The days following the fissure's closure were tense, with the academy resuming its rhythm, but a heavy cloud still loomed over everything. Lumumba stood on the academy's highest tower, looking out over the land, his mind racing through the possibilities Koffi had raised. Control the fissures? It was a gamble, but it could tip the scales in their favor. The Sovereign's plan was still unclear, but one thing was certain: time was running out.
He needed to move, to investigate the next fissure before the Sovereign's forces could strengthen. But there were other things that gnawed at him—the growing tension with Jon, the instability among the nobles, and the looming threat of civil war.
Lumumba heard footsteps behind him, and without turning, he knew it was Amara. Her presence was a quiet comfort, steady as always.
"You've been out here all morning," she said, leaning against the stone railing next to him. "What's on your mind?"
Lumumba sighed. "Everything. The fissures, the Sovereign, Jon. It feels like everything is happening all at once, and no matter what we do, we're always a step behind."
Amara was silent for a moment, her gaze drifting to the horizon. "Jon's not going to wait forever, Lumumba. He's growing restless, and his ambition is... dangerous."
Lumumba nodded, his jaw clenched. "I know. I'm trying to hold things together, but Jon's not making it easy. He's pushing too hard, and I'm not sure how much longer I can keep him from doing something reckless."
Amara gave him a soft smile. "You've always been good at keeping things from falling apart, even when everything's stacked against you. But maybe it's time to confront Jon before things get worse."
Lumumba met her gaze, grateful for her steady presence. "You're right. I'll talk to him. But we need to keep moving forward. The next fissure isn't going to wait for us, and the Sovereign's forces are only going to get stronger."
Amara nodded. "We'll be ready. Koffi and Mamadou are preparing the team. We're heading north again, to the next fissure."
Lumumba sighed. "Good. Because this time, we're not just closing it. We're going to find a way to use it."
Later That Day: The Rift Grows
As Lumumba made his way through the academy halls, the tension between him and Jon became increasingly palpable. He found Jon in the training grounds once again, sparring with a group of students. His movements were sharp, precise—almost aggressive.
Lumumba approached, waiting for Jon to finish. When the students were dismissed, Jon turned to face him, his expression guarded.
"What now?" Jon asked, wiping sweat from his brow.
Lumumba crossed his arms. "We need to talk. About everything. The fissures, the academy, your role in all of this."
Jon raised an eyebrow, his stance defensive. "My role? I thought you made that pretty clear when you left me behind last time."
Lumumba held back a sigh, trying to keep his voice steady. "You know that wasn't about sidelining you. I needed you here to protect the academy. But Jon, you can't keep pushing like this. You're becoming... obsessed with control. And that's dangerous."
Jon's eyes flashed with anger. "Dangerous? I'm trying to keep us alive! Every time we fight, we barely make it out. I'm the one who sees what needs to be done. You're the one who's too scared to take the next step!"
Lumumba clenched his fists, frustration rising. "I'm not scared, Jon. But if we start fighting for power, we're no better than the nobles or the Sovereign. This isn't about controlling everything—it's about survival."
Jon scoffed, shaking his head. "Survival? You're holding us back. We could be stronger, but you're too afraid to seize the power that's right in front of us. The academy, the fissures, the rebels—they could all be ours, Lumumba. But you're too busy trying to play the hero."
Lumumba's eyes narrowed. "I'm trying to keep us from losing everything. If we take control by force, we'll destroy ourselves from the inside."
Jon took a step closer, his voice low and filled with barely-contained fury. "Maybe that's what needs to happen. Maybe we need to break things apart before we can build something better."
For a moment, Lumumba didn't know what to say. He had always known that Jon was ambitious, but this... this was something different. Something darker.
"Don't do this, Jon," Lumumba said quietly. "We need to stay united. The Sovereign is the real enemy, not each other."
Jon didn't respond, his jaw tight. He turned away, his fists clenched at his sides. "You'll see, Lumumba. One day, you'll see that I was right. But by then, it might be too late."
Lumumba watched him go, a sense of unease settling over him. The rift between them was growing wider, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep things from breaking.
The Next Fissure: The Northern Edge
As Lumumba and his team traveled north toward the next fissure, the tension from his confrontation with Jon weighed heavily on his mind. But there was no time to dwell on it. The fissures were growing more dangerous, and this one—deep in the Northern Edge, on the borders of the Western Kingdom—was unlike any they had faced before.
The air grew colder as they traveled, the landscape turning rugged and barren. Dark clouds hung low in the sky, and the wind howled through the jagged mountains like the cries of something ancient and angry.
"It's close," Koffi said, his voice barely audible over the wind.
They crested a hill, and there it was—the next fissure. It was massive, larger than any they had seen before, and its dark energy pulsed with a sickening green light that seemed to warp the very air around it. Shadowy figures moved around the fissure's edges, their movements jerky and unnatural, as if they were puppets on invisible strings.
Mamadou whistled softly, his grin widening. "Well, would you look at that. Seems like the Sovereign's really outdone himself this time."
Amara's face was set in grim determination. "We need to be careful. This isn't going to be like the last fissure. The Sovereign's forces are stronger now, and we don't know what kind of magic we're dealing with."
Lumumba nodded, his eyes fixed on the fissure. "We'll handle it. Like we always do. But this time, we're going to figure out how to use this against the Sovereign. If we can control the fissure, we can turn the tables."
Koffi raised an eyebrow. "Control the fissure? That's a dangerous idea, Lumumba. These things are unstable. If we mess with it too much, we could destroy everything."
Lumumba smirked, gripping the hilts of his twin swords. "When have we ever played it safe?"
With that, they moved forward, descending the hill toward the heart of the fissure. The air grew thick with dark magic, and the ground seemed to pulse beneath their feet, as if the very earth was alive with the Sovereign's power.
"Stay sharp," Lumumba muttered, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of an attack.
And then, as if on cue, the shadowy figures around the fissure turned toward them, their movements slow and deliberate. Lumumba felt a chill run down his spine as they began to advance.
"Here we go," Mamadou said, drawing his daggers with a wide grin. "Let's show these guys what we're made of."
The battle was swift and brutal. The shadowy figures moved with a strange, almost mechanical precision, their bodies twisted by dark magic. Lumumba's twin swords flashed in the dim light as he cut through the enemies, his movements fluid and deadly. Amara fought beside him, her sword a blur as she parried and struck with deadly accuracy.
But the closer they got to the fissure, the stronger the dark magic became. It pulled at them, draining their strength and warping their senses.
"This place is cursed," Koffi muttered, casting a protective spell around them. "We need to finish this quickly."
Lumumba gritted his teeth, his focus narrowing on the heart of the fissure. He could see the source of the magic now—a swirling vortex of energy, just like the last one. But this time, it was protected by something more—a barrier of pure dark energy that pulsed with malevolent power.
"We need to break that barrier," Lumumba shouted over the din of battle. "Once it's down, we can close the fissure."
Mamadou leapt forward, his daggers flashing as he cut through another enemy. "Leave it to me! I've got this!"
But as he approached the barrier, a bolt of dark energy shot out from the fissure, striking him square in the chest and sending him flying back.
"Mamadou!" Amara shouted, rushing to his side.
Lumumba cursed under his breath. The fissure was stronger than they had anticipated. They needed a new plan.
"Koffi, can you weaken the barrier with your magic?" Lumumba asked, his mind racing.
Koffi nodded, his face tense with concentration. "I'll try. But we're running out of time. The longer we stay here, the more the fissure drains our strength."
Lumumba's grip tightened on his swords. "Then we need to end this. Now."