The Rift Of Shadows

Chapter 5: The Rift of Shadows

The chasm stretched before them like a wound carved into the earth, its edges jagged and sharp, plunging into an abyss of swirling black mist. Aralyn clutched the medallion and the orb tightly, their combined glow forming a faint golden bridge across the gap. The sight of the ethereal path was both mesmerizing and terrifying.

"Are we really supposed to cross that?" she asked, her voice quivering as she stared into the void below. The mist seemed alive, shifting and writhing like it wanted to swallow anything that came too close.

Kael stepped closer to the edge, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword. "The medallion and the orb created this. It's the only way forward."

"Only way forward, or only way to die?" Aralyn muttered, earning a faint smirk from Kael.

"Both, if we're not careful," he said, his tone serious again. "Stay close to me. The path looks stable, but there's no telling how long it'll hold."

Aralyn swallowed hard and nodded, her feet hesitant as she took her first step onto the bridge. The golden light rippled beneath her, solid yet unnervingly fragile. Each step felt like a gamble, the mist below whispering promises of doom if she faltered.

Halfway across, the air grew colder. The light of the bridge flickered, and a low rumble echoed from the chasm.

"Keep moving," Kael urged, his eyes scanning the mist. "We're not alone."

As if in response to his words, the shadows in the mist began to shift. From the abyss, dark tendrils emerged, twisting and reaching toward the bridge like living serpents.

"What are those?" Aralyn asked, panic rising in her chest.

"Rift Wraiths," Kael said grimly. "They guard places like this—gaps between worlds. If they catch us, they'll drag us down into the void."

"Great," Aralyn muttered, gripping the medallion tighter.

One of the tendrils lashed out, striking the edge of the bridge. The golden light wavered but held firm. Kael drew his sword, its steel gleaming faintly in the medallion's glow.

"Run!" he shouted, slashing at a tendril that lunged toward them. The shadow hissed and recoiled, but more took its place.

Aralyn bolted, her boots pounding against the glowing path. The bridge trembled with each step, the mist swirling and rising around her. She glanced back to see Kael fending off the Wraiths, his movements precise but desperate.

The medallion flared in her hand, its light growing brighter. Aralyn didn't know why, but she felt compelled to raise it.

As she did, the golden light of the bridge surged outward, forcing the tendrils to retreat. The Wraiths hissed and shrank back into the mist, but the effort left her trembling.

Kael caught up to her, his breath ragged. "Whatever you just did, do it again if they come back."

"I don't even know what I did!" Aralyn snapped, but there was no time to argue.

They pressed on, the bridge growing narrower as they neared the other side. The mist became denser, obscuring their view of the city.

Just as they thought they were safe, the air split with a deafening roar. From the mist below, a massive figure emerged—a Wraith Lord. Its body was made of shadow, its eyes burning like twin red stars. It towered over the bridge, its claws scraping against the edges as it rose.

Aralyn froze, her legs refusing to move. "What is that?"

"Trouble," Kael muttered, stepping in front of her.

The Wraith Lord lunged, its massive hand sweeping toward them. Kael pushed Aralyn aside, narrowly avoiding the attack as the bridge shook violently.

The medallion and the orb pulsed again, their light forming a barrier around Aralyn. She could feel their energy coursing through her, a warmth that pushed back the terror threatening to consume her.

"You have the power to fight back," a voice echoed in her mind—the same voice she had heard in the ruins.

"How?" Aralyn whispered.

"Focus. Let the medallion guide you."

The Wraith Lord lunged again, its claws slicing through the barrier. Aralyn raised the medallion instinctively, and a beam of golden light shot forth, striking the creature in the chest.

The Wraith Lord roared in pain, its form flickering like a dying flame.

Kael took the opportunity to strike, his sword slashing through one of its massive arms. The creature recoiled, its shadows pulling back.

But it wasn't finished. The Wraith Lord let out a piercing shriek, and smaller Wraiths began to emerge from the mist, swarming toward the bridge.

"Aralyn, we need to end this now!" Kael shouted.

The medallion's glow intensified, and Aralyn felt a surge of clarity. She held up the orb, and its silver light merged with the medallion's gold. Together, they unleashed a wave of energy that rippled across the chasm.

The Wraith Lord let out one final roar as its form disintegrated, the smaller Wraiths dissolving along with it.

The bridge stabilized, the mist retreating into the abyss. Aralyn and Kael stood in silence for a moment, catching their breath.

"You're full of surprises," Kael said, his voice laced with exhaustion and admiration.

Aralyn managed a weak smile. "I'm just trying not to die."

As they stepped off the bridge and onto solid ground, the outline of Maldoria's gates loomed before them, shrouded in mist but unmistakably real.

"We made it," Aralyn said, though her relief was tempered by the knowledge that their journey was far from over.

Kael nodded, sheathing his sword. "The real challenge lies ahead."