The Iron Spire loomed in the distance, its jagged silhouette cutting against the horizon like a wound in the sky. The fortress rose from the barren landscape, a twisted amalgamation of ancient stone and newer Ecclesion fortifications.

The air around it felt different—heavier, charged. Even from this distance, I could feel the faint pull of the Nexus buried beneath its foundation. The crystal in my hand pulsed faintly, its hum growing stronger with each step closer to the ominous structure.

“Lovely place,” Farron muttered, breaking the tense silence. “Really screams death trap.”

“It’s worse than it looks,” Ryla said, her voice low. “The Spire’s been abandoned for decades. Even Ecclesion only started reclaiming it recently. They say it’s cursed.”

Jessa shot her a sharp look. “Focus. Superstitions don’t matter. Ecclesion is what matters, and they’re dug in. If the Nexus is as unstable as the traveler says, we don’t have time for distractions.”

We crept along the edge of a ridge, the Spire’s outer defenses coming into view. Ecclesion soldiers patrolled the perimeter, their movements precise and methodical. Heavy ballistae were stationed along the walls, their angular designs bristling with runes that glowed faintly in the dim light.

“They’re expecting trouble,” Orin said grimly, his sharp eyes scanning the defenses. “We’re not getting through the front gate.”

“No,” Jessa agreed. “We’ll need to find another way in.”

The traveler had disappeared again after his cryptic warning, but his words lingered in my mind. The Iron Spire wasn’t just another Nexus—it was the largest and most unstable of them all.

And according to him, it held the power to seal the barrier—or shatter it completely.

My grip tightened around the crystal as I glanced at the others. “If we’re going to stop Ecclesion, we’ll need to hit them where they least expect it. A direct assault isn’t an option, but there has to be another way in.”

Ryla pointed toward the base of the Spire, where a narrow stream cut through the rocky terrain. “There. That’s probably their drainage system. If we follow it upstream, it might lead us inside.”

“Another sewer crawl,” Farron muttered. “Fantastic. I was starting to miss the smell.”

We waited until nightfall, the cover of darkness masking our approach as we slipped down the ridge and toward the stream. The air grew colder as we moved closer to the Spire, the faint metallic tang in the air intensifying until it clung to the back of my throat.

The stream led to a grated opening near the base of the Spire’s outer wall. The grate was reinforced with thick iron bars, but the faint glow of runes along its edges suggested a magical component as well.

“Can you break it?” Jessa asked, her voice low.

I nodded, holding up the crystal. Its energy flared faintly, resonating with the runes on the grate. The two forces pushed against each other, the runes flickering and then fading as the crystal’s hum grew louder.

With a sharp crack, the grate fell away, the magic binding it unraveling into faint wisps of light.

“Impressive,” Ryla said, stepping past me and into the tunnel beyond.

“Yeah, yeah, Ash and his glowing rock save the day again,” Farron said, though his tone was more nervous than mocking.

The tunnel was narrow and damp, the sound of trickling water echoing faintly around us. The walls were carved from rough stone, their surfaces slick with moisture and streaked with faintly glowing lines of energy.

“This place is alive,” I said quietly, running a hand along one of the glowing streaks. The energy pulsing through the walls felt raw and unrefined, like the heartbeat of something ancient and untamed.

“The Nexus,” Jessa said. “Its energy is bleeding into the Spire. If Ecclesion is harnessing it, they’ve already gotten farther than we thought.”

“Then we stop them now,” Ryla said, her voice hard.

The tunnel opened into a wider chamber, its walls lined with rusted pipes and crumbling machinery. At the center of the room stood a group of Ecclesion soldiers, their golden armor gleaming faintly in the dim light.

They were clustered around a device similar to the one we’d destroyed in the cavern, but this one was larger and more complex. The runes etched into its surface pulsed with a steady, rhythmic light, their energy feeding into a conduit that disappeared into the floor.

“They’re already working on the Nexus,” Orin said, his tone grim.

“Then we take them out,” Jessa said, her blade already in hand.

