The Gorge's silence was heavier than the chaos of battle. Every step Alexander and Lira took felt amplified, the crunch of gravel beneath their feet echoing in the empty expanse. Though the beast and its master had vanished, the oppressive weight of the Gorge remained.
Alexander adjusted the shard at his hip, its cold surface pulsing faintly against his side. The whispering sensation wasn't audible, but it pressed against his mind like a presence waiting to be acknowledged. He didn't mention it to Lira—there was no need to worry her more than she already was.
"Do you think it's over?" Lira asked, her voice low as she kept her blade at the ready.
"No," Alexander replied, scanning the jagged terrain ahead. "They'll be back. Or something worse will find us first."
"Comforting," Lira muttered. Her sarcasm was thin, veiling the exhaustion etched into her features.
The landscape ahead forked into two paths. To the left, a faint, winding trail led upward, promising a potential exit. The right path, darker and descending steeply into the Gorge's depths, was marked by jagged rocks and faintly glowing veins of crimson Essence.
Lira stopped, her eyes narrowing at the choices. "We should take the left. We've been lucky so far, but that won't last if we keep heading deeper."
Alexander didn't respond immediately. The shard at his hip pulsed harder, a steady rhythm that matched the quickening beat of his heart. His gaze was fixed on the right path, an inexplicable pull anchoring him in place.
"Alexander?" Lira prompted, her tone sharper now.
"The shard..." he said softly, almost to himself. "It's reacting to the right path."
"And that's a reason to go deeper into this hellhole?" Lira shot back, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "You saw what happened earlier! That thing—it's messing with you."
"I know what I felt," he said firmly, meeting her gaze. "There's something down there. Something we need to find."
"Or something that wants to find us," Lira countered, folding her arms. "Look, I get it. You're curious, maybe even desperate. But we don't know what this thing is doing to you."
Alexander hesitated. Her words were reasonable, but the shard's pull was undeniable. It wasn't just curiosity—it felt like a command.
"You don't have to come with me," he said quietly, his voice tinged with guilt.
Lira stared at him, the hurt in her eyes quickly replaced by steely resolve. "Of course I'm coming with you. Someone has to keep you alive, even if you insist on walking into danger."
The right path was treacherous, the air growing colder with every step. The faint glow from the shard illuminated their way, casting eerie shadows along the jagged walls.
Lira's unease was palpable. "Do you feel that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Alexander nodded. The oppressive energy of the Gorge had intensified, pressing down on them like an unseen weight. It wasn't just physical—it was psychological, gnawing at their resolve.
As they descended, they passed remnants of those who had ventured here before. Rusted weapons, torn fabric, and scattered bones littered the path, each a grim reminder of the Gorge's dangers.
"Lovely place," Lira muttered, kicking aside a dented helmet.
Alexander barely heard her. The shard's whispers were growing louder, forming indistinct words that danced just out of reach.
When they reached a narrow cavern, Alexander called for a halt. "We need to rest," he said, though he didn't look at Lira.
She sighed but didn't argue, slumping against the rough stone wall. "Five minutes," she muttered, closing her eyes briefly.
Alexander held the shard in his hand, its surface cold and smooth. The whispers became clearer, though they weren't words he understood. They were sensations—emotions—images flashing through his mind.
A vast, dark chasm filled with swirling Essence. A towering figure, its features obscured, reaching for something glowing. A voice, deep and resonant, cutting through the noise:
"Awaken."
Alexander's breath hitched. "What...?"
The shard pulsed violently, and for a moment, the world around him seemed to tilt. The cavern blurred, replaced by a vision of a massive, broken temple submerged in crimson light. The voice echoed again, louder this time:
"You are bound to the Gorge. Claim what is yours."
"Alexander!"
Lira's voice snapped him back to reality. He staggered, clutching the shard as its glow faded. She was on her feet, her expression a mixture of concern and fear.
"What just happened?" she demanded.
"I..." He hesitated, struggling to find the words. "I saw something. A temple, deep in the Gorge. And a voice. It said I was bound to this place."
Lira's eyes widened. "That's not good. Alexander, if this shard is controlling you—"
"It's not controlling me," he interrupted, his voice sharper than intended. "It's... guiding me. I don't know why, but I have to find that temple."
Lira stared at him for a long moment before sighing heavily. "You're insane," she muttered. "But I guess I already knew that."
Their rest was short-lived. The oppressive energy in the cavern began to shift, growing restless. Alexander felt it before he saw it—a ripple in the air, like the fabric of reality itself was fraying.
A sudden growl echoed from the darkness. Lira drew her blade, her posture tense. "Tell me that's not another one of those beasts."
"It's worse," Alexander said grimly, his grip tightening on the shard.
From the shadows emerged a creature unlike anything they'd faced before. Its form was amorphous, shifting between solid and liquid as it moved. Crimson Essence dripped from its body, pooling on the ground and sizzling like acid.
Lira swore under her breath. "Great. Just great."
The shard pulsed again, and Alexander felt a surge of power course through him. The whispers were gone, replaced by a single, clear thought:
"Fight."