice cut through the tension, and for a moment, the group stood in silence, the weight of their journey pressing down on them.
Kael shook his head, his voice softer but still firm. "All I'm saying is, we need to be careful. The fragments are dangerous. If we let them, they'll tear us apart before Malrik even gets the chance."
Eren didn't respond. He turned and started walking again, his shoulders tense. Liora hesitated before following, her gaze lingering on Kael, who stood rooted in place, frustration etched on his face.
---
A Forgotten Path
They pressed on through the night, the tension between them palpable. By dawn, they reached the edge of the plains, where the land dipped into a valley shrouded in mist. In the distance, jagged spires of black stone jutted from the earth like broken teeth.
"The Obsidian Rift," Liora said, her voice hushed. "It's said to be a graveyard of ancient battles."
Eren stared at the jagged landscape, his hand brushing against the fragment. "The next piece is here."
Kael frowned. "How do you know?"
Eren didn't answer. He simply started down the slope, his pace quickening as if drawn by an unseen force. Liora exchanged a worried glance with Kael before following.
The rift was eerily silent, the mist clinging to their skin like a cold shroud. Blackened weapons and shattered armor littered the ground, remnants of battles long forgotten. The air was thick with the scent of decay, and the faint glow of the fragment grew stronger with every step.
"Stay close," Liora whispered, her eyes scanning the shadows. "This place isn't natural."
As they ventured deeper, the whispers grew louder in Eren's mind, forming coherent words. Closer. Just a little closer. The power is yours to claim.
He quickened his pace, barely noticing the skeletal hands that clawed their way out of the ground behind him.
---
The Dead Rise
"Eren, wait!" Liora called, her voice laced with urgency.
Eren stopped and turned, his eyes widening as he saw the undead rising from the earth. Hollow eyes glowed faintly in their skulls, and rusted weapons hung loosely in their skeletal hands. There were dozens of them, their movements slow but purposeful.
"Kael!" Liora shouted, drawing her bow.
Kael didn't need to be told twice. He unsheathed his greatsword, stepping in front of Liora as the first wave of undead charged. His blade cut through them with ease, but for every one he destroyed, another seemed to rise.
Eren gritted his teeth, the fragment in his hand flaring with light. Without hesitation, he plunged into the fray, his sword carving through the undead with a ferocity that bordered on reckless.
"Eren, fall back!" Liora yelled, loosing arrows that struck true.
But Eren didn't hear her. The whispers grew louder, drowning out everything else. The fragment's power surged through him, his strikes glowing with an unnatural light that reduced the undead to ash. His movements became faster, more precise—but also more erratic.
Kael noticed it too, his face darkening. "Liora, he's losing control."
Liora's heart clenched as she watched Eren fight. She could see the strain in his face, the wildness in his eyes. "We have to stop him before it's too late."
---
The Breaking Point
Eren didn't stop until the last of the undead were gone. He stood in the center of the battlefield, breathing heavily, his sword still glowing. The fragment's light pulsed violently, casting harsh shadows across his face.
"Eren," Liora said softly, approaching him cautiously. "You need to let go of the fragment."
He turned to her, his expression distant. "I can't. It's the only thing keeping us alive."
Kael stepped forward, his jaw set. "It's also tearing you apart. Look at yourself."
Eren looked down at his hands, which trembled as the fragment's energy coursed through him. For a moment, doubt flickered in his eyes.
Then the whispers surged again, louder and more insistent. They don't understand. They can't. You're the only one strong enough to wield this power.
Eren's grip tightened, and he turned away. "We don't have time for this. The next fragment is close."
Kael stepped in his path, his hand on his weapon. "Not until you listen to us."
Eren glared at him, the glow of the fragment reflecting in his eyes. "Move."
Liora stepped between them again, her voice pleading. "Please, Eren. We're in this together. Don't let the fragment take that away."
For a long moment, the three of them stood there, the tension thick in the air. Finally, Eren lowered his gaze and nodded, though the fragment's glow remained bright in his hand.
"We keep moving," he said quietly, his voice strained.
They moved on, but the rift between them had deepened. And as they ventured further into the Obsidian Rift, they couldn't shake the feeling that the worst was yet to come.