The fight was quick but brutal. Ryla’s arrows flew first, striking two soldiers before they could react. Jessa and Orin moved in next, their blades cutting through the remaining guards with practiced precision.

Farron loosed an arrow at the device, its impact sending a shower of sparks into the air.

I darted forward, the hum of Shadow Veil cloaking me as I approached the device. The crystal in my hand flared as I pressed it against the runes, its energy disrupting the flow of power.

The device sputtered and groaned before collapsing inward, its runes flickering and then fading completely.

“We’re in,” Jessa said, breathing heavily as she cleaned her blade. “But that was just a scouting team. The main force is deeper inside.”

“And so is the Nexus,” I said, holding up the crystal. Its light pulsed faintly, pointing us toward the Spire’s inner sanctum.

The walls trembled faintly as we moved deeper, the raw energy of the Nexus growing stronger with each step. The air grew heavier, charged with a power that made my skin crawl.

The passage opened into another chamber—this one vast and filled with intricate machinery that pulsed with the same chaotic energy as the Nexus. At the center of the room stood the Nexus itself, its fractured crystalline structure glowing with an intensity that made it hard to look at directly.

Ecclesion soldiers surrounded the Nexus, their attention focused on a robed figure standing before it. The figure raised their hands, chanting in a low, resonant tone that sent waves of energy rippling through the chamber.

“The robed figure from the cavern,” Ryla whispered, her voice tight.

“They’re trying to activate the Nexus,” I said, my stomach twisting at the sight.

Jessa’s grip on her blade tightened. “Then we stop them. Whatever it takes.”

I nodded, the weight of the crystal in my hand feeling heavier than ever.

The Nexus pulsed again, its chaotic energy building to a deafening crescendo.

The roar of the Nexus filled the chamber, its chaotic energy pushing against my thoughts like a storm. The crystalline structure pulsed with wild light, its fractured edges glowing brighter with each passing second.

The robed figure before it continued chanting, their voice low and guttural, resonating with the hum of the Nexus. The energy feeding into the machine that surrounded it was growing stronger, spreading through cables and conduits that snaked along the floor and walls.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“Whatever they’re doing, they’re almost done,” Jessa said, her blade glinting faintly in the light of the Nexus.

“We don’t have time for subtle,” Ryla added, drawing her bow and nocking an arrow. “We hit them hard and fast.”

“Agreed,” Jessa said, her gaze scanning the chamber. “Orin, take the left flank. Farron, cover us from the upper level. Ryla, with me. Ash...”

“I go for the Nexus,” I said, gripping the crystal tightly.

She nodded, her expression hard. “Be careful. Whatever that thing is, it’s tearing this place apart.”

We moved as one, slipping through the shadows as the soldiers guarding the Nexus remained focused on the robed figure.

Ryla’s arrow was the first to fly, striking a guard in the throat before he could react. The second arrow hit its mark moments later, sending another soldier to the ground.

Chaos erupted as the remaining guards scrambled to defend the Nexus. Jessa and Orin were on them in seconds, their blades flashing as they cut through the soldiers with brutal efficiency.

I activated Shadow Veil, the familiar hum cloaking me in darkness as I darted toward the Nexus. The crystal in my hand pulsed in response to the energy radiating from the fractured structure, its light growing brighter as I approached.

The robed figure turned sharply, their chanting faltering as their glowing eyes locked onto me.

“You,” they said, their voice layered and distorted. “The anomaly.”

I didn’t stop. The hum of the crystal surged in my hand, its energy aligning with the chaotic rhythm of the Nexus.

The robed figure raised a hand, and the air around me grew heavy, pressing against my chest like an invisible weight. Shadows coalesced at the edges of the chamber, forming into the familiar shapes of the Echoed.

“They just keep showing up, don’t they?” Farron shouted from the upper level, loosing an arrow that shattered against the glowing mask of one of the Echoed.

“Stay on the soldiers!” Jessa barked, her blade clashing against the weapon of a heavily armored guard. “Ash, finish this!”

