**Chapter 25: The Eclipsed Orb**
The Rift Realm was nothing like the human world.
Aiki floated between fragments of shattered land and drifting ruins, suspended in an endless crimson sky. The air shimmered with energy — every breath felt like breathing lightning.
Enji and Sen followed close behind, their Ki glowing faintly to shield them from the crushing pressure. Kael led the way, his blade humming softly, scanning the broken landscape.
"This place…" Enji whispered, eyes wide. "It feels alive. Like it's watching us."
Kael nodded grimly. "The Rift Realm reacts to emotions. Stay calm. If you let fear take over, the Rift will consume you."
But Aiki barely heard them. His gaze was fixed forward, his Spirit Edge pulsing with light that matched the red glow in his eyes. Sakura's voice still echoed faintly in his mind.
*"The Rift… it's not just death. It's connection."*
He would find her. No matter what.
They passed through a storm of floating crystals, each one showing ghostlike images — echoes of people who had once fallen into the Rift. Then, at the center of it all, they saw it.
A massive structure suspended above a bottomless chasm. A temple, ancient and silent, built from black stone veined with red energy.
And within it — floating above a cracked altar — was a glowing orb. It radiated waves of warmth and sorrow, like both life and death were trapped inside it.
Kael stopped dead in his tracks. "That… can't be what I think it is."
Aiki's voice was barely a whisper. "The Eclipsed Orb."
Sen frowned. "You've heard of it?"
Kael nodded slowly. "A Rift relic. Said to hold the essence of the gods who created this world. They say it can rewrite fate — bring back a soul from death itself."
Enji's eyes widened. "You mean—"
Aiki stepped forward. "Sakura."
As he approached the orb, the Rift around them trembled. The air thickened, rippling with unseen power. Strange whispers filled the space — voices of ancient spirits, warning him, testing him.
*"The dead are meant to rest…"*
*"To defy fate is to invite the void…"*
Aiki ignored them. He reached out, his Ki flaring crimson, wrapping around his arm like fire. "If it means bringing her back, I'll face whatever comes."
The moment his fingers touched the orb — the world exploded in light.
Energy rushed through his veins, overwhelming, burning, divine. Visions flashed before his eyes — Sakura smiling, Sakura falling, Sakura's spirit calling his name from beyond. He screamed, dropping to his knees as red and white lightning tore through the temple walls.
Kael and the others shielded themselves. "Aiki! Stop! It's too much!"
But Aiki held on, refusing to let go. "I can do this! I have to!"
The orb pulsed — once, twice — and then cracked down the middle. A blinding surge of power burst outward, sweeping across the Rift Realm like a storm.
When the light faded, the orb hovered weakly in Aiki's hands, its glow dimming. A faint, familiar voice echoed in the distance — soft, trembling, but alive.
"...Aiki…?"
Everyone froze.
Enji's eyes widened. "That voice… no way…"
Aiki stood slowly, clutching the orb to his chest. His eyes burned with tears — and determination. "She's still here. Her soul's inside the Rift. This orb… it can bring her back."
Kael's tone was grim. "Be careful. The Rift never gives without taking something in return."
Aiki looked down at the orb, its cracked surface glowing faintly red.
"I'll pay any price," he said quietly. "Even if it costs me everything."
The Rift winds howled, and for the first time… the Eclipsed Orb pulsed in answer.