The trio moved cautiously through the winding corridors of the fortress, the oppressive air heavier than before. Dante kept glancing back, his thoughts lingering on the faint whisper he'd heard.
"Still alive..."
It echoed in his mind like a haunting refrain. He hadn't shared it with Kai or Damien, unsure if it was real or a figment of his imagination.
"Stop dragging your feet," Damien called back, his voice laced with its usual humor. "We survived that death room. No need to act like ghosts are chasing us."
Kai rolled his eyes. "Focus, Damien. There's still a lot we don't know about this place. And that shard Dante picked up? It's probably just the beginning."
Dante tightened his grip on his sword. "The Bloodline Chronicle said it's linked to the Nexus Vault. If it's a key, we'll need to figure out how to use it."
Damien snorted. "Right, because nothing screams 'great idea' like messing with ancient, probably cursed artifacts."
They entered a circular room with walls made of polished metal, unlike the stone corridors they'd been navigating. Strange glyphs shimmered on the surface, and a faint hum filled the air.
"This place feels... different," Kai said, stepping forward and running his fingers over the glyphs. "It's almost like—"
"A machine," Dante finished.
Kai nodded. "Exactly. But it's ancient. The technology here is far beyond anything we've seen, even in modern times."
Damien raised an eyebrow. "Ancient tech? Now that's a twist."
Kai knelt, examining the floor. "The energy here is similar to what we felt in the trial room. It's still active, but it's dormant... waiting for something."
Dante pulled out the shard. The moment he did, the glyphs on the walls lit up, and the hum grew louder.
"That can't be good," Damien said, drawing his daggers.
The ground trembled, and the walls began to shift. Panels slid open, revealing intricate machinery and glowing conduits that pulsed with energy.
Kai stood abruptly. "Dante, put the shard away!"
Before Dante could respond, the shard flew from his hand and embedded itself into a slot on the wall. The room shuddered violently, and a low voice, deep and resonant, echoed around them.
"Access granted. Initiating Nexus Protocol."
The floor split open, revealing a spiral staircase descending into a pit of blinding light. The trio exchanged uneasy glances.
"Do we go down?" Damien asked, his tone unusually serious.
"We don't have much of a choice," Dante said. "Whatever this is, it's tied to the shard—and the Nexus Vault."
Kai hesitated. "We should be careful. If this is some kind of testing ground, there might be more traps."
Damien shrugged. "When isn't there?"
They descended the staircase, the light growing dimmer as they moved deeper. At the bottom, they found themselves in another chamber, this one larger and more ornate. It was filled with strange devices—some resembling control panels, others looking like weapons or tools.
At the center of the room stood a pedestal with another shard, identical to the one Dante had found.
Kai approached cautiously. "It's another piece of the Nexus Vault's key."
Dante stepped forward, but the moment he touched the shard, the room came alive. Holographic images flickered to life around them, displaying maps, symbols, and fragmented text in an ancient language.
Kai's eyes widened. "This is... incredible. It's a record of the Nexus Vault's locations. But it's fragmented."
Damien looked unimpressed. "So, we found a treasure map? Great. Where's the treasure?"
Dante stared at the holograms, his mind racing. "The vault isn't just one place. It's spread across different locations, each one holding a piece of whatever's inside."
Kai nodded. "And this shard is part of the key to accessing it all."
Before they could process further, the room shuddered violently. The holograms vanished, replaced by red warning lights.
"Security breach detected. Intruders will be eliminated."
Damien groaned. "Of course."
Panels slid open in the walls, and sleek, humanoid constructs emerged, their metallic bodies gleaming. They moved with unnatural precision, their glowing eyes locking onto the trio.
"Looks like we've got company," Dante said, drawing his sword.
Kai activated a defensive rune, forming a barrier around them. "These things are more advanced than the statues. Be careful!"
Damien grinned, spinning his daggers. "Careful? Where's the fun in that?"
The battle was swift and brutal. The constructs moved faster than any opponent they'd faced before, their attacks precise and devastating.
Dante focused on channeling the skills he'd learned at the academy. Sword Qi flowed through his blade, amplifying his strikes as he engaged one of the constructs. The clash of metal echoed through the chamber, sparks flying with every blow.
Kai worked to disrupt the constructs' movements, using runes to disable their internal systems. "These things are connected to the room's energy. If I can disrupt the flow—"
"Then do it already!" Damien shouted, dodging a barrage of energy blasts.
With a final strike, Dante shattered the construct he was fighting, its body collapsing into a heap of metal. He turned to help Damien, who was locked in a fierce battle with two others.
Kai finished his rune sequence, and a pulse of energy surged through the chamber. The remaining constructs froze, their bodies sparking before they collapsed.
The room fell silent, save for the hum of the machinery.
"That was close," Dante said, wiping sweat from his brow.
Kai retrieved the shard from the pedestal. "We have two pieces now. But this is just the beginning."
Damien leaned against a wall, catching his breath. "Great. More fun ahead."
As they prepared to leave, Dante glanced back at the chamber. For a brief moment, he thought he saw a shadow move in the corner of his eye.
"Let's go," Kai said, pulling him from his thoughts.
Dante nodded, but the uneasy feeling lingered. Something—or someone—was still watching them.