Lucas and Elara stood frozen before Silas's ramshackle stall. The old man's last words—"living memories"—sent a chilling yet intriguing jolt through them. Lucas's eyes were fixed on the old wooden box Silas had just patted, and he felt a strange vibration from within. It was a familiar sensation, like touching an Abyssal Creature, yet terrifyingly different.
"What are you talking about?" Elara's voice was tense. "There's no such thing as living memories. Memories are remnants, energy traces. Not living beings."
Silas chuckled, a more sinister grin appearing in the dim light. "Oh, little Crystal Warrior. Have you seen the very bottom of the Abyss? Memories can also become a living thing, if they're strong enough, painful enough, or corrupted enough." He slightly opened the box lid, revealing a small slit. Inside, a faint purplish-blue light flickered, like a pair of eyes looking out.
Lucas felt a sharp headache. The scar on his hand suddenly burned. He knew this feeling. It was an extremely powerful memory, something that once had consciousness and was now imprisoned. But it wasn't from an Abyssal Creature. It... it was more like the memories from the Nexus Crystal.
"What is this?" Lucas asked, his voice low, curiosity mixed with a vague dread.
"These are fragments of the mind," Silas whispered, his eyes full of possessiveness. "Souls trapped in crystal, ripped from the Great Collapse. They are not creatures, nor ghosts. They are remnants of intellect, emotion, of those who experienced death in the Abyss or during the crystallization process."
Elara took a step back, her face pale. "You... what have you done to them? You've imprisoned them?"
"I'm merely a merchant, my dear," Silas shrugged. "I find them, extract them, and sell them to those in need. Some want power from them, some want information, others just want the sensation... of touching a piece of the past. What do you want?"
Lucas looked at the box. He could feel the fear, the despair, but also a hint of ancient knowledge from that flickering blue-purple light. If he absorbed it... what would he know?
"How much for it?" Lucas asked, ignoring Elara's warning.
Silas grinned, a smile revealing his yellowed teeth. "Not money. For someone like you, Scavenger bearing the mark, I want a trade. A quid pro quo." He pointed to Lucas's scar. "You've touched the Nexus Crystal. You've awakened it. You've seen things no one else can see. I want a piece of what you've seen. A memory. In exchange for this memory."
Elara immediately protested. "Don't! You don't know what he intends to do with your memory, Lucas!"
Lucas thought quickly. This trade was dangerous. But if Silas could truly provide information about the Nexus Crystals and the Crystal Catacombs, this might be the only way. He trusted his instincts, and also the urge to understand more about the origin of his power.
"Deal," Lucas said, his eyes resolute. "But you must guarantee the information you provide is true. And you are not to touch my important memories, especially anything related to the Great Collapse."
Silas sneered. "I only take what won't harm you, Scavenger. Just a small taste." He placed his hand on the box lid, gesturing to Lucas. "Touch the box. Then, I'll take what's mine, and you'll have what's yours."
Lucas took a deep breath, placing his scarred palm on the box. Immediately, a rush of cold but information-laden energy surged into his mind. Not the memory of a creature, but fragments of an Overlord's soul, filled with the horror of the collapse.
He saw fleeting images: colossal crystals shattering, amorphous creatures tearing through reality, silent screams, and a mental map of the Crystal Catacombs – an underground labyrinth protected by ancient mechanisms. Most importantly, he saw a name: "The Purifier," an ancient structure designed to combat the Abyss's corruption, but which had failed disastrously.
As the memory surge receded, Lucas swayed, his hand still trembling. The scar on his palm burned intensely. He knew he had received a massive amount of information, and it had left him dizzy.
"Now it's my turn," Silas said, placing his wrinkled hand on Lucas's palm.
Lucas felt a strange energy, not an absorption, but a "drawing out" from him. It was an uncomfortable sensation, as if a part of him was being pulled away. Silas closed his eyes, a look of satisfaction spreading across his face. He pulled his hand back, his eyes glowing unusually.
"Interesting... very interesting..." Silas muttered, as if savoring a mental meal. "This ability... it surpasses what I thought. You don't just absorb, you transform. You are a piece of living crystal, Scavenger."
Lucas struggled to steady his breath. "Where's my information?"
Silas waved his hand. "Crystal Catacombs, right? I've seen it. A labyrinth. A trap. And a foolish hope of those who called themselves Overlords." He handed Lucas an old piece of leather, on which a crude but accurate map of the entrance and a few key areas of the Catacombs were drawn. "What you seek is there. And what those 'hunters' are looking for is also there."
"The Purifier... what is it?" Lucas asked, remembering a part of the memory he had just received.
Silas raised an eyebrow. "You saw that? Surprising. It's an ancient structure, built to deal with the corruption. Their last attempt. But it failed. A disastrous failure." He looked at Lucas with a knowing glint in his eye. "Or perhaps, it's just waiting for someone special enough to restart it."
Lucas and Elara looked at each other. Silas's words had opened a new door, but also came with countless hidden dangers. They had a map, a clearer objective, and a terrifying piece of information about "The Purifier." But they had also attracted Silas's attention, a merchant of secrets and souls, and now, Lucas knew that his ability was not just a gift, but a colossal burden.
As they left Silas's stall, Lucas felt a new pressure. He was no longer just a lone Scavenger. He was a target. And their journey had just become far more complicated.