The realm they emerged into was silent, unnervingly so. The air was thick with a dense, suffocating mist that clung to Riven’s skin like oil. The ground beneath his boots was uneven, a patchwork of jagged stone and ash, and the faint smell of sulfur hung in the air. Above them, the sky was a swirling mass of black and crimson clouds, illuminated by sporadic flashes of green lightning that revealed the silhouettes of fractured peaks in the distance.
Lyra hovered a few paces ahead, her spectral glow faint but steady as she scanned the landscape. “I don’t like this,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “The Veil’s presence is... heavier here. It feels like it’s watching us.”
Riven adjusted the strap of his pack, the shard within it pulsing faintly against his back. The weight of it felt different now, heavier somehow, as though the shard itself were reacting to the oppressive energy of the realm. He flexed his fingers, his grip tightening around the hilt of his sword as his eyes scanned the horizon.
“We’re being watched,” he said quietly, his voice edged with tension. “You’re not wrong about that.”
The path ahead was barely discernible, a narrow trail winding through jagged rock formations that jutted out of the ground like broken teeth. Riven moved cautiously, his steps deliberate as he navigated the uneven terrain. Every so often, he glanced over his shoulder, his instincts prickling with the feeling of unseen eyes tracking their movements.
“This realm’s close to collapse,” Lyra said, her voice grim. “The Veil’s corruption is tearing it apart. If we don’t find the shard soon, there won’t be anything left to save.”
Riven let out a bitter laugh, his tone edged with frustration. “Save? We’re not saving these realms, Lyra. We’re barely keeping them from falling apart. And even then, it’s only temporary.”
Lyra hesitated, her glow dimming. “Maybe. But even temporary balance is better than letting the Veil consume everything.”
Riven didn’t respond, his jaw tightening as he pressed forward. The weight of the Void Corruption in his veins was heavier here, its whispers louder and more insistent.
This place is already lost. Why waste your strength? Let us take over.
He clenched his teeth, shoving the voices down as he focused on the path ahead. “What do we know about this shard?” he asked, his tone brusque.
Lyra floated closer, her glow flickering faintly. “Not much,” she admitted. “The Archive’s records on this realm were... incomplete. But if the energy we’re feeling is anything to go by, this shard is tied directly to the Veil’s core. It’s not just corrupted—it’s fully integrated.”
Riven frowned, his grip on his sword tightening. “Integrated how?”
“It’s not just a fragment of power,” Lyra said, her voice quiet. “It’s a piece of the Veil’s will. If we destroy it, it could weaken the Veil’s grip on this realm—or it could trigger a collapse.”
The trail led them to a wide plateau, the ground cracked and glowing faintly with crimson light. Riven slowed his pace, his eyes narrowing as he spotted movement in the distance. Figures moved through the mist, their forms indistinct but humanoid. They were scattered across the plateau, their erratic movements making them difficult to track.
Lyra drifted to his side, her glow brightening slightly. “Shades,” she said, her voice tense. “But they’re different from the ones we’ve seen before. They’re... stronger.”
The shapes in the mist grew clearer as they approached. The shades were larger than the ones Riven had encountered before, their forms more defined and solid. Their eyes glowed with a faint crimson light, and their limbs moved with an unnatural fluidity that sent a chill down his spine.
“Great,” Riven muttered, drawing his sword. “Because regular shades weren’t enough of a headache.”
Lyra’s glow dimmed as she scanned the plateau. “They’re guarding something. Probably the shard.”
Riven nodded, his grip on his sword firm. “Then we take them out. Quietly, if possible.”
They moved carefully, skirting the edges of the plateau to avoid drawing attention. The shades were scattered in small groups, their movements almost mechanical as they patrolled the area. Riven’s eyes flicked between them, analyzing their patterns as he planned their approach.
Lyra floated close, her voice a whisper. “If they’re this organized, it means they’re still connected to the shard. Taking it out should disrupt them.”
“Should,” Riven repeated dryly. “That’s comforting.”
