By the time they reached the outer ridges of the Ashvine Ruins, the sun was barely a whisper behind the clouds. The skies above Proxy territory were always gray, as if even the heavens feared casting light where shadows ruled.
Eli walked in silence.
The others had fallen into a casual rhythm—Mira scouting ahead, Jericho keeping their rear tight, and Cael practically humming with excitement as he inspected the Thread Core nestled in his reinforced satchel.
But Eli… something wasn't right.
---
The Itch Beneath the Skin
It started as a tingle on his back.
Then heat.
Then pressure—like something was clawing its way out through his spine.
Eli stumbled slightly.
"You okay?" Mira asked, noticing his stagger.
"Yeah," Eli lied. "Just a little tired."
She didn't buy it, but she didn't press either.
Jericho glanced at them both. "We should rest soon. If Proxy patrols catch us dragging, we're screwed."
Cael waved his hand, eyes still glued to the core. "Relax, we're fine. This thing probably masks our signal anyway—it's ancient tech. Proxy scanners won't even know we're here."
He was wrong.
---
Far Behind Them
Miles away, on a cracked overlook, a single figure stood motionless—cloaked in crimson and silver, visor glowing faintly blue.
An elite Proxy Warden.
She tapped her communicator.
"Thread signature confirmed. Level three fluctuation. One wielder. Artifact recovered. Tracking initiated."
The winds shifted as she vanished without a sound.
---
Back at Camp
They settled in a decayed transit station, long-abandoned and partially collapsed. Cael immediately began scanning the orb's frequency while Mira and Jericho took turns sleeping.
Eli sat by the fire, hunched over, sweat forming along his brow despite the cold air.
Mira approached quietly. "You've been quiet since we left the ruins."
Eli hesitated. "Do you believe in… curses?"
She raised a brow. "No. But I believe in energy corruption. Artifact exposure. Why?"
Eli turned, lifting his shirt slightly.
A faint glyph glowed just below his right shoulder blade—three concentric circles wrapped in lines, pulsing softly like a heartbeat.
Mira's eyes narrowed. "That wasn't there before."
"I know."
"Did it hurt?"
"It didn't stop hurting."
Cael overheard and sprinted over. "Wait—show me again!"
Mira stepped aside as Eli sat forward.
Cael gasped. "That's a Nexus Mark."
Jericho stirred. "A what now?"
Cael spoke with reverence. "They're rumored to be left by the cores themselves… marks given only to those the ancient systems recognize as… compatible."
Eli blinked. "What does that even mean?"
"It means," Cael said, almost giddy, "you're not just a Threadlight user anymore. You're something more."
---
The Signal
Suddenly, Eli felt the pressure spike. The glyph on his back flared bright red.
Everyone froze.
A warning tone shrieked from Cael's scanner.
Jericho was already grabbing his rifle. "Talk to me."
Cael's face turned pale. "They've locked on. Someone's here."
A second later, the ground beneath them shook.
Then a voice echoed from the shadows.
"I've come for the Core… and the one it chose."
The Warden stepped into view—silver-bladed staff in hand, her eyes glowing like twin flames behind her visor.