The Rift was never silent.

  It breathed, it whispered, it pulsed with unseen tides that pulled at the very fabric of existence. Reality frayed at the edges here, unspooling in slow ripples of light and shadow. The air shimmered with strange energies, and the ruins of forgotten civilizations stood like silent sentinels in the dark.

  Kaela moved through the desolation with Nyxveil resting easily in her hand, her senses heightened, every fiber of her being attuned to the unnatural stillness around her. The Brutes had retreated,for now,but the Rift was never without danger. It merely waited, shifting in unseen currents, preparing its next move.

  And then, she saw him.

  A lone figure, moving toward her through the broken landscape. He walked with purpose, but his steps were unsteady. His form wavered at the edges, as if the Rift itself had not yet decided whether to claim him or let him go. His clothes were torn, his armor scorched, dark blood trailing in his wake. Yet, even through the haze of exhaustion, he moved forward, step by agonizing step.

  Kaela tightened her grip on Nyxveil, instincts screaming at her to be ready. This place had a way of twisting reality, of conjuring illusions meant to lure the unwary. But as the man staggered closer, she saw the pain in his eyes, the sheer force of will that kept him upright. He wasn’t a specter. He was real.

  And then,he fell.

  Kaela darted forward, catching him before he hit the ground. His weight pressed into her, heavy with exhaustion and injury. Up close, she could see the raw wounds across his skin, the bruises forming beneath the grime. He was breathing,barely.

  For a moment, she hesitated.

  Then, with a curse, she hoisted him up, looping his arm over her shoulder.

  “You better not die on me,” she muttered, dragging him toward the only refuge she knew.

  The enclave was hidden deep within the ruins, carved into the hollowed remains of a crumbling cathedral that had long since succumbed to the Rift’s entropy. The survivors who had gathered here lived in quiet defiance of the madness beyond these walls.

  Kaela pushed past the worn stone archways, calling out to those within.

  “He needs help!” she barked, and immediately, hands reached out to ease Ethan from her grasp.

  Old lanterns flickered, casting a dim glow as the survivors carried him to a makeshift infirmary,a corner of the enclave set aside for those who hadn’t yet succumbed to the Rift’s horrors. A healer, an older woman with deep lines etched into her face, quickly set to work, cleaning wounds and assessing injuries.

  Kaela stood at the foot of the crude cot, arms crossed, watching. The man was an enigma,clearly a fighter, but not one she recognized. He carried himself like a soldier, yet there was something different about him, something that didn’t quite fit.

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  As the healer worked, Ethan’s eyes fluttered open.

  The first thing he saw was her.

  Ethan blinked against the dim light, pain thrumming through his body. He was alive. That, in itself, was a surprise. His last memory was of walking,toward her,and then... nothing.

  Now, she stood before him, arms folded, watching him with a guarded expression. He took a slow breath, forcing himself to focus.

  “Where...?” he croaked, his throat dry as sand.

  “You’re in a safe place,” Kaela answered. “For now.”

  Ethan groaned, shifting slightly. His body protested, every muscle aching. “You caught me.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “You were falling. Didn’t have much of a choice.”

  There was something in her tone,not quite humor, not quite hostility. Cautious, but not unkind.

  He managed a weak smirk. “Guess I should say thanks.”

  Kaela huffed, but there was the faintest hint of amusement in her expression. “Maybe after you tell me who you are and how you ended up bleeding all over my boots.”

  Ethan exhaled, closing his eyes for a moment. He didn’t know how much to tell her. How much he could tell her. But something about her presence made him feel like he wasn’t entirely lost. Like he wasn’t alone in this.

  “My name is Ethan,” he said, voice hoarse but steady. “I came here looking for answers.”

  Kaela tilted her head. “To what?”

  He hesitated. Then, meeting her gaze, he said, “The Rift. The voice. The whispers.”

  For the first time, her expression changed,realization flickering across her features, a flash of something unspoken passing between them.

  She had heard them too.

  The conversation was cut short by the sound of approaching footsteps,deliberate, unhurried.

  Kaela turned just as a figure stepped into the infirmary, his presence commanding without effort. Clad in dark armor, his gaze sharp, Kressos studied Ethan with a knowing look.

  “Well,” Kressos said, folding his arms. “Looks like another lost soul found his way here.”

  Ethan exhaled, already knowing who it was. “Kressos.”

  Kaela glanced between them, her brow furrowing. “You two know each other?”

  Ethan nodded. “We’ve met before. Back when the Brutes came for me.”

  Kressos smirked faintly. “And you survived. That’s something.”

  Kaela folded her arms, studying Kressos with renewed scrutiny. “Alright, then. Who are you?”

  “Someone who knows exactly what you’re going through,” Kressos said, his tone calm but carrying a weight beneath it,something old, something worn.

  Kaela narrowed her eyes. “You’ve been here a long time.”

  Kressos nodded. “Long enough to know that the Rift doesn’t bring people here by accident.”

  A heavy silence settled over them.

  Finally, Kaela broke it. “He’s heard the whispers.”

  Kressos exhaled, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “Then it’s starting.”

  Ethan’s pulse quickened. “What is?”

  Kressos regarded him for a moment, then said, “The Rift doesn’t just take. It tests. And if you’re here, then that means you’re about to be tested.”

  Ethan’s fists clenched. “Tested for what?”

  Kressos’ expression darkened. “For survival. For truth. For something far bigger than either of us.”

  The weight of those words settled over Ethan, heavy and inescapable. He didn’t know why he had been drawn here. Didn’t know what lay ahead.

  But something told him he was about to find out.

  And it would change everything.