Elara knelt on the lab floor, her breath heavy as the silence settled around her crew. The shattered dark shard lay in pieces, its glow fading, and Veyra's lifeless body slumped against the wall. The air still hummed with leftover energy from the Flux crystals, their light casting soft shadows across the room.
Her hazel eyes scanned the deeper chamber's pulsing glow, a mix of hope and worry in her gaze. Her blood-streaked bandages clung tight to her wounded arm and thigh, the disruptor heavy in her hand, its surface marked by her blood.
Lira slumped next to her, her face pale and drawn, her glowing scar flickering weakly on her ruined chest, her telepathic voice a soft We're okay in her mind.
Kael stood tall, his broad frame aching but steady, his rifle back in his grip, a gruff sigh escaping as he eyed the new path.
Elara pushed herself up, her voice rough but firm. "That deeper chamber's calling. The third shard's down there, and we need it to finish this. Let's go."
The vision of Mira's plea and the pact's mystery drove her forward.
Kael nodded, his gruff tone warm. "I'll lead—blow any traps. Stay close!"
His big hands gripped a detonator, his crooked grin breaking through the pain in his leg, his bravery a solid anchor.
Nyx wiped sweat from her brow, her Australian drawl cutting in.
"I'll scan for traps—keep us alive. But if that guardian's waiting, we're in deep, mates."
Her lenses flared as she worked, her temper flaring at a glitch, "Stupid tech!"
Her quick fingers danced over a device, her wit a spark of hope.
Saria's voice was calm and steady.
"The Luminants will protect you. The shard holds the pact's truth—your blood will unlock it."
Her energy pulse wove a faint shield, her fluid movements and strength a marvel of her gifts.
Vey shuffled his feet, his voice shaky. "The chamber… I don't know what's there. I hid so much—forgive me."
His guilt spilled out, his nervous twitches showing a secret he couldn't shake, his eyes pleading with Elara.
Lira gripped her hand, her voice a weak whisper. "For Mira… I'll make it."
Her telepathic link pulsed We're strong, her resolve a fragile light despite her pain.
They moved toward the deeper chamber, the air growing colder as they stepped through a narrow passage.
Kael blasted a blocked doorway, the explosion echoing, revealing a vast room lit by towering Flux crystals.
At its center stood a guardian—a tall figure cloaked in shimmering energy, its eyes glowing green, its movements swift and powerful, rivaling Saria's Luminant skills.
The third shard rested on a pedestal behind it, pulsing with a strange rhythm.
"You trespass," the guardian boomed, its voice echoing.
"The pact demands blood—prove your worth."
Energy tendrils lashed out, pinning Kael and Nyx to the walls.
Kael struggled, his voice a growl. "Let go, you overgrown light show!"
His strength fought the tendrils, but his leg buckled under the strain.
Nyx squirmed, her lenses scanning fast. "It's Flux-powered! I'll hack it!"
Her quick hands clawed at a nearby crystal, her wit sharp. "Take that, you glowing freak!"
Sparks flew, weakening the grip slightly.
Saria leapt forward, her energy pulses clashing with the guardian's, her agility a blur of motion.
"Elara, the shard!" Her strength held, but the guardian's power pushed her back, testing her limits.
Vey shouted, his voice trembling. "It's tied to the pact! Be careful!"
He adjusted the map, revealing hidden runes on the walls, his fear mixing with guilt.
Lira crawled closer, her telepathic link strong. Go now! Her weak shot distracted the guardian, giving Elara an opening.
Elara ran to the pedestal, her blood dripping as she touched the third shard. The guardian roared, energy surging, and the chamber shook.
Tendrils tightened on Kael and Nyx, their struggles growing weaker.
Elara pressed harder, her blood soaking the shard. "This ends now!"
The crystal glowed bright, and a vision flashed—Mira's form, her eyes pleading, surrounded by ancients sealing a pact with blood.
The guardian's energy faltered, its form flickering, but it struck back, slamming Saria against a wall.
Saria gasped, her pulse fading. "Finish it—your blood!" Her strength waned, but her resolve held.
Kael broke free, roaring as he tackled the guardian. "Get it done!" His leg gave out, but he kept fighting.
Nyx hacked faster, her voice strained. "Almost there—break it!"
Her wit pushed her on, sparks intensifying, loosening the tendrils.
Vey adjusted the runes, his voice breaking. "The pact's breaking—hurry!" His guilt drove him to help, his hands steadying.
Lira's link surged We're here! She dragged herself to Elara, adding her weak blood to the shard.
The energy exploded, the guardian shrieked, its form dissolving into light. The chamber stabilized, the third shard glowing steady, but a new pulse hinted at something deeper—a hidden chamber beyond.
Elara fell back, Lira beside her, his telepathic voice soft. We did it. Kael limped over, grinning.
"Tough bastard—got him!" Nyx panted, her lenses brightening. "Bloody brilliant!"
Saria rose, her strength returning, nodding with pride. Vey stared, his guilt easing. "It's over… for now."
The room grew quiet, the third shard's light steady, but the hidden chamber's pulse suggested more secrets. The pact's truth lingered, the bloodlines' journey far from complete.