The air in the cavern still hung heavy with the scent of black smoke and crystal dust after the battle with the Phantom Stalkers. Lucas and Elara stood facing each other, the light from the Nexus Crystal illuminating their figures, highlighting their stark contrasts and shared potential. Lucas exhaled, exhaustion washing over him as his energy reserves dwindled.
"So, what do we do next, Crystal Warrior?" Lucas asked, his voice regaining its calm. He knew he'd just fought for his life, but his curiosity about the secrets he'd just uncovered was greater than his fear.
Elara stepped forward, her gaze resting on the pitch-black scar on Lucas's palm. "You activated the Nexus Crystal to a degree I've never seen," she said, her tone a mix of astonishment and reluctant admiration. "That ability... it far surpasses what a Crystal Warrior can do." She lightly touched the Nexus Crystal, and the massive formation pulsed faintly. "It's calling to you, Lucas. And it's calling to others, too."
Lucas frowned. "Others? Who are you talking about?"
Elara turned to face him, her expression still grim beneath her hood. "Those who have hunted the power of the Great Collapse for a very long time. They are human, or at least they once were." Her voice dropped. "There are organizations that believe they can control and fully exploit the crystal's power, even intentionally reopening the Abyssal gates. And there are those who want to destroy all traces of the crystals to ensure the Great Collapse never happens again."
Lucas considered this. One side wanted to repeat the mistake, the other wanted complete annihilation. Both were extreme. "Which side are you on?" he asked bluntly.
Elara was silent for a moment, then shook her head slightly. "I only want to find the truth and prevent catastrophe. I believe only by truly understanding the Great Collapse can we truly protect this world." She looked deep into Lucas's eyes. "You are the key. Your ability can unveil secrets no one else can touch."
"So where do we go?" Lucas asked, feeling a strange pull from the memories he had just absorbed.
Elara gestured towards another dark passage in the mine, from which a weaker but very ancient crystal energy emanated. "This Nexus Crystal has awakened, and it has sent a far-reaching signal," she explained. "It's guiding us to another place, Crystal Catacombs located even deeper underground."
"Crystal Catacombs?"
"It's where the last Overlords tried to resist the Great Collapse, or perhaps where they buried their most terrible secrets," Elara said. "The Nexus Crystal is showing a strong connection to that place. We might find records, technology, or even another, more powerful Nexus Crystal there."
Lucas nodded. It made sense. His intuition, combined with fragmented memories, told him the same. He felt an inexplicable urge to go deeper, to learn more.
"But before we go, we need to prepare," Elara said, noticing Lucas's fatigued state and his wounds. "You fought bravely, but you need to recover. And we need to resupply."
"Resupply?" Lucas frowned. He was only used to scavenging whatever he could find.
"There's an Underground Settlement nearby, called The Deep," Elara said. "It's built by miners and Scavengers who don't want to live under Citadel control. They live outside the law, but it's also the only place where you can find unique things the Citadel doesn't have, or doesn't allow."
"Outside the law?" Lucas immediately felt uneasy. He didn't want to return to meaningless confrontations with other humans.
"What do you think, Scavenger? With the abilities you just displayed, do you think the Citadel will welcome you?" Elara smirked. "They'll see you as a threat, something corrupted and uncontrollable. The Deep might be dangerous, but at least there, power is everything. As long as you're strong enough, no one will dare touch you."
Lucas nodded, Elara's words forcing him to face the grim reality. New Harbor Citadel had its own rules, and someone like him, bearing the power of Abyssal Creatures, would surely be hunted or exploited. The Deep, though dangerous, could be a temporary refuge and a source of what they needed.
"Let's go," Lucas said. He looked back at the Nexus Crystal one last time. He was no longer alone on this journey. He had a mysterious Crystal Warrior by his side, and a new purpose guiding the way.
They turned back towards the mine's exit together. Lightning Hunter's group had vanished, likely having fled back to the Citadel, spreading tales of the "Man-Shaped Monster" they had witnessed. That meant Lucas and Elara's time in the open would be limited.
As Lucas stepped out of the mine entrance, the faint moonlight pierced through the dusty, murky clouds of the post-apocalyptic world, illuminating his face. He was no longer an anonymous Scavenger. He was a bearer of immense secrets, one who had awakened ancient forces, and now, he was stepping into a new journey, not just for survival, but to reshape the fate of a dying world.