Fractured Core

The ground trembled as, Uzrudos, loomed above them, its massive frame casting a dark shadow over Aiden and Mira. The molten rock that made up its body pulsed with an ominous glow. Its fiery eyes locked onto the two of them, each one a piercing beam of death, scanning for weakness.

Aiden's heart pounded in his chest. He could feel the heat of Uzrudos' body from here, like an inferno waiting to erupt. He glanced at Mira beside him. Her face was grim but determined. There was no turning back now.

"I'll try to create an opening," Mira urged. "Stay focused. We end this now."

Before Aiden could respond, she moved.

In a blink of a eye, Mira sprinted toward the Uzrudo with an incredible speed, her short sword gleaming in the dim light as she slashed at the air. She ducked under one of Uzrudos' massive arms, her body agile as a cat, she continued toward, Uzrudos lower body.

The ground shook with each step it took, but Mira moved with fluid precision, slipping between its attacks. She used the terrain, leaping off rocks, diving through gaps in its defenses. Her sword in her hand found its place on Uzrudo molten exterior once again, but this time, the damage was more significant, a jagged crack running along its chest.

Uzrudo's molten body pulsed violently as it decied to used its other weapon a large plasma cannon arm thag charged, crackling with searing energy. The air around Aiden grew stifling, the intense heat distorting his vision. Then, with a deafening roar, Uzrudo unleashed its Volcanic Barrage attack.

At that moment, spheres of fiery plasma orbs erupted from the cannon, streaking toward Aiden like miniature suns. Each one detonated on impact, sending molten shrapnel in every direction. Area became a battlefield of a storm of fire.

Aiden's instincts screamed at him to move. Before he could think, his body reacted…his legs burned with a sudden, unnatural speed. He shot forward, narrowly dodging an orb that incinerated the ground behind him. His feet barely touched the ground, his movements blurring as he weaved through the explosions.

It was what happened to him before fighting the Serpentine Wraith on the bridge just this time he was faster and body almost blurred.

But he was not fast enough.

A plasma orb burst just behind him, sent waves of shrapnel through the air. Aiden gasped as burning fragments slashed across his arm and side, pain flaring like fire in his veins. His breath hitched, but he gritted his teeth and forced himself forward, ignoring the searing wounds.

Mira's eyes widened as she saw Aiden move faster than humanly possible. "What the hell was that speed?" she muttered, barely able to keep up with his movements.

There was no time to question it. Uzrudo was already preparing to attack again. As he roared in anger, still its focus staying on Mira. Uzrudo swung its axe downward with terrifying speed, aiming to crush her.

Mira dove to the side just in time, the axe slamming into the ground with a thunderous shockwave. The air was charged with heat, and the blast sent Mira sprawling across the dirt.

"Aiden!" Mira shouted from the ground, struggling to get up. "Now!"

Aiden's heart raced as he understood the cue. He gritted his teeth and dashed toward the base of Uzrudo leg, dodging its flailing limbs as they crushed the ground around him. His mind raced, but there was no time for hesitation. The only chance they had was to work together.

As he approached, Aiden reached into his pocket and pulled out a bottle, filled with water he'd gathered earlier from the lake. It was something he planned to drink for replenishment.

The heat from Uzrudo made it evaporate almost immediately, but he hurled it at the Uzrudo lower leg, just before it could bring it down to crush him. The water splashed against its surface, sizzling as it made contact, but more importantly, it worked by creating a small, temporary gap between the armor and the skin beneath it.

Uzrudo roared in frustration as the water scalded its body, and it turned to face Aiden. It's fiery visor locked onto him, its movements slow but relentless. Aiden felt the heat radiating from the Uzrudos chest, but he didn't falter.

Mira, now recovered, took the opening Aiden had created. She sprinted forward again, this time targeting the base of Uzrudo chest, where the crack she had made earlier was most vulnerable.

With a powerful leap, she drove her short sword into the wound, pushing against the molten armor with everything she had. The blade dug deep into its flesh, but it wasn't enough to penetrate.

Aiden's eyes widened as he saw Mira struggling to gain leverage. Uzrudo head snapped toward her, and it raised its enormous hand to strike her down. He couldn't let that happen.

"Mira! Get down!" Aiden shouted, his mind racing. To find out how strong she was, but also how to finish this fight.

