The problem with wielding creation's most powerful artifacts? Everyone has an opinion on how you should use them.

  "We need to strike directly at the Dream Breaker!" Rex argued, his fur bristling with frustration. "Every moment we waste collecting more artifacts, it grows stronger!"

  "And get ourselves erased from existence?" said Zephyr Nightshade, the Sword of Division humming tensely in my grip. "These weapons are killing me just trying to control them!"

  Aria stood between us, the Blade of Twilight casting shadows that shouldn't exist. "We need to master what we have first," Aria insisted, though I felt her own impatience through our connection.

  The Dreamer's Crown pulsed on our shared consciousness, showing infinite possibilities - including many where rushing in got us all unmade.

  Luna's golden form flickered with concern. "The corruption is spreading faster than we can create new realities," Luna reported, her staff tracking the darkness. "But Rex isn't entirely wrong. We're running out of time."

  "Time?" The Architect materialized, his form unusually agitated. "You want to talk about time? I've watched this pattern before! Powerful beings thinking they can control forces beyond their understanding!"

  "Like you did?" Aria shot back, her predatory grin turning sharp. "When you created the original curse?"

  The temperature in the vault dropped several degrees.

  "Aria," said Zephyr Nightshade in warning, feeling her anger through our connection.

  "No," Aria pressed on, the Blade of Twilight responding to her emotions. "I'm tired of his cryptic warnings. You helped create this mess - maybe that's why you're so afraid of us actually fixing it!"

  The Architect's form darkened. "You know nothing of what I've seen, what I've sacrificed—"

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  "Enough!" Selene's power flared, forcing everyone back a step. "This is exactly what the Dream Breaker wants - division among allies."

  But the damage was done. Through our connection, I could feel Aria's frustration mixing with genuine concern. The artifacts were changing us, their power pushing us to extremes.

  "Maybe we should take a break," said Zephyr Nightshade, trying to calm the situation. "These weapons are affecting all of us—"

  "We don't have time for breaks!" Rex snarled. "Look!"

  The reality windows showed another dimension falling to corruption. But this time, it wasn't just any dimension - it was one we'd recently created, one we'd thought was immune to the Dream Breaker's influence.

  "It's learning," Luna whispered, her enhanced senses detecting the change. "Adapting to our creations."

  "Which is why we need the other artifacts," the Architect insisted, his form still rippling with barely contained emotion.

  "Or maybe," Aria suggested coldly, "we need to stop being afraid of the power we already have."

  The Blade of Twilight pulsed in agreement, while the Sword of Division resonated with warning. The Crown showed us visions of both victory and catastrophic failure.

  "These weapons," said Zephyr Nightshade, feeling the growing discord through our connection, "they're not just tools. They're changing how we think, how we feel—"

  "They're showing us the truth," Aria countered, her eyes reflecting twilight energy. "That sometimes you have to break rules to save everything."

  Rex moved closer to her position. "She's right. We have the power now. Why aren't we using it?"

  "Because power without wisdom destroys everything it touches," the Architect stated flatly. "Or have you forgotten what happened to the original dreamer?"

  Silence fell as his words hit home.

  Through our connection, I felt Aria's resolve waver slightly. The Crown showed us a new possibility - one where our own power became as dangerous as the threat we faced.

  "We need to stay together on this," said Zephyr Nightshade, reaching for her through our link. "Division is what—"

  A massive shock wave of corruption hit the vault, stronger than any before. Reality windows shattered as the Dream Breaker's darkness pressed closer.

  "Choose now," Rex demanded as the vault's defenses began to crack. "Fight or hide?"

  Aria looked at me, her predatory grin replaced with something more complex. "We can't keep playing it safe," she said softly.

  The artifacts pulsed with power, each offering a different path. Through our connection, I felt the moment approaching - a choice that would change everything.

  "Together," said Zephyr Nightshade firmly. "Whatever we do, we do it together."

  But as the darkness pressed closer, as ancient powers pulled us in different directions, even our unified soul felt the strain.

  Sometimes the hardest battles aren't fought against enemies. They're fought against ourselves.

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