The Wastes greeted them at dawn with an eerie stillness. The air was thick, heavy with the faint hum of unseen forces. Arin adjusted his tattered cloak, his hand brushing against the shard embedded in his chest. Its whispers were quieter this morning, as if it knew what lay ahead.

"The sanctum is two days’ journey," Meera said, breaking the silence. She pointed to the jagged spires on the horizon. "We’ll pass through the Shrouded Chasm first. After that, it’s a straight path to the Obsidian Arch, where the sanctum is hidden."

Arin nodded, his jaw set. "Let’s move."

The Shrouded Chasm

The chasm appeared by mid-afternoon, a vast canyon carved into the earth. Mist poured from its depths, swirling in unnatural patterns. The air was colder here, and the faint hum of the Abyss was almost a roar.

"This place isn’t natural," Arin muttered.

Meera gave him a grim smile. "Nothing in the Wastes is."

As they descended into the chasm, the mist thickened, clinging to their skin like damp cloth. Arin felt the shard stir, its whispers returning, insidious and taunting.

This place is power. It could be yours.

"Quiet," Arin growled, earning a wary glance from Meera.

The path wound steeply downward, the jagged rocks slick with moisture. Shadows danced at the edges of Arin’s vision, their forms indistinct but unsettlingly humanoid.

"Don’t look too long," Meera warned. "The shadows here feed on attention. Ignore them, and they’ll ignore you."

It was easier said than done. The deeper they went, the more the shadows seemed to press in, their whispers blending with those of the shard.

By the time they reached the chasm floor, Arin’s head throbbed with the effort of keeping his focus. The mist was so thick now that he could barely see Meera a few paces ahead.

"This way," she said, her voice muffled.

As they moved, the ground beneath them began to shift. The rocks trembled, and a low rumble echoed through the chasm.

"Something’s coming," Arin said, instinctively drawing on his shadows.

The mist parted suddenly, revealing a massive figure emerging from the darkness. It was a golem, its body formed from the blackened stone of the chasm. Its eyes glowed an eerie green, the same hue as the shard’s light.

"Abyssal guardian," Meera hissed, unsheathing her blade. "It protects the sanctum’s path."

The golem roared, the sound reverberating through the chasm. It charged, its massive fists smashing into the ground.

"Split up!" Meera shouted, darting to the side.

Arin moved instinctively, his shadows wrapping around him as he dodged the golem’s strike. The shard pulsed, its power surging.

Use me. Unleash me.

"No!" Arin growled, forcing the shadows to his will. They lashed out, striking the golem’s arm and shattering a chunk of stone.

The beast retaliated, swinging its massive fist toward him. Arin barely avoided the blow, the force of it sending him sprawling.

Meera darted in, her blade carving a deep gouge into the golem’s leg. It staggered, but only briefly.

"It’s too strong," she called out. "We need to—"

Before she could finish, the golem slammed the ground, sending a shockwave that knocked them both off their feet.

The Shard’s Awakening

Arin groaned, his vision swimming. The golem loomed over him, its glowing eyes fixed on its prey. The shard flared, its whispers deafening.

Let me in. Let me save you.

For a moment, Arin hesitated. He could feel the power, so close, so easy to take. But then he saw Meera, struggling to rise, blood streaking her face.

"No," he said through gritted teeth. "I’m in control."

Focusing every ounce of his will, Arin drew on the shard—but only as much as he dared. The shadows surged around him, forming a massive, jagged spear.

The golem roared, raising its fist for a final strike. Arin hurled the spear with all his might. It struck the beast in the chest, piercing its core.

The golem froze, its body cracking and crumbling. With a final, shuddering roar, it collapsed into a heap of rubble.

The Weight of Power

Arin staggered to his feet, the shadows receding. The shard’s whispers were quieter now, almost… satisfied.

Meera approached him, her expression a mix of relief and wariness. "You controlled it," she said. "Barely, but you did."

Arin didn’t reply. He could still feel the shard’s power coursing through him, a constant, gnawing presence.

"Let’s keep moving," he said finally.

Meera nodded, though her eyes lingered on him for a moment longer than usual.

As they climbed out of the chasm, Arin couldn’t shake the feeling that the shard was testing him. Every time he used its power, it became harder to pull back, harder to remember who he was.

The sanctum was close now, but so was the Abyss.