Darkness swallowed Lena whole.It was not the absence of light nor a void of colour—it was something deeper. A darkness that pulsed, that breathed. It wrapped around her like unseen tendrils, curling into her thoughts, whispering in a language she almost understood.She didn’t know if she was standing, falling, or floating.She only knew one thing.She was not alone.A presence lingered in the abyss with her. It was vast, endless—a force that stretched beyond the confines of reality.And it was watching her.Let me in.The voice—neither male nor female, neither kind nor cruel—echoed through her mind, sending tremors through her very soul.Lena gasped, forcing herself to move, to struggle. But there was no ground beneath her, no direction in which to flee.The Rift had claimed her.And it was hungry.She clenched her fists, willing herself to fight back.“I don’t belong to you,” she growled.A sound—low and amused—rippled through the darkness.Don’t you?Lena’s pulse pounded in her ear
Lena’s breathing was unsteady. The warmth of Cassian’s arms around her should have been grounding, but it only made the weight in her chest heavier. The Rift’s voice—the queen’s voice—still whispered in her mind, a thread of power winding through her veins.She felt Cassian’s steady gaze on her, felt the tension in his grip as if he could sense the war raging inside her.“Lena,” he murmured, voice edged with concern.She swallowed hard, fighting the urge to lean into him, to let his presence anchor her. But how could she? How could she let him hold her when she wasn’t even sure who—or what—she was anymore?A distant rumble shook the ground beneath them. The Rift’s magic was still present, still shifting, unstable.Dorian wiped dark ichor from his blade and glanced toward the warrior who had brought them here—the guardian of this cursed realm. “I assume this isn’t normal.”The guardian’s silver eyes flickered, their expression unreadable. “The Rift is waking.”Lena shivered. Waking.A
The air inside the Rift pulsed like a living thing. Lena could feel it, the way the shadows shifted, curling at her feet, whispering at the edges of her mind. Every breath she took felt heavier, laced with something ancient, something inevitable.She wasn’t supposed to be here.And yet, the Rift recognized her.The guardian’s words still echoed in her head: You are the Rift’s blood.Cassian was still in front of her, a shield between her and the guardian, his grip tight on the hilt of his sword. His entire body was tense, his stance defensive—as if he could physically fight whatever truth had just unravelled.But he couldn’t.None of them could.Because this wasn’t an enemy to slay. This was fate.“I don’t accept this,” Cassian growled. “Lena isn’t going anywhere.”The guardian remained impassive. “This is not for you to decide.”Lena sucked in a sharp breath, stepping out from behind Cassian before he could stop her. “What does it mean?” Her voice was steadier than she expected. “Wha
Lena sat in the quiet of the Rift, her knees pulled to her chest as she tried to steady her breathing. The shadows had retreated, but their presence still lingered beneath her skin—a quiet hum, a whisper at the back of her mind.Cassian hadn’t left her side. He was watching her, his jaw tight with worry, his body tense like he was preparing for another fight.The others stood nearby, giving her space but not straying too far. Idris kept his arms crossed, his golden eyes flickering between concern and contemplation. Dorian had his back against a jagged rock, looking more exhausted than anything else.And the guardian…The guardian stood in silence, their silver gaze piercing as they regarded her."You are beginning to understand," the guardian said at last.Lena swallowed hard, her hands curling into fists against her knees. "Understand what?""That this power is not something you can refuse," the guardian replied. "It has always been a part of you. The more you fight it, the more it w
The darkness was absolute.Lena tumbled through the void, her body weightless, her screams swallowed by the suffocating silence. Cold fingers still gripped her wrist, dragging her deeper, deeper into the Rift. Her breath came in short, panicked gasps, but no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn’t break free.Then—suddenly—the pressure vanished.She crashed onto solid ground, the impact knocking the air from her lungs. The darkness receded slightly, shifting into something less absolute. Shadows swirled around her like living things, pulsing with a strange rhythm, a heartbeat that wasn’t hers.Lena pushed herself up, wincing. The ground beneath her was smooth and black, stretching endlessly in all directions. The air was thick, humming with energy.She wasn’t alone.A figure stood in front of her.Tall, draped in flowing black robes that billowed despite the stillness. Their face was obscured by a silver mask, their hands hidden beneath long sleeves.The same presence she had felt
The Rift trembled.A deafening roar echoed through the abyss, the darkness surging in waves, its fury unleashed. Shadows clawed at the edges of reality, twisting and writhing, desperate to consume.Lena stood at the heart of it all, her pulse a frantic rhythm against her ribs. Power thrummed beneath her skin, waiting, wanting. The Rift was still inside her, a part of her—but she was no longer just a vessel.She was something more.Cassian’s grip tightened around her wrist. “Lena, tell me you have a plan.”Dorian stepped forward, his dagger glinting. “Because if not, I’d love to hear how we’re getting out of this alive.”Idris exhaled sharply, shifting his stance. “I can hold a barrier, but not for long.” His hands trembled as another pulse of magic flickered between his fingers. The Rift was draining him. Draining all of them.The masked figure remained still, watching. Waiting.Lena swallowed hard. The Rift had been trying to claim her, twist her into something she wasn’t. But what i
