Lena paced the length of the camp, her thoughts tangled in the crimson sky above. The Rift’s presence pressed against her senses, a silent, pulsing awareness she couldn’t escape. It wasn’t attacking her. It wasn’t resisting.But it was there.Cassian hadn’t spoken much since Idris left, his jaw tight as he sharpened his blade. Dorian, for once, wasn’t cracking jokes. The weight of what they had seen had settled over them all, thick as a storm.“We can’t just sit here,” Cassian said suddenly, breaking the silence.Lena turned to him. “What do you suggest?”He met her gaze, steady and unyielding. “We find out what the Rift is doing. We don’t wait for it to come to us.”Dorian exhaled. “Much as I hate agreeing with Cassian, he has a point. That sky isn’t just for show.” He gestured upward. “The last time something like this happened, entire cities collapsed.”Lena’s pulse spiked. “Then we need to move.”Before they could plan their next step, the trees rustled—and Idris emerged from the
The journey to Varelith was silent, each step heavy with unspoken tension. The once-great city lay in ruins ahead, its towering stone walls crumbling under centuries of neglect. Yet, as they neared, the air itself seemed wrong—thick with something unnatural.Lena could feel it thrumming against her skin, the Rift’s power responding to whatever lay within the city. The green flames Idris had seen flickered in the distance, casting eerie shadows against the shattered remains of ancient buildings.Cassian unsheathed his sword. “Stay close. We don’t know what we’re walking into.”Lena nodded, gripping the dagger at her hip. Power coiled inside her, waiting, but she wasn’t ready to unleash it just yet.Dorian’s usual smirk was gone. “I hate this place.” His voice was low, barely above a whisper.“You’ve been here before?” Lena asked.“Once.” He exhaled sharply. “Let’s just say it wasn’t abandoned back then.”Lena didn’t press. She had a feeling she didn’t want to know what had driven the p
The weight of Lena’s words settled over them like a suffocating fog.“I have to destroy it.”Silence stretched between them. The Rift pulsed inside her, waiting. Watching. It was always watching.Cassian’s jaw clenched. “That’s not an option.”Dorian scoffed, crossing his arms. “You say that like she has a better one.”Lena exhaled, forcing her voice to stay steady. “I don’t.” She turned toward the monolith, its runes pulsing like the heartbeat of something ancient. “If we let this continue, the Rift will consume everything. It doesn’t stop. It doesn’t fade. It only grows.”Idris studied her, his sharp gaze assessing. “You think you can destroy it?”“I have to try.”Cassian stepped closer, lowering his voice. “And if it destroys you first?”Lena held Cassian’s gaze, willing herself not to waver. “Then you stop me before it’s too late.”His jaw tightened, but he didn’t argue. He didn’t have to. They all knew the risks.The monolith stood before them, its runes burning with eerie light,
The world trembled beneath Lena’s feet.The Rift pulsed violently inside her, a living force that fought against her control. The monolith at the heart of Varelith blazed with unnatural light, its ancient runes shifting, reshaping, whispering things that clawed at the edges of her mind.Cassian gripped her wrist. “Lena, listen to me.” His voice was steady, but she could hear the urgency in it. “If you do this, there’s no going back.”She already knew that.Dorian swore under his breath, his gaze flicking between the monolith and the sky above. The red streaks across the heavens had begun to twist, spiraling inward toward the ruins, as if the Rift itself was unraveling reality.“It’s already happening,” Lena murmured.Idris knelt beside the monolith, tracing his fingers over the shifting runes. “The wards are breaking.” His expression darkened. “And something is coming through.”The whispering grew louder.Not just from the monolith, but from the very air around them. Shadows stretched
Lena’s pulse thundered in her ears as the Rift’s power settled uneasily within her. The ruins of Varelith remained eerily silent, as if the world itself was holding its breath. The creature was gone. The fissure had sealed. But the Rift… it was still inside her. Watching. Waiting. Cassian hadn’t let go of her wrist, his grip firm but not unkind. “You controlled it,” he repeated, his voice quieter this time. Lena’s throat felt dry. “Barely.” Dorian let out a breath, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, well, ‘barely’ is better than ‘not at all.’” He shot a wary glance at the monolith, still glowing faintly in the aftermath. “So… what now?” Idris turned to Lena, his golden eyes unreadable. “You felt it, didn’t you?” She met his gaze. She had. The moment she reached into the Rift, something—or someone—had felt her presence. And it hadn’t been just the creature that attacked them. There was something deeper. Something older. Something waiting. “We need to move,” Cassian said, h
The forest held its breath.Lena’s pulse pounded as the figure stepped forward, his dark robes flowing like liquid shadow. He moved with an unnatural grace, as if he wasn’t entirely bound by the laws of this world. The flickering firelight cast his features into sharp relief—high cheekbones, a strong jaw, and eyes that were nothing but swirling voids.The Rift surged inside her, responding to his presence.Cassian was in front of her before she could blink, his sword drawn, his stance rigid with battle-readiness. “Who the hell are you?”The man did not flinch. His gaze remained fixed on Lena, his expression unreadable. “She knows.”Lena’s throat went dry. No, she didn’t.And yet… she did.This presence—this force—had been watching her for longer than she realized. In her dreams. In the monolith’s whispers. In the way the Rift called to her.It wasn’t just a tear in reality.It had a will.And now, it had taken shape.The Rift was standing before her.Cassian shifted, his blade gleamin
