Shadow slave:The Forgotten Spawn

Volume 3: Fractured Worlds

Chapter 2: Storm on the Horizon

The canyon walls loomed high on either side of the group as they trekked deeper into the jagged terrain. The narrow passage was suffused with an eerie quiet, broken only by the soft crunch of their footsteps on loose stone.

Eryth walked near the back, Nyx by his side. The creature's glowing eyes scanned their surroundings with a quiet intensity, its body taut like a coiled spring. Its mere presence made Eryth feel slightly more secure, though he knew it wouldn't be enough against whatever lay ahead.

The armored woman glanced over her shoulder, her tone sharp as she addressed the leader of the strangers. "You haven't told us your name yet."

The leader slowed, their green eyes flicking toward her. "Names aren't important right now."

"They are to me," she shot back. "If we're risking our lives together, I'd like to know who I'm dying with."

The leader hesitated before responding. "Kaidan."

The woman nodded curtly. "Tessa."

Eryth raised an eyebrow at her. "I thought you said names don't matter in the rift."

She smirked faintly. "They don't—unless you survive."

An Uneasy Truce

The canyon eventually opened into a wide basin, its floor scattered with strange, crystalline formations. The shards jutted out of the ground at odd angles, their surfaces shimmering faintly in the dim light.

"Rift-tainted crystals," Kaidan said, kneeling to inspect one. "They're harmless unless disturbed. Stay clear of them."

As the group weaved carefully through the field, Eryth felt an unnatural pull coming from the crystals, like they were subtly tugging at his thoughts. He clutched the fragments in his pouch instinctively, as though they might anchor him.

Nyx let out a low growl, its ears flattening.

"What is it?" Tessa asked, gripping her sword.

Nyx didn't respond, but its eyes fixed on the far end of the basin. Eryth followed its gaze and saw faint figures moving between the crystals, their forms flickering in and out of sight.

"We're not alone," Kaidan muttered, rising to his feet.

The figures grew clearer as they approached. They weren't Riftborn—at least, not entirely. Their bodies were warped, their flesh interwoven with crystalline growths that pulsed faintly with light.

"They're infected," Tessa said grimly.

The First Wave

The infected moved with an unnatural gait, their movements erratic but purposeful. The group drew their weapons, forming a defensive circle.

"They'll overwhelm us if we stay here," Kaidan said. "We need to keep moving."

"And let them flank us?" Tessa countered.

Before Kaidan could respond, the infected charged, their distorted forms moving far faster than expected.

Nyx was the first to react, leaping into the fray with a snarl. Its claws tore through the nearest creature, shattering the crystalline growths embedded in its body.

Eryth summoned a burst of light from the shards, but the effort left him winded. He focused on defending himself, relying on the others to hold the line.

Tessa fought with brutal efficiency, her sword cutting through the infected with practiced ease. Kaidan and his remaining allies held their own, though their movements were strained—they were clearly still recovering from the last battle.

"We can't hold this position!" Kaidan shouted, blocking a strike from one of the infected. "There's too many!"

"Then clear a path!" Tessa yelled back.

A Desperate Push

Eryth felt the shards in his pouch pulse faintly, as though responding to his desperation. He hesitated, knowing they were dangerously unstable, but there was no other choice.

He pulled them free and channeled their power, sending a wave of light forward. The infected recoiled, their crystalline growths shattering under the assault.

"Go!" he shouted, staggering as the effort drained him.

The group pushed through the gap, fighting off the remaining infected as they moved. Nyx stayed close to Eryth, its glowing claws cutting down anything that got too close.

As they neared the edge of the basin, the ground began to tremble. The crystals around them pulsed with light, and a deafening roar echoed through the air.

"What now?" Tessa growled, her sword at the ready.

From the center of the basin, a massive creature began to rise. Its body was covered in crystalline armor, and its glowing eyes burned with an unnatural intensity. It let out another roar, the sound reverberating through the canyon.

"That's not something we can fight," Kaidan said, his voice grim.

"Then we run," Eryth said, already moving.

Escape

The group fled, the crystalline behemoth in pursuit. Its massive limbs shattered the ground with every step, sending shards flying in all directions.

Eryth stumbled, his legs burning with exhaustion. Nyx grabbed the back of his cloak with its teeth, dragging him forward.

"Don't stop!" Tessa shouted, grabbing his arm and pulling him to his feet.

They reached the far side of the basin, where a narrow passage led deeper into the canyon. The behemoth stopped at the entrance, its massive form unable to fit through. It let out a furious roar, slamming its fists into the canyon walls, causing rocks to fall around them.

"Keep moving!" Kaidan ordered as the group scrambled through the passage.

A Fragile Victory

When they finally emerged on the other side, the group collapsed, gasping for breath.

"That thing won't stay put forever," Tessa said, her voice tight.

Kaidan nodded. "We need to keep moving. The rift's core is still ahead, and there's no telling what else we'll face."

Eryth looked down at the shards in his hands, their light dim but steady. He couldn't shake the feeling that the worst was still to come.

As the group rose and continued their journey, the air around them grew colder, and the faint whispers of the rift began to creep into their minds.