The Shattered Gate pulsed with a sickly, crystalline light. Its jagged arch loomed taller than any fortress wall, its surface humming with a resonance that felt like it was alive—breathing, watching.
Alex stood at its threshold, his hand brushing the fragment embedded in his chest. It vibrated in rhythm with the Gate, almost as if the shard hungered to return to whatever broken whole awaited inside.
Beside him, the archer girl drew in a steadying breath. Her bow was gripped tight in her hands, knuckles pale. She glanced at him, eyes narrowed with determination.
"Once we step through," she whispered, "there's no coming back until it's complete."
The AI's voice echoed in Alex's mind, cool and detached:
> [System Protocol: Dungeon Entry Detected. Warning—external escape locked until completion. Bearer power output limited to 70% for equilibrium.]
A notification box shimmered before his eyes:
> [Quest Initiated: Trial of the Shattered Gate]
Objective: Conquer the dungeon, secure the Core Fragment.
Alex's throat felt dry. He swallowed, then nodded. "We've already come this far. If we don't clear it… Ashveil will fall anyway."
The girl's lips curved in the faintest of smiles. "Then let's make sure it doesn't."
Together, they stepped into the light.
---
The world on the other side twisted like a warped reflection. Gravity pressed heavier on Alex's shoulders, each step like trudging through half-solid air. The sky was no longer a sky—it was a cavernous dome of fractured crystal, shards suspended in midair like frozen rain, each one reflecting distorted images of their movements.
The ground beneath was uneven, cracked stone latticed with glowing veins of blue energy. Every sound echoed unnaturally long, bouncing in ways that disoriented the senses.
And then came the stench—musky, damp, metallic.
The girl wrinkled her nose. "Something's alive here."
The AI's voice chimed again:
> [Hostile Entities Detected. Crystal Rats – Level 7. Swarm Pattern: Encircling.]
A skittering chorus rose from the shadows. Dozens of small, glimmering forms crawled out of the cracks—rats, their bodies fused with jagged shards of crystal. Their glowing red eyes locked onto the intruders.
Alex summoned his blade. Its edge hummed faintly, shards of light running along its surface. The girl nocked an arrow, the string pulling taut with a faint creak.
The rats shrieked and lunged.
Alex swung, his blade carving a gleaming arc that shattered the first creature mid-leap. But as one fell, three more came. Their crystal-clad bodies clashed against his strikes, sparks scattering.
"Too many!" he growled, slashing again.
The girl loosed her arrow. It streaked with a silver glow, piercing through two rats in a line before exploding in a flash of light.
"Left side!" she shouted, already drawing another arrow.
Alex pivoted, cutting down a pair that had tried to flank him. Still, the swarm pressed closer, their bodies scraping and clattering against the stone as if the dungeon itself had unleashed its hunger.
The fragment in his chest pulsed violently. A surge of energy spread through his veins. His vision warped for a heartbeat, then the AI's cold monotone cut in:
> [Crystal Domain – Incomplete Activation Possible. Warning: Instability risk at 72%.]
"Damn it," Alex muttered, sweat dripping down his brow. But there was no choice.
He thrust his free hand forward.
A ripple spread out from him, invisible yet undeniable. The rats froze mid-lunge, their bodies trembling as if the very world resisted them. For a heartbeat, their movements slowed, staggered, like puppets caught in tangled strings.
The girl didn't waste the chance. She loosed three arrows in quick succession, each one striking perfectly between crystal plating. The slowed swarm fell in pieces.
Alex's knees nearly buckled. The domain flickered out, the weight of the dungeon pressing back tenfold.
The last few rats squealed and scattered into the cracks. Silence fell.
The girl lowered her bow, her chest rising and falling quickly. She turned to him, her expression a mixture of awe and concern. "That… wasn't normal. What did you just do?"
Alex gripped his chest, feeling the fragment pulse faintly. "…Something dangerous. I'll explain later."
The AI's voice hummed again:
> [Hostility temporarily repelled. System Note: Crystal Domain progress accelerated. Current Rank: Lv.0 → 14% Completion.]
Alex didn't know whether to feel reassured or horrified.
Before he could say more, another sound reached them—footsteps. Human footsteps.
He tensed, blade raised. The girl did the same, arrow nocked.
From the shadows of the cavern, a torch flared to life. A tall figure emerged, clad in leather armor reinforced with steel plates. His dark eyes gleamed with arrogance as he twirled a spear casually in his hand.
"Well, well," the man said, his voice carrying a mocking edge. "Looks like we're not the only Bearers who thought they could conquer the Gate."
Behind him, a second figure stepped into view—a woman draped in white and silver, her hands glowing faintly with healing light. Her gaze was quiet, almost apologetic, but her presence spoke of practiced confidence.
Alex felt his heart sink.
Other Bearers.
The man smirked, lowering the spear to point at him. "Name's Darius. Remember it. Because when this dungeon ends, you'll either kneel to me… or be left behind."
The girl beside Alex narrowed her eyes, muttering under her breath. "Great. Just what we needed."
Alex said nothing, his grip tightening on his blade.
And in the silence that followed, the Gate seemed to pulse again, as if the dungeon itself was smiling.