The first rift of the new cycle didn't scream.
It didn't tear the sky open with chaos.
It opened quietly, a shimmer of silver-blue in the Northern Barrens — a lonely tear floating above the jagged cliffs. Most mortals would never notice. Most would walk past, thinking it was sunlight catching on ice.
I did notice.
> [System Alert: Dimensional Anomaly Detected — Rarity: Rare.]
[Divine Presence: Tempest Faction — Rank B Champion.]
[Domain Expansion: Eldrath Contested.]
The NOR gods' will pulsed inside me, calm but insistent. Eldrath's energy hummed, drawing me toward the rift.
Lyra, Arden, and Amara had gathered as always.
"Another rift?" Lyra asked, her eyes scanning the horizon.
"Yes," I said, gripping my sword. "And whoever comes through… they're here to claim Eldrath."
The air shimmered as the rift widened.
A figure emerged — tall, armored in storm-grey plates, with electricity dancing across their skin. Tempest markings glowed along their arms and chest, pulsating like lightning caught in metal.
> "Domain identified," the envoy said in a deep, resonant voice. "Eldrath — claimed. We are here to assert authority."
Arden stepped forward, fists glowing with runes. "You can't just waltz in and claim our continent."
The envoy smiled, a dangerous curve. "Not claim. Assert. The world is a battlefield. Mortals are… collateral."
I tightened my grip on my sword, feeling the pulse of Eldrath beneath my feet.
> [Domain Protector Status: Active.]
[Celestial Seal Ready — 20% Area Control.]
I stepped forward, but I didn't summon the full seal. Not yet.
Not like I would as a god.
I fought like a ranker.
Every step was precise. Every swing measured. I approached the envoy with fluid motion, dodging the first surge of electricity like a shadow dancing on the cliff edge.
The envoy struck with a lance of condensed storm energy — faster than most mortals could react. I blocked with my sword, sparks flying as the force reverberated through my arms.
> Normal combat, I reminded myself.
No divine flair. Just skill and instinct.
I feinted left, then rolled under a sweeping strike. My blade slashed upward, cutting through the energy shield surrounding their wrist. The envoy staggered, surprised by the sudden momentum.
Arden and Lyra flanked me, but I kept the distance between us.
"Don't rush him!" I shouted. "Test his strength first!"
The envoy smirked. "Predictable." Lightning arced, striking the cliffside and sending shards of stone raining down.
I ducked under a falling boulder, using it as cover, then countered with a low swing, slicing across the envoy's leg. They jumped back, sparks flying as the strike grazed their armor.
> This is how rankers fight, I thought, pushing adrenaline into controlled bursts.
Even gods have weaknesses when treated like humans.
---
The first engagement lasted minutes, each of us testing the other — quick strikes, evasive rolls, tactical use of terrain.
Then I activated part of my domain — a subtle ripple that even a mortal could sense as pressure in the air.
> [Domain Expansion: Active — Defensive Layer.]
Not to crush them, not yet — just to restrict movement. The cliffside bent slightly, mana flowing like a river beneath the earth. The envoy's feet slipped on the edge of reality, and I pressed the advantage, landing a clean strike on their shoulder.
They hissed, energy crackling violently, but did not falter. Tempest champions weren't here for honor — they were here to claim, to pressure, to overwhelm.
I ducked under a swing, feeling the wind tear past my hair. Every strike I landed, every dodge I made, was like a chess move — grounded, deliberate, mortal-level tactics.
> Even as a Domain Protector, I fight like a ranker.
That's the only way I can maintain control without drawing the full wrath of other gods too soon.
---
After the initial skirmish, I made my move.
"Seal the rift!" I shouted, activating the Celestial Seal.
Chains of light erupted from the ground around the envoy and the rift, shimmering like glass filaments. The envoy tried to resist, launching a storm of lightning directly at me. I dodged, rolling over a ridge, and simultaneously struck with the sword — precise, mortal-perfect.
The chains wrapped around the envoy, not to kill, but to immobilize. Their aura flickered and pulsed.
> [Celestial Seal — Partial Lock: 80% Effectiveness.]
The rift shivered violently. I felt Eldrath responding to my will. Beneath my feet, the veins of mana strengthened, drawing power from the NOR gods' domain.
> Eldrath itself is alive, I realized.
It reacts to me, the Domain Protector.
The envoy roared, lightning crackling, trying to break free. But the seal was calibrated — it would not destroy, only purify and neutralize divine claiming.
Finally, the rift collapsed in on itself. The envoy staggered back, panting, restrained but alive.
I lowered my sword. "Eldrath is not your battlefield," I said simply.
They looked at me — not with hate, but with begrudging respect. "You… are different from mortals," they said. "We underestimated this land."
I nodded, wiping sweat from my brow. "Don't. This domain has rules. You break them, and the world itself will push back."
---
The day ended with quiet relief.
The rift was closed. The envoy remained — a prisoner, but unharmed.
I surveyed the land below. The Northern Barrens stretched far and wide, untouched except for minor cracks caused by the clash.
Lyra approached. "Kael… you could have crushed him."
I shook my head. "No. Not every enemy needs to be killed. Some need to live to understand why they cannot claim Eldrath. That's how a protector fights."
Arden grinned. "Still, you're insanely strong."
I smiled faintly. "Strong enough to stop gods, not enough to become one. That's the difference between a ranker and a protector."
---
That night, the NOR gods spoke again. Not in words, but a pulse of energy through my domain.
> "The first challenge is complete. But the war for Eldrath has only begun. Other gods will attempt to breach multiple points — prepare for rare, strategic rifts. Each will carry champions or armies. Your domain must expand, but your hand must remain measured."
I closed my eyes. "Measured… but decisive."
> "Correct. Remember, Kael — you fight like a mortal, but your soul is beyond mortality."
The stars above shimmered in agreement. Eldrath would not fall. Not while the Domain Protector still drew breath.
And in the quiet night, I understood fully: the rifts were rare for a reason. Every one mattered. Every one could shift the balance of power across all worlds.
> And I — grounded in mortal combat, guided by divine mandate — would face each one.