Volume 2: Shards of Unity
Chapter 28: Nyx's Ascension
The battlefield was chaos incarnate. Tendrils of shadow lashed out from the Herald's form, scorching the earth and consuming anything they touched. Nyx darted through the destruction, its golden light cutting through the darkness. Every step it took left faint embers in its wake, as though the creature itself was igniting the ground with raw defiance.
The Herald, towering and composed, raised its massive blade, pointing it at Nyx like a death sentence.
"You're stubborn," the Herald said, its voice layered with disdain and amusement. "But even a flame this bright will burn itself out."
Nyx growled, golden energy coursing through its claws. The creature didn't flinch, didn't falter. It lunged at the Herald, aiming straight for its core.
The Herald moved faster than Nyx expected, sidestepping the attack with inhuman grace. Shadows wrapped around its free hand, coalescing into a spike that drove into Nyx's side.
The nightmare creature roared in pain as the spike burst into tendrils, trying to worm their way deeper. The Herald grinned, wrenching the shadowy weapon to pull Nyx closer.
"You're nothing without your bond to the relic's bearer," the Herald hissed, its crimson eyes narrowing. "Do you feel them slipping away? Do you feel yourself weakening?"
Nyx's vision blurred for a moment, but then a surge of defiance ignited within. The relic's connection burned in its chest, and it could feel Eryth's distant determination, their unwavering belief in it.
The shadows writhed as golden light exploded from Nyx's form, severing the spike and forcing the Herald to retreat. The creature staggered back, its sides heaving, but its resolve was unshaken.
A Sudden Shift
The Herald straightened, its smile vanishing as its crimson gaze darkened. "Enough games."
The air grew heavy as the Herald extended both hands, summoning a vortex of shadows that twisted into a dome around the battlefield. The oppressive darkness blotted out the stars, isolating Nyx and the Herald from the outside world.
Within the dome, the shadows pulsed like a heartbeat, each beat stronger than the last.
"This is my domain," the Herald said, its voice echoing unnaturally. "Here, your light will falter."
Nyx snarled, its claws igniting brighter than ever, but the shadows pushed back, their suffocating weight pressing down on it from all sides.
The Herald raised its blade, now glowing with an ominous red light. "Die knowing you stood against a power far beyond your comprehension."
The blade came down like a thunderbolt, splitting the ground as Nyx barely rolled away. But the creature was slowing, its movements more labored with each strike.
The Spark of Transformation
As the Herald advanced, Nyx's mind raced. It wasn't enough to fight harder—it had to fight smarter. The relic's glow within it flared again, and with it came a sudden clarity.
Nyx closed its eyes, ignoring the oppressive shadows and the Herald's taunts. It reached deep into the bond it shared with Eryth, drawing on their determination and trust.
We are more than this, the bond seemed to whisper.
The golden glow around Nyx intensified, shifting from a pulsing aura to a steady, radiant light. Its form began to change—its claws lengthened, its limbs grew more defined, and its stance shifted into something almost humanoid.
The Herald faltered, its crimson eyes narrowing. "What is this?"
Nyx opened its now-glowing golden eyes, a new clarity shining within. The creature stood taller, its silhouette sleek and humanoid, yet still primal and fierce. Its claws shimmered like polished blades, and its fur rippled with energy.
The Herald raised its blade again, but this time, Nyx moved faster. It darted forward with impossible speed, the air cracking as it closed the distance.
The Herald swung, but Nyx caught the blade with its claws, stopping it mid-swing. The golden energy around it flared, and the Herald's weapon began to crack under the pressure.
"This… this isn't possible," the Herald stammered, its composure finally breaking.
Nyx didn't respond. With a roar, it shattered the blade and delivered a devastating strike to the Herald's chest. The impact sent the shadowy figure flying into the edge of the dome, where it dissolved into the swirling darkness.
A Revelation
The dome of shadows began to collapse, the oppressive weight lifting as the battlefield was bathed in moonlight once more. Nyx stood alone, its new form glowing faintly as it surveyed the aftermath.
Far in the distance, it could feel the pull of its bond with Eryth, guiding it like a beacon. But there was something else now—a whisper in the back of its mind, faint yet persistent.
"Nyx…" the voice of the Herald echoed faintly, carried by the dying shadows. "You've become something the Sovereign will fear. But remember—power always comes at a cost."
The whisper faded, leaving Nyx with an uneasy sense of foreboding.
The creature turned toward the distant mountains where Eryth and the others waited. Its golden eyes narrowed with determination. Whatever the Sovereign had planned, whatever challenges lay ahead, Nyx would face them.
But for the first time, a question lingered in its mind.
What am I becoming?