"The Shard"

The wind danced gently along the cliffside as morning light spilled across the freshly constructed tower. Its walls gleamed faintly, resonating with magic. At its base stood six figures—bruised, tired, but brimming with purpose.

Shin'ō stepped forward, placing his hand on the stone. His voice rang out, steady and deep. “Stand... The Tower of Hope.”

A light pulsed through the tower like a heartbeat.

Suddenly, the very structure began to shift. Stones reformed with soft grinding sounds, walls twisted into place, and the smaller tower beside the main structure rose in unison. The air shimmered as patches of grass and green sprouted around the foundation. The central room brightened with ambient energy as the top spire stretched higher into the sky, reaching far above the clouds.

One by one, the Council stepped forward and pressed their palms to the tower. Their powers—ice, fire, lightning, earth, and ____. Flowed into the stone, harmonizing with Shin'ō’s ____ magic.

And then, silence.

The transformation ceased.

But something felt... incomplete.

Audaxor tilted his head, arms crossed. “Bro, how can you just say something like that... and the things just listens to you?!”

Shin'ō glanced back, confused but also used to this by now. “I don’t know, bro. I just say whatever I feel is right and—bam—it works.”

Helwin sighed, while cleaning his glases. “Using magic.”

Shin'ō blinked, a bit too dramatically. “The hell you mean using magic?! Everyone has powers, dude!”

Bezkon looked up at the tower and furrowed his brow. “...Guys, don’t you feel like something’s still missing?”

Jovino nodded slowly. “Yeah. Something’s off.”

Audaxor's eyes lit up with an idea. “Wait. What if... we add an Obelisk Core?”

Shin'ō snapped his fingers. “Now that’s a great idea.”

Helwin narrowed his eyes. “But how? We left all that behind...”

Audaxor’s smirk grew confident. “We have to go back.”

Jovino immediately raised his hands. “Nope. I’m not going. That’s way too far.”

Bezkon crossing his arms. “Same here. I barely made it back in one piece.”

Shin'ō stepped forward, hand raised. “I have an idea... I think I can make a portal.”

Helwin grinned, ice gathering faintly at his fingertips. “Go on. Make it. I’m ready.”

Shin'ō focused. Energy crackled across his palm. The air in front of his hand shimmered, distorted…

A sound like glass shattering echoed out.

The space itself broke open, forming a portal of flickering edges. Through it, they could see the ruins of the city—familiar rubble and dust awaiting their return.

Shin'ō thinking while looking at his right arm"What was that? It felt like my hand cracked open... and I feel… lighter?"

Audaxor adjusting his glases said “Fascinating…”
Jovino already grabbing a backpack. “Well that was quick. Let’s go, guys!”

They stepped through the portal, one by one.

Back in the city, the air still hung heavy with the aftermath of their previous battle. Broken walls, scattered debris, and the lingering scent of ash welcomed them.

Jovino knelt and moved aside the remains of the fallen obelisk with his stone magic. The others began searching through the rubble.

Minutes passed.

And then—

Helwin calling out to the gang, like an miner who found a gem. “Guys! We hit gold!”

In his hands, a glowing shard. Octahedral in shape. Runes etched deeply along its surface. A soft, bluish glow pulsed like a slow heartbeat.

Audaxor placing it in a wooden box. “Let’s take this back and place it inside the Tower.”

The group returned through the portal. The old man stood waiting, sipping tea calmly.

As soon as the portal closed, a jolt of pain surged through Shin'ō’s arm.

Cracks shot across his right hand, turning pitch black. The lines pulsed with magic, like veins made of ink and light. The marks scared his arm making jagged turns like lightning. “Ah—shit, my hand!”

Bezkon, running towards him. “Bro, you good?! That… doesn’t look right!”

Shin'ō gritted his teeth, clutching his wrist. “I’m fine... it’s okay…”

Shin'ō thinking. "That’s what happens when you use too much power..." He bandaged his hand, looking at it with dread and worry. 

The others started to work on the tower...

The shard was placed into a chamber within the Tower’s heart. As soon as it touched the foundation—

The structure pulsed with light.

The energies of the shard merged with the powers already infused into the tower.

Then suddenly—!

The topmost spire broke off with a sudden snap—but didn’t fall. It hovered, circling the Tower like a moon around a planet.

It's shape changed, becoming like the shard that powered it.

It glowed a soft orange from within, dark like the night sky, and beautiful.

The shard had been enchanted with gravity magic.

The Tower had changed once again.

And now, it was truly complete.

To be continued...