The crystalline field of Astralith stretched out before Irana like an ever shifting kaleidoscope of fractured light. Its surface sparkled and glinted in the black sun that loomed overhead, its twilight essence causing iridescent rainbows that shone in the murky shadows. Nearby a towering pillar came crashing down without a sound, transforming itself into an angular boulder. The ground beneath her feet flowed, losing its gritty surface as jagged shards jutted up against her boot's soles.

Cursing, Irana widened her stance, struggling to maintain her equilibrium in the constantly shifting landscape. A chill ran up her spine as she felt the vibrations of the ever-changing terrain, as if it were alive and trying to throw her off balance. She caught an explosive movement out of the corner of her eye. She lunged to the side, throwing herself out of the way of the colossal chunk of crystal that now jutted into the air where she'd been.

Lifting her hand, her omnivice appeared. Her eyes flickered across the bands of teal light that hovered over her forearm. She stared at the clock. Two and a half days. She shook her head. It had been two and a half days since... she bit her lip. A cold knot formed in the pit of her stomach. She was running out of time.

Gazing out at the landscape, she watched as a pillar shot up into the air in the distance.

"Oh screw this!"

Irana paused for a moment, glaring at the surreal landscape that seemed to defy logic. Could she really do this? Her heart raced with both anticipation and a deep-rooted fear for the task she had undertaken. She ran her hand up the side of her head, the small bristle-like hairs scratching as she pushed up and grabbed the longer section of hair at the top of her head. What if you aren't enough. Doubt whispered within her.

"I don't have a choice." She growled as her eyes flickered down to the glowing azure orb that danced within the lantern she held.

She gazed out into the distance, beyond the roiling sea of crystal, she could make out the black outline of the fortress. Somewhere at its core was the catalyst's heart. There she'd the salvation she desperately sought.

Blow a hot breath up into her hair, she channeled her magic through the vine like tattoos that wove themselves around her arm. Two of the blossoming flowers withered, their sapphire and garnet hues bleeding away. Focusing on the warm sensation rippled across her skin as she crafted the spell formula. Power flowered into the palm of her hand welling up there. A meta of stability. Runes of binding. Close the circle and...

A sizzling rune of azure power flickered in the air. Its brilliant light shot out, piercing the world around her in a sphere. The power of the rune stitched the crystals into place, binding them. Taking a moment, Irana considered if she should keep the rune there, fixed to the palm of her hand. Her eyes once more shifted over to the lantern once more.

Lifting the lantern up, she examined the swirling patterns of pale mist that flowed over the black metal's surface. She couldn't help but marvel at the metal's intricate spider webbed design that protected the glass that surrounded the floating orb at the lantern's heart. She shook her head. The rune would interfere with the metal's vital purpose.

Her eyes drifted across the wood, an intertwining of oak, cedar and bamboo that were seamlessly merged together in thin bands. The glow of the orb emanated out as a haunting violet. It's once furious light was diminishing by the moment as evidenced by the heavy shadows that now clung to the wood, seeming to creep ever closer to the light. There was something about the shadows that bothered Irana. They weren't natural. They refused to be banished by the ethereal orb within. And that made her uneasy.

The anxiety built within her, causing her to bite her lip. She didn't have time for this. She eyed them once again and swore she could see them crawling. That was enough to force a decision. She slapped her hand upon the lantern, forcing the rune away from her own hand. The rune twisted but reasserted its design as it adhered to the lantern.

Eyeing her work, she lifted the lantern and moved it from side to side. She was pleased that the sphere moved with it. She released a heavy breath. Nothing else but the lantern mattered. If she were to drop it she needed to ensure its safety.

"Come on," She said to it, "We've got a long walk ahead of us."

Now making her way through the realm, she found herself making good time. Though she still couldn't sprint as she wanted. The ground was constantly dipping and rising, turning this way and that, yet it always seemed to be bringing her closer to the blackened fortress.

Irana's heart pounded from the exertion. She'd hardly slept in days. The entire interstellar trip to the catalyst's heart had gnawed away at her nerves. Her mind was trying to process the situation she'd found herself within. She eyes the tattoos on her other arm. Strength lingered upon her skin, ready for her to draw on its power. She gritted her teeth. She needed to save them until absolutely necessary. Thus far she

Irana held the lantern out, ignoring the burning in her bicep. The little bit of distance provided her the ability to anticipate that much more and it was worth it. She had to stop and move around another piece of crystal that had shot out and slammed itself against the sphere. It barred her path, forcing her to go around.

