The air in the lab was heavy with tension and the faint scent of scorched metal. Lira sat slumped against a console, her breathing shallow as the Veil lay dormant in her lap. The once-vivid mist had dissipated entirely, leaving behind an eerie silence.
Selene paced, her movements sharp and restless. "We're leaving. Now."
Aelis stood nearby, wiping blood off her blades with slow, deliberate strokes. "And go where? Arathor got what he wanted—or at least what he came for. We're just running blind at this point."
Selene shot her a glare. "We regroup. We get answers. And we figure out how to stop that thing before it decides to show up again."
Lira's voice was barely above a whisper. "It said I was unworthy."
The room fell silent. Selene stopped pacing, and Aelis turned to face her, the tension in their postures unmistakable.
"You are not unworthy," Aelis said firmly, crouching in front of Lira. "You've come this far, fought through worse. Whatever that thing is, it doesn't get to decide who you are."
Lira looked down at the Veil, its once-menacing presence now a faint hum. "But what if it's right? What if I'm just a pawn in all of this? Arathor knew more about the Veil than I do. He's been steps ahead this entire time."
"That's exactly why we can't afford to give up," Selene said, her voice cutting through the doubt. "If Arathor understands the Veil better than we do, it's our job to catch up. And fast."
The Warden, silent until now, stepped forward, its glowing eyes narrowing. "The entity within the Veil operates on laws older than time itself," it said, its mechanical voice calm yet foreboding. "Its judgment is not absolute, but it must be understood. Without that understanding, you risk being consumed."
Lira met the Warden's gaze, a flicker of determination returning to her eyes. "Then we find a way to understand it."
Selene nodded. "Good. Because there's one place that might have the answers we need."
Aelis raised an eyebrow. "And where would that be?"
Selene tapped a few keys on her console, pulling up a map of Vertis. A glowing marker appeared near the outskirts of the city, deep within a labyrinth of old tunnels and forgotten ruins.
"The Arcane Repository," Selene said. "If the Syndicate's archives don't have answers, this place might. It's said to hold records on ancient relics, artifacts, and even things that predate the Veil."
Aelis frowned. "And let me guess—it's crawling with Syndicate agents, traps, and things that want to kill us."
"Most likely," Selene replied with a shrug. "But it's our best shot."
Lira stood, her grip on the Veil steady. "Then we go."
The journey to the Repository was anything but smooth. The tunnels beneath Vertis were a maze of twisting corridors, collapsing structures, and unexpected pitfalls. Their progress was slow, each step requiring caution as Selene scanned for traps and the Warden provided illumination with its glowing core.
Lira felt the Veil stir faintly in her hands, its energy growing stronger the closer they got to their destination. The whispers were still there, but they were quieter now, almost contemplative.
"What's it saying?" Aelis asked as they paused to check their bearings.
Lira hesitated. "It's… different. Less demanding, more… curious. Like it's waiting for something."
"That's not unsettling at all," Aelis muttered, drawing one of her daggers.
Selene glanced back at them, her expression serious. "Stay focused. We're getting close."
The Repository was a marvel of forgotten architecture. Massive stone columns stretched toward the ceiling, their surfaces covered in intricate carvings that glowed faintly in the dim light. Shelves filled with ancient tomes and scrolls lined the walls, while strange, mechanical devices hummed softly in the corners.
"This place gives me the creeps," Aelis said, her voice low.
"It should," Selene replied. "This isn't just a library—it's a vault. Everything here is dangerous in the wrong hands."
The Warden scanned the room, its glowing eyes flickering. "The Veil resonates strongly here. Proceed with caution."
Lira stepped forward, the Veil pulsing faintly in her grasp. She could feel it guiding her, pulling her toward a central dais where an ornate pedestal stood. On it rested a large, circular device covered in glowing runes.
"What is that?" Aelis asked, eyeing the device warily.
"The Orrery of Threads," Selene said, her voice hushed. "It's said to connect to the origins of all relics. If anything can explain the Veil's true purpose, it's this."
Lira reached out, her hand hovering over the Orrery. The Veil pulsed again, its energy intertwining with the device's runes. As her fingers brushed its surface, the room was bathed in blinding light.
When the light faded, they were no longer in the Repository.
They stood in a vast, endless expanse of mist and stars. Threads of light crisscrossed the void, connecting distant points that pulsed like living hearts. The Veil's energy surged, and Lira felt herself being pulled toward one of the threads.
"Where are we?" Aelis asked, her voice tinged with awe and fear.
"The Nexus," the Warden said. "A place outside time and space. The Veil has brought us here to show us its truth."
As they moved closer to the glowing thread, visions began to form around them—fragments of memories, battles, and ancient beings wielding the Veil.
"This is its history," Selene whispered. "Everything it's seen, everything it's done."
But as the visions grew clearer, so did the presence of something darker. A shadow loomed at the edge of the Nexus, its form indistinct but menacing.
"What is that?" Lira asked, her voice trembling.
The Warden's voice was grim. "The Voidborn. The entity bound to the Veil. It was imprisoned eons ago, but its influence lingers."
The shadow turned its gaze to them, and a deep, guttural voice echoed through the Nexus.
You seek truth, mortals. But the price is steep.
Lira stepped forward, her resolve hardening. "Then tell me. What is the Veil? What do you want from me?"
The shadow laughed, a sound that sent shivers down their spines.
The Veil is both prison and key. To wield it is to walk the edge of destruction. The question is not what I want… but what you are willing to sacrifice.
The Nexus began to tremble, the threads of light unraveling. Selene grabbed Lira's arm, her voice urgent. "We need to leave. Now!"
But Lira hesitated, her eyes locked on the shadow.
"What sacrifice?" she demanded.
The shadow's laughter echoed one last time.
Everything.