Lyra shot him a look, her glow flickering. “You’ve survived worse. Try not to get killed before we figure this out.”
Riven smirked faintly, his focus returning to the shades. He crept forward, his steps silent against the cracked stone. The closest shade stood with its back to him, its shadowy form flickering faintly as it scanned the plateau.
Riven struck swiftly, his sword slicing through the shade’s torso. The creature let out a guttural hiss before dissolving into smoke, its form scattering into the air. But the sound alerted the others. The shades turned in unison, their glowing eyes locking onto Riven.
“So much for quietly,” he muttered, raising his sword as the shades began to close in.
The shades swarmed toward Riven, their movements unnervingly fluid. Their shadowy forms rippled like smoke, but their glowing crimson eyes burned with an unnatural intensity. The first reached him with a sudden lunge, its elongated arms striking like whips.
Riven blocked the attack, his sword meeting the creature’s shadowy limb with a burst of sparks. The force of the strike sent him sliding back a step, his boots scraping against the cracked ground. “They’re faster than the others,” he growled, adjusting his stance. “Stronger, too.”
Lyra darted beside him, her glow flaring as she released a burst of spectral energy. The light slammed into one of the shades, scattering its form momentarily. “They’re drawing power from the shard,” she said urgently. “If we don’t take them out quickly, they’ll overwhelm us.”
“Working on it,” Riven muttered, lunging forward.
The first shade twisted to avoid his strike, its body reforming unnaturally as it retaliated. Its claw-like appendages slashed through the air, one catching Riven’s arm. He hissed in pain as a jagged cut opened along his forearm, the edges burning with the taint of Void energy.
Riven gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain as he countered with a wide slash. His blade cleaved through the shade’s torso, its form dissolving into smoke before reforming a few feet away. “They’re regenerating too fast,” he said, frustration edging his voice.
“You need to disrupt their connection to the shard!” Lyra called, her energy flaring again as she struck another shade. This time, the creature staggered, its form flickering violently before it collapsed into ash. “See? If you hit them with enough force, they can’t recover!”
Riven didn’t answer. He was already moving, his blade slicing through the air as he targeted another shade. His strikes were faster now, each swing aimed with deadly precision. The second shade crumbled under the onslaught, its form disintegrating with a faint hiss.
But for every shade Riven destroyed, two more seemed to take its place. They moved like a hive, their attacks coordinated as they circled him. One lunged from behind, its claws raking across his back. Riven spun, his sword carving through the creature before it could retreat.
The Void Corruption in his veins flared, its whispers growing louder with each passing moment. You’re tiring. You can’t keep up with them. Let us take control.
Riven stumbled back, his breath coming in short gasps as he fought to hold his ground. His muscles ached, his movements slowing as the relentless swarm of shades pressed closer. The Void’s whispers clawed at his mind, promising power and relief.
You’re losing. Stop resisting us. Use the power—we’ll finish this for you.
“Riven!” Lyra’s voice cut through the storm of whispers, sharp and urgent. “Don’t give in to it! You’ve fought this long without letting it win—don’t stop now!”
Riven clenched his jaw, forcing the voices down. He raised his sword again, his grip steady despite the tremors running through his arms. “I’m not giving up,” he muttered, his voice low but firm. “Not yet.”
The shades closed in, their movements synchronized as they launched another attack. Riven dodged to the side, his sword flashing as he struck one down. But even as the creature dissolved, another struck from his blind spot, its claws tearing across his shoulder.
He stumbled, his vision blurring as pain shot through him. The whispers surged again, louder and more insistent. This is pointless. You can’t fight them alone.
Lyra floated closer, her glow flaring as she released another burst of energy. The blast struck two shades, scattering them momentarily. “Riven, listen to me! We need to disrupt the shard’s energy. It’s keeping them connected to the Veil!”
Riven nodded, his breaths ragged. “And how do we do that?”
Lyra hesitated, her glow dimming as she scanned the battlefield. “The fissures in the ground—they’re channeling the shard’s power. If you can destabilize them, it might weaken the shades.”