The world snapped back into focus with a rush of air and blinding light.Lena staggered as she and the others tumbled through the portal, hitting solid ground. The cold, oppressive weight of the Rift vanished, replaced by the crisp night air and the scent of earth. For a moment, she couldn’t breathe—her body still thrumming with the aftershocks of the power she had claimed.Cassian’s arms were around her before she could fall. “Easy,” he murmured, steadying her. “You’re back.”Back.She lifted her gaze, her breath catching. They were standing in the ruins of the old temple, the same place they had been before the Rift had swallowed them whole. The night sky stretched above them, moonlight illuminating the cracked stone and twisted remnants of the Rift’s influence.Dorian groaned as he pushed himself up, brushing dirt off his jacket. “That was the worst trip I’ve ever taken, and I once fell into a cursed lake.”Idris exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “We survived. That’
The road to the capital was unrecognisable.Once-paved paths had been reduced to crumbling stone, overgrown with wild brambles and scorched earth. Smoke clung to the air, thick and acrid, as distant fires raged. The closer they got, the more Lena could feel it—the Rift’s presence. It pulsed beneath her skin like a second heartbeat, whispering in the back of her mind.Come closer. Come home.She clenched her fists, shoving the voice aside.They moved in silence, the weight of the war hanging over them. Cassian stayed close, his hand brushing against hers whenever the road grew treacherous. Dorian scouted ahead, daggers glinting at his sides, while Idris murmured quiet incantations, sensing for traps.The capital’s walls loomed ahead. Once pristine and towering, they were now lined with jagged cracks, tendrils of dark energy slithering across the stone. The city’s gates had been blasted open, twisted metal barely hanging onto the ruined archway.Lena’s stomach twisted. This isn’t just w
The journey back to the city was tense, the weight of what had just happened pressing down on them like an unseen force. The jungle remained eerily silent, the usual rustle of wind through leaves absent. Every step Lena took felt heavier, as if the Rift’s pull still lingered beneath her skin, a whisper just beneath her thoughts.Cassian stayed close to her, his body positioned slightly in front of hers, protective in a way that made her chest ache. Dorian walked beside them, his usual sarcasm subdued, while Idris led the way, his hands occasionally glowing as he checked for traces of Rift energy.Lena’s fingers brushed over the mark on her wrist, the skin still warm to the touch. She could feel it—an awareness of something vast and ancient pressing against her mind, waiting.Watching.They reached the outer edges of the city just before dawn. The once-bustling streets were quiet, the looming threat of the Rift’s influence keeping people behind locked doors. Even the lanterns that usua
The creatures remained motionless, their twisted forms knelt before Lena as if she were something to be revered—or obeyed. The air around them pulsed, thick with an unseen force, as if the Rift itself was watching through their vacant, hollow eyes.Cassian took a step closer, his sword still raised. His voice was sharp, controlled. “Lena, what the hell just happened?”She couldn’t answer. The mark on her wrist burned hotter, the strange power curling through her veins like a whisper of something ancient.Idris was the first to move, cautious but curious. He tilted his head, observing the creatures as if trying to understand what they were. “They’re not just Rift-spawn,” he murmured. “They’re linked to you.”The words made her stomach churn. She already felt it—that invisible thread connecting her to them. The way they reacted to her voice. The way they had stopped when she spoke.Dorian let out a slow breath. “Alright. Just to confirm—do we have a new queen of shadow monsters, or shou
The shadows slithered along the temple walls like living ink, stretching and twisting in ways that defied logic. The jagged remains of the Rift pulsed one last time before the energy flickered out completely, leaving behind only a cold, unnatural silence.Lena’s breathing was ragged, her pulse hammering against her ribs. The mark on her wrist still burned, its glow faint but persistent. She could feel the connection, the invisible thread tying her to something beyond this world.Cassian tightened his grip on his sword, his stance rigid. “What the hell is happening?”Dorian exhaled sharply. “I’d love to say ‘nothing good’ just to be dramatic, but I think we’re way past that now.”Idris barely spared him a glance. His attention was locked on Lena. “Did you see anything else?”Lena swallowed, nodding. “A figure. In the void. It didn’t look human.”Idris’s expression darkened. “Then the Rift didn’t just mark you. It linked you to something.” He glanced at the shifting shadows. “And I’m gu