Darkness.It wasn’t the absence of light but something deeper—a void that devoured everything.Lena fell.Or maybe she was floating. Maybe she wasn’t moving at all. Time had unraveled, stretched too thin to grasp. The Rift’s presence was everywhere, pressing against her skin, her bones, her mind.The whispering voices grew louder.“You are one of us now.”No.Lena clenched her fists, trying to summon strength, trying to feel her body, but it was slipping away, dissolving into the abyss. Her thoughts tangled, fragmented—who was she? Where was she?“You fight against yourself.”The voice came from all directions, wrapping around her like a shroud.“You were always meant to ascend.”Ascend?A shudder ran through her. The Rift wasn’t just claiming her—it was remaking her.Lena screamed.A light flared in the distance.No—not light.A memory.She saw Cassian’s hand reaching for her, his eyes fierce with determination. She saw Dorian smirking as he tossed a sarcastic remark her way. She saw
The night stretched endlessly, the weight of silence pressing against them. Lena could still feel the Rift’s power thrumming inside her, an unfamiliar presence that no longer burned or resisted—it settled in her bones, in her breath, as if it had always been there.She wasn’t sure if that terrified her more than the alternative.Cassian’s eyes hadn’t left her since she demonstrated her control. There was something unreadable in his expression—not fear, not quite trust, but something in between.Dorian exhaled loudly, breaking the tension. “So, what? We just act like everything’s normal now? Pretend Lena didn’t just tap into the literal abyss and come back looking stronger?” He gestured vaguely. “Because I’d love a reality check.”Lena rolled her shoulders, still adjusting to the way her body felt—lighter, sharper, as if the Rift had remade her from the inside out.“I’m still me,” she said, but even she wasn’t sure how true that was.Cassian’s jaw tightened. “For now.”Anger flickered
Lena stood at the edge of the camp, the fire’s glow flickering behind her as the cold night pressed in. The weight of the Rift’s whispers still clung to her, a presence just beneath the surface of her thoughts.She exhaled, forcing her hands to stop shaking.It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real.Yet, the memory of that power—the absolute certainty of control—lingered like a drug she hadn’t realized she craved.A rustle in the underbrush made her stiffen.She turned just as Idris emerged from the shadows, his gaze sharp even in the dim moonlight.“You shouldn’t be out here alone,” he said, his voice unreadable.Lena gave a short, humorless laugh. “Not much difference between out here and in there.” She nodded toward the camp. “Either way, I can’t sleep.”Idris studied her for a moment before stepping closer. “You felt it, didn’t you?”Lena’s heart stuttered.Felt what?Idris didn’t elaborate. He didn’t need to. His knowing expression told her he already had the answer.Lena hesitated, b
Lena’s pulse thundered in her ears as she sat up, her breath shallow. The forest was the same, yet everything felt different. The Rift’s energy still clung to her skin, cold and electric, like a whisper that refused to fade.Cassian’s grip on her arm was tight, his expression a storm of worry and restrained panic. “Lena, talk to me. What happened?”She swallowed, her throat dry. “I—I saw something.” Her own voice felt foreign, like it belonged to someone else. “A future. A throne. The world at my feet.”Dorian let out a sharp breath. “So, y’know, just the usual apocalyptic nightmare?”Lena ignored him, turning to Cassian. “It felt real. Like a memory that hasn’t happened yet.”Idris knelt beside her, his sharp eyes scanning her face. “And the other you?”Lena shuddered. “She’s waiting. Watching.” She exhaled shakily. “And she thinks I’ll choose to become her.”Silence settled over them, thick and suffocating.Cassian ran a hand through his hair, his jaw clenching. “That’s not going to
The forest was eerily silent, the air thick with an unspoken tension as Lena steadied herself. The weight of what she had seen still pressed against her ribs, but she forced herself to focus. She wasn’t that version of herself. Not yet. Not ever.Cassian remained close, his presence a grounding force as the group regrouped. Dorian was the first to break the silence.“So, we’re just going to ignore the fact that Lena basically had a one-on-one with her evil twin?” He ran a hand through his hair, eyes sharp with something between concern and curiosity. “Because, personally, I think we should be panicking a little more.”Lena shot him a dry look. “You panicking isn’t exactly new, Dorian.”He pressed a hand to his chest in mock offense. “Excuse you, my panic is usually justified.”Cassian exhaled, crossing his arms. “Enough. We need a plan.” He turned to Lena. “You said you saw a future. One where you’d embraced the Rift’s power. Do you think it was a vision of what will happen, or just w
