Zami paused in his steps, the memory of the shards and their significance weighing on his mind. He had once thought to collect them all—a goal born of his relentless drive to conquer and master every fragment of power this world had to offer. Yet now, as he held his katana imbued with the Wailing Dread and Eternal Hunger shards, he realized how far he had come and how much his purpose had shifted.
"It's no use now," Zami murmured to himself, his voice low but steady. "Collecting shards... it's meaningless compared to what lies ahead. There are higher plans to achieve."
He tightened his grip on the katana, feeling the malevolent energy coursing through it, the strength that now felt like an extension of his very soul. The shards he had already claimed were enough—more than enough—for the challenges that awaited.
Turning his gaze upward, he spoke.
"Karesh," he said, his tone sharp and direct. "Do you know the way out of this place?"
Karesh's voice echoed in his mind, calm yet laced with curiosity.
"You've endured so much, Zami, and yet you still seek the way forward. Do you not realize? The path out of the Void Dexus is not one of simple directions or steps. It is a test, like all else. But yes... I know where the gateway lies."
Zami's silver eyes flickered with anticipation.
"Then tell me. No riddles, Karesh. Just tell me."
Karesh hesitated for a moment before continuing.
"There is a gateway at the edge of this void, a point where the veil between this place and the material realm is thin. But reaching it will not be so simple. The entities have made sure of that. They watch, even now, to see if you're truly worthy of moving beyond."
Zami tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable.
"And what is waiting for me at this gateway? Another trial? Another vessel?"
Karesh chuckled softly, though there was no warmth in it.
"Perhaps. Or perhaps something far worse. The entities do not merely test for the sake of testing—they mold you, Zami. They shape you into something that even they do not fully understand. The gateway may hold another trial, or it may simply open... depending on what they desire to see."
Zami's grip on his katana tightened. His body was still battered from his fight with the Eternal Hunger, and yet he stood tall, unshaken.
"Then I'll face whatever is there. I've broken through every test they've put in front of me. This will be no different."
Karesh's voice softened.
"You've changed, Zami. When we first met, you were driven by raw anger, by vengeance. Now... you've become something else entirely. Perhaps the entities see that too. They may not know what to make of you anymore."
Zami sheathed his katana, the shards within it still humming faintly.
"Let them watch," he said, his voice low but firm. "They'll see what happens when someone surpasses even their expectations."
Without another word, Zami began walking once more, his footsteps echoing in the desolate void. The air around him seemed to shift, as if the very fabric of the Void Dexus was bending to his will. He didn't know what lay ahead, but he knew one thing for certain:
He would carve his path forward, no matter the cost.