Crackling Shards Novels & Stories

It was time to move on. The Shadows convulsed and oozed towards the urn with a ravenous intensity. But before I could change my mind, they engulfed it… shattering it into 1,000 pieces. Silver and black shards exploded into the air, piercing my chest and scattering across the room like a dark, malevolent rain. I fell to my knees as my heart shattered, once again, the shards piercing my very soul. I clasped my hand over my heart, struggling to draw breath, and fought to stem the tide of tears that threatened to overwhelm me.

More light exploded from my hand. The Heir didn’t move. Not an inch. It pressed its whole palm against the shield— BOOM. The world shuddered. The dirt trembled. The sky flickered. The air cracked. The ruins shook. My heart nearly jumped out of me. A sound like glass cracking filled the air. Spiderweb cracks raced across the shield— Across the ground— Across the sky— Across everything— And then my breath caught because I realized: It wasn’t the shield cracking. It was the whole world.

The world slows into dreadful inevitability as the glass jug and mug slip from the platter, tumbling earthward with no hope of rescue. Shatter. The crash rings out, sharp and merciless, glass exploding into fragments across the polished floor. My eyes widen as the mess glitters beneath me, shards scattered like dangerous jewels. “Jesus, what the fuck,” I whisper harshly, the words trembling out before I can stop them. I spin toward him, anger rising swift and hot in my chest. “What the hell was that?”

The glass shattered instantly, splintering into a thousand jagged shards that rained to the floor with a series of sharp, clicking sounds. "I'm coming for you, Rebecca Belmont," I hushed and then grinned slowly.

A shriek that rakes the marrow from my bones, bending the horizon like a blade. I spin toward the sound— And freeze. They’re crawling out of the cracks. Dozens of them. Then hundreds. Things made of bone and void, their limbs bent at angles that make my stomach lurch. Skin stretched too thin over frames too long. Empty sockets burning with something not-fire, not-shadow—just hunger. Their claws scrape against the broken glass of the plain as they drag themselves free, one after another, their mouths yawning wide enough to split their skulls. Gods.

He suddenly lifted his hand, gripping the shard tightly, and hurled it forcefully toward the Grail! “Jim!!” A collective shout erupted. People lunged instinctively, desperate to stop him—but it was already too late. The shard struck the Grail with a resonant, metallic hum, a sound like metal and stone splitting, vibrating through the entire hall with an almost tangible force. In the very next moment— The Grail blazed to life. Brilliant light erupted from the fractured lines, each crack sealing as if centuries of dust and wear were rolling backward in an instant. A surge of overwhelming, mystical energy rippled outward. The very air seemed to warp and stretch, forcing everyone to instinctivel

Mike shouted, blocking an attack from one of the remnants. I reached the pedestal and hesitated for only a moment before grabbing the shard. Its energy surged through me, cold and sharp, but I held on, focusing on the crystal in my pouch. The two shards reacted immediately, their energies clashing in a violent burst of light. The remnants let out unearthly cries, their forms flickering and fading as the magic binding them began to unravel. “Keep going!” Zara called. “You’re breaking the connection!” I gritted my teeth, pouring all my focus into the crystal. The cavern trembled around us, cracks forming in the walls as the energy reached a fever pitch.

When he gave me the signal, we moved forward, slipping through the gap in the door and into the darkness. The inside of the warehouse was vast, a cavern of empty space and shadows. The only light came from a few flickering overhead bulbs, casting long, eerie shadows across the cracked concrete floor. I could hear the faint sound of footsteps echoing in the distance, but the place was mostly quiet. Too quiet.

The restraints on my wrist caused my back to be slammed onto the the metal pole behind me. "Fuck." I muttered as I slowly got back up. I wasn't going to give up. I heard two more gun shots and I started to get anxiety. My hands starting shaking and I couldn't even hold on to the heavy shackles because of how rapidly my hands were shaking. I took a deep breath and tried to calm my breathing. "He's not going to die, I'm not going to let that happen." I convinced myself. I squeezed my eyes shut and let a tear fall.

The sheer force of the supernatural energy rippled outward through the entire building. A loud crack echoed through the room, followed by the sound of shattering glass. The massive display case behind my back exploded into ten thousand tiny pieces, showering the floor in shards. The heavy crystal chandeliers above our heads shook violently, their long glass droplets raining down around us like frozen tears. Every single display case along the walls shattered simultaneously, covering the marble floor in glittering shards of glass and expensive diamonds. The lights in the showroom flickered twice and died completely, leaving the entire room in total darkness. The space was illuminated only by