The air was thick with tension. The echoes of the Rift still pulsed beneath Lena’s skin, a phantom sensation she couldn’t shake. Cassian’s grip on her shoulders was firm, grounding her, but even his presence couldn’t erase what she had seen.Herself.Or rather, a twisted version of herself—one who had already embraced the Rift’s power.Lena exhaled shakily and pushed herself upright. The others were watching her closely. Dorian looked skeptical, Idris unreadable, but it was Cassian’s expression that made her chest tighten. Concern. Worry. And something deeper—something she wasn’t sure she was ready to name.“What happened?” Cassian asked again, softer this time.Lena swallowed, her throat dry. “I—” She hesitated. How was she supposed to explain that she had just met a version of herself who claimed she was destined to become something else? Something not entirely human?Dorian crossed his arms. “You disappeared into the Rift, and for a solid minute, we thought you were dead. Then boom
Silence stretched between them after Lena’s declaration. The weight of her words lingered, heavy and unshakable.Cassian’s hands were still on her arms, steadying her, grounding her. But he didn’t speak. He just watched her, his storm-gray eyes searching hers, as if trying to find the girl he had known before.The girl who wasn’t this.The girl who hadn’t just claimed something unnatural as her own.Lena felt the absence in her mind like an open wound. A memory stolen, a piece of her past erased. But in its place, something else had taken root—something vast, something boundless.The Rift wasn’t just inside her.She was inside it.Dorian shifted uneasily, his fingers drumming against the hilt of his dagger. “So, uh… anyone else want to acknowledge how terrifying that was? No? Just me?”Idris crossed his arms, his sharp gaze fixed on Lena. “What do you mean, you are the Rift?”Lena swallowed hard. “It’s not just a force. It’s alive. It doesn’t just take—it creates. It doesn’t just dest
The journey to find the Oracle was not one Lena had been prepared for.Because finding her wasn’t an option.She had to call her.And the Oracle did not answer unless she deemed the caller worthy.Lena stood in the center of the ancient clearing, the air thick with an unnatural stillness. The ground beneath her feet pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat deep within the earth. Dark, jagged stones surrounded them, each one carved with symbols Lena didn’t recognize.This was the place.“The last time someone called on the Oracle,” Idris murmured, “they were never the same again.”Dorian scoffed. “Well, that’s not ominous at all.”Cassian’s expression was unreadable, but Lena could feel the tension radiating from him. He hadn’t spoken much since they agreed to seek the Oracle. He didn’t have to. She could see his worry in the way his jaw tightened, in the way he stayed just close enough to reach her if something went wrong.And something would go wrong.Lena took a steady breath. “How do I sta
Lena's body tumbled through the void, weightless and helpless against the pull of forces beyond her comprehension. The Rift was neither light nor dark—just endless, shifting energy that coiled around her, threatening to consume her whole.Her breath came in ragged gasps, her pulse hammering. The last thing she remembered was Cassian’s voice—his presence breaking through the Rift’s grasp like a distant beacon. But now, she was alone again, suspended in nothingness.Until she wasn’t.With a violent pull, the world around her shifted.Lena slammed onto solid ground, pain shooting through her limbs as the impact knocked the air from her lungs. She groaned, blinking rapidly as her vision adjusted to the dim surroundings.This wasn’t the forest.She was somewhere else.The air was thick, buzzing with an energy so strong it made her skin prickle. Strange symbols pulsed faintly across the walls, shifting and rearranging themselves as if they were alive. The ground beneath her was smooth, almo
The journey through the forest was eerily quiet.Lena could hear the others moving behind her—Cassian’s steady, purposeful steps, Dorian’s occasional grumbles, Idris’s near-silent movements—but the world around them felt wrong. The further they went, the more the air thickened, charged with an energy that made her skin prickle.The Rift was close.She could feel it now, its presence curling around her like invisible tendrils, whispering at the edges of her mind.You are not ready. But you will be.Lena clenched her jaw and pushed forward.The trees thinned, and suddenly, the landscape opened into a vast, rocky expanse.A jagged tear split the earth ahead, shimmering with an unnatural glow. The Rift.It wasn’t just a portal—it was a wound in reality itself.Dorian let out a low whistle. “Yep. That looks like a really bad idea.”Cassian ignored him, his eyes locked onto the Rift. His grip tightened around his sword. “Are you sure about this, Lena?”She swallowed hard. “No. But I have to
Lena barely slept that night.The presence in the forest had vanished, but its whispers still clung to her mind. You are not ready. But you will be. It wasn’t a warning. It was a promise.By the time dawn broke over the horizon, painting the sky in soft hues of pink and gold, she had made a decision.She couldn’t keep running from this.She had to face the Rift—on her terms.The camp was already stirring when she rose to her feet. Cassian was standing near the fire, sharpening his sword, while Dorian sat on a fallen log, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Idris was the only one still motionless, his gaze fixed on the forest’s edge as if he could still sense whatever had been watching them last night.Lena took a breath and stepped forward. “I need to go back.”Three heads snapped toward her.Cassian was the first to speak. “Back where?”“To the Rift,” Lena said, her voice steady. “I can’t ignore it anymore. I need answers.”Cassian immediately shook his head. “Absolutely not.”Dorian groane