Riven’s eyes flicked to the glowing cracks running through the ground. The crimson light pulsed faintly, the energy within them feeding into the surrounding shades. “And destabilizing them won’t collapse the entire plateau?” he asked dryly.
“I don’t know,” Lyra admitted, her voice tense. “But if we don’t try, we’re not getting out of this alive.”
Riven let out a bitter laugh, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. “Great. Let’s make this worse, then.”
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Riven lunged toward the nearest fissure, his sword glowing faintly with Void energy. The shades reacted instantly, their forms converging on him like a swarm of locusts. Lyra darted ahead, her spectral energy flaring as she struck the first wave.
“Go!” she shouted. “I’ll hold them off!”
Riven didn’t hesitate. He drove his sword into the fissure, the blade sinking into the glowing crack with a burst of light. The ground trembled violently, a low rumble echoing across the plateau as the crimson energy within the fissure began to waver.
The shades let out a collective hiss, their movements faltering as the glow in their eyes dimmed. But the victory was short-lived. The plateau cracked further, the ground beneath Riven’s feet beginning to splinter.
“Riven, get back!” Lyra shouted, her voice urgent. “It’s destabilizing too fast!”
Riven yanked his sword free, stumbling back as the fissure erupted in a burst of energy. The shades nearest to it disintegrated, their forms scattering into ash, but the remaining creatures rallied, their eyes burning brighter as they charged toward him.
“It’s not enough,” Lyra said, her tone desperate. “We need to hit another fissure!”
The plateau was a battlefield of chaos. Crimson fissures pulsed violently, casting eerie shadows as the ground trembled beneath Riven’s feet. The shades pressed closer, their glowing eyes flickering erratically as they fed on the shard’s unstable energy. For every one Riven struck down, another surged forward, their movements more feral and erratic than before.
“We’re running out of time!” Lyra’s voice echoed through the din, her spectral form flickering as she unleashed another burst of light. The energy struck a shade mid-lunge, scattering its shadowy form into ash. “The shard’s power is destabilizing the entire realm. If we don’t stop it soon, we’ll go down with it!”
Riven ducked beneath a sweeping claw, his sword flashing as he retaliated. The blade tore through the shade, its form disintegrating with a guttural hiss. “I’m open to suggestions!” he growled, glancing toward Lyra.
Her gaze shifted to the remaining fissures, the crimson light within them pulsing like a heartbeat. “The fissures are weakening the shades, but it’s not enough. We need to sever the shard’s connection to this place completely.”
“And how do we do that?” Riven demanded, blocking another strike as a shade lunged at him. He countered with a brutal slash, sending the creature crumbling into the dust. “It’s not like the shard has an ‘off’ switch!”
Lyra hesitated, her glow dimming. “The shard’s core. If you can strike it directly, it might disrupt the entire energy flow.”
Riven’s gaze darted toward the shard, still suspended within the monolithic structure at the center of the plateau. Its light pulsed erratically, each surge of energy sending tremors through the ground. Shades clustered around it like guardians, their forms flickering with the same unstable glow as the shard itself.
“You want me to cut through all that?” Riven asked, his tone edged with disbelief. “I can barely hold them off as it is!”
Lyra floated closer, her expression resolute. “You’re not doing it alone. I’ll draw their attention, and create an opening for you to get to the shard.”
Riven shook his head, his grip tightening on his sword. “That’s suicide, Lyra. If you get caught—”
“We don’t have time to argue!” Lyra interrupted, her glow flaring brightly. “This isn’t about me, Riven. It’s about stopping the Veil before it destroys everything. You have to trust me.”
Riven hesitated, the weight of her words pressing against him. Finally, he nodded, his jaw tightening. “Fine. But don’t do anything stupid.”
Lyra managed a faint smile. “Too late for that.”
Lyra darted forward, her spectral energy flaring as she unleashed a series of concentrated blasts. The light struck the nearest shades, scattering their forms and drawing the attention of the remaining creatures. They turned toward her in unison, their movements frantic as they surged toward the source of the disruption.
