The roar of the rift's collapse was deafening, a primal, chaotic sound that filled the air and drowned out everything else. Zynth's heart pounded in his chest as the ground beneath him splintered, the jagged cracks spreading out like a web of destruction. He stumbled backward, his hands instinctively reaching out for balance as the device sputtered and flickered, its light dimming to nothing.
"Aurelia!" Zynth shouted, his voice barely audible over the deafening noise of the rift's energy tearing through the realm.
Aurelia was hunched over the device, her fingers frantically working the controls, but the machine sparked and smoked, its mechanisms unresponsive. "No, no, no!" she cried, her voice tight with panic. "It's not supposed to do this!"
Zynth's breath came in ragged gasps as the rift's energy swirled around them, tearing at the sky above and warping the land below. The air felt thick and suffocating, filled with the chaotic pull of the void that was rapidly devouring the Rift's Wasteland. Everything was unraveling, and there was no way to stop it.
Altair Voss rushed over, his face a mask of grim determination. "We need to move! This whole place is coming down!"
Zynth's eyes darted between Altair, the panicking survivors, and Aurelia, who was still frantically trying to get the device to work. His instincts screamed at him to flee, to get away from the collapsing realm before it consumed them all—but he couldn't leave without Aurelia.
"Aurelia, we have to go!" Zynth yelled, grabbing her arm and pulling her away from the malfunctioning device. "It's over! We can't stop it!"
But Aurelia resisted, shaking her head as tears welled up in her eyes. "No! I can fix it! I just need more time!" Her voice was desperate, filled with the same determination that had driven her from the start—the determination to control what couldn't be controlled, to find answers where there were none.
Zynth's grip on her arm tightened. "There is no more time! The rift is collapsing, and if we don't get out now, we'll all be trapped!"
Aurelia's gaze met his, her expression torn between fear and resolve. For a moment, Zynth saw the Aurelia he had known before all this—the girl who had dreamed of exploring the realms, of unlocking the mysteries of the multiverse. But now, that dream had become a nightmare, spiraling out of her control, and she couldn't let go of it.
"I can't leave it like this," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I caused this. I have to make it right."
Zynth's heart twisted at her words, the weight of her guilt pressing down on him like a physical force. He understood—he had felt the same guilt ever since *Chroma-Veila* collapsed. But now, in the face of total destruction, they had to make a choice: leave and survive, or stay and be consumed by the very thing they had tried to control.
"I'm not losing you," Zynth said, his voice raw with emotion. "Not again."
The ground shook violently beneath them, the cracks widening into gaping chasms that swallowed everything in their path. The swirling vortex of the rift loomed overhead, a dark, chaotic mass of energy that threatened to pull them into the void.
Aurelia looked around, her eyes filled with despair. "But I—"
Before she could finish, a deafening crack split the air, and a massive chunk of the ground beneath the survivors gave way. Screams filled the air as several Hunters and civilians tumbled into the abyss, their cries swallowed by the roar of the rift.
Zynth's heart lurched in his chest, panic flooding his veins. He couldn't let this happen. He wouldn't let it end like this.
"We have to get out of here!" Altair barked, his voice commanding and urgent. "Everyone, now!"
Zynth turned to Aurelia, his grip on her arm firm. "We're leaving. *Now.*"
Aurelia's face twisted in anguish, but she didn't fight him this time. She nodded, her shoulders slumping in defeat as she finally let go of the device.
Together, they ran, their feet pounding against the unstable ground as they raced toward the group of survivors who were scrambling to escape the collapsing realm. The air around them crackled with energy, the pull of the rift growing stronger with every passing second.
Zynth's mind raced as they ran, his thoughts a jumble of fear and desperation. The rift was tearing everything apart—the landscape, the realm, their lives. And yet, despite everything, he couldn't shake the feeling that they hadn't seen the worst of it yet.
As they reached the edge of the fractured plain, the survivors gathered near the remaining stable ground, their faces filled with terror and confusion. The sky above them had turned a sickly gray, the once-vibrant hues of the Rift's Wasteland consumed by the void.
