Chapter 32 - Chapter 5: The Vision of the Shattering and the Price of Truth

Location: In front of the Shards' cage. Time: The following moments.Lyrion crawled toward the cage. He placed his hand on the third shard.No system message appeared immediately. Lyrion was engulfed in a very painful memory, clearer than the previous ones.He saw Ethyrion standing in this very temple, but 5000 years ago. He was conversing with luminous beings (the Engineers)."The world needs energy to survive," one of the beings said. "Give us the Gem, and we will protect you from the Void.""The Gem is not fuel!" Ethyrion replied angrily. "It is the heart of the world.""You are stubborn," the being said. "We will teach you the lesson."The temple exploded. It was not a magical explosion, but a tear in reality.Lyrion saw the Engineers planting "Cloud Towers" in the continents. The Gates were not a natural disaster, but pumps to extract pure mana from the world and send it elsewhere.And Ethyrion's voice screaming in pain and regret:"My mistake... was thinking I could negotiate with them. The shards are not dead pieces... they are keys to shut down the pumps. Every time I collect one, I close the faucets of death."Lyrion woke up on the cold temple floor.[Alert: The third shard has been absorbed.] [Philosopher's Stone fusion rate: 55%.] [Third stage partially unlocked.] [New ability: "Mana Purification."]Description: You can convert corrupted or poisonous mana into pure mana suitable for use, but with only 50% efficiency. Requires high concentration.[Warning: Your mind is under increasing pressure. The memories are not yours... but they are becoming so.]Lyrion rose with difficulty. He felt that something had changed inside him. He no longer sometimes distinguished between his own memories and Ethyrion's memories. Was he Lyrion carrying the Stone, or the Stone carrying Lyrion's soul?"I will remain myself," he said aloud in the empty hall. "I am the one who chooses the path."He used his new ability. He placed his hand on the corrupted ground. Blue light flowed from his hand, and the black sand beneath him turned into pure white sand in a circle one meter in diameter."I can heal this world," he whispered. "Not just protect it."