In a flash of instinct, Aiden launched himself toward Uzrudo body. He gritted his teeth and climbed up its leg, using the rocky surface as footholds. His heart pounded in his chest as he clambered up, adrenaline coursing through his veins. Uzrudo tried swiping at him with its massive arm, but Aiden narrowly avoided the blow, climbing faster.

"Mira!" Aiden yelled again. "I'm almost there!"

She nodded, her face streaked with sweat, but her focus never wavered. "Hurry!"

Aiden reached Uzrudo shoulder, breathing hard, his muscles screaming in protest. But he was too close to stop. From here, he could see its, glowing crystal damage core embedded in its chest, just below the surface of its molten armor. It was the Uzrudos weak point, the one thing that could bring it down.

Aiden looked down to Mira, who was still struggling against the Uzrudos attacks, trying to avoid the swings of its axe. She was only a few steps away from him now.

"I can't do this alone!" Aiden shouted, desperation in his voice.

Mira's eyes met his, understanding flashing across her face. Without a second's hesitation, she sprinted toward the base of Uzrudo chest, where the molten armor had been weakened. She made one last charge, using every ounce of strength she had left.

"Boost, now!" she called, her voice strained but clear.

Aiden didn't think twice. He really didnt know her plan, still he landed next to her she grabbbed him and swung him up, with all her might powerful boost him from its shoulder. Toward its core, time seemed to slow as he neared it, the blinding light from the core reflecting off his dagger's blade.

With one final scream of determination, Aiden plunged his dagger directly into the core.

A deafening explosion of heat and light erupted from the Uzrudo chest. The core shattered, and the it let out a terrible, screeching roar as it collapsed, its massive form crumbling to the ground in a heap of molten rock and twisted metal.

Aiden landed hard on the ground, breathless and battered, but alive. He struggled to push himself up, his muscles trembling from exhaustion. Mira was already standing beside him, as she saw him passed out.

"You did…all the exhaustion drained everything from you." She said faint smile tugging at her lips.

…

In a spacious room, polished metallic walls that shimmer faintly against embedded LED panels, casting a soft, sterile white glow. The ceiling is outfitted with hexagonal light fixtures that adjust brightness based on activity, creating a calm yet clinical atmosphere.

On a all white bed, Aiden was connected to a set of machines, that constantly monitored his body.

At that moment, his eyes fluttered opened, his blurs vision slowly cleared. He glanced around to see, his gaze setttled on a large circle pod resembling a glass capsule with a reinforced titanium frame. At the center of the room, it caused his heart to race.

Aiden's nostrils filled with the metallic scent of the air. His dry mouth tasted bitter. His pulse quickened. 'Where am I? Did they capture me? Am I some kind of test subject now?' Panic gnawed at his thoughts.

From all the horror movies, he watched there are secret rooms like these. That there mad scientist to cut open and inject people body, testing there own experiments.

As he say up, a cold sweat broke out as he heard the loud sound of beeping in his ears, he gaze sideways to see a heart rate montior. At that moment he heard a voice that made his heart skipped a abeat.

"Finally your awake."

Aiden head jerked to the source of the voice. His heart calmed down, he recognized the person.

"You're here to?" He asked, his gaze scanning Mira.

Mira walked to the side of Aiden, checking the machines he connected to. "How are you felling?" She asked.

"Where am I?"

Mira turned around scanning Aiden. "Your in back the real world, in our selection base."

"What happened? Did I pass the Trial of Judgment?"

Mira had images flashed in mind as she explained, after the defeat of Uzrudo, Ezekar appeared before her. Congratulating Aiden on passing, the trial as she also left out in her words of Ezekar, thanking Mira for helping out, as people are able to join and help, just that her combat prowess was lowered, to match up.

"Congratulations you are now an exodite." She said.

Aiden body slumped down relaxed. 'Ahh…I finally feel something but it'd disappeared already.'

He was happy on the inside about it just he wasn't able to show it outside, he didn't know that himself nor others. The thing is now that he returned to the real world.

I can return to my life with Maya and Kurt…I don't have fear death I maybe take then for granted.

Still, a seed of doubt lingered.

He had a plan, but first, he needed to know more about being an Exodite. "What now?"

Mira's hand hovered over Aiden's shoulder before she hesitated, pulling away. She turned and walked toward the exit.

Mira turned, pausing briefly at the door. "Rest for now. There's someone who wants to see you."

Aiden's heart clenched at the uncertainty in her voice. "Who?"

Mira hesitated, then simply said, "You'll find out soon enough."