Master of divine shards

The corridor beyond the guardian's chamber was unlike anything they had encountered before. The walls were smooth, polished obsidian that reflected the faint glow of the fragments in eerie, distorted patterns. A faint, rhythmic pulse resonated through the air, as if the spire itself was alive.

Eren walked ahead, his strides purposeful but unsteady. The fragments' glow pulsed erratically, and his hand trembled as it gripped the hilt of his sword.

"Eren, wait," Kael called out, his voice edged with concern.

Eren paused, barely glancing over his shoulder. "We don't have time for delays."

Kael caught up to him, stepping into his path. "This isn't about delays. You're pushing yourself too far. You're losing control."

"I'm fine," Eren snapped, his voice sharp. "If it weren't for me, we wouldn't have made it this far."

"And if you keep this up, we won't make it any farther," Kael shot back. "You're not invincible, Eren."

Liora stepped between them, her tone measured but firm. "Both of you, stop. We can't afford to fight each other." She turned to Eren, her eyes softening. "We're with you, but you have to let us help."

Eren's gaze flickered between them, his expression conflicted. Finally, he let out a frustrated sigh and turned away. "Let's keep moving."

---

The Labyrinth of Echoes

The group entered a vast, circular chamber that seemed to defy logic. The walls spiraled upward into darkness, and every sound they made echoed back in distorted whispers. Strange symbols glowed faintly on the floor, their meaning indecipherable but ominous.

"This place feels... wrong," Liora murmured, her fingers tightening around her bow.

"It's a maze," Kael observed, his eyes scanning the chamber. "The symbols might be a map or a trap."

Eren ignored them, stepping onto the glowing floor. The symbols pulsed brighter, and the air grew heavy.

"Eren, stop!" Liora called out, but it was too late.

The chamber shuddered, and the floor shifted beneath their feet. Walls of black stone rose around them, forming an intricate labyrinth. The symbols on the floor flickered and disappeared, leaving them surrounded by darkness.

"Well, that's not good," Kael muttered.

---

A Trial of the Mind

The group pressed forward cautiously, their senses on high alert. The labyrinth was disorienting, its twisting corridors blending into one another. The oppressive hum of the spire grew louder, echoing through the walls like a heartbeat.

"This isn't just a maze," Liora said, her voice low. "It's testing us."

"Testing what?" Kael asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"Our resolve," Eren answered, his voice distant.

As they turned a corner, they came face-to-face with a figure that stopped them in their tracks. It was Eren—but not as they knew him. This version of him was clad in shadow, his eyes glowing with the same light as the fragments.

"You'll fail," the shadow-Eren said, his voice a chilling echo. "You're weak, divided. You can't save anyone."

Eren stepped forward, his sword at the ready. "Get out of my way."

The shadow laughed, a hollow, mocking sound. "You can't escape what you are. The fragments have already claimed you."

The shadow lunged, and the chamber erupted into chaos.

---

Confronting the Shadows

Eren clashed with his doppelgänger, their swords meeting in a blinding clash of light and dark. The shadow's movements mirrored his own, each strike precise and relentless.

Kael and Liora found themselves facing shadows of their own—distorted versions of themselves, their weapons dripping with black ichor.

"You've always doubted yourself," Kael's shadow sneered, its voice dripping with malice. "Always second-guessing. You're nothing without them."

Kael gritted his teeth and swung his greatsword, the force of his strike shattering the illusion. "I don't have time for this."

Liora's shadow circled her, its eyes gleaming. "You can't save everyone. You'll fail, just like you failed before."

Liora's hands trembled, but she steadied herself and fired an arrow straight through the shadow's heart. "Not this time."

Eren's fight with his shadow grew fiercer, the fragments in his possession glowing brighter with each strike. The whispers in his mind intensified, urging him to give in, to unleash their full power.

"You're nothing without us," the shadow hissed.

Eren roared, his blade cutting through the shadow in a burst of light. The echoes of its laughter lingered as it faded into nothingness.

---

The Maze's Core

With the shadows defeated, the labyrinth began to dissolve, the walls crumbling into ash. The group found themselves in another chamber, this one dominated by a massive, glowing sphere of energy suspended above an ornate pedestal.

"The fragment," Eren said, his voice a mix of awe and desperation.

Liora stepped forward cautiously. "Wait. Something's wrong. It's too easy."

Kael scanned the chamber, his grip tightening on his sword. "She's right. This feels like a trap."

Eren ignored them, his eyes fixed on the fragment. He stepped toward it, his hand outstretched.

As his fingers brushed the sphere, the chamber trembled violently. The sphere shattered, releasing a surge of energy that knocked them all off their feet.

When the light faded, a figure stood where the fragment had been. Tall and cloaked in black, its face obscured by a mask of bone, the figure radiated an aura of overwhelming power.

"Malrik," Liora whispered, her voice trembling.

The dark lord's voice was cold and mocking. "You've come far, but your journey ends here."

Eren staggered to his feet, his sword glowing. "We're not afraid of you."

Malrik chuckled, the sound reverberating through the chamber. "You should be."