Riven didn’t wait. He sprinted toward the shard, his boots pounding against the cracked ground as he weaved through the chaos. The Void Corruption in his veins pulsed violently, its whispers clawing at his mind.
This is foolish. You’ll never make it. Let us help you. Let us take control.
He shoved the voices down, his focus locked on the shard. The monolith loomed ahead, its surface smooth and black, veins of crimson light spiderwebbing across it. The shard hovered at its center, its glow chaotic and unstable.
A shade lunged at him from the side, its claws slicing through the air. Riven twisted, his sword flashing as he severed the creature’s arm. Another shade charged from behind, but Lyra intercepted it with a burst of energy, her glow flaring like a beacon.
“Keep moving!” she shouted, her voice strained.
Riven didn’t slow. He reached the base of the monolith, the shard’s energy pressing against him like a physical weight. The air around it was thick and suffocating, each breath burning his lungs. He gritted his teeth, his sword trembling in his grip as he raised it toward the shard.
The shard’s glow brightened as Riven approached, its energy flaring like a wild flame. He could feel it resisting him, pushing back against his presence as though it were alive. The Void Corruption in his veins surged in response, the whispers in his mind growing louder.
Yes. This is what you need. Take it. Let it consume you.
“No,” Riven growled, his voice rough. “I’m not yours.”
With a cry of defiance, he drove his sword into the shard. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the air, the ground beneath him trembling violently as the shard’s energy exploded outward. Crimson light erupted from the monolith, the veins running through it shattering like glass.
The shades let out a collective howl, their forms flickering violently before disintegrating into ash. The shard pulsed one last time, its chaotic light fading into a dull glow as it fell dormant. Riven staggered back, his chest heaving as the energy surrounding the monolith dissipated.
Lyra drifted toward him, her glow faint but steady. “You did it,” she said softly, though her voice carried an edge of worry. “But are you—”
Riven collapsed to one knee, his hand clutching his chest as pain lanced through him. The Void Corruption in his veins flared violently, the black veins spreading further across his skin. His vision blurred, the whispers in his mind reaching a deafening crescendo.
You’re ours now. Stop fighting.
“No,” Riven rasped, his voice barely audible. “Not yet.”
Lyra floated closer, her glow brightening as she placed a spectral hand on his shoulder. “Riven, listen to me. You’re stronger than this. Don’t let it win.”
He closed his eyes, focusing on her voice as he forced the whispers down. The pain subsided slowly, the black veins retreating slightly, though they remained more pronounced than before. Riven let out a shaky breath, his hand falling to his side.
“I’m fine,” he said, though his tone lacked conviction.
Lyra didn’t argue. Her gaze lingered on him for a moment before shifting to the shard, now dim and dormant. “We need to move,” she said quietly. “This realm won’t hold much longer.”
Riven nodded, pushing himself to his feet. He slipped the shard into his pack, its weight heavier than ever. The ground trembled beneath them, cracks spreading across the plateau as the realm began to collapse.
“Let’s go,” Riven said, his voice steady despite the exhaustion in his body.
“Before we’re buried here.”
The realm was dying. The cracks that had spread across the plateau deepened, spilling crimson light into the air as the ground fractured beneath Riven and Lyra’s feet. In the distance, the jagged peaks that had once defined the horizon collapsed in slow, cataclysmic waves, dissolving into shadow as the Veil consumed them.
Riven moved quickly but unevenly, his steps faltering as the weight of the shard pressed against him. Every breath felt heavier, his lungs burning from the toxic air and the strain of the Void Corruption. His hand drifted to his chest instinctively, brushing against the black veins that had spread further across his body.
Lyra floated beside him, her spectral glow flickering faintly. “The anchor point isn’t far,” she said, her voice tense. “We can make it if we keep moving.”
“I’m moving,” Riven muttered, though his tone was edged with exhaustion. He glanced over his shoulder, the collapsing plateau a stark reminder of how close they were to being swallowed by the chaos. “What about the shard? Is it stable?”
