The storm had passed by the time Kain emerged from the ravine, leaving the Wastes eerily silent. The air was thick and stagnant, carrying the faint metallic tang of Etherial corruption. The landscape stretched endlessly before him, jagged and lifeless, as if mocking his resolve to keep moving.
He took a deep breath, forcing the bitter memories of the altar from his mind. The visions, the accusations—they weren't real. They couldn't be. And yet, the weight of his comrades' voices lingered, an unwelcome companion that gnawed at the edges of his thoughts.
The system's interface flickered into view, pulling him back to the present.
[Objective Update: Progress Toward Codex Tower—15%.]
Fifteen percent. The words felt both mocking and impossible. He'd barely survived the last few days, and the idea that he'd only scratched the surface of his journey filled him with a simmering frustration.
"Fifteen percent," Kain muttered, shaking his head. "Feels like I've crossed a hundred lifetimes already."
The shard pulsed faintly in response, the warmth in his chest a grim reminder of the power now coursing through him. It was both a gift and a curse—a tool for survival, but one he couldn't trust.
As he started forward, the Wastes began to shift subtly around him. The jagged rocks gave way to rolling dunes of blackened sand, the remnants of a once-vibrant forest reduced to ash and shadow. Ancient, skeletal trees jutted out of the ground like claws, their branches twisted and broken.
The silence was oppressive, broken only by the crunch of his boots and the faint hum of the shard. Kain's senses remained sharp, his hand never straying far from his blade. The Wastes were rarely this quiet. Something was wrong.
The system confirmed his unease.
[Warning: Anomalous Activity Detected. Hostile Presence Likely.]
"Great," Kain muttered. "More company."
The wind picked up suddenly, carrying with it a low, mournful howl. Kain froze, his eyes scanning the horizon. The air felt heavier, charged with an unnatural energy that made his skin crawl.
And then he saw it.
A figure emerged from the haze, its silhouette tall and imposing. It moved with a deliberate, predatory grace, each step sending ripples through the sand. As it came closer, Kain could make out the details: its body was humanoid but distorted, its limbs elongated and its skin a patchwork of scars and glowing Etherial veins. In its hand, it held a jagged weapon that seemed to pulse with the same malevolent energy.
The system's interface flared to life, overlaying the figure with information.
[Entity Identified: Warden of the Wastes. Threat Level: Severe.]
Kain tightened his grip on his blade, his jaw set. "Severe, huh? Let's see how tough you really are."
The Warden stopped several paces away, its glowing eyes fixed on Kain. For a moment, the two of them simply stared at each other, the tension between them palpable. Then, without warning, the Warden raised its weapon and let out an ear-splitting roar.
Kain moved on instinct, his blade flashing as he dodged the Warden's first strike. The impact sent a shockwave through the ground, the force of it nearly knocking him off his feet. He retaliated with a swift slash, his blade sparking against the Warden's armor-like skin.
The shard's energy surged within him, sharpening his movements and lending strength to his strikes. But the Warden was fast—faster than anything he'd faced before. Its attacks came in relentless waves, each one forcing Kain to push himself to his limits just to stay alive.
One misstep was all it took. The Warden's blade caught him across the side, the force of the blow sending him sprawling to the ground. Pain flared through his body, hot and searing, but he forced himself to roll away as the Warden's next strike came down, narrowly missing him.
He scrambled to his feet, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. Blood dripped from the wound in his side, staining the sand beneath him. The Warden loomed over him, its glowing eyes filled with malice.
The shard pulsed again, harder this time, and Kain felt a surge of raw power flood his veins. It was overwhelming, almost too much to control, but he didn't have a choice. He let the energy take over, his vision tinged with a faint, ethereal glow.
When the Warden attacked again, Kain was ready. He ducked under its blade, the shard's power guiding his movements as he drove his own weapon into its side. The Warden roared in pain, its body convulsing as the Etherial energy from the shard clashed with its own.
Kain didn't let up. He struck again and again, each blow fueled by a desperation he couldn't fully understand. The Warden staggered back, its movements growing sluggish as the shard's energy began to overwhelm it.
With a final, powerful strike, Kain drove his blade into the Warden's chest, the force of the blow sending shockwaves through the ground. The creature let out a guttural cry before collapsing, its body dissolving into a cloud of shimmering dust.
Kain stood over the remains, his chest heaving as the shard's energy slowly ebbed away. His body felt like it was on fire, every nerve screaming in protest. But he was alive.
The system's voice broke the silence.
[Hostile Neutralized. Host Survival Probability Increased.]
"Yeah," Kain muttered, wiping the blood from his face. "You keep saying that."
He turned his gaze to the horizon, where the faint outline of the Codex Tower loomed in the distance. It was still far, far away, but it was there—a beacon of hope and dread.
Kain tightened his grip on his blade, his resolve hardening. The Wastes wouldn't break him. Not yet.