The silence in the temple was deafening. The shattered archway still pulsed faintly, the Rift’s jagged remnants crackling with unstable energy. But the entity was gone—for now.Lena pressed a hand to her chest, trying to steady her breath. The cold still clung to her skin, as if the thing had left something behind.Cassian didn’t let go of her wrist. His grip was firm, grounding, but his eyes searched her face, his own filled with something dangerously close to panic. “Are you okay?”Lena opened her mouth to answer—of course, I’m fine—but the words never came.Because the moment she tried to speak, a wave of dizziness crashed over her. The temple blurred, the walls shifting, dark tendrils creeping into the edges of her vision.Cassian’s voice sharpened. “Lena—”Her knees buckled.Cassian caught her before she hit the ground, lowering her carefully. Idris was beside them in seconds, golden magic already pulsing between his hands.“Something’s wrong,” he said, voice tight. He pressed hi
The temple trembled beneath them, dust falling from the cracked stone ceiling as an unnatural hum vibrated through the air. The archway still pulsed with eerie light, and Lena’s body ached from the force that had thrown her back into reality.Cassian didn’t let go of her shoulders. His grip was firm, grounding. “Lena, what did you see?”She struggled to find the words, her heart racing. “It wasn’t just a vision—it was the moment it all began. The Rift isn’t just some tear between worlds. It’s a prison—and they let something out.”Dorian cursed, shaking dust from his jacket. “And I’m guessing it wasn’t a fluffy puppy?”Lena shot him a glare. “No. It was alive. And it’s still here.”Idris, who had been watching the archway warily, stepped forward. “So, what are we dealing with? A god? A demon?” His magic flickered along his hands, restless. “Because whatever it is, it’s waking up.”The moment he said it, the air shifted.A deep, guttural sound resonated from the archway. It wasn’t human
The chamber erupted into movement. The hooded figures lunged forward, their robes billowing as unnatural shadows twisted around them. Cassian was the first to engage, his sword flashing as he met one of the attackers head-on. The clang of steel rang through the temple, but something was wrong—the moment Cassian’s blade struck, the figure dissolved into mist, reforming just inches away. “They’re not real!” he growled, pivoting to block another strike. Dorian muttered a curse. “Fantastic. We’re fighting ghosts now.” Lena barely heard them. Her gaze was locked on the stone archway behind the woman. The symbols continued to pulse, their glow intensifying with every second. Something was coming. Idris threw out a hand, golden magic crackling to life. He sent a blast toward the woman, but before it could reach her, the energy warped—bent—and vanished into the archway as if swallowed whole. The woman laughed. “You cannot fight what you do not understand.” Lena gritted her teeth. “Th
The woman’s presence lingered long after she disappeared into the trees. Her words replayed in Lena’s mind, twisting like a warning she wasn’t sure she understood yet.You only closed a door.Cassian’s hand brushed against hers, his touch grounding. “Are you okay?”Lena forced a nod, though her heart was still racing. “She knew something. She felt something. And she wasn’t afraid.”“That’s what worries me,” Idris muttered. His eyes flickered toward the trees. “If she was a cultist and she’s not afraid, that means she knows what comes next.”Dorian kicked at a loose branch. “Well, great. Love when the people who worship eldritch horrors act all smug. That definitely means we’re in the clear.”Lena ignored him, scanning the forest. “We need to find her.”Cassian sighed. “You saw how fast she disappeared. She doesn’t want to be found.”“That doesn’t mean we stop looking.” Lena turned to Idris. “Can you track her magic?”He hesitated. “Maybe. She wasn’t using normal magic—it felt... old.”
Lena woke to the scent of burning wood and damp earth. The fire had dimmed, its embers glowing softly in the pre-dawn light. Cassian was still beside her, his arm draped loosely around her shoulders.For the first time in days, she had slept.But the moment of peace was fleeting.A rustling sound came from the edge of camp, followed by hurried footsteps. She sat up just as Idris appeared, his expression grave.“Something’s wrong.”Cassian stirred at her movement, instantly alert. “What is it?”Idris glanced toward the treeline. “Scouts spotted something near the Rift site. Or what’s left of it.”Lena’s stomach tightened. “What do you mean?”Idris hesitated before answering. “They say it’s still there.”Dorian, who had just emerged from his tent, scoffed. “That’s impossible. We shut it down.”Idris nodded grimly. “That’s what I thought, too. But they swear they saw something moving. And there’s… a sound.”Lena was already on her feet. “Take me there.”Cassian rose beside her. “Lena—”“
The cavern walls no longer pulsed with dark energy. The air, once thick with malice, now hung heavy with silence. Lena could still feel the remnants of her magic flickering through her veins, the aftershocks of the battle leaving her drained.Cassian hadn't let go of her hand. His grip was firm, steady—a grounding force in the wake of chaos.Dorian ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "Well, that was fun. Who wants to do it again?"Idris shot him a glare before kneeling beside the fallen man’s body. He pressed two fingers to the man’s throat, waiting, searching.Lena already knew.“He’s gone,” she whispered.Idris nodded grimly. “The Rift used him until there was nothing left.”A sick feeling curled in Lena’s stomach. This man—whoever he had been—had been alive before the Rift took him. A vessel, a shell, but still human.And now, because of them, he was dead.Cassian shifted beside her. “It wasn’t your fault.”She swallowed hard, not sure if she believed that.Dorian crouch