The Gorge's suffocating atmosphere seemed lighter now, though Alexander and Lira knew better than to trust appearances. The whispers and shadows from the altar chamber still lingered in their minds, each a reminder of the strange and dangerous forces that thrived in this place.
Alexander studied the obsidian shard in his hand. Its faint glow had dimmed but didn't extinguish, as though it retained a fraction of the energy from the altar.
"Whatever this is," he murmured, "it's more than just a weapon."
Lira leaned against a nearby boulder, her arms wrapped around her knees. Her expression was thoughtful, though fatigue weighed heavily on her features. "You think it's tied to the altar? Or this place?"
Alexander nodded. "I don't see how it couldn't be. That thing reacted to it. Maybe it's a key, or part of something bigger."
Lira frowned. "That's not comforting. If there are more places like that in the Gorge, we're in even more trouble than I thought."
Alexander sighed, slipping the shard into his belt. "Trouble's all this place seems to offer. But we need to keep moving."
Lira didn't argue. She pushed herself to her feet, wincing as her injuries protested. "Do you have a plan, or are we just wandering until the Gorge decides to swallow us whole?"
"I do," Alexander said, his tone firm. "We head west. If we keep going that way, we'll eventually reach the edge of the Gorge."
"And then?"
"Then we figure out what to do next," he replied.
Lira smirked faintly. "Not exactly a detailed plan, but it's better than nothing."
The trek through the Gorge was no less treacherous than before. Unstable ground, Essence storms, and lurking beasts forced them to stay vigilant. Alexander's senses were on high alert, every sound and movement around them drawing his attention.
Hours passed, the oppressive energy of the Gorge sapping their strength. The faint glow of the shard offered some reassurance, though Alexander couldn't shake the feeling that it was drawing attention to them.
"I think we're being followed," Lira said suddenly, her voice low.
Alexander glanced over his shoulder. "You're sure?"
"Positive," she replied. "I've been feeling it for a while now. Something's keeping its distance, but it's there."
Alexander's grip tightened on the shard. "We can't outrun it, not in this state. If it attacks, we'll have to stand our ground."
Lira nodded, her expression grim. "Great. Another fight."
They pressed on, the tension between them palpable. The Gorge's energy seemed to shift, the oppressive weight giving way to a sense of anticipation.
It didn't take long for their pursuer to make itself known. A low growl echoed through the air, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps. From the shadows emerged a massive beast, its fur black as the void and its eyes glowing with crimson Essence.
"That's not good," Lira muttered, drawing a short blade from her side.
The beast snarled, its claws digging into the rocky ground as it circled them. It moved with the predatory grace of a hunter, its gaze fixed on Alexander.
"It's after the shard," Alexander realized, gripping the glowing fragment tightly.
"Figures," Lira said. "That thing's probably been tracking us since we left the altar."
The beast lunged, its claws striking the ground where Alexander had stood moments before. He dodged to the side, the shard flaring to life as he raised it defensively.
Lira darted in, her blade slicing across the beast's flank. It howled in pain but retaliated with a swipe of its massive paw, forcing her to retreat.
"We can't take this thing head-on!" she shouted.
"I'm open to suggestions!" Alexander called back, his eyes darting around for anything they could use to their advantage.
The fight was chaotic and brutal. The beast's speed and strength made it a formidable opponent, and Alexander and Lira were quickly running out of options.
As the creature lunged again, Alexander felt the shard pulse in his hand. Instinctively, he thrust it forward, and a surge of energy erupted from its surface. The blast struck the beast squarely, sending it tumbling backward with a roar of pain.
"What was that?" Lira asked, her eyes wide.
"I don't know!" Alexander replied, his voice strained. "But it worked!"
The beast rose to its feet, its movements slower and more deliberate now. It growled low, as though reassessing its prey.
Alexander tightened his grip on the shard, his mind racing. Whatever power the shard had unleashed, it was unstable. He couldn't count on it to work again.
Before the beast could strike again, a sharp whistle pierced the air. The sound was unnatural, cutting through the chaos like a blade. The beast froze, its glowing eyes flickering as it turned its head toward the source.
From the shadows emerged a figure cloaked in black, their presence commanding and unsettling. They moved with deliberate precision, their face obscured by a hood.
The figure raised a hand, and the beast growled but obediently stepped back.
"Interesting," the figure said, their voice smooth and calm. "It seems I've found something worth my time."
Alexander and Lira exchanged wary glances, their weapons still at the ready.
"Who are you?" Alexander demanded.
The figure chuckled softly. "A traveler, like you. But unlike you, I know the true nature of this place."
Their gaze shifted to the shard in Alexander's hand, and a faint smile played across their lips. "That shard...it doesn't belong to you."
Alexander tensed. "And you think it belongs to you?"
"No," the figure replied. "But it does belong to the Gorge. And the Gorge doesn't take kindly to thieves."
The air around them grew heavy, the oppressive energy of the Gorge intensifying. Alexander felt a cold sweat break out on his brow as the figure took a step closer.
"You have no idea what you've stumbled into," they continued, their tone almost amused. "But don't worry. I'll take it from here."
The beast growled low, its gaze fixed on Alexander as the tension in the air reached its breaking point.