"Instant noodles. Man, I miss instant noodles," Kenji grumbled, shivering as a frigid gust of wind whipped through the mountain pass.
He pulled his threadbare jacket tighter around him. He tried to ignore the gnawing emptiness in his stomach.
"Who knew saving the world involved so much hiking and so little actual food? This Eldrin better have some kind of magical ramen maker."
His bitter humor was a desperate attempt to ignore the biting cold and the gnawing anxiety in his gut.
Leaving the city had been a nightmare. Lyra guided him with soft, almost telepathic whispers that only he could hear.
She led him through a maze of old subway tunnels, empty service lines, and forgotten drains. He squeezed through pipes made for water, not people.
"This is embarrassing," he muttered.
He scaled crumbling walls like a spider. His agility tested his physical limits. The steady hum of Enforcer drones and the bright searchlights reminded him of his bounty.
Patrols rushed by, adding to his tension.
"Remember the old service access point, Kenji. To your left, beneath the third grate"
"It leads to the old maintenance tunnels," Lyra said. Her calm voice echoed, bringing him comfort in the cramped space.
He'd grit his teeth, muscles aching, and obey, trusting the disembodied lore master.
Now, deep in the northern mountains, the air was thin and biting, filled with the scent of pine and damp earth. His once-dependable urban stealth was useless here.
The wind seemed to howl his presence, and every snapping twig underfoot felt like a gunshot.
He'd packed light water, a few protein bars he'd managed to find, and Grima's journal.
The journey was a constant battle, both external and internal. The land itself felt… off. Twisted trees with gnarled branches reached for the sky. Sometimes, he'd spot faint, iridescent moss on rocks, growing in odd patterns.
These were subtle signs of the spreading Corruption, even in this place. He even encountered a pack of wolves, their eyes glowing with a faint, malevolent green. They were faster, more aggressive than normal.
He didn't use Shadowfang. Lyra had cautioned against it.
"Every time you use power, especially to destroy, it feeds your Corruption, Kenji. So, use only what you need and do it with control."
He relied on precision Void Bolts to knock the wolves away without harming them. This made them scatter.
He then took a careful Shadow Step to move away from their lingering corruption. He felt the cold hum of his Shadow Brand in the blighted areas.
It was a chilling reminder of the enemy inside.
"The Blight whispers, Kenji. "It promises strength and ease, an end to your suffering," Lyra's voice echoed in his mind as he crossed the dangerous, icy ridge.
"It magnifies your doubt, your fear."
He felt it. A strong urge to jump rises up. want to let go and unleash a massive Death's Embrace.
dream of incinerating the whole mountain range. just want to end the ache, the pressure, and the fear of losing control. The thought was tempting, insidious.
He slammed his fist into his leg, forcing the clarity back.
"No! Not like this. Never like this."
He focused on his breath, on the burning pain in his calves, on the image of Hana, safe in the city he was protecting.
He spent days pushing through the wilderness, relying on his now incredible stamina. He'd sometimes see other powered people. There were groups of Game Borns.
You could easily spot them. Their flashy elemental attacks stood out as they explored distant peaks. Awakeners also caught his eye. They had raw, uncontrolled energy bursts while hunting mutated wildlife.
He could never reach them directly. He caught snippets of their chat in the wind:
"…the Phantom Protector… still loose… Enforcers are furious…" and "…Corruption getting worse in the lowlands… seen some nasty things…"
Their words only fueled his grim resolve. They were fighting battles they didn't understand. He was carrying the core of the war.
As he ascended higher, the air grew thinner, the cold more biting.
He could feel a new energy in the mountains, distinct from the subtle creep of the Corruption.
It was pure, bright, almost painful in its intensity. It made his Shadow Brand pulse and throb, a deep, uncomfortable ache.
"We are close," Lyra's voice resonated in his mind, tinged with a rare note of anticipation.
"The Lumina energy grows stronger. It is Eldrin's influence. And the ancient temple's defenses."
He pushed on, his muscles screaming, his lungs burning. He climbed a steep rock face. His fingers found a good hold, and his strong grip stayed firm.
He felt less like Kenji and more like a creature made for this harsh world. His senses were sharp, and his movements were primal.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he crested a final, jagged ridge. Below him, nestled in a secluded, snow-dusted valley, a structure shimmered faintly.
It was an old temple. Its smooth, white stone walls had detailed carvings of light and purity.
It gave off a bright, almost blinding light.
This strong energy vibrated through the ground below him.
The Shadow Brand on his hand flared, a deep, unsettling burn that made his teeth clench.
He spotted a lone figure below, dressed in white robes. They tended to a patch of plants that glowed with a golden light, even in the cold mountain air.
It was Eldrin.
He stood with an austere grace, his back to Kenji, radiating an aura of serenity and immense power. His presence alone was a bulwark against the creeping dark.
Kenji sank to his knees, utterly exhausted, yet unable to tear his eyes away. The light energy felt intense, a sharp contrast to the darkness inside him.
It was beautiful, terrifying, and utterly alien.
"Here we go," he rasped, his voice dry and hoarse.
"The darkness meets the light. I hope he's more understanding than he looks… because if he's not, this journey was for nothing. And then... what?"
He looked at his Shadow Brand, which felt like a burning ember under his skin.
"I'm not sure if he'll save me, or simply... purify me out of existence."