Chapter 149: Into the Abyss

The creature’s roar reverberated through the rift, shaking the ground beneath Evryn’s feet. The air itself seemed to warp around her as the massive shadow grew larger, its wings spreading wide in a terrifying display of power. Every instinct within her screamed for her to run, to get as far away from this nightmare as possible, but her body refused to move. Fear gripped her, paralyzing her even as her mind raced to understand what she was witnessing.

Elaia was watching the creature, a strange, knowing smile playing on her lips. “It’s coming,” she said softly, almost as if it were an inevitability she had long accepted. “The Beast of the Rift. It has been waiting for this moment, for the rift to reach its climax.”

Evryn’s heart pounded in her chest, and she glanced down at Kai, still struggling to stand. His face was pale, his body trembling with the effort of staying conscious. Blood seeped from his wounds, but his eyes remained locked onto Evryn, a silent plea for her to act.

“Evryn, you need to leave,” he rasped, his voice weak. “You need to get out of here, now!”

She shook her head, not daring to look away from the looming creature. “I’m not leaving you. Not like this.”

Elaia’s voice cut through the air, sharp and cold. “You have no choice, Evryn. The rift is unstable. If you stay, it will consume everything in its path, including you. Including him.”

Evryn clenched her fists, a surge of defiance rising within her. “I won’t run. Not again.”

The creature’s shadow grew darker as it drew closer, and the ground beneath them cracked open, jagged fissures appearing where once there had been solid earth. The sky above was swirling with violent, dark clouds, the rift pulsating like a beating heart. A gust of wind whipped through the air, carrying with it an unnatural chill. The temperature seemed to drop, the air thickening with a malevolent energy.

Kai staggered to his feet, gritting his teeth against the pain. “We don’t have much time,” he said, urgency lacing his voice. “Whatever Elaia is, whatever the rift has become, we can’t face it alone. We need to get to the Heart of the Rift. It’s our only chance.”

Evryn’s gaze flickered to Elaia, whose expression had shifted into something far more sinister. The woman—if she could even be called that—was watching them with a look of absolute disdain, her hands raised as if preparing to unleash some form of power.

“You cannot escape,” Elaia said, her voice ringing with cold finality. “The rift is closing, and once the Beast emerges, there will be no more worlds for you to run to. The Heart is mine.”

“Not if I can help it,” Evryn muttered under her breath, her mind racing. The Heart of the Rift. That was what they needed. The key to ending this nightmare, to stopping the creature, to confronting the truth about what Elaia was and what she had become.

Evryn stepped forward, her body crackling with a surge of energy. The force that had once felt like a curse within her now felt like the only thing that could save them. She didn’t fully understand it, but she knew one thing for certain: she couldn’t let Elaia win. Not when she had already taken so much.

Without thinking, Evryn reached out toward Kai, her fingers brushing against his as she drew him to her side. His gaze met hers, and despite the pain that radiated from him, he nodded in understanding.

“We can’t let her control the rift,” Evryn said, her voice firm. “Not now.”

Elaia’s eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a sneer. “You think you can stop it? You think you can stop me?” She raised her hand, and the air around them vibrated with her power. “You are nothing but a shadow of what you could be.”

Evryn felt the familiar burn of her energy, but it was different now. It wasn’t just power—it was something more. Something ancient and raw, something that had always been part of her, even if she hadn’t realized it. She could feel the rift’s pull, the way it called to her, as if she were tethered to it in some way.

“This isn’t just about you,” Evryn said, her voice quiet but filled with resolve. “It’s about all of us.”

Before Elaia could react, Evryn thrust her hand forward, unleashing a burst of energy that surged through the air. The ground trembled beneath her feet as a wave of force slammed into Elaia, sending her staggering back. The woman’s expression twisted into one of fury as she regained her footing, but Evryn didn’t stop. She couldn’t.

“Evryn, we need to move!” Kai shouted, his voice strained as he fought to stay upright. “We don’t have time!”

With one last glance at the woman who had once been a reflection of her, Evryn turned, grabbing Kai by the arm and pulling him toward the horizon where the Heart of the Rift lay hidden, just beyond the reach of Elaia’s power.

The creature—no, the Beast—was drawing closer. Its massive wings beat against the sky, the wind howling as the very earth seemed to buckle beneath its weight. The ground cracked open beneath their feet, jagged shards of rock rising up like teeth ready to devour them. But Evryn didn’t stop. She couldn’t afford to. Not now. Not with everything on the line.

With every step, the rift’s pull grew stronger, as if it were trying to draw her back into its chaotic grip. But Evryn gritted her teeth, pushing forward. She had come this far, and she wasn’t going to let Elaia—or the Beast—destroy everything she had fought for.

Suddenly, a shriek pierced the air, sending a shockwave of terror through Evryn’s chest. She turned, heart skipping a beat, as the Beast’s massive form came into view, its eyes glowing with an unnatural light. It was closer now, so close that she could feel the heat radiating from its body, hear the sound of its claws scraping against the earth.

“Run!” Kai yelled, his voice barely audible over the deafening roar of the Beast. But it was too late.

The creature lunged forward, its massive claws crashing into the ground, sending debris flying in every direction.

Evryn’s breath caught in her throat as the world around them seemed to dissolve into chaos. The ground beneath their feet cracked wide open, and in that moment, everything seemed to freeze.

Then, without warning, the very earth split open beneath them.

And Evryn fell into the abyss.