The crystalline forest gave way to an expanse of jagged hills and chasms, the terrain growing harsher with every step. The ground cracked and crumbled beneath their boots, revealing veins of glowing energy coursing beneath the surface. A faint, thrumming vibration pulsed through the air, growing stronger the further they walked.
Vero's grip tightened on the shard, its glow steady but dim. The figure's warning from the altar still lingered in his mind. Betrayal... A price you cannot pay. The words cut deeper than he cared to admit.
Levin followed closely behind, his eyes scanning the landscape with uncharacteristic caution. His usual quips were absent, replaced by a focused silence that unsettled Vero more than he wanted to admit.
"Levin," Vero said after a while, his voice breaking the quiet.
"Yeah?" Levin replied, not taking his eyes off the horizon.
"What do you think that figure meant? About betrayal?"
Levin snorted. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's trying to scare you. Or maybe it's trying to warn you that this whole 'shard-bearer' gig comes with a side of backstabbing."
"That's not exactly helpful," Vero muttered.
Levin finally looked at him, his gaze sharp. "Look, kid, if there's one thing I've learned in this messed-up world, it's that betrayal doesn't just come from your enemies. It comes from the people you trust. So maybe... don't trust so easily."
Vero frowned, the weight of Levin's words settling heavily on his shoulders.
---
They descended into a narrow canyon, the walls towering above them and casting long, ominous shadows. The thrumming vibration in the air grew stronger, almost like a heartbeat. The shard in Vero's hand began to glow brighter, its light illuminating the jagged path ahead.
"Why do I feel like we're walking into something bad?" Levin muttered, his hands hovering near his daggers.
"Because we probably are," Vero replied.
As they rounded a bend in the canyon, the source of the vibrations became clear. A massive fissure split the ground ahead, glowing with a fiery, pulsating energy. The air above it shimmered with heat, and the sound of distant, tortured screams echoed faintly from its depths.
Levin stopped dead in his tracks. "Yeah, no. Absolutely not. That thing is bad news."
Vero stared at the fissure, a sense of dread settling over him. The shard's glow intensified, as if responding to the energy emanating from the chasm.
"We have to go across," Vero said, his voice resolute.
Levin gaped at him. "Are you out of your mind? That thing looks like it eats people for fun!"
"The shard is reacting to it," Vero said, stepping closer to the fissure. "There's something here we need to find."
Levin groaned, rubbing his temples. "Fine. But if we die, I'm haunting you."
---
A narrow, unstable-looking bridge of rock spanned the fissure, barely wide enough for one person to cross at a time. The heat from the chasm below made the air shimmer, and every step on the bridge felt like walking on the edge of a knife.
Vero went first, his movements slow and deliberate. The shard's glow lit the way, but the heat made it difficult to focus.
Halfway across, a deafening roar erupted from below, and the fissure's fiery glow flared brightly. Levin, still on the far side, shouted, "Move faster, Vero! Something's coming!"
Before Vero could respond, a massive clawed hand emerged from the fissure, gripping the edge of the bridge. The creature that followed was a nightmarish amalgamation of molten rock and shadow, its eyes burning like twin suns. It let out another roar, shaking the bridge and sending cracks spidering through the rock.
"Great! A fire demon! Just what we needed!" Levin yelled, drawing his daggers.
Vero didn't hesitate. He raised the shard, its light flaring like a beacon. The creature recoiled slightly, its molten form hissing and steaming under the shard's glow.
"Levin, stay back!" Vero shouted.
"Yeah, no kidding!" Levin retorted, but he didn't retreat. Instead, he hurled one of his daggers at the creature, the blade embedding itself in its molten flesh. The creature roared in fury, swiping at the bridge with its massive claws.
The impact shattered part of the bridge, sending chunks of rock tumbling into the fiery depths below. Vero barely managed to keep his balance, the shard's light flickering as he struggled to focus.
The creature lunged at him, its molten body radiating intense heat. Vero instinctively thrust the shard forward, and its light formed a barrier that stopped the creature in its tracks. The barrier pulsed, sending waves of energy rippling through the air and forcing the creature to retreat.
"Whatever you're doing, keep doing it!" Levin shouted, hurling his second dagger.
Vero focused all his energy on the shard, its light intensifying until it became blinding. The creature let out a final, anguished roar before disintegrating into ash and molten fragments, which fell back into the fissure.
---
The silence that followed was deafening. Levin crossed the now-stable bridge, retrieving his daggers and shaking his head.
"Next time, let's not fight giant fire monsters over a pit of doom, okay?" he said, his voice tinged with exasperation.
Vero didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the shard. Its light had dimmed again, but it pulsed faintly, as if alive.
Levin sighed, clapping Vero on the shoulder. "Come on, shard-boy. Let's get moving before something worse shows up."
They continued across the fissure and into the canyon beyond, the shard's glow guiding them. But as they walked, Vero couldn't shake the feeling that the creature they had faced was only the beginning—and that the figure's warning about betrayal was closer than he realized.