Chapter 14 : Fragments of the Past

The air outside the central chamber was marginally lighter, though the oppressive mist still clung to the ruin like a heavy shroud. Ryn leaned against a broken column, trying to catch his breath. The Spirit Fox circled him, its glow faint but steady as it recovered from the battle.

"Well," Ryn muttered, wiping sweat from his brow, "that was... intense."

The fox chirped softly, nuzzling his leg before sitting down to groom its fur.

Ryn sheathed his knife and glanced back toward the chamber they had just left. The pedestal, the shadows, the vision—it all lingered in his mind like a splinter he couldn't quite remove.

"I don't know what we just stepped into," he said, his voice low, "but it's connected to this place. To the Codex. Maybe even to us."

The Spirit Fox tilted its head, its glowing eyes reflecting a flicker of curiosity.

"Come on," Ryn said, adjusting the straps of his pack. "Let's see if we can find anything else. There has to be more here than just weird shadows and creepy whispers."

The two moved deeper into the ruins, navigating the labyrinthine corridors with cautious steps. Most of the pathways were collapsed or blocked by rubble, forcing them to double back more than once. Despite the ruin's deteriorated state, the intricate carvings that adorned the walls remained intact, their swirling patterns telling fragments of a story that Ryn couldn't quite piece together.

"What is this place?" he wondered aloud, running his fingers over one of the carvings. The symbols felt familiar, but not in a way he could explain.

The Spirit Fox sniffed at the base of the wall, its glowing tail swaying as it followed a faint scent.

Ryn followed closely, trusting his partner's instincts. The bond pulsed faintly, guiding him forward as they turned down another corridor. This one was narrower than the others, its walls marked with jagged cracks that oozed faint traces of the same green energy they had seen in the Corrupted Stalker.

The sight sent a chill down Ryn's spine. "This can't be natural," he muttered. "Something's leaking into this place."

The fox let out a soft growl, its fur bristling as it stepped carefully over the cracks.

At the end of the corridor, they found a small chamber partially buried under rubble. Unlike the central chamber, this space felt quieter, more contained, as though the mist hadn't fully seeped into it yet.

In the center of the room stood a pedestal similar to the one they had seen before, though this one was shorter and less ornate. Resting on its surface was a small, glowing object—a shard of crystal no larger than Ryn's palm.

The Spirit Fox chirped sharply, its fur glowing brighter as it approached the pedestal.

"Wait," Ryn said, holding out a hand. "Careful. We don't know what that thing is."

The fox hesitated, glancing back at him before sitting obediently.

Ryn stepped forward cautiously, his eyes fixed on the crystal. It pulsed faintly, its light shifting between shades of blue and green. There was something hypnotic about it, something that tugged at the edges of his mind in a way he couldn't explain.

"Is this... part of the Codex?" he murmured, reaching out slowly.

The moment his fingers brushed the crystal, a wave of energy surged through him. His vision blurred, and the bond between him and the Spirit Fox flared to life, burning bright and hot in his chest.

Images flooded his mind—fragments of memories, distorted and fleeting. He saw towering spires of light rising from a great city, their glow reflecting off an endless ocean. He saw beasts of every shape and size, their forms shifting and evolving as they moved.

And then he saw something darker.

A rift, jagged and pulsating with green light, tearing through the sky. Beasts twisted and corrupted, their bodies writhing as they fell into madness. And at the center of it all, a figure cloaked in shadows, their hand outstretched toward the chaos.

The vision shattered, and Ryn staggered back, clutching his chest as his breathing came in ragged gasps.

The Spirit Fox was at his side instantly, chirping anxiously as it pressed against his leg.

"I'm... I'm fine," Ryn said hoarsely, though the pounding in his head said otherwise.

He looked down at the crystal in his hand, its glow now dim and steady. Whatever it was, it held pieces of something ancient—something tied to the Codex and the corruption spreading through the Wildlands.

"What are you?" Ryn murmured, his fingers tightening around the shard.

The fox nudged his hand gently, its glowing eyes filled with quiet concern.

"We'll figure it out," Ryn said, his voice steadier now. "This has to mean something. That vision... it wasn't just random."

The bond pulsed faintly, and Ryn felt a flicker of agreement from the fox.

They left the chamber behind, the crystal shard tucked securely into Ryn's pack. The corridors seemed darker now, the oppressive energy of the ruin pressing harder against them with every step.

As they rounded another corner, the Spirit Fox froze, its ears swiveling.

"What is it?" Ryn whispered, his hand going to the knife at his belt.

The fox growled softly, its fur bristling as it stared down the corridor.

Ryn squinted, his eyes struggling to pierce the gloom. At first, he saw nothing—but then he noticed it.

A faint ripple in the air, like heat rising from the ground. It moved slowly, shifting and distorting the space around it as it approached.

"Not again," Ryn muttered, his heart pounding.

The ripple coalesced into a shadowy figure, its red eyes burning like embers in the dark. This one was different from the shadows they had fought earlier—larger, more solid, and radiating an aura of malice that made Ryn's skin crawl.

The Spirit Fox growled louder, stepping in front of Ryn with its tail flaring brightly.

"We can't keep fighting these things," Ryn said, his voice low and tense. "Not without more answers."

The shadow advanced slowly, its movements deliberate and menacing.

Ryn tightened his grip on his knife, his mind racing. They needed to escape, but the narrow corridor left them with little room to maneuver.

The bond pulsed again, and Ryn felt the Spirit Fox's determination surging through him.

"Alright," he said, his voice steadier. "Let's do this. One more time."

The shadow lunged, and the fight began.