The frozen gale shrieked across the broken face of the Obsidian Depths. Blackened stone splinters protruded from the ground like bones from the titans of old, their slick surface robed in frost. Glinting shadows danced between the cracks, whispering allurements of power and desperation.
Otoku braced himself at the rim of the Maw, his silver hair streaming about his visage. The Codex hummed weakly at his hip, its leather cover vibrating with void force. He felt it—a tear in the Veil. The air rippled with uncrafted magic, bending space about it.
Arthelia came from behind, her blindfold trembling a little as if it was reacting to the energies. "The Aetherian Keystone is somewhere in here," she whispered. Her tone was gentle, almost hushed, with an undertone of fear. "We claim it, we seal the Fracture."
Otoku did not shift his gaze from the Maw. "And what if we fail?"
There was a weighty pause. "Then the Fractures will propagate. Ashveil falls."
A rumble growled at his feet as Noctis stepped out of the darkness, his void-black fur quivering with hints of void-light. The wolf looked into Otoku's eyes, a silent nod. They had weathered worse.
Otoku nodded, his fingers tightening on the Codex. "Then we don't fail."
Without hesitation, he stepped forward, the darkness of the Maw engulfing him. The fall was steep and unrelenting, walls slippery with obsidian glass. Arcane glyphs glowed softly along the surface, illuminating his way in shades of violet and indigo. They flared as he moved through them, responding to the presence of the Codex.
Arthelia trailed behind, palms skimming the walls, sensing the resonance of old magic. "It's... alive," she breathed.
"Not alive," Otoku corrected, his voice rebounding off the stone. "Bound."
They pushed deeper, darkness thickening, whispers increasing. Faces flashed in the stone—twisted, deformed, wailing in silence. Otoku pushed onward, pushing aside the lure of their pain. He'd seen worse. He'd survived worse.
At the center of the Maw, the passage led to a great chamber. Its roof curved far above, vanishing in darkness. In its midst, suspended upon an ethereal web of chains, hung the Aetherian Keystone. Its face was translucent, with sweeps of violet and blue arcs, pulsating in rhythm with Otoku's own heartbeat.
Arthelia breathed in wonder, recoiling instinctively. "It's...lovely."
Otoku's gaze narrowed. "It's a trap."
From the darkness, figures began to emerge—wraithlike, their forms shifting and flickering. Their eyes glowed with the same light as the Keystone, and whispers grew louder, forming words that scraped against Otoku's mind.
"Bound to the Loop... chained to eternity... release us."
Arthelia staggered, clutching her head. "Their voices... they're trapped!"
Otoku moved forward, Codex clutched in his hand. The pages flailed wildly, symbols bleeding red. He lifted his hand, mouthing a spell beneath his breath. Shadows began to pool about his feet, oozing up his legs before curling toward the wraiths.
"Your chains are not mine to shatter," he whispered, voice firm. "But I shall put an end to your torment."
The wraiths shrieked—an otherworldly cacophony—without shape or form as shadows devoured them, rending their bodies apart. The whispers stopped, and the room was silent.
Arthelia's breathing returned to normal. "What did you do?"
Otoku dropped his hand, the shadows dissolving. "Gave them peace."
He turned his eyes back to the Aetherian Keystone. "Now, we conclude."
He stepped up to the chains, hand extended, darkness licking at his fingers. The Codex thrummed with energy, its power blending with his own. In a soft murmur of incantation, the chains broke apart, and the Keystone dropped into his hand, humming with pent potential.
The room shook, walls splitting as raw magic flooded the depths. Otoku glanced over his shoulder at Arthelia, eyes burning with intent.
"It's time we close this Fracture. Ashveil awaits."
Taking the Keystone with them, they started their climb, darkness swirling behind them.