The Next Chapter Begins

A Line in the Sand

Ethan stood at the edge of the ruined citadel, the wind whipping through his coat with a ferocity that matched the storm brewing within him. The sky above, once a steady shade of deep twilight, flickered erratically between hues of violet and crimson—another symptom of the Rift distortions gnawing at reality's edges. His golden eyes glinted in the shifting light, fixed on the horizon where Valtor's shattered skyline met the encroaching chaos.

He had spent too long reacting, dancing to the tune of an unseen enemy pulling strings from the shadows. That ended now.

Orion and Mia stood behind him, their presence a silent anchor amidst the growing unease. The trio had faced countless threats together—Riftborn warriors, corrupted kings, the Obsidian Shard's wrath—but today, something was different. The air thrummed with a tension that went beyond the physical, a weight that pressed against their minds as much as their bodies.