The Core's glow wasn't just light—it was alive.
Kael and Mira could feel it against their skin like a deep, slow heartbeat. Energy strands arced across the suspended streets, humming with power that could tear them apart if they took a wrong step.
They weren't alone for long.
A sound like grinding stone echoed from the far end of the platform. The Warden emerged—towering, his blackened armor engraved with runes that pulsed like veins of fire. The mask over his face bore no eyes, only jagged slits glowing faintly red.
Warden: "So… the fractured survivors come to steal my prize."
Kael: "We're here for Rin. Move."
The Warden's voice was slow, deliberate.
Warden: "The one trapped in the Grid? He's not yours anymore. He's the anchor. Without him, the Core collapses—and with it, the last stable shard of this reality."
Mira's jaw tightened.
Mira: "That's exactly why we're here. We're replacing him with the relic."
The Warden tilted his head.
Warden: "And you think you can just… switch them?"
The First Clash
Kael didn't wait for an answer—he charged. The Warden met him head-on, the clash ringing like steel on steel, sparks raining down into the void. Mira darted for the Core, the relic glowing in her hands.
A sudden roar came from behind—two of the Warden's elite stepped from the shadows, their armor thicker, weapons humming with the same strange energy as the runes. Mira barely ducked a cleaving strike.
Kael: "Mira, GO!"
Mira: "I'm trying!"
The Distraction Team's Trouble
On the western route, Ayla and Thorne were still tearing through runes when the world shook. A new wave of soldiers surged from hidden portals—more than they could realistically hold back.
Ayla: "Oh, that's just unfair."
Thorne: "Less talking, more slashing!"
Ayla twirled under a halberd swing, cutting through a rune and laughing—half from adrenaline, half from fear. But in the back of her mind, Rin's voice still echoed from earlier. She didn't want this to be the last time she fought for him.
The Core Opens
Back at the Nexus center, Mira reached the pedestal. The Core pulsed brighter, and for a moment, she saw Rin's face—eyes closed, expression peaceful, as if he were asleep inside the light.
Mira (softly): "Hang on, Rin…"
She placed the relic on the pedestal. It began to sync with the Core's energy, but the process was slow—too slow. The Warden slammed Kael back with a shockwave, stepping toward Mira.
Warden: "You cannot take him. He is mine."
Kael rose, blood on his lip, but his grip steady on his sword.
Kael: "Over my dead body."
The Breaking Point
The relic's energy finally linked with the Core. A violent shockwave burst outward, destabilizing the streets. The floating debris trembled. Ayla and Thorne's comms crackled as Mira shouted:
Mira: "The Nexus is collapsing—everyone GET HERE NOW!"
But the Warden wasn't retreating—he lunged straight for the Core, and Kael intercepted, locking them in a brutal deadlock. The air shimmered with the strain.
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