The Rift

The Rift had torn through realty itself, a wound caused by the clash of light and dark, just as the centuries old prophecy had foretold. It had destroyed the villages near it and released Rift monsters to terrorize the area around it.

And it. Was. Growing.

Spreading across the land, killing Lumina's people. My people. Our empire of light, our beacon in the dark. On the upside, our rivals hadn't escaped the Rift unscathed. Umbra, the empire of darkness and shadows, had lost just as many shadow mages as we'd lost light mages. 

But to the dismay of every single person on the earth, the prophecy was clear about one thing: only light and dark together could close the rift. It was a stupid prophecy, one that I'd read over a million times and personally translated from its ancient language.

Where light and dark wage endless fight,

A Rift is born, devouring light.

Its shadows creep, its hunger grows,

Fed by the clash of ancient foes

Yet balance, not battle, binds the tear

Of light and dark, a joining rare

Two as one, at the Rift's core,

Shall seal the wound and end its growth

But should the two remain unaligned,

Be warned the Rift will claim all space and time

And so I, Alara Solwyn, was sitting here listening to the bickering of politicians. It was tense, ambassadors from the ruthless Umbra who'd slaughtered our people and our Lumina representatives. 

"We all know peace will not be reached after you've attacked our people for three centuries," one of the Lumina representatives says. Damn right we won't. Not after what they've done to millions of people over the centuries. The villages they burnt. The light mages they tortured. What they did to me.

I tune out the argument that follows, Umbra making outrageous accusations of us while we defend and point out their atrocities. I'm a soldier, not a politician. I'm here to watch the meeting and make sure the Umbra don't try anything.

"We are here to talk about the Rift," the Umbra's lead ambassador says. "So stop with your endless argument. It's been three hundred years. We Neither of us will stop fighting, that much is clear. So here's the deal. We are willing to send one of our most capable warriors with one of yours. We refuse to sign a treaty or pause the war. Once the two close the Rift, they split apart."

Silence permeates throughout the room, followed by Lumina muttering. Many seem reluctant. I'm with them. I'd rather die than work with those selfish excuses for mages. Shadow magic was evil and destructive and the mages who used it were worse. 

But it seems the people believed the prophecy was real. I'd been doubtful of it, until the Umbra had shown us their Oracles had told the exact same prophecy on the exact same day as ours. If it is true, then everyone dies unless its closed. With that thought, our lead ambassador speaks.

"We agree to your terms," she says. I can see her face twitch as she refrains from adding a comment at the end that'd just spark another argument. "We will send our chosen soldier to the old remains of Lumirith. Its near the edge of the area the Rift is affecting, and no longer inhabited since you burnt it to the ground."

The Umbra seem to have a hard time not countering her valid jab. But they all just nod. After that its formalities and papers and confirmations and stuff. Boring. I walk outside for some fresh air as they're finishing up. And I see one of our highest ranking generals. General Liora. AKA, my mom. 

"I signed you up," she says without context. I give her a confused look. She sighs and explains. "I put you forward as a candidate to go on the mission to the Rift. As a general my recommendation will likely be chosen."

My jaw drops. I try to process the information. Surprise turns to anger. "Did you forget this mission requires working with Umbra?" I snap through gritted teeth. 

"Someone has to go. As my daughter, a lot of eyes are on you. It'll be a good trial to prove yourself and serve. Solwyn is a last name you earn."

"The Umbra killed him." I spit out. I'm not able to say his name. I haven't been for years. Rage is coursing through me. How would I resist the urge to kill the Umbra I'm paired with?

Mom's jaw tightens, but she just shakes her head. I see the pain in her eyes. I know she's also been pushing his name out of her head. Trying to forget his body. "And if this Rift grows, it'll kill you too. I will not lose you too. I know you can survive the journey through the Riftland and to the Rift. And whatever the Umbra throws at you."

Deep down I know she's right. I know I must do this. To save the people of Lumina. All current expeditions have shown one thing: the Riftlands are hell. Our scouts had barely scratched the borders. What they'd found were hordes of invincible monsters that came out of the Rift. And of course, these monsters were wreaking havoc. A mountain split in half, fires raging everywhere, areas of blinding light and shadows that scouts had deemed were impossible to see through even using pure light magic. 

And at the centre, the Rift that had formed during a huge battle. Nobody had seen it closely and survived, so our only information about it are the few who saw it from the distance before the Rift monsters created the Riftlands. According to them, it looked like a literal rip in the world. Not like that caused by an earthquake, but a tear in reality itself. And they'd seen it getting bigger.

And I'd need to venture to it, fighting immortal monsters and the urge to bury a knife in the Umbra's back. I sigh. I'm going to die. 

I'm slightly surprised when they ask me to be the one we send to the Rift. Sure, I'm the famous Kael Veyrath who's led a million victories despite being younger than most of his soldiers, but to be chosen for a mission like this was unexpected. A mission where our entire world was at stake.

But I'd have to work with Lumina. Cocky hypocrites who don't accept the slightest deviation from their image of perfection. I see general Nyvaris gesturing me to a corner. I feel the shadows around me tingle. I approach cautiously. He makes sure nobody is looking towards us, then shadows rise behind me in a Void Wall. It seems we're talking secrets since he put up the defensive wall, used for both its soundproof and shielding properties.

"Veyrath, you have another assignment. We need the Lumina's mage to close the rift, but afterwards they're just another enemy. I've caught wind they might choose General Solwyn's daughter." My entire body goes rigid. General Solwyn. I had a painting of her in my room. I used it as a practice target. She deserved it. She deserved to burn for what she did. To die a painful death for what she did. 

"Relax. You won't really be working with her. You'll use the girl to close the Rift. But as I said, after its closed she's just an enemy. A powerful one at that. So you'll stab her in the back. Get even more revenge on her mother." His words only make me stiffen more. Killing her daughter. A second revenge against the general, and yet it whatever pain she feels is deserved. The pain she caused me was a million times worse. And I think the only way I'd refrain from killing her during the mission is to know I'd kill her in the end. 

"It will be done general," I say, already imagining the kill. Perhaps I'd burn her, a reminder to her mother of what she'd done. Or blast her with dark energy and watch her screams. 

"Patience Kael. You will get to kill her," the general says. I look around me and notice I've caused the shadows to shift around and stir, ready to strike.

Lumina and Umbra would work together to close the rift, as both our prophecies had foretold. But afterwards, shadows will once again prevail against the light. And I will kill the daughter of Liora Solwyn.