The darkness was vast and cold, a void that seemed to stretch on forever. Lia floated within it, her consciousness fragmented, struggling to make sense of what had just happened. Images flickered in the blackness—fragments of memories, faces, voices, and places. She tried to reach out, to grab hold of something solid, something real, but everything slipped away like water through her fingers.

And then, slowly, the blackness began to recede. A light—distant at first—began to grow, and with it, a sharp, biting pain in her chest. Lia gasped, her lungs filling with air as if she had been drowning. Her eyes snapped open, and she found herself lying on the cold stone floor of the ancient chamber. The ceiling loomed high above her, cracked and worn, but the eerie glow from the keystones was gone. Everything was still, as if the world had just taken its first breath after a long, deep silence.

She tried to sit up, but her body refused to obey. Every muscle screamed in agony, her limbs heavy and unresponsive. Her head throbbed with a dull, pulsing ache, and she could still feel the lingering energy of the keystones buzzing faintly in her veins. For a moment, she simply lay there, staring at the ceiling, trying to gather her thoughts.

What had she done?

The fractures—she remembered them tearing through the fabric of time, threatening to consume everything. The keystones had reacted, their power spiraling out of control. But somehow, she had managed to stop it. Or at least, she hoped she had. The chamber was quiet now, and there was no sign of the chaotic energy that had nearly torn it apart.

With a groan, Lia pushed herself onto her elbows, her body trembling from the effort. She glanced around the chamber, her vision blurry but slowly coming into focus. The pedestal where the second keystone had rested was empty now, and the lines etched into the floor had dulled to faint, lifeless patterns. The air was thick with the smell of dust and ancient stone.

Kellan and Arren were gone. Her heart lurched at the thought. She had told them to leave, to escape while she held the keystones together, but now, panic gnawed at her. What if they hadn’t made it? What if the fractures had caught them before she could seal them?

Her fingers brushed against the smooth surface of her own keystone, still cool and silent in her palm. It had been with her through every trial, every moment of danger, but now, for the first time, it felt like a burden. The power it held—raw, unpredictable—had nearly cost her everything. And yet, she knew she couldn’t let it go. Not yet.

Forcing herself to her feet, Lia staggered across the chamber, her legs shaky but determined. She had to find Kellan and Arren. They were her only allies in this twisted world, and she wasn’t about to lose them now. The ruins were vast, and it would take time to search them all, but she couldn’t allow herself to rest until she knew they were safe.

As she moved through the ruined hallways, her mind drifted back to the fractures. She had seen glimpses of other worlds—other times—when they had opened. Some had been familiar, while others were alien, filled with landscapes and people she couldn’t begin to understand. But there had been something else, too. A presence. A force behind the fractures, watching, waiting. It had been subtle, almost imperceptible, but she had felt it. Whatever had caused the fractures was not just a natural phenomenon. Something—or someone—was orchestrating them.

Stolen story; please report.

She rounded a corner, her steps echoing in the silence, and finally, she spotted them.

Kellan and Arren sat slumped against the wall of a collapsed archway, both battered and bruised but alive. Kellan was cradling his injured arm, his face pale and drawn, while Arren was keeping a wary eye on their surroundings, his blade resting across his lap. Relief flooded through Lia, nearly overwhelming her, and she quickened her pace.

"You’re alive," she breathed, her voice hoarse with exhaustion.

Kellan looked up, his lips curving into a tired smile. "Barely," he muttered, though his tone was light, as if trying to mask the severity of the situation.

Arren gave a curt nod. "We thought you were dead," he said bluntly, though there was an edge of concern in his voice. "What the hell happened in there?"

Lia sank down beside them, resting her back against the cool stone. "The fractures… they’re closed, at least for now. But something else is going on. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of it."

Kellan frowned, his brow furrowing as he processed her words. "What do you mean?"

Lia hesitated, the memories of the presence she had felt in the fractures still fresh in her mind. "There’s something behind the fractures," she said slowly. "I don’t know what it is yet, but it’s not just a natural occurrence. Something—or someone—is causing them. And they’re getting stronger."

Arren’s expression darkened, and he cast a wary glance at the keystone in Lia’s hand. "So, what do we do now?" he asked, his voice low. "We’ve been running from these things for days, and every time we think we’ve found a solution, something worse happens."

Lia didn’t have an answer. They had come to the ruins in search of knowledge, of answers to the mysteries surrounding the keystone and the fractures, but all they had found was more danger. The old city had been a dead end, and now, with the fractures growing more unstable, they were running out of time.

"We need to find out who’s controlling the fractures," Lia said at last, her voice firm. "If we can stop them, maybe we can prevent the fractures from spreading any further."

Arren’s jaw clenched, but he nodded. "And where exactly do we start?"

Lia glanced down at the keystone in her hand, its surface still faintly glowing. "There’s another place," she said. "A place we’ve avoided so far because it’s even more dangerous than the ruins."

Kellan’s eyes widened in alarm. "You’re not serious," he said, his voice tight with disbelief. "You want to go to the Abyssal Reach?"

The Abyssal Reach—a place of legend, spoken of only in hushed tones. It was a region beyond the known lands, where the veil between worlds was said to be thinnest. No one who had ventured there had ever returned, and the stories of what lay within were enough to chill even the bravest soul. But if there were answers to be found about the fractures, the Abyssal Reach was their best—and only—option.

Lia took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come. "It’s the only place left," she said quietly. "If we don’t go, the fractures will continue to grow, and eventually, there won’t be anything left to save."

Kellan stared at her for a long moment, his face pale, before finally nodding. "Then I guess we’re going to the Abyssal Reach."

Arren stood, his expression grim. "We’ll need supplies," he said, already slipping into a tactical mindset. "And we’ll need to move fast. If the fractures are getting worse, we don’t have much time."

The group gathered what little they had left, their resolve hardening with each passing moment. The Abyssal Reach was a place of nightmares, but it was also their only hope. The path ahead was treacherous, but if they could survive this far, they could survive what was to come.

As they left the ruins behind, the air grew colder, the sky darkening as if the world itself sensed the danger looming on the horizon. Lia clutched the keystone tightly, its pulse growing stronger with each step toward the unknown.

The Abyssal Reach awaited, and with it, the answers they desperately sought—but also the greatest threat they had ever faced.