Kael stumbled backward, his mind reeling. "What is this? Where am I?"
His older self frowned. "This is a fracture—where realities collide. The shard has connected you to every version of yourself. The Council knows this, and they'll do anything to sever the link."
Kael's chest tightened. "Why?"
"Because the shard isn't just a relic," the older Kael said. "It's a key. And if they control it, they'll rewrite reality to serve their own ends."
Kael's head throbbed as memories—not his own—flooded his mind. He saw himself leading a rebellion, commanding armies, kneeling in submission to the Council. Each vision felt agonizingly real.
"I can't handle this," Kael muttered. "It's too much."
"You don't have a choice," his older self said. "If you don't take control, the Council will."
The fracture began to collapse, and Kael was hurled back into the chamber. The masked figure and Ryn were locked in combat with armored enforcers. Kael's hand instinctively went to the shard.
"Kael!" Ryn shouted. "Do something!"
The shard pulsed, and Kael felt its power surge. Time slowed, and the enforcers' movements distorted. He raised the shard, releasing a wave of energy that tore through the room. The enforcers dissolved into shards of light.
Ryn stared at him, wide-eyed. "What the hell did you just do?"
Kael looked at the shard, its glow fading. "I don't know. But I think… I think it's only the beginning."
The masked figure stepped forward. "The Council will not relent. You must understand the shard's true nature before it's too late."
Kael nodded, determination hardening his expression. "Then let's find out what it really wants."
The chamber fell silent, save for the faint hum of residual energy. The shard, now dim, rested heavily in Kael's grasp. He flexed his fingers, feeling the weight of the decision looming over him.
"The fracture showed you the truth," the masked figure said, their voice soft but insistent. "Each choice you make ripples across the infinite. You've only just begun to wield its power, but every action comes with a cost."
Kael stepped closer. "What kind of cost?"
The figure hesitated. "Reality will strain under the weight of your decisions. The more you use the shard, the more unstable the fabric of existence becomes. You may save one world only to destroy another."
"So, you're telling me to do nothing?" Kael said, his voice rising. "Just let the Council take it and rewrite everything to suit them?"
"No," the figure replied. "But wield it carefully. Every version of you carries a piece of the puzzle. You must learn to unite them before the Council unravels it all."
Ryn, finally catching her breath, stepped forward. "So what's the plan? We run, hide, fight? Because I'm not exactly feeling great about our chances right now."
Kael turned to her, his expression resolute. "We fight. But first, we need to understand this thing—all of it. The Council thinks they know what they're dealing with, but they don't. If we can stay ahead of them, maybe we have a chance."
"And if we don't?" Ryn asked.
Kael tightened his grip on the shard. "Then we make sure they regret ever coming after us."
The masked figure stepped aside, gesturing toward a hidden passage. "Follow this path. It will lead you to the Forgotten Spire. There, you may find the answers you seek. But tread carefully. Not all truths are meant to be uncovered."
Kael exchanged a glance with Ryn, then nodded. Together, they stepped into the darkness, the shard's faint pulse guiding their way. Behind them, the masked figure watched, their form dissolving into the shadows as the chamber sealed itself once more.