The ward flickered, its faint glow sputtering like a dying candle, and Kael's breath hitched in his throat.
Beyond the crumbling walls of Last Bastion, the Riftborn surged forward, their jagged forms cutting through the haze like shards of broken glass.
They moved with a predatory grace, their grotesque silhouettes shimmering under the sickly purple glow of the moon—a light that didn't belong to this world, a light that seemed to gnaw at the edges of reality itself.
Kael clenched his fists, his palms slick with sweat. His heart pounded in his chest, each beat a deafening drum in his ears.
He could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on him, the kind of weight that made it hard to breathe, hard to think.
He wasn't a hero. He wasn't even a soldier. He was just a man trying to survive in a world that had long since stopped making sense.
"Hold the fuckin' line!" someone shouted, their voice barely cutting through the chaos. Kael barely heard it over the roar of his own fear.
His breath came in ragged gasps, and then—for just a moment—everything stopped.
The world froze.
The Riftborn hung mid-leap, their jagged limbs suspended in the air like grotesque sculptures.
The defenders were mid-swing, their weapons caught in a moment of desperate defiance.
Even the dust in the air stood still, as if the universe itself had paused to take a breath. Kael blinked, his heart skipping a beat, and then time came crashing back in a deafening roar.
What the hell was that?
The air reeked of ozone and blood, a metallic tang that clung to the back of his throat. Pressing his back against the cold stone wall, Kael's chest heaved as the distant screeches of the Riftborn echoed through the streets.
The wards were failing—he didn't need to look to know. He could feel it in the way the runes sputtered and dimmed, their glow fading with each passing second.
It was like watching the last embers of a fire die, knowing the darkness would soon swallow everything.
"Kael!" A sharp voice cut through his spiraling thoughts. He turned to see Drax, the squad leader, his face twisted with frustration.
Drax's eyes were hard, but there was something else there too—something that looked almost like guilt.
"Get moving. You're on bait duty."
Kael's stomach churned. Bait duty. They'd sent him out before, always as a pawn, always expendable.
He wanted to argue, to scream at Drax for treating him like disposable trash, but the words caught in his throat.
Arguing never got him anywhere. He swallowed his fear and stepped into the open, knowing full well what awaited him.
The ground trembled beneath his feet, a low, ominous rumble that seemed to come from deep within the earth.
Overhead, a rift tore through the sky, spilling more Riftborn into the world. Their grotesque forms glinted under the eerie purple light, their movements jagged and unnatural, like broken marionettes controlled by a mad puppeteer.
Kael darted through the streets, sticking to the shadows of the crumbling buildings. His breath came in shallow bursts, his lungs burning as he pushed himself harder.
He could feel the Riftborn behind him, their jagged limbs tearing through stone and wood as they closed in.
The sound of their pursuit was a nightmare made real—a cacophony of screeches and the sickening crunch of their claws digging into the earth.
A scream pierced the air ahead of him, and Kael skidded to a stop. A woman, no older than twenty, stood frozen in the middle of the street, her wide eyes locked on the Riftborn charging toward her.
She was trembling, her hands clutching at the tattered remains of her dress, her face pale with terror.
Kael hesitated for a split second, his mind racing. He could feel the Riftborn's presence closing in behind him. He didn't have time for this.
"Move!" he barked, his voice harsh, almost unrecognizable to his own ears.
The woman didn't react, her body trembling like a leaf in the wind. She was paralyzed by fear, her mind unable to process the horror bearing down on her.
Kael's teeth clenched. He didn't have a choice.
With a sudden burst of speed, he rushed toward her. At the last moment, he shoved her hard, sending her stumbling into the open street. She fell to her knees, her eyes wide with shock and betrayal.
"Sorry," he muttered under his breath, not daring to look back as she screamed. The Riftborn pounced on her instantly, their jagged limbs ripping into her with a sickening crunch.
Kael forced himself to keep running, bile rising in his throat. He didn't have time to feel guilty. Survival came first. Always.