The pressure from the robed figure’s power intensified, the shadows twisting and surging toward me. I tightened my grip on the crystal, its light flaring as I forced myself forward.

The Nexus pulsed violently as I reached it, the energy radiating from it nearly overwhelming. The fractured surface shimmered with chaotic light, the hum resonating through my entire body.

“You cannot stop what is already in motion,” the robed figure said, their voice echoing through the chamber.

I ignored them, pressing the crystal against the Nexus. The reaction was immediate.

The crystal flared brightly, its energy surging into the fractured structure. The chaotic hum of the Nexus grew louder, the vibrations in the air reaching a deafening crescendo.

The energy pushed back against me, a wave of heat and power that threatened to knock me off my feet. But I held firm, focusing on the rhythm of the crystal as its light synchronized with the pulsing glow of the Nexus.

The robed figure’s voice grew louder, their chanting becoming more frantic. “You are breaking the cycle! The barrier will not hold!”

“Good,” I said through gritted teeth.

The energy surged again, and the fragments of the Nexus began to realign, their jagged edges shifting and locking into place.

The Echoed moved toward me, their glowing masks pulsing with ominous light. Before they could strike, a blur of movement cut through them—Jessa, her blade flashing as she tore into the shadowy figures.

“Keep going!” she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos.

The Nexus pulsed one final time, its fractured surface smoothing as the crystal’s energy stabilized it. The chaotic hum faded, replaced by a steady, rhythmic pulse that resonated through the chamber.

The robed figure staggered, their glowing eyes dimming as the energy in the room shifted.

“You think you’ve won,” they said, their voice trembling. “But you have only delayed the inevitable.”

Before I could respond, the figure raised their arms, and the remaining energy from the disrupted machine surged into them. Their body twisted and contorted, the glowing runes on their robes flaring as they dissolved into a swirling mass of shadow.

The energy coalesced into a single point, forming a new shape—a towering figure wreathed in darkness, its form humanoid but monstrous, with glowing eyes that burned like embers.

“This isn’t over,” Jessa said, stepping beside me as we faced the creature.

“No,” I agreed, gripping the crystal tightly. “It’s just beginning.”

The creature roared, its voice shaking the walls of the chamber as it lunged toward us.

We braced ourselves, the Nexus pulsing faintly behind us as its light pushed back against the encroaching darkness.

And in that moment, I realized the truth. This wasn’t just about the Nexuses anymore. The barrier wasn’t just cracking. It was breaking.

The creature’s roar reverberated through the chamber, shaking the ground beneath our feet. Its form was a shifting mass of shadows, limbs extending and retracting as if it were struggling to decide what it wanted to be. The glowing embers of its eyes fixed on me, radiating malice that felt like a physical weight pressing against my chest.

“It’s drawing energy from the Nexus,” Jessa said, her voice tight. She stepped in front of me, blade raised. “We need to take it down before it uses that power against us.”

“Easier said than done!” Farron shouted from the upper level, loosing an arrow that dissolved before it could even touch the creature’s body.

The shadows around it surged outward, tendrils lashing at the walls and ground, leaving deep gouges in the stone. It was like the creature itself was testing its strength, growing more solid with each passing second.

“We can’t let it stabilize,” I said, gripping the crystal tightly. The hum of the Nexus behind us was steady now, but the air was thick with the creature’s presence, its chaotic energy suffocating.

“How?” Ryla asked, her bow drawn but hesitation clear in her stance. “Nothing we’re throwing at it is working.”

I thought of the Echoed, of the way they had dissolved under the light of the stabilized Nexuses. This thing wasn’t just connected to the Nexus—it was bound to it.

“It’s tied to the Nexus,” I said quickly. “We sever that connection, we weaken it.”

“And how exactly do we do that?” Orin asked, his blade ready but his expression grim.

“The crystal,” Jessa said, glancing at it in my hand. “It stabilized the Nexus. Maybe it can disrupt the link.”

