The structure grew larger as we drew closer, silhouetted against the dense gloom of the Veil. It no longer seemed to simply float; it was anchored by masses of the same whirring crystals that littered the landscape, forming jagged pillars that connected the structure to the chaotic floor of the Veil. Its form was difficult to describe, an amalgamation of impossible geometry and organic growth, as if a cathedral of crystal and nightmare had merged. It pulsed with an internal light that was not the cold light of common crystals, but a warmer, but still haunting, glow, like a heart beating in the darkness. The roar of the Veil here was deafening, a chaotic chorus of hums, chirps, and unintelligible whispers that pounded against my ears and mind.
"By... by all the gods," Maelle murmured, her voice barely audible over the noise. "What is that?"
"According to some texts, the Source isn't just a place," Sciel said, his face pale from the intensity of the Veil. "But a... manifestation. A concentration of the very essence of the Painter and the Veil."
"Is this the Fountain, then?" Gustave asked, his eyes fixed on the structure. His posture was one of preparation, but also of awe at the magnitude of what was before us.
"It could be," I replied, my mouth dry with tension. "Or at least... it's intrinsically connected to it. The rhythm of the Veil... is stronger here than anywhere else. More chaotic, but also... more defined. As if all the currents lead to this point."
The final stretch toward the structure was the most difficult to navigate yet. The rhythm of the Veil constantly changed, twisting, trying to evade my perception. It was as if the structure itself was defending itself, attempting to disorient anyone who approached. I had to concentrate to the limit, my head throbbing with the effort, my mind feeling stretched to the point of breaking. My companions followed close behind, trusting me completely, their faces pale from the strain and the sensory bombardment of the dense Veil.
The crystalline formations around us grew larger, more aggressive in their growth, some with sharp edges that we had to carefully avoid. They seemed to vibrate with the same pulsing energy as the central structure.
Then the roar of the Veil seemed to coagulate. From within the masses of crystal and shadow, figures emerged. They were not the mindless husks, not even Echoes. They were twisted entities, composed of crystal and Veil energy, with vaguely humanoid forms, but sharp limbs and faces that were only clusters of shimmering light. Guardians. Created or called by the structure itself to protect it.
There were three of them. They moved with unnatural speed and grace, gliding over the crystals as if they were part of them. The rhythm I felt coming from them wasn't that of a living being, but a cold, artificial pulse, perfectly synchronized with the roar of the Veil.
"Guardians!" Gustave shouted, drawing his sword. "Get ready!"
The fight raged amid the sensory bombardment of the dense Veil and the roar of the structure. These enemies were different. Their attacks didn't have the same predictable rhythm as the Ferocious or the husks. They moved and attacked unpredictably, their crystalline forms shifting slightly as they struck, making my combat intuition harder to apply.
I had to rely more on direct observation and instinctive reaction, combining my sense of timing with the need to adapt to their unnatural movements. One of the Guardians slithered toward me, its bladed crystal arm raised to strike. I felt the momentum of its attack, a cold throb in the rhythm of the Veil, rather than the muscle movement I would have felt in a living enemy. I dodged to the side, the air whirring where my head had been an instant before. I launched a swift counterattack, my blade meeting its crystalline form with a sickening screech.
Gustave struggled against the larger Guardian, his strength tested against the crystal creature's stone-hard resistance. Maelle used her grapple to deflect blows and search for openings, while Sciel tried to aim his crossbow at the weak points, which on these Guardians seemed to be the brightest concentrations of light on their bodies. Lune fired arrows with astonishing accuracy despite the difficulty of aiming in the pulsating gloom of the Fade.
The combat was intense, a struggle against beings who seemed to possess neither pain nor fear, driven only by the desire to protect the structure. The Veil's roar seemed to grow louder with every blow, with every screech of glass against metal. It was exhausting, my senses overloaded by the noise and the pulsing light.
Finally, we managed to bring them down. One by one, the Guardians crumbled into clumps of inert crystal and dissipated energy, the hum of their forms diminishing into nothingness. I gasped, my body aching, my mind exhausted from the dual effort of fighting and, at the same time, trying to maintain some minimal perception of the Veil's rhythm so as not to get lost or be fooled by illusions.
We regrouped, our faces marked by exertion and relief. We were covered in glass dust and sweat. But we had made it. We had overcome the Guardians and reached the base of the structure.
Before us loomed the imposing mass of crystal and its impossible shape. The hum here was almost unbearable, but beneath it, I could feel the rhythm of the structure itself. It was a slow, powerful pulse, resonating in the earth (or what passed for earth in this place). It wasn't chaotic like the Veil around it, but singular, focused, filled with a latent energy.
There was an opening at the base, dark and enigmatic. It looked like an entrance. No door, just an irregular arch formed by the same crystals that made up the structure. The footprints we'd followed from the forgotten path and through Veridia... if they belonged to someone searching for the Source, this was probably where they were headed.
We looked at each other. The road had been long and dangerous. We had overcome the ghost city and navigated the densest Veil Roads, faced illusions and crystal guardians. It had all led us to this point. The structure. Possibly, the Fountain's Antechamber. Or the Fountain itself.
Mystery and danger loomed over the dark entrance. What or who awaited us inside? Could they be answers... or a final trap?
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