Chapter 4: Unleashed
When Kael's eyes opened, he was on his back, staring at a fractured ceiling of glowing blue runes. The air was thick with smoke and debris, and the temple walls groaned as though the entire structure might collapse at any moment.
The Shard's energy crackled in the air, shimmering waves of light distorting the space around it. The artifact floated above its pedestal, no longer dormant but alive—its pulsing glow casting long, shifting shadows across the chamber.
Kael pushed himself to his feet, every muscle aching. Mira was nearby, sprawled on the ground but conscious. She groaned and sat up, rubbing her head.
"What… what just happened?" she asked.
Kael didn't answer. His eyes locked on the Shard, which now pulsed erratically, emitting bursts of energy that shook the ground beneath their feet.
The Iron Order soldiers weren't as fortunate. Most of them lay scattered across the temple floor, unmoving. Only General Ascaris had risen, his advanced armor sparking and damaged but still functional. He stood between Kael and the Shard, his hand extended as though reaching for its power.
"Ascaris!" Kael shouted.
The general turned slowly, his helmet cracked to reveal part of his scarred face. His exposed eye glowed faintly, a cybernetic implant pulsating in rhythm with the Shard.
"You feel it too, don't you?" Ascaris said, his voice low and almost reverent. "The power. The promise. The Shard is ours to command. You and I—we could reshape this broken world together."
Kael gripped his blade tighter. "That thing isn't going to fix anything. It's going to destroy everything."
Ascaris laughed, a hollow, mechanical sound. "You think so small. This world is already dying. If we're to survive, we need strength. Power. And the Shard gives us both."
Before Kael could respond, Ascaris turned back to the Shard and extended his hand toward it. The artifact reacted instantly, a tendril of energy lashing out and connecting with the general's armor. Ascaris roared, his body convulsing as the Shard's power coursed through him.
The room shook violently, and Mira stumbled to Kael's side.
"We have to stop him," she said, her voice urgent. "If he bonds with the Shard, there's no telling what he'll do."
Kael nodded, his jaw set. "Stay back."