Chapter 42 : What Remains

The landscape was still, a silence hanging over it like a heavy blanket. Where the rift had once swirled with violent energy, there was now only a faint shimmer in the air—a scar left behind by the collapse.

Ryn sat on the cracked ground, his chest heaving as he clutched the Spirit Fox. Its fur was dim, its breathing shallow but steady. The bond pulsed weakly, a faint rhythm that steadied his nerves as exhaustion pressed down on him.

"Ryn."

Mira's voice cut through the quiet. She knelt beside him, her bow slung over her shoulder. Her sharp eyes scanned him, then the fox.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her tone soft but urgent.

Ryn nodded slowly, wiping sweat from his brow. "We're... we're fine."

Bryn approached, his sword resting on his shoulder. His scarred face was as grim as ever, but there was a flicker of concern in his eyes as he looked at Ryn.

"Fine doesn't cover it," Bryn said bluntly. "That rift almost tore us apart."

"You shouldn't have followed me," Ryn said, his voice hoarse.

"And leave you to die?" Jek chimed in, smirking as he leaned against a jagged rock. "Not a chance, kid."

Ryn didn't respond. His gaze shifted to the Spirit Fox, his hand resting on its side. The bond pulsed faintly, but there was something different about it—something deeper.

"You're different now," Ryn murmured, more to himself than anyone else.

The fox chirped softly, nuzzling against his hand.

As the group settled into the stillness, Bryn walked the perimeter, his sword drawn as he scanned the quiet landscape. Mira and Jek sat nearby, sharing a flask of water while keeping their weapons close.

Ryn stayed with the Spirit Fox, his mind racing as he replayed the events in his head. The shard, the crystal, the towering figure—they had destroyed the rift, but it hadn't felt like a victory.

"What happens now?" Mira asked, breaking the silence.

"We move," Bryn said without hesitation. "The corruption might be gone from here, but it's not over. There are more rifts out there."

"And we're supposed to deal with all of them?" Jek asked, raising an eyebrow. "I'm all for heroics, but this feels a little above our pay grade."

"It's not about heroics," Bryn said sharply. "It's survival. If we don't stop the corruption, it'll spread faster than we can handle."

Mira glanced at Ryn. "What do you think?"

Ryn hesitated, his gaze fixed on the Spirit Fox. The bond pulsed again, stronger this time, and he felt a flicker of warmth ripple through his mind.

"The shard," Ryn said slowly. "It didn't disappear."

Bryn frowned. "What do you mean?"

Ryn reached out, running a hand through the fox's fur. The bond flared brightly for a moment, and Ryn saw it—a faint glimmer of green light beneath the fox's skin, pulsing in time with the bond.

"It's inside the fox," Ryn said, his voice trembling.

Mira leaned closer, her eyes narrowing. "Are you sure?"

Ryn nodded. "The shard's energy... it fused with it during the fight. It's part of the bond now."

Bryn's jaw tightened. "That's not good."

"Understatement of the year," Jek muttered, crossing his arms. "What does that even mean for you two?"

"I don't know," Ryn admitted, his hand still resting on the fox's side. "But I can feel it. The bond—it's stronger, but it's also... heavier. Like it's pulling us closer to something."

"Closer to what?" Mira asked.

Ryn shook his head. "I wish I knew."

The Spirit Fox stirred, its glowing fur flaring briefly before dimming again. It let out a soft chirp, its glowing eyes meeting Ryn's as the bond pulsed warmly.

"It's not just the bond," Ryn said quietly. "The fox itself is changing."

"Changing how?" Bryn asked, his tone cautious.

Ryn hesitated, searching for the right words. "It's like... it's connected to the corruption now. But not in the same way as the rift. It feels... balanced."

"Balanced," Jek repeated, his tone skeptical. "That doesn't sound ominous at all."

Mira frowned, her hand resting on her bow. "If the fox is tied to the shard, and the shard was part of the rift... does that mean it's going to attract more corruption?"

"Maybe," Ryn admitted. "Or maybe it can stop it."

Bryn's gaze darkened. "That's a dangerous gamble."

"It's the only one we've got," Ryn said firmly.

The group fell into a tense silence, the weight of their situation pressing down on them. The rift was gone, but its presence lingered in the quiet landscape, a reminder of what they had faced—and what was still to come.

"We should move," Bryn said finally, his voice cutting through the stillness. "Whatever's next, we'll deal with it together."

Mira nodded, slinging her bow over her shoulder. "Agreed. We can't stay here."

"Fine by me," Jek said, pushing himself to his feet. "This place gives me the creeps."

Ryn stood slowly, the Spirit Fox rising beside him. The bond pulsed strongly, filling him with a quiet determination.

"Let's go," Ryn said.

The fox chirped softly, its glowing eyes fixed on the horizon as the group prepared to move forward.