Lyra hesitated, her glow dimming as she scanned the horizon. “For now. But it’s different from the others we’ve collected. There’s something... wrong about it.”
“Yeah, I noticed,” Riven said bitterly, his jaw tightening. “It nearly killed me back there.”
As they neared the anchor point, Riven felt a familiar sensation—the subtle pull of the Void Corruption in his veins. The whispers he’d forced down earlier stirred again, softer now but no less insistent.
You’re running out of time. The shards won’t save you. We will.
Riven clenched his fists, his steps faltering for a moment before he pushed forward. “Not now,” he muttered under his breath. “I’m not doing this now.”
Lyra glanced at him, her expression unreadable. “The corruption’s getting worse, isn’t it?” she asked quietly.
Riven didn’t answer right away. He could feel the corruption spreading beneath his skin, a cold, insidious presence that threatened to consume him with every passing moment. But admitting it aloud felt like giving it more power.
“It’s nothing I can’t handle,” he said finally, though the words felt hollow.
Lyra’s gaze lingered on him for a moment before she spoke again. “Riven, you can’t keep ignoring this. The Void is wearing you down. If we don’t figure out how to stop it—”
“I said I can handle it,” Riven snapped, his voice sharp. He stopped walking, turning to face her. “You think I don’t know what’s happening to me? Every time I use this power, I feel it taking more. But if I don’t use it, I die. We die. So what do you want me to do, Lyra? Just let it kill me?”
Lyra’s glow dimmed, her expression softening. “No,” she said quietly. “I want you to trust me. We’ll find a way to stop this. Together.”
Riven exhaled slowly, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. He nodded, though his gaze remained fixed on the ground. “Let’s just get out of here,” he said, his voice low.
The anchor point shimmered faintly in the distance, a circle of soft white light surrounded by jagged, crumbling stone. The air around it felt cooler, and calmer, a stark contrast to the chaos consuming the rest of the realm. Riven stepped into the light, the weight of the shard easing slightly as its energy stabilized.
Lyra floated to his side, her glow brighter now as she prepared to activate the anchor point. “This will take us back to the Veins of Eternity,” she said. “We’ll have time to regroup before we move to the next realm.”
Riven nodded, slipping the shard from his pack and holding it up. Its light was dim, pulsing faintly like a dying heartbeat. But beneath its surface, Riven could feel something deeper—a presence that felt alive, aware.
“This thing isn’t just power,” he said, his voice quiet. “It’s a piece of the Veil itself. And it’s still connected to it.”
Lyra’s expression grew grim. “Then we need to figure out what to do with it before it corrupts you any further. The more shards we collect, the harder this is going to get.”
Riven slipped the shard back into his pack, his gaze distant. “One thing at a time,” he said. “Let’s just focus on staying alive.”
As the anchor point activated, the light surrounding them flared briefly before dissolving into a gentle glow. The collapsing realm faded from view, replaced by the endless expanse of the Veins of Eternity—a swirling void of shifting light and shadow.
Riven stood in silence, his mind racing with the weight of everything they had learned. The shards weren’t just fragments of power—they were pieces of the Veil’s mind. Every time they collected one, they weren’t just weakening the Veil. They were waking it up.
“Riven,” Lyra said, breaking the silence. “If the shards are connected to the Veil... what happens when we have them all?”
Riven didn’t answer right away. He stared out at the void, his hand brushing against the hilt of his sword. “I don’t know,” he said finally. “But I’m starting to think the Archive hasn’t been entirely honest with us.”
Lyra floated closer, her glow steady. “What do you mean?”
Riven’s gaze hardened, his voice quiet but resolute. “The Veil isn’t just some force of destruction. It’s something bigger. And if the Archive’s been hiding that from us, then we’re fighting blind.”
He adjusted the strap of his pack, the shard’s weight pressing against him once more. “We need answers, Lyra. And if the Archive won’t give them to us, we’ll find them ourselves.”
The two of them stepped forward, the shifting expanse of the Veins of Eternity stretching out before them. The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: the further they went, the closer they came to uncovering a truth that could change everything.