The Abyssal Boundary felt quieter now, though the silence wasn't comforting. It was the kind of stillness that pressed on Kairo's chest, making every breath feel heavier. He stood beside Elara, the faint golden glow of his energy barely illuminating the oppressive darkness around them. Elara's silvery light cast sharper edges, but even that felt dimmer after the encounter with Drayke.
"We need a plan," Kairo said, his voice low but firm.
Elara glanced at him, her expression unreadable. "A plan? You're assuming we have time for that."
Kairo frowned. "What do you suggest, then? Running around until he shows up again?"
"Drayke doesn't operate like that," Elara said, her tone clipped. "He's not chasing us; he's testing us. He wants to see how far we can go before we break."
"Great," Kairo muttered. "A shadowy jerk with a superiority complex. Just what I needed."
Elara's lips twitched in the faintest hint of a smile. "You're not wrong."
They moved carefully through the Boundary, their footsteps barely making a sound on the shifting, unstable ground. The oppressive energy around them ebbed and flowed, like the tide pulling at the edges of their senses. Kairo tried to keep his focus on the golden warmth in his chest, but it felt fainter with each step.
"You said Drayke betrayed you," Kairo said after a while, breaking the silence. "What happened?"
Elara didn't answer immediately. She kept her eyes on the path ahead, her expression guarded. "It's complicated."
Kairo raised a brow. "I've got time."
She sighed, her shoulders tensing. "Drayke and I were part of the same group. People like us, with abilities tied to Aeterna. We called ourselves the Concord. Our goal was to protect the Balance—the fragile line between light and shadow."
"And let me guess," Kairo said, his tone cautious. "Drayke decided he liked shadows more?"
Elara nodded, her jaw tightening. "He saw the Abyss as a tool. A way to tip the scales in his favor. At first, he convinced the rest of us that he was right. That we could control it. But the Abyss doesn't bow to anyone. It consumes. Corrupts."
Kairo frowned, his chest tightening. "And you tried to stop him?"
"I tried," Elara said, her voice quieter now. "But by the time I realized what was happening, it was too late. The Concord was gone. And Drayke... he became something else."
Before Kairo could respond, the ground beneath them shifted violently, throwing him off balance. He caught himself just before falling, his golden energy flaring instinctively. Elara crouched, her silvery blades materializing in her hands as she scanned the darkness.
"Another test?" Kairo asked, his voice tight.
"Something worse," Elara muttered.
The shadows ahead of them began to coalesce, forming a massive, undulating mass that pulsed with malevolent energy. Its shape was constantly shifting, limbs and tendrils emerging and disappearing as it moved. Red eyes blinked open across its surface, each one fixed on Kairo and Elara.
Kairo's stomach churned. "Okay, what the hell is that?"
"A Fragment," Elara said, her tone grim. "A piece of the Abyss given form. Stronger than the shadows we've faced so far. Smarter, too."
"Fantastic," Kairo muttered, summoning his Aegis.
The Fragment let out a low, rumbling growl that seemed to vibrate through the very air. It surged forward, faster than something its size should have been able to move. Kairo barely had time to raise his shield before a massive tendril slammed into it, sending him skidding backward.
"Stay focused!" Elara shouted, darting to the side. Her silvery blades cut into the Fragment, but the creature barely flinched.
"I noticed!" Kairo shot back, gritting his teeth as another tendril struck his shield.
The battle was unlike anything he'd faced before. The Fragment was relentless, its attacks coming from every direction. Kairo and Elara fought side by side, their energies blending in bursts of gold and silver, but it wasn't enough. For every tendril they severed, two more took its place.
"We need to hit it where it's weakest," Elara said, her voice strained.
"Where's that?" Kairo asked, deflecting another attack.
"The core," Elara said, nodding toward the center of the creature's mass. A faint, pulsating light glowed within, barely visible through the swirling shadows. "But getting to it won't be easy."
"Nothing about this is easy," Kairo muttered.
They adjusted their strategy, working together to create an opening. Elara's speed and precision kept the Fragment distracted, while Kairo focused on shielding them from its devastating attacks. The strain on his body and mind was immense, but he pushed through, drawing on every ounce of strength he had left.
"Now!" Elara shouted, darting toward the core.
Kairo summoned a massive wave of golden energy, slamming it into the Fragment and forcing it to recoil. The opening was small, but it was enough.
Elara leaped forward, her blades glowing brighter than ever. She drove them into the core with a shout, the silvery light piercing through the shadows. The Fragment let out an ear-splitting screech, its form flickering and collapsing in on itself.
When the light faded, the Fragment was gone, leaving only a faint, acrid smell in the air.
Kairo dropped to his knees, his chest heaving. His golden energy had all but disappeared, leaving him feeling drained and hollow. Elara stood nearby, her silvery light dim but steady.
"You did well," she said, her voice softer than before.
Kairo managed a weak smile. "I'm starting to hate it when people tell me that."
Elara chuckled, though the sound was tinged with exhaustion. "Get used to it. The Abyss doesn't get any easier."
"Great," Kairo muttered, pushing himself to his feet. "So, what now?"
Elara's expression grew serious. "Now, we regroup. If we're going to stop Drayke, we'll need allies. And I know just where to find them."