The Glooming's silence was a living thing.
Nahr felt it in the way the trench pressed in, the way every step seemed to echo longer than it should, as if the stone itself was reluctant to let go of sound. The corridor behind them sealed with a final, heavy clang, and the world shrank to the three battered Cores and the endless descent.
They paused at the threshold, the faint blue glow of the overhead strip-lights flickering in and out, casting their shadows in wild, stuttering patterns across the walls. Hero checked his Galieya, the spiral veins humming faintly. Maldrin rolled his shoulder, testing the limits of his damaged arm. Nahr's own weight felt doubled, the burden of the last trial settling into his frame like a new layer of alloy.
No one spoke.
There was nothing left to say.
They moved forward, the floor shifting beneath their feet. The trench here was different—narrower, but also deeper, the walls slick with condensation that never quite became water. Every few meters, the ground dipped, forcing them to step carefully, their lances scraping the ceiling with a metallic hiss.
A junction appeared, splitting the trench into three paths: left, right, and center. The left sloped down into darkness, the right curved sharply, and the center was blocked by a collapsed pillar.
Maldrin hesitated. "Left or right?"
Hero didn't pause. "Right. We don't need to go deeper yet."
Nahr scanned the darkness, then nodded. "Right."
They turned, the corridor narrowing until they were forced into single file. The walls pressed close, and the only sound was the soft scrape of metal on stone.
Halfway down the passage, a faint vibration ran through the floor. Nahr tensed, his grip tightening on the Galieya.
Maldrin whispered, "Something's here."
Hero raised a hand, signaling silence.
A low, grinding sound echoed from ahead. Not footsteps—something heavier, slower, dragging itself through the trench.
They pressed on, the sound growing louder.
At the end of the corridor, the trench opened into a wide chamber. The walls were lined with broken banners, each one marked with the diagonal slash of a fallen Core. In the center, a memory-bound construct stood, its frame massive, Galieya planted in the stone like a flag.
Hero approached first. The construct's head turned, tracking his movement.
It spoke, voice flat and mechanical. "Trial: Endurance. Only the worthy pass."
Without waiting, it lunged, swinging its lance in a wide arc. Hero met the blow, sparks flying as metal clashed.
Nahr and Maldrin circled, looking for an opening.
The construct fought with relentless precision, each strike calculated to drive them back. Hero blocked and countered, but the construct's strength was overwhelming.
Maldrin darted in, swinging his Galieya at the construct's exposed side. The blow landed, denting the armor, but the construct didn't falter. It turned, slamming Maldrin with the butt of its lance, sending him sprawling.
Nahr moved in, his own Galieya humming with energy. He feinted high, then struck low, catching the construct's leg. The metal buckled, and the construct staggered.
Hero seized the moment, driving his lance into the construct's chest. The memory-bound Core shuddered, then collapsed, its frame locking in place.
The chamber fell silent.
Maldrin climbed to his feet, clutching his side. "That… was close."
Nahr nodded, scanning the chamber for threats. "We need to move. This place isn't safe."
They pressed on, leaving the broken construct behind.
The trench narrowed again, the walls closing in until they could barely walk side by side. The air grew colder, the silence deeper.
A faint glow appeared ahead—a doorway, half-open, light spilling out in a thin line.
Hero approached first, pushing the door open with his lance.
Inside, the room was filled with rows of inactive Cores, their frames covered in dust. At the far end, a console flickered, its screen displaying a single word: CHOICE.
Nahr stepped forward, reading the prompt.
[TRIAL: SACRIFICE]
[ONLY TWO MAY PASS]
He turned to the others. "One of us stays."
Maldrin shook his head. "No. We came this far together."
Hero was silent, his grip tightening on his Galieya.
Nahr looked at the console. "There's always another way."
A timer appeared on the screen, counting down from sixty.
Maldrin stepped forward. "I'll do it. My arm's shot. You two have a better chance."
Hero shook his head. "No. We fight our way out. Together."
The timer ticked down. Fifty seconds. Forty-nine.
Nahr scanned the room, searching for another exit. Nothing.
He turned to Maldrin. "You sure?"
Maldrin nodded. "I'm not afraid."
Hero stepped forward, placing a hand on Maldrin's shoulder. "You're not alone."
The timer hit thirty.
Nahr made his choice.
He stepped to the console, slamming his hand down. "Override."
The screen flickered, then went dark.
A siren blared, the doors slamming shut.
The inactive Cores stirred, their frames shuddering to life.
Nahr raised his Galieya. "Get ready."
The first Core lunged, its movements jerky and uncoordinated. Nahr blocked the blow, countering with a swift strike to the Core's chest.
Hero and Maldrin fought back to back, their lances flashing in the dim light.
The room filled with the sound of metal on metal, sparks flying as the Cores attacked.
Nahr moved with precision, each strike calculated, each movement efficient.
Maldrin fought with desperation, his injured arm slowing him down.
Hero was relentless, his blows landing with brutal force.
One by one, the inactive Cores fell, their frames collapsing to the floor.
When the last Core fell, the siren stopped. The doors slid open.
Nahr turned to the others. "We move. Now."
They stepped into the next corridor, the silence returning.
The trench sloped upward, the air growing warmer.
At the top of the slope, a wide platform waited. In the center, a single Galieya was embedded in the stone, its spiral veins glowing.
Nahr approached, reaching out to touch the lance.
A prompt appeared in his HUD.
[TRIAL: BURDEN]
[TAKE THE GALIEYA. BEAR THE WEIGHT.]
He gripped the lance, feeling its weight settle into his frame.
The platform shook, the floor splitting open.
Nahr jumped back as the stone crumbled, revealing a narrow bridge stretching over a bottomless chasm.
Hero and Maldrin followed, their steps careful.
Halfway across, the bridge buckled. A mimic emerged from the shadows, its frame twisted, Galieya fused to its arm.
It lunged at Nahr, swinging its lance in a wild arc.
Nahr blocked the blow, countering with a quick strike.
Maldrin attacked from the side, his movements slow but determined.
Hero flanked the mimic, driving his lance into its back.
The mimic shrieked in static, then collapsed, falling into the chasm below.
They hurried across the bridge, reaching the far side as the last stones crumbled away.
Beyond the bridge, the trench widened into a vast chamber.
The walls were covered in carvings—scenes of Cores fighting, falling, rising again.
At the far end, a single door waited, its surface marked with the diagonal slash of the Galieya.
Nahr approached, placing his hand on the door.
It slid open, revealing a spiral staircase leading upward.
They climbed, the steps echoing under their feet.
At the top, a final chamber waited.
A single Core stood in the center, its frame gleaming, Galieya held at the ready.
It spoke, voice calm. "Only the strongest advance."
Nahr stepped forward, raising his lance.
The duel was swift and brutal.
The Core attacked with blinding speed, its blows relentless.
Nahr blocked and countered, each strike pushing him closer to the edge.
Hero and Maldrin watched, ready to intervene.
Nahr found an opening, driving his Galieya into the Core's side.
The Core staggered, then fell, its frame locking in place.
A prompt appeared in Nahr's HUD.
[TRIAL COMPLETE]
[PROCEED TO THE NEXT LAYER]
He turned to the others. "Let's go."
They stepped through the door, the silence of the Glooming pressing in around them.
Nahr felt the weight of the Galieya settle into his frame—a burden, but also a promise.
He glanced at Hero and Maldrin, their frames battered but unbroken.
They had survived.
But the Glooming was far from over.
As they moved forward, the trench seemed to close behind them, sealing off the past.