Chapter 7: A Fractured Path

The Starborn drifted in silence, its hull still vibrating faintly from the strain of their last escape. Inside, the crew took stock of their dwindling supplies. Talen leaned over the console, grimacing at the inventory readouts flashing on the screen. Kera, seated nearby, studied the map projected from her Pathmaker. The data they had retrieved from the Enclave station filled the air in glowing fragments—star charts, glyphs, and schematics interwoven like a puzzle waiting to be solved.

"We're running low on just about everything," Talen muttered, glancing at Kera. "Fuel, rations, even med supplies. Whatever this shard is pointing us toward better be worth it."

Kera didn't respond immediately, her eyes flicking over the map's fragmented routes. "This doesn't make sense," she said, scrolling through layers of holographic data. "The shard led us to the station, and now we've got locations for the other shards. But these routes… they're incomplete."

Talen leaned back, crossing his arms. "You sure it's not just broken?"

"No," the Guardian interjected, its voice steady. "The Enclave's navigational data is layered with protective codes. This disorientation is deliberate—a safeguard against the Sovereign's forces. The correct path will reveal itself as we progress."

"So we're flying blind," Talen said, his tone laced with frustration. "Perfect."

Kera's gaze shifted to the shard, its faint glow pulsing steadily on her belt. "We're not blind. The shard will guide us, just like it did before."

Talen scoffed but didn't argue further. Instead, he turned back to the console. "Fine. But if it leads us into another trap, don't say I didn't warn you."

As the hours stretched on, the shard began to pulse more brightly, its glow casting flickering shadows across the cockpit. Talen checked the ship's fuel reserves again, shaking his head. "We don't have the resources for a wild chase, Kera. We need a plan… or a place to refuel."

Kera leaned forward, her eyes scanning the glowing map. "The shard is reacting to something ahead. If it's another Enclave site, we might find more than just answers—supplies, equipment. Anything to keep us going."

A faint signal appeared on the map, emanating from a distant sector. Kera pointed to it. "There. The shard's pulse is strongest when we align toward this system."

The Guardian stepped closer, its glowing blue eyes fixed on the map. "That sector contains remnants of an Enclave stronghold. If another shard resides there, it will be heavily guarded."

"By what?" Talen asked.

The Guardian hesitated. "The Sovereign's influence manifests differently in each location. It will not be unprotected."

Talen let out a long breath. "Of course. Why would it ever be easy?"

Kera set her jaw, determination flickering in her eyes. "We're going. If there's another shard there, we need it. And we don't have the luxury of waiting."

The Starborn emerged from hyperspace on the edge of the system. Before them lay a planet wreathed in swirling storms, its surface obscured by dense, roiling clouds. Lightning crackled through the atmosphere, illuminating jagged peaks and barren plains below.

"That's inviting," Talen said, his hands tightening on the controls. "Any chance we can skip this one?"

"No," the Guardian said. "The shard's resonance is strongest here. This is the place."

As they descended, turbulence rocked the ship. The Starborn shuddered violently as the storms battered its hull, the cockpit lights flickering with each jolt. Kera gripped her seat tightly, her heart pounding as the shard's glow intensified.

"We're almost through," Talen said, his voice strained. "Just hold on."

The ship broke through the storm clouds, revealing a desolate landscape scarred by craters and jagged ridges. In the distance, a massive structure loomed—an Enclave fortress, its spires reaching skyward like jagged teeth against the turbulent skies.

"There it is," Kera said, her voice filled with awe and trepidation.

"Landing this thing is going to be a nightmare," Talen muttered, scanning for a stable surface. The shard's glow flickered slightly, reflecting in his narrowed eyes as he maneuvered the ship.

"If I'm walking into another death trap," he said with a wry smirk, "I'd rather see it firsthand. Besides, someone's got to make sure you don't blow yourself up in there."

Kera raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. "Suit yourself. Just don't slow us down."

The Starborn rocked slightly as Talen brought it down on a flat outcrop near the fortress entrance. The landing struts groaned against the uneven surface, but the ship held steady.

"Not bad for a rushed job," Talen said, standing and grabbing his gear. "Let's get this over with before I regret this decision."

The fortress was eerily silent as they approached on foot, the shard's glow lighting their path. The air felt heavy, charged with static, and each step seemed to echo unnaturally in the oppressive stillness. Glyphs adorned the walls, more intricate than any Kera had seen before.

"This place is different," she whispered. "The glyphs are brighter, and the air almost hums. It feels… alive."

"It is," the Guardian said. "Unlike the last site, this fortress seems fully active. The glyphs respond strongly to the shard, and the structure's systems appear intact. Be cautious. Such vitality often comes with greater dangers."

As they moved deeper into the fortress, the atmosphere grew heavier. A faint hum resonated through the walls, growing louder with each step. They entered a vast chamber where a pedestal stood at its center, glowing glyphs swirling like liquid light around its base. The shard flared brightly, and Kera felt a strange warmth radiating from it.

"This is it," she said, stepping forward.

Before she could reach the pedestal, the air rippled, and a deep, resonant hum filled the chamber. Shadows gathered along the walls, coalescing into a towering figure wreathed in darkness. Its eyes burned like embers, and its presence filled the room with a suffocating dread.

"Another herald," Talen muttered, raising his blaster.

The Guardian moved to intercept, its energy blade igniting with a sharp hiss. "Catalyst, activate the pedestal. Retrieve the shard."

Kera hesitated but nodded, sprinting toward the pedestal as the Guardian clashed with the herald. The creature's attacks were faster and more coordinated than anything they had faced before, its limbs striking with deadly precision.

"Hurry, Kera!" Talen shouted, firing at the creature to distract it.

The pedestal flared to life as Kera placed her hand on its surface. Streams of light shot out, forming a complex lattice around the shard. The glyphs on the walls pulsed in sync, and a deep voice resonated through the chamber.

"Catalyst recognized. Shard synchronization in progress."

The herald roared, breaking free from the Guardian's strike and lunging toward Kera. She braced herself, but the Guardian intercepted it at the last moment, its blade slicing through one of the creature's shadowy limbs. The creature recoiled, its form flickering and reforming rapidly, as if the damage had only slowed it down. It let out a guttural roar, its crimson eyes locking onto the shard. The Guardian pressed forward, its strikes more cautious now, working to keep the herald at bay since it knows that trying to actually kill it now won't work

The shard on the pedestal flared brightly, then settled into a steady glow. Kera reached out and grasped it, feeling a surge of energy course through her body. Her vision blurred as images flooded her mind—fragments of the Enclave's war, the Sovereign's emergence, and the shards' creation.

She staggered back, overwhelmed by the vivid, harrowing visions of war that flooded her mind. The shard's energy coursed through her, showing brutal battles, collapsing worlds, and the Sovereign's terrifying power. Her legs buckled, and she clutched the shard tightly before collapsing, her consciousness fading under the weight of such unbearable horrors.