Then the landscape shifted, suddenly becoming flat. Unlike the prismatic crystals she'd been trudging through, the ground was now a perfect reflection. The once-dazzling colors of the field seemed muted, their brilliance diminished. Yet there was a slight stain to it. One that reminded her of the shadows that lingered upon the lantern. She swore they were following her but she couldn't be sure that wasn't exhaustion turning to paranoia.

"Damn these shadows," she muttered, her voice barely more than a whisper.

She walked for a dozen paces to ensure the surface would remain flat. After seeing that it would, she decided to take a leap of faith, or in this case, a steady jog. Her thoughts raced alongside her hurried pace, imagining unseen threats lurking just beyond the reach of the lantern's glow. Where were the catalyst's guardians? Surely she should have seen them by now. Every step toward the distant fortress intensified a cold knot of anxiety in her chest.

"Focus, Irana," she admonished herself, swallowing hard against the fear that threatened to choke her.

Though the fear that twisted inside her like brambles. Its thorns pierced her courage as she considered what would happen when the shadows grew to their fullness. An icy chill spread across her chest as her heart dropped into her stomach. Deep down, in the pit of her being, she knew she was defying the natural order. Upsetting some sort of universal balance. Like a hero from a mythological tale, she was going to challenge anything that came in her way. Even the universe itself.

Big talk from someone who's panting harder than they should. She grinned at the thought, half amused. As she approached the fortress, the air grew colder, and the ground beneath her feet trembled ever so slightly. She halted as a sudden gust of wind whipped around her, causing her to flinch as it carried with it the unmistakable sound of something massive stirring nearby.

A massive hand shot out of the ground, its long fingers stabbed the air before crashing down. Another followed. Soon two large pillars -no horns- appeared as the guardian pulled itself up. Its head appeared. A narrow boar-like thing with long jagged tusks. It roared as it hauled the rest of itself out, its eyes burning a sickly yellow.

"Who dares trespass?" Its voice boomed, a thunderclap that echoed across the plains.

Irana's breath caught in her throat as she beheld the guardian. She glanced behind it, seeing the fortress. Damn it, I was so close. Turning her attention back to the guardian, she stepped back as a palpable aura of malice filled the air. There was a burning heat on her back as another tattoo flared. There must have been something in the guardian's aura that was trying to manipulate her.

"Speak!"

"Leave me be, guardian!" Irana shouted back, her voice trembling with determination. "I have no quarrel with you. I seek only passage to the fortress."

"None may pass without my permission," the Guardian growled as it lumbered forward. Its body filled with a reddish mist.

Irana smirked, "So be it."

Dropping back into a fighting stance, she shifted the lantern to her off hand. She considered tethering it to her belt but she'd have less control over it. I'll just have to beat your crystal hide one-handed. Narrowing her eyes, she spat as she clenched her hand.

"Your bravado is admirable, but it will not save you!"

With a roar, the guardian lunged at Irana, its massive fists raised to strike. Reacting on instinct, she rolled away. Crunch! A gust of air whipped about her. She hopped up, ragged pants escaping her lips. The guardian roared, waving its tusks in the air as it beat its chest.

It charged at her.

Irana grabbed several tattoos and slammed their power before her. A torrent of arcane energy surged forth like fire. Their burning radiance of orange and teal covering the guardian. The behemoth continued its charge unaffected. Irana lunged to the side but was struck by the back of the guardian's hand.

The force of the blow cracked through her ribs like thunder, sending her crashing to the ground. The impact sent a searing white hot agony shooting through her. Every muscle screamed as she landed face down. She dragged herself up with bloodied hands, pushing hard against the earth. She spat. Flecks of crimson splattered the ground. Pushing herself up, she coughed. It was a wet thing that trickled down her lips.

Baring her teeth she glared at the guardian. Why didn't her magic work? The guardian gazed back at her.

"Is that all you've got?" the guardian taunted. "Pathetic! I've killed a dozen who were more powerful than you."

"Yeah, well you're not so great yourself." she said, wiping her fist against her lip.

Irana's eyes widened as she realized she wasn't holding it. Her eyes darted across the field. Where was it? Where was it! There. A couple paces away.

"What's that?" The guardian rumbled, "You bring me a trinket?"

"Why are you so damned talkative!"

Summoning her remaining strength, Irana willed a blade of concentrated mana into existence. Clenching her fists, she grinned as the orange blade manifested itself. She slashed the air before her. She reveled in the way the blade left a trail of shimmering energy in its wake. She dropped back, brought the blade to her side and charged forward.

