Volume 43
Writer: Sabbir Ahmed
Chapter 17: Secrets of the Rift
The battlefield was a chaos of silver light and shadow. Lina and Elyra stood side by side, their combined powers forming a radiant barrier against Maltheris and the Hunters who surrounded him.
Maltheris advanced slowly, every step resonating with authority. "Do you understand, girl?" he asked, voice cutting through the roaring clash. "The Rifts are not merely gateways—they are sources of ultimate energy. With them, we can reshape the world. With you as the key, I can control them all."
Lina tightened her grip on her pendant, feeling her mother's voice within: Do not let him twist what I protected.
"Your mother didn't just seal this Rift," Maltheris continued, raising his hand to summon another wave of dark energy. "She bound herself to it—trapped herself—so that I could not take it. But she could not destroy it entirely. And now… you have awakened it."
Lina faltered for a moment, shock ripping through her. "So all this time… she's been keeping you out… for me?"
"Yes," Maltheris said, eyes narrowing. "And now you stand in my way. Choose, key-bearer: join us, or be destroyed."
Elyra's hand found Lina's. "We can't let him manipulate you," she said firmly. "We fight—together."
Drawing a deep breath, Lina focused. The silver light from her pendant surged, stronger than ever. She could feel the Rift's energy responding to her will, her mother's essence lending guidance and strength.
"Not this time," Lina said. "I will not be a weapon for you."
She channeled her energy directly into the Rift, letting it flow outward like a river of silver fire. The ground trembled, fissures spreading as the Rift itself responded to her command. Maltheris staggered back, the dark energy around him flickering under her light.
"You… you have control?" he hissed, fear and disbelief flickering in his eyes.
"Yes," Lina said firmly. "And I will protect this world, just like my mother did."
The pendant pulsed violently, and for a brief moment, her mother's image appeared fully, shimmering in silver light. "Lina… you are ready," she whispered. "The Rifts' purpose is balance, not domination. Protect them, guide them, and the world will survive."
Maltheris roared, charging again—but Lina and Elyra's combined power held firm. The battlefield erupted in blinding light, the Hunters thrown back by a surge of energy unlike anything they had faced.
For the first time, Lina understood the full weight of her inheritance. The Rifts were not just dangerous—they were sacred. And she, their key-bearer, had the power to preserve them… or let darkness consume them.
The war was far from over, but Lina had taken the first decisive step.