Volume 43
Writer: Sabbir Ahmed
Chapter 8: What the Shard Reveals
The outpost felt different when they returned.
Lina noticed it immediately—the way conversations stopped as she passed, the way people watched her with a mix of relief and unease. Word of the mission had spread faster than she expected.
Mira took the signal shard to the central chamber, a circular room carved with ancient runes. Lina, Kael, and three others gathered as the shard was placed into a stone cradle.
The crystal flared to life.
Lines of light spread across the walls, forming a shifting map of the region. Points of darkness pulsed along the borders—Hunter activity.
"That's more than usual," Kael said quietly.
Mira's jaw tightened. "They moved early."
The map shifted again. One point glowed brighter than the rest, dangerously close to the ravine.
Lina felt the now-familiar pull in her chest. "That one… it's important."
Mira turned to her slowly. "Yes. It marks a sealed Rift."
The room fell silent.
"I thought Rifts were rare," Lina said.
"They are," Mira replied. "And sealed ones are even rarer. This one was closed the night you were born."
Lina's breath caught. "What does that have to do with me?"
Mira hesitated, then spoke carefully. "Your mother was there."
The words hit harder than any attack.
"She wasn't just a villager," Mira continued. "She was a Guardian. One of the strongest I ever knew."
Kael looked at Lina, stunned. "You never said—"
"I didn't know," Lina whispered.
The shard pulsed again, projecting a brief image—a woman standing before a blazing tear in the sky, silver light pouring from her hands. Even distorted, Lina recognized her instantly.
Tears blurred Lina's vision. "She said she was protecting me."
"She still is," Mira said gently. "By staying hidden."
The map flickered violently. Several dark points began moving—fast.
"They know you're here," Kael said.
Mira straightened. "Then we no longer have the luxury of secrecy."
She placed a hand on Lina's shoulder. "The Hunters tested you. Now they're responding."
Lina wiped her eyes and lifted her chin. Fear still lived inside her—but so did purpose.
"What do I need to do?" she asked.
Mira met her gaze. "You need to prepare to face the sealed Rift."
The shard dimmed, leaving the room in heavy silence.
Beyond the ravine, the Hunters gathered.
And the world shifted once more toward breaking.