Leon sprinted through the fractured temple as dimensional instability deepened. Every step sent flickers of light and shadow curling at the edges of his vision. The Codex pulsed against his chest, glowing faintly, guiding him through layers of warped stone and suspended platforms. Time stuttered in broken loops as the Tear Wyrm's screeches echoed behind him.
Selira's voice whispered urgently through the Codex link. "Three turns ahead. Then drop into the breach-tunnel. Don't hesitate. The Core's just beyond."
The Wyrm howled again, and this time, the sound tugged at reality. Pillars of stone folded into each other like pages in a book. A distant roar sounded behind him, but Leon didn't look back. If he looked back, he'd falter.
He reached the breach-tunnel—a glowing crevice in the temple's base that pulsed like a beating heart. Without hesitation, he dove in.
It was like falling through memory.
Flashes hit him: childhood failures, the ruin of his research lab, the moment Earth cracked in the sky. He clenched his teeth. The breach amplified regret. He'd been warned.
Selira's voice broke through again, steadier now. "Ignore the reflections. Focus on the present. Anchor to the Codex."
Leon gasped as he landed on a floating platform. The breach-tunnel ended in a massive chamber—a hollow void surrounded by cyclopean mechanisms and rotating rings inscribed with radiant glyphs.
The Anchor core hovered at the center. Unstable and flickering in and out like a fire that was about to be snuffed out.
A web of corrupted mana lashed out toward it like living chains. The Tear Wyrm had extended part of itself into the room—slender tendrils of light and shadow twitching at the edges.
Selira stood waiting, bloodied but alive. Her silver hair clung to her face, and her blade dripped with steaming ichor. "You're here. Good. I can't hold them off much longer."
"Then let's finish this."
Leon stepped onto the central dais. The Codex flared, responding to the Anchor's frequency.
[System: Anchor Core Synchronization Available]
Warning: Dimensional Pressure Unstable. Initiate at Risk.
Selira dropped into a crouch beside him, blocking a surge of energy that whipped toward them. "We don't have time for doubts. Just do it."
Leon placed his hand on the Anchor Core. Instantly, searing light flooded his vision. His body convulsed as the Core's pulse merged with his own Dominion signature. Reality buckled.
[Codex Sync Initiated: Anchor Core Integration in Progress]
Stability Rising: 11.3%... 13.2%... 16.7%...
A shriek tore through the chamber. The Wyrm's real body crashed through the ceiling—its mouth lined with interdimensional teeth. Its wings spread, blotting the air.
Selira screamed, "Leon!"
Leon roared back as his Dominion flared, golden threads forming protective rings around the Core. He could feel the system now, not just reading it but grasping its flow, its living pulse. The Tear Wyrm lunged.
And met resistance.
A barrier of pure Dominion pulsed from Leon's body, woven from his soul and the Codex's design.
[Anchor Pulse Unlocked]
System Stability: 23.4%... 29.8%...
The chamber brightened. The glyph rings spun faster. The chains of corrupted mana were unraveling.
Selira threw her last knife at the Wyrm's eye, buying a split second. Enough.
Leon pushed deeper. He wasn't just channeling Dominion; he was negotiating with the Anchor itself—understanding its need to stabilize, its rejection of corrupted threads. The process seared his consciousness, like soldering concepts into his soul. Each spike of pain tore a memory from his mind, repurposed as fuel to feed the integration.
He saw glimpses of others—previous Anchor-Bearers—some lost, some victorious. Their wills lingered faintly in the Anchor's core. One, a woman cloaked in stormlight, whispered a warning: "If you fall here, all falls with you."
Leon clenched his fists tighter against the core. He gritted his teeth as mana stormed around him. Blood trickled from his nose and ears, but he refused to give in.
[Anchor Core Claimed: Eastern Arc-Vector Nexus Stabilized]
System Update Complete. Reality Thread Secured. Breach Sealed.
The Wyrm screamed once more before being dragged back into the collapsing tear. Light flared. Space cracked.
And then—silence.
Leon collapsed to one knee, panting. Selira limped to his side. "You did it."
"No," he said between breaths. "We did."
The chamber's glow dimmed. The Core pulsed steadily. Safe—for now.