The Crumbling Path

Chapter 13: The Crumbling Path

The ruins of Everglen grew more foreboding as the group ventured deeper. The air was thick with a strange energy, heavy and charged, as if the city itself were alive and watching. Cracks in the stone pathways revealed deep, unending chasms below, and the faint hum of the shard in Kaelin’s pouch never ceased.

Anara kept her weapons drawn, her eyes darting to every flicker of movement. “This place feels worse the deeper we go. Are we even heading in the right direction?”

Verrin stopped at a fork in the path, studying the faded markings etched into the walls. “We are. The heart of Everglen lies ahead. That’s where we’ll find the final shard.”

Kaelin adjusted the pouch at his side, the weight of the shards an ever-present reminder of their purpose. “What happens once we find it?”

Verrin turned to face him, his expression unreadable. “That depends on you. With all three shards, you’ll have the power to reshape this world—or destroy it.”

Anara snorted. “No pressure, then.”

As they continued down the left-hand path, a faint sound reached their ears—a rhythmic, metallic scraping. Kaelin stopped, straining to hear.

“Do you hear that?” he asked.

Verrin’s hand went to the hilt of his sword. “Yes. Keep moving, but stay alert.”

The sound grew louder, echoing through the narrow corridors. It was closer now, unmistakably the sound of metal against stone. Then, from the shadows ahead, a figure emerged.

It was a knight, or what had once been one. Its armor was rusted and broken, vines snaking through the joints. Its face was obscured by a cracked helmet, and in its skeletal hands, it clutched a massive sword. The knight moved unnaturally, its steps jerky and uneven.

“Is that... alive?” Kaelin asked, his voice trembling.

“Not exactly,” Verrin said, stepping in front of him. “The guardians of Everglen. They’re bound to the city, cursed to protect it until the end of time.”

The knight raised its sword, the motion slow but deliberate. Its glowing eyes locked onto Kaelin, and it began to advance.

“I don’t think it’s here to talk,” Anara said, pulling Kaelin back.

Verrin drew his sword. “Keep behind me. These things aren’t invincible, but they’re not easy to kill, either.”

The knight lunged, its movements faster than expected. Verrin met its strike with his blade, the clash of metal ringing through the corridor. Sparks flew as the two locked weapons, Verrin’s strength barely holding the knight at bay.

“Go!” Verrin shouted. “Get to the heart! I’ll hold it off!”

“I’m not leaving you!” Kaelin protested.

“You don’t have a choice!” Verrin barked, pushing the knight back. “This is what I’m here for—keep moving!”

Anara grabbed Kaelin’s arm. “Come on! He’ll catch up!”

Reluctantly, Kaelin followed Anara, his heart pounding as they ran deeper into the ruins. The sounds of Verrin’s battle faded behind them, replaced by the growing hum of energy in the air.

They emerged into a vast chamber, its ceiling impossibly high. In the center, a pedestal identical to the one they’d encountered earlier stood, but this one was surrounded by a ring of glowing runes. The final shard floated above the pedestal, its light pulsing like a heartbeat.

Kaelin approached cautiously, the shards in his pouch reacting to the presence of the third. The air crackled with energy, and the runes began to glow brighter.

“This is it,” Kaelin said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Anara stayed back, her weapons drawn. “Be careful. If the last shard’s test was bad, this one’s bound to be worse.”

Kaelin stepped into the circle of runes, and the energy in the room surged. The shards in his pouch flared to life, and the final shard’s light grew blinding.

Then, everything went silent.

---

Kaelin found himself in another void, but this one was different. It wasn’t dark—it was filled with swirling colors, vibrant and alive. The shard floated before him, its light forming a figure.

The figure was a young boy, no older than twelve. Kaelin’s breath caught in his throat.

“Is this... me?” he asked.

The boy tilted his head, a sad smile on his face. “It’s who you used to be. Before the guilt, the fear, the running.”

Kaelin clenched his fists. “Why are you showing me this?”

The boy’s expression turned serious. “Because you’ve forgotten who you are. The shards don’t choose just anyone. They choose those who have the strength to carry them—but only if they remember why they fight.”

Kaelin hesitated, the boy’s words cutting deep. “I fight because I have to. Because the world depends on it.”

The boy shook his head. “That’s not enough. You have to want it. You have to believe in what you’re protecting.”

Kaelin’s mind raced. He thought of his parents, his friends, the countless lives at stake. Slowly, he nodded. “I do. I believe in the people who can still be saved. I believe in the future we can create.”

The boy smiled again, and the shard flared with light. “Then you are ready.”

---

Kaelin gasped as he returned to the chamber, the third shard now in his hands. Its warmth was comforting, its energy steady and strong.

Anara stepped forward. “You did it.”

Kaelin nodded, slipping the shard into his pouch. “We have all three now. Let’s find Verrin and finish this.”

But as they turned back toward the corridor, a low growl echoed through the chamber. Shadows gathered at the edges of the room, taking shape.

“Looks like the city isn’t ready to let us leave,” Anara muttered, drawing her blades.

Kaelin gripped the shards, their power humming through him. For the first time, he felt ready to face whatever came next.

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