Chapter 43 : Echoes of Rift's

The air grew lighter as the group moved away from the shattered rift, but the tension in the group remained palpable. Every step felt uncertain, the ground beneath them no longer shifting but still scarred from the energy that had consumed the area.

The Spirit Fox walked ahead, its glowing fur flickering faintly as it sniffed the air. Ryn followed closely, his hand resting on the hilt of his knife. The bond pulsed steadily, a constant presence in the back of his mind, but the warmth it usually provided was tinged with something heavier.

"Keep your eyes open," Bryn said from behind him. His sword rested on his shoulder, his sharp eyes scanning the horizon. "We don't know if anything else got out of that rift."

"Doesn't feel like it," Jek said, his tone casual despite the tension in his posture. "But hey, maybe we'll get lucky, and we'll only have to fight one nightmare today."

Mira rolled her eyes. "You're a real ray of sunshine, Jek."

"I try," he said with a grin, though his grip on his dagger didn't loosen.

As they climbed over a ridge, the landscape ahead came into view. The twisted terrain from the rift had given way to a barren stretch of land, dotted with jagged rocks and faint traces of corruption that clung to the earth like shadows.

Ryn stopped, his gaze narrowing. "Do you see that?"

The Spirit Fox growled softly, its glowing eyes fixed on the horizon. The bond pulsed sharply, and Ryn felt a flicker of unease ripple through his chest.

"What now?" Bryn asked, stepping up beside him.

"There," Ryn said, pointing to a distant shape.

Far ahead, nestled between two jagged cliffs, was what looked like the remnants of another rift. The swirling energy was faint, its green and black glow barely visible in the dim light, but it was unmistakable.

"You've got to be kidding me," Jek muttered, his smirk fading. "Another one?"

"It's not fully formed," Mira said, her sharp eyes narrowing. "It looks... dormant."

"For now," Bryn said grimly. "But if we leave it, it won't stay that way."

The Spirit Fox let out a sharp bark, its fur flaring brightly as it stepped forward. The bond pulsed again, stronger this time, and Ryn felt a surge of energy rush through him.

"Wait," Ryn said, kneeling beside the fox. "What's wrong?"

The fox chirped softly, its glowing eyes locked on the distant rift.

"It wants to go," Ryn said, glancing back at the others.

"Of course it does," Jek said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Why wouldn't it want to run straight toward another disaster?"

Bryn ignored him, his gaze fixed on the distant rift. "If it's still dormant, we might have a chance to stop it before it fully forms."

Mira hesitated. "Do we even know how to do that?"

"No," Bryn admitted. "But we don't have a choice."

Ryn stood, his hand resting on the fox's side. The bond pulsed warmly, and he felt its determination echo through him.

"We'll figure it out," Ryn said, his voice steady.

The group moved cautiously, the landscape growing more desolate as they approached the dormant rift. The faint hum of energy became more pronounced, a low vibration that seemed to sink into Ryn's bones.

The Spirit Fox's fur flared intermittently, its glow brighter than before. The bond pulsed wildly, its energy almost overwhelming as the fox's connection to the shard intensified.

"Is it supposed to be doing that?" Jek asked, nodding toward the fox.

"It's reacting to the rift," Ryn said, his voice tight. "The shard is connected to it somehow."

"And that doesn't worry you?" Mira asked, her bow ready.

"Of course it worries me," Ryn said. "But right now, it's the only thing guiding us."

As they neared the rift, the ground began to shift again. Faint cracks appeared in the earth, spilling tendrils of green mist that curled and coiled like living things.

The Spirit Fox growled, its glowing claws digging into the unstable ground.

"Stay close," Bryn said, his sword drawn. "This might not stay dormant for long."

The group moved carefully, their weapons ready as they approached the rift. The swirling energy was faint but erratic, pulsing in time with the shard's energy.

Ryn felt the bond flare sharply, and his vision blurred for a moment as a flicker of light rushed through his mind.

"This is only the beginning," a voice whispered, faint and distant.

Ryn stumbled, shaking his head.

"Ryn?" Mira asked, her voice filled with concern.

"I'm fine," he said quickly, though his chest tightened. "Let's just keep moving."

The Spirit Fox stopped suddenly, its fur flaring brightly as it let out a sharp bark. The bond pulsed wildly, and Ryn felt a rush of urgency flood his mind.

"What is it?" Bryn asked, stepping closer.

Before Ryn could answer, the ground beneath them trembled violently.

"Get back!" Ryn shouted.

The rift surged, its faint energy suddenly flaring to life. The green and black light intensified, and the air was filled with the deafening hum of unstable energy.

From the rift emerged several shadowy figures—beasts twisted by the corruption, their glowing eyes locking onto the group.

"Here we go again," Jek muttered, flipping his dagger in his hand.

"Take them down!" Bryn barked, charging forward.

Ryn gripped his knife tightly, the Spirit Fox by his side. The bond flared brightly, and he felt the fox's determination surge through him.

"We've got this," Ryn said, his voice steady.

The Spirit Fox let out a fierce cry, its glowing claws flaring as they prepared to face the corrupted beasts.