The arcane cannon blasted through the air, shaking the ground beneath Jax's feet. He ducked behind a boulder, Jane and Kael scurrying beside him as the Arcane Spires' barrier rose ahead, its runes pulsing with an aggressive blue glow. The guard towers' cannons lit up, energy aimed directly at them. Above, a cloaked figure with glowing red eyes watched, their dark cloak billowing in the wind, voice echoing: "Your journey ends here."
Jax felt a burning sensation in his chest, the Construct whirling within him. "Energy reserves: 10%," it coldly announced amidst the chaos. "Critical threat detected. Blood verification required to access shrine." The journal in his pocket glowed intensely, recalling the sister's words: "The heart's choice reveals the path. Trust, or lose all."
Jane grabbed his arm, dirt smudged on her face, eyes fierce despite the blood on her sleeve. "Jax, that gate's our only chance. Whatever you did last time, do it again!"
Nodding, Jax's hand shook as he tightened his grip on his knife. The gate's runes matched the journal's four circles—Elemental, Arcane, Divine, and Shadow. His blood had opened the last ward; it had to work again. But those red eyes, reminiscent of the Master's, made his stomach churn. Was this the "master's shadow"?
Kael rose, hands lit with arcane energy, a defiant grin on his face. "I'll distract the cannons," he declared, voice electrifying like a bard rallying a crowd. "Star boy, focus on the gate. Jane, help him." He shot Jax a wink, his charm cutting through the fear. "Don't let me down, alright?"
Jax managed a weak smile; Kael's energy was contagious. The rogue mage was a whirlwind of bravery and wit. But that lingering look at the journal stirred doubt, the sister's warning—"Beware the traitor within"—echoing in his mind. Still, Kael was their lifeline.
"Go!" Jax shouted, rushing for the gate as Jane dodged a cannon blast that scorched the earth.
Kael leaped onto a rock, launching arcane bolts at the towers. The cannons swung to target him, but he danced through the blasts, laughter ringing out. "Is that all you've got, Alliance? I'm embarrassed for you!"
The figure raised a hand, causing the barrier's runes to flare and send a shockwave. Jax stumbled, his knife slipping from his grip. Jane caught him, voice sharp. "Focus, Jax! We don't have time!"
He pressed the blade to his palm, wincing as it cut deeper. Blood dripped onto the gate's runes, setting them ablaze with gold that synced with the Construct's hum. "Blood verified. Access granted. Energy reserves: 12%." The gate shook and ground open, revealing a crystal chamber within the Spires, walls glowing with the four energies.
But the figure's voice thundered. "You're too late!" Dark energy surged, splitting the ground and spawning ten skeletal warriors with glowing red bones and sharp blades. The cannons fired again, grazing Kael's shoulder. He staggered but fought on, capturing two skeletons in an arcane net.
Jax's heart raced. "Reserves: 10%." He raised his hands, summoning Flame Pulse. A fiery blast incinerated one skeleton, but his vision began to blur. "Reserves: 6%." Jane smashed her stone into another's skull with a crack, but more skeletons closed in.
"Kael, we need you!" Jax yelled, voice strained.
Kael whirled around, fierce grin persistent despite the blood on his cloak. "On it, star boy!" He unleashed a vortex of arcane energy that shattered three skeletons. His skill was dazzling, laughter rallying them. "Come on, you bony idiots! I'm just getting started!"
Jax pushed towards the gate, Jane by his side. The glowing chamber beckoned him, the Construct buzzing with intent. But the figure descended, landing with a wave of dark energy that knocked Jane back. Jax dove to shield her, his knife useless against such power.
"You're nothing," the figure hissed, their red eyes boring into him. "The master claims the Construct."
Jax's blood boiled. With Jane's groan and Kael's strained laughter fighting for him, he was anything but nothing. He was marked. He focused, reaching for Energy Fusion. Fire, light, and arcane energy swirled, guided by the sister's whisper: "Your heart chooses." His hands glowed, and a blast of mixed energy struck the figure back, tearing their cloak and revealing a scarred face—not the Master, but a disciple.
