Chapter 6 – Shadows of the Rift
The deeper they went, the more the ruins twisted around them. Crumbling buildings gave way to half-collapsed tunnels, some swallowed entirely by shadows. The faint glow of the rifts stretched across walls and ceilings, pulsing like veins in some monstrous, alien body. Alex's legs ached. His arms were scraped from the debris. And still, he moved forward, powerless and terrified.
"This place… it doesn't feel like the other rifts," tavik muttered, crouching behind a fallen pillar. His arrows glinted faintly in the dim light, guided by her blessing. "The energy here is… denser. Unstable."
Alex stayed close to her, his eyes scanning the darkness. He couldn't feel magic or mana, nothing divine. Every instinct told him he was out of place, unprepared, expendable. And yet, he had to survive. He had no choice.
A distant shriek echoed, unnatural and inhuman. The party froze. kael grip on his sword tightened, flames licking the edge of the blade. tavik arrows gleamed gold, prepared to strike at any movement. liora sigils shimmered faintly, offering some defense against whatever lay ahead.
From the shadows, figures emerged. Humanoid—but not human. Their skin was pale, almost translucent, with faint patterns that glimmered like veins. Their eyes were large and black, reflecting nothing but darkness. Limbs elongated unnaturally, and their movement was eerily silent.
"Humanoids…" tavik whispered, tension lacing her voice. "These aren't rift-born beasts. They're… something else."
Alex froze, heart hammering. He had no weapon, no blessing, no way to fight. If they attacked, he would be gone before anyone could save him. He ducked instinctively behind a pillar, praying he remained unseen.
One of the humanoids stepped forward, its gaze locking on Alex. For a heartbeat, he felt its attention like a weight pressing down. He shrank back, powerless, shaking, wishing he could disappear.
"They can sense… fear?" Mara muttered, eyes wide. "Stay calm, or they'll strike."
tavik fired his blessed arrows, but the humanoids moved unnaturally fast, dodging the projectiles. Leon swung his sword, flames cutting through the darkness, but even he struggled to land a decisive blow. liora sigils flared, creating barriers, but the humanoids tested them, pressing relentlessly.
Alex wanted to help—but there was nothing he could do. He tried to pick up a rusted pipe, but the creature in front of him snarled, forcing him to step back. Every movement was a reminder of his helplessness. Every second he survived was by pure chance.
The humanoids advanced, their presence oppressive. One lunged toward Alex, forcing tavik to intercept with a precise shot, while kael clashed against another. tavik fired her golden arrows, striking one in the shoulder, but it barely staggered. liora expanded her protective sigil, blocking another, but the strain was visible in her posture.
Alex's chest tightened as he watched. He couldn't do anything. He couldn't protect himself or anyone else. He wanted to scream, to run, to hide—but the Ruins left no safe place. Every corner seemed to twist against him.
A massive shadow swept overhead—a winged rift predator, larger than anything they had faced. It screeched and dove, scattering rubble. The team scrambled. Alex tripped over debris, crashing to the floor, scraping his palms. The predator's shadow passed just above him. He shivered, powerless, alive only because luck had spared him.
"Alex! Move!" mara shouted, pulling him up. But the fear in her eyes mirrored his own. Even she, blessed by a goddess, could not be certain of survival.
tavik arrows and kael sword kept the humanoids at bay for a time, but one of the figures managed to swipe at Leon, slashing across his shoulder. Blood dripped down, and kael growl of frustration echoed through the ruins. liora barrier shimmered and wavered as she pushed her magic to its limits.
Alex watched helplessly as the battle unfolded. He wanted to fight, wanted to help, but he had nothing. He could only dodge and pray he stayed alive. The realization hit him like ice: without power, without blessing, without skill, he was truly vulnerable.
A humanoid advanced toward him again. Alex froze. His legs trembled. Then Mara stepped forward, placing herself between him and the creature. Her dagger glinted in the dim light. She wasn't unharmed—scratches marred her arms, and her breathing was heavy—but she refused to fall.
"Go! Stay back!" she shouted, throwing herself into the fight. Alex could only watch, chest tight, powerless to intervene.
The humanoids began to retreat, pressed back by the team's combined blessings, but the fight had cost them. kael shoulder burned, tavik arms were cut, and liora leaned heavily on her staff, exhausted. The shadows of the rift pulsed around them, suggesting that even more dangers awaited.
Alex sank to the floor, trembling. He had survived, barely, but the helplessness gnawed at him. He couldn't sense magic. He couldn't fight. He couldn't even run without fear twisting in his gut.
And yet… a faint glow flickered deep within one of the rifts, almost unnoticed. It was subtle, almost like a whisper, a promise buried beneath the shadows. Alex couldn't understand it. But somewhere, deep inside, it seemed to call—something beyond human, beyond blessing, beyond even the Ruins themselves.
He shivered and looked at his companions. They were battered, bruised, but alive. And that was all that mattered—for now.
The rift pulsed, dark and alive. The adventure had only just begun, and Alex understood one thing: in this world, power—or the lack of it—could mean life or death. And for him, the only thing to do was endure, survive, and keep moving forward.