Volume 43
Writer: Sabbir Ahmed
Chapter 15: Awakening Allies
The night was quiet—too quiet.
Lina stood at the edge of the ravine, pendant glowing faintly against her chest. The valley below was shadowed, the remnants of the recent battle still visible. Yet the air hummed with tension. The Hunters were out there, plotting, regrouping—and Lina knew the next confrontation would be far more dangerous.
Kael approached, carrying a small satchel. "We've scouted their positions," he said. "We're not ready to attack yet. But there's someone you need to meet."
Lina raised an eyebrow. "Who?"
He led her along a hidden path carved into the cliffside. After a few minutes, they reached a narrow alcove where an old tree had grown sideways from the rock. Beneath it crouched a figure, wrapped in a hooded cloak, light emanating faintly from their hands.
"Introduce yourself," Kael said.
The figure stood, pulling back the hood. Lina gasped. The face was young, almost her age—but the eyes glowed silver, echoing the energy of her pendant.
"I am Elyra," the figure said, voice calm but strong. "I was trained to protect the Rift fragments long before you were born."
Lina's heart raced. "You… you're like me?"
Elyra nodded. "Not exactly. My bond is different. But our powers are connected. And together, we can resist the Hunters' plan."
The pendant pulsed violently in Lina's chest, as if recognizing a kindred spirit. She felt warmth and power surge through her, stronger than ever before.
Kael stepped back, smiling slightly. "You two will need to synchronize. It's the only way to confront the Hunters directly."
Elyra extended her hand. "We don't have much time. The Hunters are mobilizing toward the northern Rift. We either meet them there… or let them gather every fragment they can find."
Lina clasped Elyra's hand. Silver light surged, merging between them, filling the night with a radiant glow. She felt her mother's presence within the energy, steady and reassuring, guiding her movements.
For the first time, Lina understood what it meant to fight not just for survival—but for strategy, for allies, and for the world itself.
"This ends with us," Lina said firmly.
Elyra smiled. "Then let's make sure it does."
Far above, the sky shimmered with silver cracks, echoing the power now shared between the two girls. The war against the Hunters was about to escalate—and Lina was no longer alone.