The Breach

The Aetherium core's light flooded the vault, its brilliance searing my eyes. The chains binding it shattered one by one, their fragments dissolving into shimmering dust. The Sentinel's voice echoed in my mind, faint but resolute.

*"The Aetherium is free. But so are its enemies. Protect it, Jace. Protect the future."*

Her presence faded, leaving only the hum of the core and the distant roar of the Inquisitors' flamethrowers. Lira grabbed my arm, her mechanical eye scanning the chamber.

"We need to move. Now."

The vault shuddered again, and a section of the wall exploded inward. Smoke and debris filled the air as a squad of Inquisitors stormed in, their respirators hissing and their flamethrowers spitting blue fire.

"Heretics!" their leader bellowed, his voice distorted by his mask. "Surrender the Aetherium, or burn!"

Lira fired her pistol, the Aetherium round vaporizing one of the flamethrowers in a burst of violet light. "Jace, the core! Grab it!"

I hesitated, the Sentinel's warning ringing in my ears. The core pulsed in my hands, its energy warm and alive. It felt less like an object and more like a living thing—a heartbeat encased in metal.

"Don't just stand there!" Lira shouted, ducking behind a shattered pillar as another jet of flame scorched the air.

I clutched the core to my chest and ran, the bracelet on my wrist flaring as it resonated with the Aetherium. The Inquisitors gave chase, their boots pounding against the stone floor.

---

**Chapter 7b: The Figure in the Shadows**

We burst into the cathedral's main hall, the core's light casting long shadows across the pews. The Inquisitors were close behind, their flamethrowers roaring as they closed the distance.

"This way!" Lira yelled, leading me toward a side door.

But before we could reach it, a figure stepped into our path.

"Jace," the man said, his voice calm but commanding. "It's been a long time."

I froze. The man was tall, his face obscured by a hood, but his voice was unmistakable.

"Father?" I whispered, my heart pounding.

He lowered his hood, revealing a face I hadn't seen in over a decade. His eyes were the same shade of gray as mine, but they were cold, distant.

"Not your father," he said. "Your uncle. Marcus Veyren."

Lira raised her pistol, her mechanical eye narrowing. "Step aside, or I'll put a hole in you."

Marcus ignored her, his gaze fixed on me. "You don't understand what you're holding, Jace. The Aetherium is not a tool. It's a curse. Give it to me, and I'll spare your life."

"You're with the Church," I said, my voice trembling. "You betrayed my parents."

"I tried to save them," he snapped. "But they were too stubborn. Too blind. Just like you."

The Inquisitors closed in, their flamethrowers trained on us. Marcus stepped closer, his hand outstretched.

"Last chance, Jace. Give me the core."

---

**Chapter 7c: The Choice**

I tightened my grip on the core, its warmth seeping into my skin. The bracelet on my wrist pulsed, its light merging with the Aetherium's glow.

"You're wrong," I said, my voice steadying. "The Aetherium isn't a curse. It's a chance. A chance to fix what the Church broke."

Marcus's expression hardened. "Then you leave me no choice."

He raised his hand, and the Inquisitors opened fire. Lira tackled me to the ground as jets of blue flame scorched the air above us. The heat was unbearable, but the core in my hands seemed to absorb it, its light growing brighter.

"We need to get out of here!" Lira shouted, her voice barely audible over the roar of the flames.

I nodded, clutching the core as we scrambled to our feet. The Inquisitors advanced, their flamethrowers spitting fire, but the core's light seemed to repel them, forcing them back.

"This way!" Lira yelled, leading me toward a hidden passage behind the altar.

We stumbled into the passage, the core's light guiding us through the darkness. Behind us, the Inquisitors gave chase, their shouts echoing off the stone walls.

"Where does this lead?" I asked, my breath coming in ragged gasps.

"Out," Lira said simply. "If we're lucky."