The ground trembled violently, nearly throwing him off his feet. Kael staggered, catching himself against the wall of a partially collapsed building. His hands scraped against the rough stone, the pain a sharp reminder that he was still alive—for now.
A rift tore open in the sky above, spilling more of the creatures into the ruins. Their screeches echoed through the streets, a haunting chorus that made Kael's blood run cold. He darted into an alley, his mind racing. He needed a plan. The wards were failing, and the Riftborn were everywhere. He couldn't outrun them forever.
His eyes darted around, searching for anything—anything—that could buy him more time. His gaze landed on a stack of broken barrels near the entrance of the alley. Not much, but it'll have to do.
Kael grabbed one of the barrels and shoved it into the middle of the alley, tipping it over to create a crude barricade. It wouldn't stop the Riftborn, but it might slow them down for a few seconds. He turned and ran, his legs screaming in protest. His lungs burned with every breath, but he didn't stop.
"Goddammit," Kael muttered under his breath, breaking into a sprint. He zigzagged through the ruined streets, keeping to the shadows cast by what little remained of the sheltering roofs. The moonlight wasn't just dangerous—it was madness incarnate.
Don't step into the light. Don't let it touch you.
The ground shook violently as a Riftborn slammed into the cobblestones behind him, its serrated tentacles lashing out. Kael felt the impact before he saw it. A searing pain exploded across his back as one of the creature's tendrils struck him, hurling him through the air. He crashed against a crumbling wall, the impact rattling his bones.
Blood trickled from his nose, his mouth, his ears. He groaned, barely able to move. His vision blurred, but the faint purple glow seeping through the cracks in the roof sent a jolt of panic through him.
"Move, dammit," he hissed to himself, dragging his battered body upright. Every movement was agony, his muscles screaming in protest. But he couldn't stop. Not now.
A screech pierced the air. Turning his head, Kael saw them—the Riftborn. They were coming for him, their jagged forms spilling into the ruins like a tide of nightmares. Behind him, the path to the trap was too far. Ahead of him, the roof was crumbling, leaving only one path forward: into the purple moonlight.
Kael's heart sank.
The light danced like a predator waiting to pounce, its ethereal glow almost beautiful in its malevolence. He knew what it did. He'd seen the madness firsthand—the screaming, the contorted faces, the people who became something other.
His hands trembled as he looked down at them. I don't have powers. No tricks up my sleeve. No safety net.
But he had no choice.
"Shit!" Kael shouted, slamming his fist against the wall. "I'm not dying here! I'm not!"
Adrenaline surged through him, drowning out his fear. His legs moved before his mind caught up, stepping into the moonlight.
The moment it touched him, it was as though the universe shattered.
Pain erupted in his leg, sharp and unrelenting. Frost crawled up his limb, turning it into an ice block. His breath hitched as a cacophony of whispers filled his mind—alien voices, raving and incoherent. They clawed at his thoughts, trying to tear him apart from the inside.
He gritted his teeth, his bloodshot eyes darting wildly as dark smoke began to seep from his skin. Move...
Kael forced his other leg forward, dragging his frozen limb with him. Every step was agony, his body screaming at him to stop. Frost spread across his torso, slowing its advance as the madness fought for control. His mind felt like it was tearing apart, but beneath the chaos, a single thought burned bright:
I...won't....die here.... Not...like...this.
The Riftborn's screeches grew louder, closing in. His steps faltered, his vision blurred, and the frost crept higher. Tears froze on his cheeks as his lips curled into a defiant snarl.
"I... won't..." Kael choked out, his voice barely a whisper. But before he could finish, the frost overtook him. His body froze completely, encased in ice.
The Riftborn slammed into the statue, shattering it into shards. The jagged creatures descended on the fragments, devouring them in a frenzy before continuing their rampage toward the Last Bastion.
Kael's remains sparkled briefly under the purple moonlight before disappearing, leaving only the echo of his defiance.
[You Have Died...]