"We need a way out," Altair said, his voice grim as he scanned the horizon. "This whole place is collapsing, and we're running out of time."
Aurelia, her face pale and drawn, stepped forward. "There's… there's one last thing we can try," she said, her voice shaking. "The rift—it's pulling everything into the void, but if we can create a controlled surge of magic, we might be able to ride the wave out of here. It's risky, but—"
"Do it," Zynth interrupted, his voice hard with resolve. "Whatever it takes."
Aurelia hesitated for only a moment before nodding. She raised her hands, her fingers trembling as she summoned the last of her strength. The air around her crackled with energy, and Zynth felt the familiar hum of magic build in the air.
But as Aurelia began to channel her magic, something shifted in the air—a deep, ominous rumble that sent a shiver down Zynth's spine.
He turned, his heart skipping a beat as he saw it.
A creature—massive, twisted, and born from the chaos of the rift—emerged from the darkness. Its body was a shifting mass of black and gray, its eyes glowing with an unnatural, malevolent light. It moved with an eerie grace, its tendrils of shadow stretching out like claws, and as it approached, the very air around it seemed to warp and twist.
"A Rift Beast," Altair whispered, his voice filled with dread.
Zynth's blood ran cold. He had heard stories of these creatures—beings born from the instability of collapsing realms, creatures that fed on the chaos and destruction left in the wake of the rifts. But he had never seen one before, and now, standing before it, he understood why they were so feared.
The Rift Beast let out a low, guttural growl, its glowing eyes locking onto the group of survivors. The air around it pulsed with dark energy, and Zynth could feel the pull of the void growing stronger.
"We have to hold it off," Zynth said, his voice tight with urgency. "Aurelia, focus on creating the surge. We'll keep it distracted."
Aurelia nodded, her face pale but determined. She turned her focus back to the magic, her hands glowing with energy as she began the delicate process of creating the surge they needed to escape.
Zynth turned to Altair and the remaining Hunters. "We have to buy her time."
Altair's jaw clenched, but he nodded, his hand already glowing with magic. "Let's do this."
The Rift Beast let out a deafening roar, and in an instant, it lunged toward them, its massive form crashing through the shattered ground with terrifying speed.
Zynth raised his hand, summoning the Blue Atomic Power as the creature approached. The cold flame flickered to life around his fingers, and he felt the familiar rush of energy surge through him. But the power felt different now—more erratic, more volatile, as though the chaos of the rift was affecting it.
He didn't have time to worry about that now.
With a shout, Zynth unleashed the Blue Atomic Power, sending a wave of blue fire surging toward the Rift Beast. The flames collided with the creature's body, but instead of recoiling, the Beast absorbed the energy, its eyes glowing brighter as it fed off the chaos.
Zynth's heart sank. The Beast was feeding on the very power he was trying to use against it.
Altair was already in motion, his own magic swirling around him as he attacked the Beast from another angle. The other Hunters followed suit, their combined magic clashing with the creature's dark energy, but it wasn't enough. The Rift Beast was too strong, too connected to the chaos of the realm.
Zynth gritted his teeth, his mind racing. If magic wasn't enough, they had to find another way to stop it. But what?
A sudden burst of light caught his attention, and he turned to see Aurelia standing at the center of the clearing, her hands glowing with intense energy. The surge was ready.
"Aurelia!" Zynth shouted, his voice hoarse. "Now!"
Without hesitation, Aurelia released the surge.
A pulse of magic erupted from the device, and for a brief, blinding moment, the entire realm seemed to freeze.
The Rift Beast let out a furious roar as the surge of energy collided with the rift's chaotic pull. The air crackled with raw power, and Zynth felt himself being lifted off the ground, the pull of the void pulling at him from all sides.
And then, with a deafening crack, the Rift Beast vanished, consumed by the wave of magic.
Zynth's breath caught in his throat as the world around him began to blur, the realm itself unraveling beneath the force of the surge.
Everything went dark.
---
**End of Chapter 15**