The creature moved suddenly, its massive arm swinging toward us. The tendril of shadow struck the ground where we had been standing moments before, sending shards of stone flying.

“Move!” Jessa shouted, pulling me back as another tendril lashed out.

Ryla fired an arrow, her aim precise. It struck one of the creature’s glowing eyes, causing it to recoil with a guttural growl.

“That’s right,” Farron said from above, loosing another arrow. “Don’t like that, do you?”

The creature turned toward him, its body twisting unnaturally as it swung a massive shadowy limb toward the ledge.

“Farron!” Jessa shouted.

Farron dove aside just as the tendril struck, the impact shattering the stone ledge and sending chunks of rock crashing to the ground below.

“I’m fine!” he called, though his voice was tight with fear. “Mostly!”

The creature roared again, its form flickering as it turned back toward the Nexus. Its movements were more deliberate now, as if it were feeding off the energy in the room, growing stronger with each pulse of the Nexus’s light.

“We’re out of time,” I said, gripping the crystal.

I activated Shadow Veil, the familiar hum cloaking me in darkness as I darted toward the Nexus. The creature turned its massive head toward me, its glowing eyes narrowing as if sensing my intent.

“Ash, what are you doing?” Jessa shouted.

“Ending this,” I called back.

The crystal in my hand flared brightly as I approached the Nexus, its energy pushing back against the oppressive weight of the creature’s presence. The hum of the Nexus grew louder, its rhythm syncing with the crystal’s pulsing light.

The creature lunged, its shadowy limbs crashing down around me. I narrowly avoided the strike, the impact sending a shockwave through the ground that nearly knocked me off my feet.

I pressed forward, raising the crystal toward the Nexus. Its light flared, and the chaotic energy radiating from the creature wavered, its form flickering as if it were struggling to maintain cohesion.

“You’re weakening it!” Ryla shouted, loosing another arrow that struck the creature’s shoulder, causing it to stagger.

“Keep it distracted!” I yelled, focusing all my attention on the Nexus.

The crystal’s energy surged, its light pushing into the fractured structure of the Nexus. The hum grew deafening, the air vibrating with raw power as the connection between the Nexus and the creature began to unravel.

The creature let out a roar of pain, its form collapsing inward as the light from the Nexus overwhelmed it. The shadows that made up its body writhed and twisted, breaking apart like smoke caught in a storm.

“We’ve got it!” Jessa shouted, her blade flashing as she cut through one of the creature’s flailing limbs.

The Nexus pulsed one final time, its energy stabilizing in a brilliant flash of light that filled the chamber.

When the light faded, the creature was gone.

The Nexus stood silent and steady, its chaotic hum replaced by a low, rhythmic pulse that resonated through the air.

I staggered back, the crystal dimming in my hand as its energy settled. My breath came in ragged gasps, and the weight of what had just happened pressed heavily against my thoughts.

“We did it,” Jessa said, her voice filled with both relief and exhaustion.

“For now,” Ryla added, her gaze fixed on the Nexus. “But that thing... it was a piece of something bigger. You all felt it.”

I nodded, my grip on the crystal tightening. The creature had been more than just a manifestation of the Nexus’s instability—it was a fragment of whatever lay on the other side of the barrier.

The robed figure’s words echoed in my mind: “The anomaly pulls the threads.”

The threads were unraveling, and the barrier was breaking faster than I had realized.

“We’re running out of time,” I said, my voice quiet but firm. “The Iron Spire was just the beginning.”

Jessa sheathed her blade, her expression hard. “Then we move. Whatever Ecclesion has planned, we stop it before it reaches the next Nexus.”

“And before the barrier falls completely,” Ryla added.

We left the chamber in silence, the faint hum of the stabilized Nexus following us as we slipped back into the dark tunnels of the Spire.

The fight was far from over.

And as I held the crystal tightly, its faint pulse a reminder of the power it held, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the next battle would push us past the breaking point.

Whatever waited for us at the end of this path, it was closer than ever.