Breaking the Warden’s Chains

The Warden of the Rift stood like an immovable colossus, its rusted cleaver humming with corrupt energy. Its burning blue eyes locked onto Liam, sensing his attempt to Override it.

The air crackled with tension.

"We need to move!" Kai yelled as the Warden lifted its cleaver again.

BOOM!

The blade slammed into the ground, splitting the unstable terrain in half. The force of impact sent Liam and Kai flying back. Selene barely managed to leap onto a crumbling rock before vanishing into the Rift's shadows.

Liam's Override pulse had failed.

This thing wasn't just a guardian—it was something more.

"Selene! You said there's a structure behind it?" Liam called, dusting himself off.

Her voice came through the comms. "Yes. There's an altar behind it, pulsing with energy. I think it's the source of its power!"

Liam's mind raced. If the Warden was being powered externally, they couldn't just fight it head-on.

They had to cut its power first.

The Plan

1. Selene would infiltrate the altar and disable it.

2. Liam, Kai, and the Gatekeeper would distract the Warden.

3. Once its power weakened, Liam would attempt Override again.

"Alright," Liam said, adjusting his stance. "Selene, go! We'll keep this thing busy."

Selene's voice was firm. "Understood." She disappeared into the shadows, moving toward the altar.

The Warden, however, wasn't about to let them execute their plan so easily.

It roared, sending a fresh shockwave through the Rift. The jagged ground beneath them cracked and shifted, forcing Kai and Liam to reposition.

Kai gritted his teeth. "Guess it's time to hit this thing harder."

He charged.

His sword clashed against the Warden's armored leg, sparks flying. The impact barely left a dent, but it got the Warden's attention.

Liam seized the moment.

"Gatekeeper! Attack!"

The tamed Guardian launched forward, its own rusted blade meeting the Warden's cleaver. The clash sent echoes through the Rift, a battle between two corrupted titans.

But the Warden was stronger.

With a single brutal backhand swing, it shattered the Gatekeeper's blade, sending it staggering back.

Liam swore. "Damn it, even my controlled Guardian is weaker than this thing?"

The Warden turned toward him.

It knew he was the real threat.

Liam clenched his fists. He had one thing left to try.

Override.

He extended his hand again. A faint glitching aura surrounded his palm as he pushed his power toward the Warden.

But the altar pulsed again.

A fresh wave of corrupt energy surged through the Warden's body, and Liam was suddenly hit by a sharp, mind-numbing pain.

Override Failed.

Liam staggered back, gripping his head. His vision blurred for a second.

Kai barely caught him. "Liam! What the hell was that?"

Liam exhaled, forcing himself to stand. "That altar... it's not just powering it. It's actively blocking my Override."

Kai glanced at the massive Warden still looming over them. "So, what now?"

A sudden explosion from behind answered the question.

BOOM!

Selene's voice crackled through the comms. "I found the core! I'm destroying it now!"

The altar flickered, its energy fluctuating. The Warden staggered for the first time, its movements becoming slightly sluggish.

"Now's our chance!" Liam roared. "Hit it with everything!"

Kai didn't need to be told twice.

He lunged forward, his sword igniting with a faint blue glow. The Warden swung its cleaver again, but Kai dodged at the last second, slicing across its exposed joint.

The Gatekeeper, damaged but still functioning, slammed into the Warden from behind, forcing it to stumble further.

Liam activated Override again.

The familiar glitching pulse surged through him, reaching for the Warden's unstable core.

This time—

It connected.

The Warden's body jerked, its cleaver dropping from its grasp. Its glowing blue eyes flickered, then dimmed.

The altar behind it collapsed as Selene finished her work.

Liam felt the moment of control. The Warden was still powerful—too powerful to fully tame.

But he didn't need to tame it.

He just needed to disable it.

The Override pulse surged one last time—

And the Warden collapsed, its corrupted body shutting down.

The battle was finally over.

Aftermath

Liam wiped sweat from his brow. "That was close."

Selene emerged from the shadows. "The altar is gone. That thing shouldn't be able to power up again."

Kai sat down on a rock, exhausted. "Damn... that was the hardest fight yet."

Echo finally spoke. "This confirms something important. Players can awaken... but so can these NPCs."

Liam's eyes narrowed. "That means we're going to face a lot worse later."

Kai let out a dry chuckle. "Great. Can't wait."

The team took a moment to breathe.

But deep down, Liam knew this was just the beginning. The deeper they went into the Obsidian Rift, the stronger their enemies would become.

He glanced at the fallen Warden. He hadn't been able to tame it...

But next time, he would.

End of Chapter 24.