Chapter 22: The Cradle of Broken Time

The mist swallowed them as they moved deeper into the expanse, its tendrils curling around Coza and Edna like living things. The golden veins etched into the fractured ground pulsed weakly, their light barely enough to illuminate the shifting shadows that surrounded them. Each step felt heavier than the last, as though the air itself resisted their presence. Coza’s breath came in shallow bursts, his body weary from the weight of the sphere’s energy.

The silence between them was tense, punctuated only by the faint hum of the veins and the distant echoes of something vast stirring in the unseen distance. Edna led the way, her weapon drawn and her sharp eyes scanning every corner of the path ahead. The golden glow reflected off her hardened expression, casting her in a harsh, spectral light.

“Do you feel that?” Coza asked, his voice low and uncertain.

Edna didn’t look back. “Feel what?”

“Like something’s watching us,” Coza said. His grip on the sphere tightened, its faint pulse a constant reminder of the power it held—and the attention it seemed to attract.

Edna stopped abruptly, her gaze fixed on a jagged formation rising from the mist. It was a massive archway carved from dark stone, its surface inscribed with spiraling patterns that shifted as they watched. The veins converged here, their light flowing upward like liquid gold toward a central point that hovered above the arch: a swirling orb of light that flickered erratically, as though caught between existence and collapse.

“This isn’t just a gate,” Edna said, her tone laced with unease. “It’s a barrier.”

Coza stepped closer, the sphere in his hand glowing faintly in response to the orb. The air around the arch seemed to vibrate, a low hum that resonated in his chest. “A barrier to what?”

Edna’s grip on her weapon tightened. “Something that’s not supposed to get out.”

Before they could move closer, the ground trembled beneath their feet. The mist parted violently, swirling upward as a massive shape emerged from the shadows. It was a towering construct of jagged metal and shifting crystal, its form twisted and incomplete. One arm hung limply, its jagged edges sparking with golden light, while the other stretched outward, a grotesque amalgamation of sharp angles and glowing veins.

The construct’s head was featureless save for a single slit that emitted a flickering, uneven light. It moved with a stuttering gait, its every motion accompanied by the groaning of strained metal and the crackle of unstable energy.

Edna raised her weapon, her stance shifting into one of practiced defense. “That thing doesn’t look friendly.”

Coza stepped back, his heart racing as the construct’s light fixed on him. The sphere in his hand pulsed violently, its glow intensifying as if in defiance of the towering creature. The construct let out a low, guttural sound—a metallic grinding that sent a shiver down Coza’s spine.

Without warning, it lunged forward. Edna fired, her shots striking the creature’s torso and sending sparks flying. The impact barely slowed it, its massive form closing the distance with terrifying speed. Coza stumbled back, clutching the sphere as the construct’s outstretched arm came crashing down, carving a jagged fissure into the ground where he had stood moments before.

“Move!” Edna shouted, firing again.

Coza scrambled to his feet, the sphere growing hotter in his grasp. The construct turned toward him, its movements erratic but relentless. The veins around it pulsed in time with its motions, their light surging as the creature advanced.

The sphere’s glow flared suddenly, its energy spilling outward in a wave that struck the construct head-on. The creature staggered, its jagged limbs sparking as it let out a distorted roar. The veins beneath its feet flickered, their light dimming briefly before surging back with renewed intensity.

“What are you waiting for?” Edna shouted. “Do something!”

Coza focused on the sphere, its energy thrumming through him like a second heartbeat. He felt the pull of the veins, the connection between the artifact and the strange energy that pulsed through the archway. The construct lunged again, its movements growing more erratic as the sphere’s light flared brighter.

Coza closed his eyes, the energy surging through him reaching a fever pitch. The sphere’s glow spilled across the expanse, illuminating the jagged ground and the mist swirling above. He felt the barrier’s presence, its intricate patterns weaving through the air like strands of light.

The construct roared, its limbs striking the ground with deafening force. But the sphere’s energy surged outward, enveloping the creature in a blinding brilliance. The veins pulsed violently, their light converging on the construct as it writhed against the onslaught.

And then, with a final, ear-splitting roar, the construct collapsed. Its jagged limbs shattered, its core dissolving into a cascade of golden mist that swirled upward before fading into the ether.

The silence that followed was heavy, the hum of the veins fading to a faint whisper. Coza fell to his knees, his breath coming in ragged gasps as the sphere dimmed once more. Edna approached cautiously, her weapon still raised as she scanned the area.

“Is it over?” she asked, her voice sharp.

Coza shook his head weakly, his gaze fixed on the archway. The orb above it pulsed faintly, its light stabilizing as the energy around it stilled. “No,” he said, his voice trembling. “It’s not over. It’s just starting.”

As they stepped closer to the archway, the orb’s light grew steadier, its erratic flickering replaced by a rhythmic pulse that matched the veins’ glow. The spiraling patterns on the stone shifted, their lines aligning into a single, unified shape that resembled a fractured sun.

Coza felt the sphere respond, its light flaring faintly as he stepped beneath the arch. The air around him grew heavy, charged with a static energy that made his skin prickle. He reached out instinctively, his fingers brushing against the surface of the orb.

The world around him dissolved.

In an instant, Coza was somewhere else. The expanse, the mist, the arch—all of it was gone, replaced by a vast, infinite void filled with swirling light. The veins were everywhere, stretching out like a web of golden threads that pulsed in time with a distant, resonant hum.

At the center of it all was a massive structure, its form both mechanical and organic. It pulsed with a light that felt alive, its intricate patterns shifting like a living thing. Coza felt its presence pressing against his mind, a silent question that demanded an answer he didn’t yet understand.

“What is this place?” he whispered, his voice lost in the void.

The sphere pulsed in his hand, its light flaring as the structure responded. The patterns shifted, their lines forming shapes that Coza recognized—symbols from the forge, the veins, the shard. They converged into a single point, their meaning clear despite their alien nature.

The cradle. The heart of the Harbor. The place where it all began—and where it would end.

Coza’s breath caught as the vision faded, the expanse snapping back into focus around him. He stumbled back, the weight of what he had seen pressing down on him like a physical force.

Edna steadied him, her expression grim. “What did you see?”

Coza looked at her, his voice trembling. “The source. It’s waiting.”