Chapter 49: Rift Part 2

Chapter 49: Rift Part 2The deeper they went, the tighter the air became. The stone walls seemed to close in, the light from the bioluminescent moss dimming with each turn. The floor grew uneven, jagged in places, forcing them to watch their footing. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the occasional drip of water or the soft scuff of boots against rock. Kael held up a hand. The team halted. "Movement ahead," he said. His voice was calm. Controlled. Darius raised his shield instinctively. Reina’s hand curled around her wand, magic already forming along its crystal tip. Shade melted into the dark, becoming one with the shadows along the cavern wall. Marianne stepped behind the frontliners, her lips moving in quiet prayer. Inigo and Lyra lingered at the rear again. Observing. Waiting. A soft chittering sound echoed through the space. Then they came. Draconutes. Again. But different. These ones were leaner, faster. Claws clicked against stone. Their eyes glowed faintly with red malice, and they moved not in mindless charge—but in formation. Coordinated. One screeched from the ceiling, and the rest surged forward. Kael didn’t hesitate. "Hold the line!" Darius slammed his shield into the ground as the first monster leapt. It bounced off the iron plate, stunned—but only for a moment. The others closed in quickly, too fast for brute strength alone to stop. Kael became a blur of silver. His sword sliced the air, each strike precise, practiced. One Draconute lost its head in a clean arc. Another staggered backward as he flipped and landed a reverse slash along its chest. Shade was already behind them, daggers dancing between gaps in scales. Blood sprayed, but he moved on before it could even hit the ground. Reina let loose a blast of arcing lightning, chaining between three enemies and dropping them twitching to the stone. Marianne weaved between spells and fighters, shielding Darius as he absorbed strike after strike. They were like a storm. Perfect and brutal. And Inigo? He was still standing still. Lyra, beside him, tensed with each blow. Her knuckles whitened against her bow. She said nothing. But her silence was sharper than words. Again, they didn’t ask for help. Again, they didn’t need it. Or so they thought. When the last Draconute collapsed in a heap of gore and claw, Kael merely nodded. "We keep moving. The air’s changing." They walked. The chasm widened. A gentle slope carried them lower, deeper into the earth. The light from the rift was long gone now—only the moss remained to guide them. That, and the glow of Reina’s staff. The silence returned, but this time it was heavier. Tense. The calm before a storm. Inigo kept pace, boots crunching over gravel. His eyes never left the shadows ahead. He could feel it. Something was close. They rounded a bend—and then the tunnel opened into a massive chamber. It was enormous. Dome-shaped, with a ceiling so high it disappeared into darkness. Pillars of stone jutted from the ground like natural fortresses. Pools of stagnant water lined the edges. A broken ruin—half a temple, half a fortress—stood in the center like the bones of a forgotten god. And then... A roar. It didn’t shake the air. It shook the soul. The sound came from beyond the ruin—and with it, a massive figure stepped forward. Not a Draconute. Something worse. Something commanding. Its body was a mountain of blackened muscle wrapped in armor forged from something unnatural. Dark runes glowed along its chest and shoulders. A long, ragged cloak dragged behind it like a funeral shroud. Its helmet crowned with jagged horns, like a warlord made of nightmares. And in its hand—a massive weapon. A staff. As tall as a man, with a bladed end and a core that shimmered like molten crystal. It radiated malice. Darius stepped forward instinctively, shield raised. Shade tensed beside him. Reina’s eyes widened. Kael’s grip tightened on his sword. "That’s... not a regular monster," Reina whispered. "Boss-class entity," Marianne confirmed. "Maybe more." And it wasn’t alone. From the shadows behind it, two more monsters emerged—larger, tougher-looking Draconutes with glowing armor and jagged weapons. Their eyes burned with the same light as their master’s. Kael snapped his command. "Formation Alpha!" Darius charged. Shade vanished. Reina and Marianne broke left and began casting. Inigo took a step forward—but Kael turned. "You two. Stay back." Inigo’s jaw tightened. "You sure?" "We don’t need support," Kael said. "Not yet." Lyra’s expression was unreadable. She looked at Inigo—but said nothing. So again—they stood still. And watched. The battle began with violence. Darius slammed into one of the boss’s lackeys, his shield shattering stone. But the creature didn’t budge. It caught the edge of the shield and twisted, sending Darius stumbling. Kael intercepted the other with a flurry of attacks, but the beast’s armor deflected most blows. Sparks flew. He ducked a swipe that would’ve taken his head off. Shade tried to ambush the warlord—but the moment he struck, the massive monster turned. It caught his blade mid-air. Then backhanded him across the room. Shade hit the wall with a crack. He didn’t move. "Shade!" Marianne called, already dashing toward him with a glow in her palms. Reina shouted a spell—but the warlord raised its staff, and the magic dispersed like smoke. seaʀᴄh thё NôᴠelFirё.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Kael grit his teeth. "Focus the lackeys! We take them out, then the big one!" They fought hard. Marianne healed where she could. Reina provided bursts of cover fire. Kael danced between blades. Darius held the front with everything he had. But it wasn’t enough. The boss was too strong. Too fast. Every swing of its weapon cracked the stone floor. Every movement shattered the rhythm of their formation. Inigo watched. The moment would come. He could feel it. Lyra whispered, "They’re losing ground." "Yeah." "Should we?" He didn’t answer. Because the warlord turned. And looked directly at them. Its eyes burned like dying stars. It raised its staff. And pointed. Toward Inigo. Toward Lyra. As if it knew. As if it had been waiting. The moment was coming. And they would no longer be sidelined. "Okay, it’s time for us to shine," Inigo smirked.