The guardian stood there as she closed it. She rose up, lifting the blade up as though she were going to aim high. At the last second she dove, and brought the blade low. She passed beneath the guardians legs, watching as the blade passed through. She tucked her body in and rolled. She used her momentum to come to her feet. She slid to a stop.

"That tickled."

Irana blinked. Turning she saw the guardian still standing.

"That's not possible."

To her dismay, the blow hadn't even left a mark upon the guardian.

"Enough!" the creature bellowed, swiping one colossal arm at her. She tried to dodge, but the sheer force of the attack sent her sprawling across the battlefield, gasping for breath.

"Damn it," she muttered under her breath, struggling to rise. As she glanced around, searching for an opening, when something caught her eye. Her gaze fell and her mouth fell open. The guardian's reflection didn't reflect itself. What she saw was a small scrawny withered creature. While it wasn't a true reflection, its spindly arms and legs moved in time with the guardian's.

"Gotcha," Irana whispered, as she stood up, her heart pounding in her chest as she lifted the blade before her.

The guardian charged once more. This time instead of rolling away, Irana lunged forward into the charging beast. She brought her blade down, the mana blade piecing through the ground and embedding itself within the withered reflection. The guardian fell still while the withered creature writhed, its body spasming in violent seizures.

She shoved the blade down deeper, until her hands were pressed against the ground. A shockwave rippled through the air causing Irana to release her grip on the blade. It flashed out of existence as she was propelled backwards. The guardian let out a monstrous wail of agony. Its eyes dimmed, and its once-menacing form wavered, transforming into a benign spirit animal – a small, ethereal horned boar that blinked at Irana with wide, innocent eyes before scampering away.

"What... the blite?" she panted, shaking her head. "I hate this place."

With a surge of energy, she raised herself from the ground and scanned the open field. Her eyes widened in disbelief. Nothing. She had done it! The overwhelming sensation of relief flooded through her entire body like a rising tide, and she breathed in deeply, savoring the sweet taste of victory.

Trudging over to the lantern, she knelt down and grabbed it.

"Please still be intact," she whispered, her voice trembling as she gingerly picked up the lantern between shaking hands.

The flickering light cast eerie shadows across her battered form, and for a moment, she feared the worst. But as her fingers traced the intricate metalwork, she found no cracks or signs of damage. Relief washed over her, mingling with the ache of her injuries.

"Thank the stars," she murmured, cradling the lantern close to her chest. "Did you see that!"

The ghost of a smile played across her lips as she watched the orb bobbing within its glass container. Rising, she forced herself back to her feet. Checking her omnivice, she eyed the clock.

Irana's chest heaved as she fought to catch her breath, the adrenaline coursing through her veins slowed. The world around her was silent. Eerily so. It was such a strong contrast between the constantly shifting world and the explosive battle that had just taken place. The quiet was almost too much. It was deafening in its absoluteness. She limped towards the fortress, battered and bruised, but victorious.

"Almost there," she whispered, casting her gaze toward the imposing fortress that loomed overhead.

In her current condition, the weight of her task settled heavily upon her shoulders, like a leaden cloak threatening to drag her down. Her eyes dropped as the edges of her vision blurred.

"Focus, Irana," she urged herself, forcing everything within her on the towering blackened metal doors ahead of her.

Desperation gnawed at the edges of her resolve. She panted through bared teeth. Her eyelids dropped, fatigue embracing her.

"Hey!" she shouted, smacking her own cheek with as much force as she could muster. "Focus!"

Her voice echoed across the empty landscape, the sound oddly comforting in its defiance of the oppressive silence. She stopped. Realizing she was making a mistake. Placing her right hand upon her left forearm. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the power stored there. Her eyes shot open as her body listed to the side, causing her to have to catch herself.

Closing her eyes again, she drew the power from the tattoos. She gasped as it flooded into her body. She winced as several vertebrae in her back cracked as they were forced back into place. The arcana filled her, pouring energy into every cell and fiber of her being. A warm shiver crept along her back causing her skin to break out in gooseflesh. It was a bittersweet sensation; each tattoo was a finite resource, and she knew all too well that her supply was dwindling. Can't afford to do much of that...

With renewed determination, Irana clutched the lantern tightly to her chest, its light casting a small beacon of hope amid the encroaching darkness.She turned her gaze towards the fortress that loomed before her. Soon she reached the doors. Gazing around she saw nothing that looked like it would signal whoever was inside. So instead she rapped her knuckles upon the door.

"Open up."

Nothing happened.

"Open up, please!"

Still nothing.

"Damn it."

Overcome, Irana pressed her back against the door and slid down onto the ground. Her head lulled forward and caught the sight of her indigo eyes of her reflection stared back at her.