Chapter 13: Breaking the Chain
Commander Veyra sat in her quarters, the recording Alaric had given her playing on a holographic display. The footage showed the lab just before the Shard's containment field had failed. Scientists worked diligently, their voices calm but tense, until the Shard began to pulse.
In the video, Rael entered the chamber alone. His posture was rigid, his movements deliberate. The scientists tried to warn him about the Shard's instability, but he silenced them with a single raised hand.
"I will not be lectured by technicians," Rael said, his voice cold and unwavering.
He approached the Shard, lowering his mask to reveal his scarred, angular face. For the first time, Veyra saw the exhaustion etched into his features, the dark circles under his eyes, and the faint sheen of sweat on his brow.
Rael placed a hand on the Shard's surface. The footage distorted briefly as the energy surged, but when it cleared, Rael was speaking—no, arguing.
"No," he said through gritted teeth. "I am not your pawn. You will serve me!"
The Shard flared brightly, its energy washing over him. He staggered back, clutching his head as a deep, resonant voice echoed through the lab.
"You are weak, mortal. You cannot command what you do not understand. You will bow… or be consumed."
The recording ended abruptly, the screen going dark.
Veyra leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. The Shard wasn't just influencing Rael—it was controlling him, bending his ambitions into something dangerous and unnatural.
She activated her commlink, her voice low. "Alaric, it's worse than we thought. Meet me in the war room. Quietly."
Gathering Allies
The war room was empty when Veyra arrived, save for Alaric, who stood nervously near a tactical display. His datapad was clutched tightly in his hands.
"Did you watch it?" he asked.
Veyra nodded. "Rael's compromised. The Shard has him wrapped around its… whatever it has. If we don't act now, this entire facility will collapse under his obsession."
Alaric glanced around the room. "Do you have a plan? Rael won't go quietly. He'll have the full backing of the loyalists."
"I know," Veyra said, her tone grim. "But there are still soldiers here who trust me—who know that I've always put the Order before anything else. We need to reach them before Rael realizes what we're doing."
Alaric hesitated, then nodded. "And what about the Shard?"
"That's the key," Veyra said, her voice firm. "If we can sever its connection to Rael, he'll lose the influence that's driving him. But destroying it outright… that's another question entirely."
The Shadow Council
Over the next two days, Veyra worked in secret, meeting with trusted officers and soldiers in the dead of night. She didn't tell them everything—only that Rael's fixation on the Shard was endangering the Order and that a change in leadership might be necessary.
One of her closest allies, Captain Jarek, was the first to pledge his loyalty. "You've led us through worse than this," he said. "If you say Rael's lost his way, I believe you."
Others followed, their faith in Veyra outweighing their fear of Rael. By the end of the second night, she had assembled a small but determined faction within the Iron Order.
A Reckoning in the Throne Room
Veyra's moment came sooner than she expected. Rael summoned her to the throne room—an imposing chamber of black stone and crimson banners—early on the third morning. He sat on his elevated seat, his mask gleaming under the harsh lights. The Shard hovered behind him, pulsating faintly in its new containment chamber.
"You've been busy, Commander," Rael said, his voice dripping with suspicion.
"Just doing my duty, Overseer," Veyra replied, standing tall before him.
Rael's gaze bore into her, unspoken accusations hanging in the air. "There are whispers of dissent among the ranks. Of plans to undermine my authority. Tell me, Commander, do you know anything about this?"
Veyra met his gaze without flinching. "I know the Shard is tearing this Order apart. I know soldiers are dying because of your obsession. And I know that if we don't change course, there won't be an Order left to lead."
Rael stood, his movements slow and deliberate. "You question my leadership? After everything I've built?"
"I question the Shard," Veyra said, her voice rising. "It's not a tool, Rael. It's controlling you—warping your judgment. If you can't see that, then you're unfit to lead."
The chamber fell silent, the tension palpable. Rael stepped down from his throne, his boots echoing on the stone floor.
"You've always been a loyal soldier, Veyra," he said, his voice calm but dangerous. "It pains me to see you fall victim to fear. But if you insist on challenging me…"
He raised a hand, and the Shard flared behind him, its energy rippling outward. "Then I will show you the true meaning of power."
The Showdown
The chamber doors burst open as Veyra's loyalists stormed in, weapons drawn. Rael's guards rushed to defend him, and chaos erupted as the two factions clashed.
Veyra drew her blade, its energy crackling as she advanced on Rael. "Step down, Rael. This doesn't have to end in blood."
Rael laughed, the sound cold and hollow. "You still don't understand. The Shard has made me more than a man. I am the Iron Order!"
With a motion, the Shard's energy coalesced around him, forming a glowing aura that crackled with destructive force. He swung a massive, energy-infused blade that appeared in his hands, its strike shattering the floor where Veyra had stood moments before.
"You've lost your way," Veyra shouted, dodging another swing. "This isn't strength—it's madness!"
The two clashed in a brutal duel, their blades sparking with every strike. Around them, the battle raged, the sounds of shouting and gunfire filling the air.
A Dangerous Gambit
As Veyra fought, Alaric and a team of engineers worked furiously to destabilize the Shard's containment chamber.
"Hurry!" Alaric shouted as the battle drew closer to their position.
"If we overload it, we might take out the entire facility," one of the engineers warned.
"Better that than letting Rael win," Alaric said grimly.
The containment chamber flickered and sparked, the Shard's energy surging uncontrollably.