The journey back through the labyrinth of the structure was anything but easy. The oppressive whispers had faded, but their echoes lingered in Vero's mind. He clutched the fragment tightly, feeling its faint warmth pulse through his palm. It seemed alive in a way that unsettled him, as though it were probing his very thoughts.
Levin broke the silence as they walked. "All right, spill it. That thing you just grabbed—what's it doing to you? And don't even try the 'nothing's wrong' line; you've got that look again."
"What look?" Vero asked, his voice sharper than he intended.
"The 'something's clawing at my brain but I'm too stubborn to talk about it' look," Levin said, spinning one of his daggers casually.
Vero sighed, rubbing his temples. "I don't know, Levin. It's like the fragment... it's reaching into me. Showing me things I don't understand. Images, feelings, but they're scattered, fragmented."
Levin frowned. "That doesn't sound good. Are you sure this shard-chasing mission isn't just frying your brain?"
"I don't have a choice," Vero muttered, more to himself than Levin.
Before Levin could press further, the ground beneath them trembled. The walls of the corridor began to shift and twist, forming a new path ahead.
Levin stopped dead in his tracks. "Yeah, that's never a good sign."
Vero stared at the shifting walls. The shard in his hand began to glow brighter, its light pointing toward the new path.
"We have to keep going," Vero said, stepping forward.
"Of course we do," Levin muttered, following reluctantly. "Lead the way, oh fearless shard-bearer."
---
The new corridor led to another vast chamber, its walls lined with massive statues of armored figures. Each statue held a weapon—a sword, a spear, an axe—poised as if ready to strike. At the center of the chamber stood a single figure, cloaked in shadow. Its form was humanoid but unnaturally tall, and its eyes glowed with an eerie blue light.
The shard in Vero's hand pulsed violently, as if warning him of the figure's presence.
The figure stepped forward, its movements fluid yet unsettling. "You have come far, shard-bearer," it said, its voice echoing through the chamber. "But your journey ends here."
"Great," Levin muttered, drawing his daggers. "Another ominous guardian. Because the last one wasn't enough."
The figure raised a hand, and the air in the chamber grew heavy. The statues lining the walls began to move, their stone forms creaking as they came to life. They stepped down from their pedestals, their weapons gleaming with a strange, otherworldly light.
"Vero," Levin said, his voice tense. "Tell me you've got a plan."
Vero tightened his grip on the shard. "We fight."
"That's your plan? Fantastic," Levin said, rolling his eyes. "Let's just hope these things don't smash us into paste."
---
The first statue charged at them, its massive sword swinging in a deadly arc. Vero dodged to the side, the blade narrowly missing him and striking the ground with a deafening crash. Levin moved with practiced agility, darting around another statue and slicing at its joints with his daggers.
Vero raised the shard, its light flaring. A beam of energy shot out, striking the statue with the sword. The stone cracked and crumbled under the impact, but the statue didn't stop.
"They're tough!" Vero shouted.
"No kidding!" Levin retorted, ducking under a spear thrust.
The figure in the center watched silently, its glowing eyes fixed on Vero. "The shard is a tool, but it is not enough. Prove your worth, shard-bearer. Show me your strength."
Vero gritted his teeth, focusing on the shard. He could feel the energy within it, a well of power waiting to be unleashed. He directed it toward the statues, the light forming a barrier that slowed their movements.
Levin took advantage of the opening, leaping onto one of the statues and driving his daggers into its head. The statue froze, then crumbled to the ground.
"One down," Levin said, jumping clear of the falling debris. "How many more to go?"
"Too many," Vero muttered.
The shard pulsed again, its light shifting to a deep, resonant glow. Vero felt a surge of energy flow through him, and for a brief moment, he understood. The shard wasn't just a tool—it was a part of him, an extension of his will.
He raised it again, and this time, the energy flowed more freely. Beams of light arced through the chamber, striking multiple statues at once. The stone guardians cracked and crumbled under the onslaught, their fragments scattering across the floor.
The figure in the center raised its hand, and the remaining statues froze. "Enough," it said, its voice cutting through the chaos.
Vero and Levin stood panting, their weapons at the ready. The figure stepped forward, its glowing eyes fixed on Vero.
"You have proven your strength, shard-bearer," it said. "But strength alone will not suffice. The path ahead is fraught with peril, and the choices you make will shape the fate of all."
The figure raised its other hand, and a second shard materialized in the air. It floated toward Vero, its light merging with the one he already held. The surge of energy was overwhelming, and he staggered slightly as the two shards became one.
"What's the catch?" Levin asked warily.
The figure's gaze shifted to Levin. "The shard-bearer's burden is his own. But you, companion, must choose whether to follow him or turn away. Your loyalty will be tested."
Levin frowned, but he didn't respond.
The figure began to fade, its form dissolving into the air. "Go, shard-bearer. The next fragment awaits. But beware—the trials you have faced are nothing compared to what lies ahead."
---
The chamber fell silent once more. Levin sheathed his daggers, his expression unreadable.
"Well," he said after a moment. "That was... ominous."
Vero didn't respond. He was staring at the shard, its light now stronger than ever. The merging of the two fragments had intensified its power, but it also left him feeling more connected to something vast and unknowable.
"Let's get out of here," Levin said, clapping him on the shoulder. "We've got a long way to go, and I'd rather not stick around to find out if those statues have a reset button."
Vero nodded, and together they left the chamber, the shard's light guiding their path. But as they walked, Vero couldn't shake the figure's words—or the feeling that the trials ahead would test not just his strength, but his very soul.