Chapter 3 - Chapter 3 – The Rift of Ashen Winds

The air over Mumbai was thick with lingering smoke and tension, remnants of smaller rifts smearing the skyline. Veer Roy stood on the rooftop of Tempest's guild hall, dark hair tousled by a restless wind. His palms faintly glowed, pulsing with the strange, latent energy that had awakened within him years ago. Below, Awokened of all ranks readied themselves: lower-tier fighters adjusting their weapons, mid-tier leaders coordinating their squads, Tier-5 veterans watching the skies with steely vigilance."Veer," called Rihan, one of their mid-tier squad leaders, shifting his armor with a soft clang. "Are you certain you want to lead this? Scouts report pockets of resistance—goblins, corrupted beasts, mutants underneath Tier-4. They're manageable, but deadly."Veer's jaw tightened. "I've trained for this. I need to see it for myself."Jiya stood beside him, steady and determined. At 26, she had awakened at eighteen and already achieved Tier-4. Her calm eyes surveyed the horizon, her energy bow slack in her grip. "Remember: the rift is more than monsters. It's a puzzle. Observe, adapt. Don't rush blindly. I'll cover your flank."Rihan smirked, "Says the girl who probably dismantled more traps than all of us combined."Veer rolled his eyes but smirked, finding momentary comfort in their camaraderie despite the looming danger.Descending into the rift, they entered a jagged canyon carved from black stone and swirling ash. The air throbbed with strange energy, like a heartbeat. Gnarled trees skewed in unnatural shapes grew among glowing fungi, and jagged crystal shards littered the ground, radiating faint warmth beneath their boots.A shrill scream shattered the stillness. Thunderous pounding hooves followed—a pack of corrupted wolves, fur matted with green slime, herded goblin scouts toward the squad."Hold the line!" Veer cried, igniting a protective barrier of light around the lower-tier Awokened and deflecting incoming arrows.Jiya's bow sang with deadly precision, piercing goblin armor and clearing their path.Rihan's axe gleamed with energy as he charged, felling a mutant scout with practiced strikes. "Watch your corners!" he shouted, dispatching a shadowy assailant.Veer observed with alarm—the goblins exhibited coordinated ambushes, traps, and even minor magical wards."They're thinking," he muttered, part awe, part dread.Amid the chaos, he noted his comrades:Halric: Tier-3 Awokened, shifting gusts of wind to redirect arrows and protect allies. Quiet but brave.Sona: Tier-2 healer, glowing shards stitching wounds as she darted through the fray.Maren: Mid-tier beast-tamer, riding a corrupted gryphon, reckless but fiercely loyal.Together, every small decision shaped the tide of battle.Separated for a time, Veer, Halric, and Maren faced a goblin patrol blocking their path."Don't underestimate them. Even Tier-4 rifts hide surprises," Veer warned.In perfect coordination, Veer's energy lashes lashed forth, Maren's gryphon dove fiercely, and Halric redirected poisoned arrows in gusts swirling like blades.They rejoined their squad, breathing heavily but unbroken.Sona murmured, "We've been lucky."Veer's gaze lingered on a fissure deep within the canyon, pulsing with faint green light—stronger than anything else here. Something stirred. Not goblins—not yet."Something bigger is coming," Veer said to Jiya quietly. "There's a reason the rift's energy is uneven here."Jiya nodded grimly. "Keep your focus on the raid, but remember this: knowledge saves more lives than raw strength."By nightfall, the squad secured the rift core—fierce goblin resistance fell to their strategy and skill. Relics were retrieved, traps neutralized.On the way home, Veer's thoughts stayed on the fissure."India… something grows there. Dangerous. Not a disaster zone yet, but close," he told Rihan.Rihan grunted. "You've got a nose for trouble."Sona smiled weakly. "Let's survive this one first."The lingering pulse of the rift visible above Mumbai was like a heartbeat counting down to the challenges yet to come.