Chapter 3: The Rift That Shouldn't Be
And for now, that would have to be enough.
Alex tightened the straps on his pack once more, the shield digging slightly into his shoulder, arrows rattling against his back, and parcels secured snugly against his chest. The ruins stretched ahead—streets littered with debris, twisted metal, and the faint glow of residual rift energy. Each step required balance and attention.
"Move closer," Mara's voice cut through the quiet, sharp and precise. Her holographic map flickered in her hand, projecting readings that twisted in unnatural patterns. "Energy… isn't normal. Something's here that wasn't on any records."
Alex followed her gaze. A crimson shimmer pulsed in the distance, emerging from a collapsed alley. Residual rift energy usually vibrated faintly, almost imperceptibly—but this pulsed like a heartbeat. Sharp. Intentional. Something about it made his instincts tighten in warning.
"Probably just a rift anomaly," Tavik said, trying to sound casual, though the hand holding his bow twitched ever so slightly. "Nothing to worry about—"
"Don't dismiss it," Liora interrupted softly, her eyes glancing toward Alex, a subtle weight behind her smile. "This isn't a normal rift. Be careful."
Kael stepped forward, his barrier flickering with a faint golden shimmer. "We've never seen energy readings this high in a delivery zone," he said. His tone was calm, measured, but it carried authority. "If that's a breach, it's… unnatural. Stay alert."
Alex felt the pressure in the air intensify. The way the ruins around the glow seemed to bend slightly, shadows stretching unnaturally, small debris vibrating at their feet—it was all wrong. He had walked through countless zones, avoided residual energy, and navigated collapsing streets, yet this shimmer carried an awareness he couldn't explain.
"Keep your focus," Mara whispered, scanning the distorted alley. "Even the smallest misstep could trigger a collapse… or worse."
Tavik muttered under his breath, "A rift this strong… it shouldn't exist here. No warnings. No patrol logs. Nothing."
Alex's grip on the shield tightened, and his instincts flared. Every subtle shift in shadow, every irregular pulse in the air, every faint distortion of stone and dust—it all screamed caution. He had no mana. No blessing. No magical advantage. But his perception had saved him more times than any divine gift could.
Liora brushed his arm lightly, a tether and a warning all at once. "Whatever's inside… it's aware," she said softly. "Watch your steps. Don't underestimate it."
Kael moved first, clearing a path, his barrier slightly pushing against the pressure of the energy. Tavik followed reluctantly, his bravado cracking under the sheer intensity of the shimmer. Mara stayed close to the edge, recording every pulse, every fluctuation. Alex brought up the rear, shield raised, eyes scanning every corner of the warped alley.
As they neared, the shimmer expanded, the air growing thick and heavy. The vibrations pulsed against their chests, subtle gravity distortions tugging at their balance. Stones shifted slightly beneath their feet, dust swirling unnaturally, shadows bending against the angle of light. Even Tavik's usually cocky stance wavered.
"This… isn't a normal breach," Mara muttered. "It's stable, but concentrated. Stronger than anything recorded. The Church… they would have suppressed this if it were a standard anomaly."
Alex stepped closer, noticing how the air itself seemed to push back, resistance that no one else seemed to fully register. His instincts flared—subtle flashes of intuition guiding him to step lightly, to distribute the weight of his pack carefully, to anticipate the pull of unseen forces. He adjusted the shield and parcels instinctively, almost without thought.
Kael's barrier pulsed in response to the energy, a faint glow stretching across the alley. Tavik's bow twitched, arrows ready but eyes darting nervously. Liora's smile remained calm, but her gaze lingered on Alex longer than necessary.
"You're quiet, recruit," Tavik sneered, trying to mask unease. "Hoping the rift eats you first?"
Alex ignored him, stepping carefully, observing everything—the irregular pulse, the faint hum of energy, the shifting shadows. Something about this anomaly seemed deliberate, like it was measuring them, testing them. He could feel a strange pressure in the air, tugging subtly at his body, almost like a warning.
The shimmer pulsed violently, warping the walls, bending shadows, twisting debris. A faint metallic tang drifted through the air, carried on a wind that seemed to come from nowhere. Mara's holographic map flickered wildly, struggling to keep up with the readings.
"This is… alive," Mara whispered, awe and fear mingling in her voice. "Energy, pressure… it reacts to presence."
Alex's pulse quickened. No mana. No blessing. Just awareness, instinct, and careful observation. Yet somehow, he felt… ready. Alert. Alive.
Liora's voice came close, low, almost a murmur: "Follow your senses. They'll guide you better than anything else here."
The air pulsed again, shadows twisting as if in anticipation. The stones beneath them vibrated. Dust swirled. The alley seemed to stretch and contract in rhythm with the shimmer.
Alex gripped his shield and adjusted his footing, calculating weight, balance, and stability in real-time. He had survived the unpredictable before. He would survive this.
And as the crimson glow stabilized into a swirling, deliberate vortex, he realized—this wasn't a normal rift. Not even close. It had purpose. It had awareness. And it was the kind of anomaly that could shatter the delicate balance of Contested Ruins, Beast Territories, and perhaps the Church's careful control.
Alex's mind sharpened. Every step, every movement, every instinct mattered now. He had no mana, no blessing—but he had perception, cunning, and endurance.
And that would have to be enough.