"Reserves: 2%. Host at risk."
Jax collapsed to his knees, blood streaming from his nose. Kael appeared, his arcane bolt finishing off the figure. They crumbled, runes fading, while the skeletons fell apart, and the cannon fire ceased as mages processed their defeat.
Jane pulled Jax up, urgency in her voice. "Get to the chamber! Now!"
Kael shielded them, his barrier blocking one last blast from the cannons. "Go, star boy!" he shouted, warmth in his tone but sharpness in his eyes, flicking towards the journal as Jax stumbled through the gate. Doubt grew, but time was running out.
The chamber enveloped them in its glow, sealing the door behind. A crystal pedestal at the center held an orb pulsing with four colors. As Jax approached, his blood dripped onto the floor, and the orb flared to life, summoning four ghostly sisters, eyes glowing—red, blue, gold, black.
The Divine sister spoke powerful words. "Marked one, your heart has opened the way. The Construct binds our will, but the choice remains yours—balance or ruin."
Jax's throat tightened. "For real? You said that the last time... What am I supposed to do?"
The Arcane sister's voice sliced through the air. "The Construct amplifies your soul. Choose justice, and it strengthens. Choose power, and it consumes."
Jane squeezed his arm, voice soft yet steady. "Jax, you're not power-hungry. You've got this."
The Shadow sister's words turned cold. "Yet betrayal lingers. Trust blindly, and you will fall."
Jax glanced at the sealed door where Kael waited. Could he truly be the traitor? He banished the thought, focusing on the orb. As he touched it, energy surged, restoring his strength. "Quest complete: 250 XP, enhanced energy capacity unlocked. Level 4 achieved. Reserves: 60%."
A new skill emerged—Lightweave: Conjure a versatile energy construct. Cost: 15%. His chest hummed with newfound strength, but the sisters' warning remained. The journal glowed, revealing a new line: "The third shrine lies in the Shadowed Vale. The master's true face draws near."
The sisters faded, leaving behind the Divine sister's voice echoing. "Choose wisely, marked one. The traitor's heart hides in plain sight."
The chamber dimmed as the orb was depleted. Jax and Jane stepped out, finding Kael leaning casually against the gate, grin bright despite his singed cloak. "Took you long enough," he teased, his voice smooth. "Did you get what you needed?"
"Yeah," Jax replied cautiously. Kael's heroism was clear, but he couldn't shake the suspicion in his mind. "Thanks for the cover."
"Anytime, star boy." Kael clapped him on the shoulder, warm yet probing. "The Spires are yours now. Where to next?"
Jane crossed her arms, skepticism evident. "That's up to us, pretty boy. You sticking around?"
Kael laughed, charm unwavering. "Wouldn't miss it. You two are too much fun." But his gaze flicked toward Jax's pocket again, unease creeping in.
The Spires' barrier was down, the mages retreating after the disciple's defeat. The crystal towers stood open, yet the air felt heavy, storm clouds looming. Jax's energy thrummed, but doubt gnawed at him. The third shrine, the Master, the traitor—Kael?
As they pushed towards the Spires, a low rumble trembled the ground. The journal burned in his pocket, and the Construct buzzed. "High-level threat detected. Long-range signature."
Jane's scanner went haywire. "Something's coming. Big."
Kael's grin faded. "Not Alliance. Not Necromancer."
Jax turned, heart racing as a massive shape materialized on the horizon—a floating fortress, its hull as dark as night, runes flashing blood-red, unlike any airship they'd encountered. A figure stood at its prow, cloaked, red eyes glowing with menace. The Master.
His voice cut through the air, cold and absolute. "The Construct is mine, Thorne. No shrine will save you."
The fortress's cannons lit up, unleashing a wave of dark energy that shook the Spires. Jax's hand ignited with Lightweave, but he faltered. With Jane and Kael beside him, the Master's power loomed heavy.
Kael's voice dropped to a hushed tone. "Star boy, you'd better have one hell of a trick left."
The journal pulsed, the sister's voice echoing, desperate and final. "The marked one's choice begins now."