Chapter 48: Rift Part 1

Chapter 48: Rift Part 1The carriage rumbled to a stop. Outside the reinforced walls of Elandra, the forest loomed—dark, silent, and heavy with anticipation. Valegrove wasn’t known for being quiet, not even at sunrise. But now, not even the birds dared chirp. Strike Team Alpha disembarked one by one. Kael was the first to step down, eyes scanning the terrain with the precision of a seasoned commander. Darius followed without a word, dragging his massive shield behind him. Shade was already gone the moment the door cracked open—no one even saw him leave. Marianne helped Reina down next, while Inigo and Lyra took up the rear. A few meters ahead, nestled between the roots of a jagged cliff face, was the rift. It shimmered like a vertical pool of dark liquid glass, humming with quiet menace. Occasional pulses of blue and violet light danced across its surface like veins. "That’s it," Kael said, drawing his blade. "Weapons out. No telling what’s on the other side." Inigo activated his active combat uniform but no weapons yet and Lyra notched an arrow into her longbow. "Ohh...so that’s your ability huh? To change clothes?" Shade commented. "Yeah, kind of like it," Inigo replied nonchalantly. One by one, they passed through the rift. Inigo braced for madness. For swirling skies, floating platforms, or some distorted dimension like the descriptions Elise had once given of unstable gates. But instead, he stepped into darkness. A cave. Massive. Echoing. Cold. The ground beneath his boots was solid stone. The air smelled of iron and rot. Dripping water echoed from unseen corners. The rift shimmered silently behind them. He blinked, eyes adjusting to the dim blue glow of bioluminescent crystals jutting from the cave walls. "So much for floating islands," Inigo said. "Rifts are unpredictable," Marianne said softly. "This one seems to mimic an underground system." Kael was already moving ahead, sword held in front. "Stay sharp. Formation: Darius up front, Reina and Marianne in center, Shade flanking left. Inigo, Lyra—rear." No arguments. The team shifted into motion. The cave was long and winding. Cracks in the wall occasionally let in shafts of pale blue light from above. But the deeper they went, the fewer of those openings remained. It was only ten minutes in when the first attack came. A faint whistling sound—then a sharp cry from Reina. "Above!" Kael didn’t hesitate. He raised his sword and with a single sweeping arc of steel, deflected two arrows mid-flight. The clanging sound of metal-on-metal echoed through the cavern. The team looked up. Shapes crouched along the ledges. Lizard-like. Scaly. Hunched. Draconutes. Their limbs were thin, but their torsos thick and armored with jagged bone-like plates. Their faces were long, mouths filled with curved teeth, and most held crude but deadly bows carved from horn. One of them snarled—a dry, rasping sound—and let loose another volley. Kael stepped forward. "Darius, shield!" Darius lifted the massive slab of iron on his arm just in time, catching a rain of arrows meant for Reina and Marianne. Shade blurred into motion, leaping up toward the ledge like a shadow set loose. Kael turned to Inigo and Lyra. "Stand back. Let us handle this." Lyra’s brow twitched. Inigo gave a subtle shrug. They watched. Kael moved like a tempest—parrying and lunging, cutting down a Draconute that dropped from above. Darius took up the front, absorbing arrows with his shield while knocking one enemy clean across the cavern with a bash. Reina chanted under her breath, launching bolts of searing mana that exploded on contact. Shade danced from shadow to shadow, slitting throats and vanishing before the next enemy could turn. It was clean. Efficient. Deadly. Inigo watched, quietly noting how each of them moved. They weren’t just strong—they were practiced. Sharpened. A team. Still, a part of him burned. He didn’t like standing still. As the last archer dropped, Reina lowered her staff and grinned. "Whew! Not bad for a warm-up." Darius grunted. "Too many for scouts." "Means we’re close," Kael said. "Or someone’s guarding something." They pressed on. The cave narrowed and then widened again, revealing what looked like an open chasm. Bioluminescent moss clung to the far walls, casting ghostly patterns on the jagged stone. Stalactites hung like blades from the ceiling. Then came the next wave. Not archers. These were larger. Draconutes again—but this time, their bodies were bulkier, more muscular. No bows. Just clenched fists the size of hammers, and crude iron bracers around their forearms. They charged. Kael immediately raised a hand. "Inigo. Lyra. Stay back." Inigo opened his mouth. Then closed it. He nodded once. Lyra looked like she wanted to argue—but after a second, she turned away and leaned against the wall, arrow still nocked but lowered. The battle began. Darius met the charge head-on. His shield clanged as the first Draconute struck him with a punch that cracked the stone beneath his feet. Kael dashed around him, aiming for pressure points—knees, necks, spines. Reina summoned barriers of flame to slow their movement, while Shade slipped past them to land critical strikes to their kidneys and hearts. Marianne stood still, murmuring blessings that lit her hands. Darius glowed faintly, his movements quicker now—less sluggish. The monsters hit harder. They were faster. But Strike Team Alpha was faster still. Inigo watched, his eyes sharp. They were good. Damn good. But so was he. And yet, here he stood. Sidelined. Watching. He swallowed the bitterness rising in his throat. Let them have their show. For now. Lyra crossed her arms, whispering, "How long are we supposed to watch?" "Until they say otherwise," Inigo replied. She narrowed her eyes. "They’re testing us." S~eaʀᴄh the Nôvelƒire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Let them." The last of the brute Draconutes fell with a thunderous crash. Kael exhaled and raised his sword again. "Forward. There will be more." No praise. No acknowledgment. Just orders. And the march deeper into the unknown. Inigo followed, silent. But in his mind, a promise was already forming. If they found themselves in danger, they would have to beg him for his help. Yes, sure they are strong but surely they are stronger forces inside this cave.