The weight of the revelation hung heavy in the air. Zynth stared at Altair, frozen and entrapped by the rift's invisible chains, his mind racing to process what was happening. The beauty of the new realm—the glowing trees, the peaceful forest—now felt like a twisted illusion. The rift had followed them, its chaos seeping into this world, tainting it with the same instability that had destroyed *Chroma-Veila*.
"We didn't escape," Aurelia whispered again, her voice trembling. "We just… brought the rift with us."
Zynth clenched his fists, his pulse quickening as a wave of anger and frustration surged through him. He had thought they were free, thought they had finally escaped the chaos, but instead, the rift's reach had expanded even further, threatening not just them, but this new realm as well.
"We need to get him out," Zynth said, his voice low and filled with determination. He stepped closer to the invisible barrier, his hand hovering over the shimmering air that surrounded Altair. The energy felt cold, pulsing with a faint, chaotic rhythm that was all too familiar.
Aurelia knelt beside him, her eyes scanning the barrier. "It's rift energy," she murmured, her brow furrowing in concentration. "But it's not as volatile as before. It's more like a lingering effect—almost like a residue."
Zynth's heart sank. That meant the rift wasn't actively consuming Altair, but its energy had somehow trapped him, holding him in a state of suspended animation. "Can you break it?" he asked, his voice tight with urgency.
Aurelia hesitated, her fingers lightly brushing the edge of the barrier. "I'm not sure. If I tamper with it too much, it could destabilize even more."
Zynth's jaw tightened. They didn't have time for caution. "We have to try something," he urged. "If the rift is still influencing this realm, it could get worse. We can't just leave him like this."
Aurelia nodded, though her eyes were filled with uncertainty. "Okay," she said softly. "I'll try."
She took a deep breath, raising her hands as she focused on the shimmering energy that encased Altair. The air around her crackled with magic, and Zynth felt the familiar hum of her power building as she attempted to disrupt the rift's hold. Her hands glowed with a soft, white light as she carefully traced the edges of the barrier, trying to find a weak point in the rift's energy.
For a moment, nothing happened. The barrier remained intact, its surface pulsing rhythmically like a heartbeat. Zynth watched, his muscles tensed, his breath held in anticipation.
Then, slowly, the shimmering air around Altair began to ripple. Aurelia's magic pressed against the rift energy, probing it, pushing it, searching for a way to unravel it.
But as the energy shifted, Altair's face contorted with sudden pain. His eyes, which had been frozen and vacant, filled with panic. His lips moved, forming words that Zynth couldn't hear, as if he was trapped in a nightmare.
"Aurelia, stop!" Zynth shouted, grabbing her arm.
Aurelia gasped, pulling her hands back as the shimmering energy surged, flaring violently. The barrier pulsed with a sharp, blinding light, and Altair let out a muffled scream as the energy tightened around him.
"I—I'm sorry," Aurelia whispered, her voice shaking. "I didn't mean to hurt him."
Zynth clenched his teeth, his heart racing as he watched Altair struggle within the barrier. They couldn't just leave him like this, but every attempt to free him seemed to make it worse. The rift's influence was too strong, too deeply rooted in the realm. Zynth could feel it—like a shadow lurking in the corners of his mind, a constant, oppressive presence that refused to be ignored.
"We need a different approach," Zynth said, stepping back from the barrier. "We can't just brute force it."
Aurelia nodded, though her face was pale, her hands trembling from the effort. "You're right. This isn't just the rift's energy—it's connected to the realm itself. If we destabilize it too much, we could tear this entire place apart."
Zynth's mind raced. If the rift's influence was still tied to this realm, that meant it wasn't just a lingering effect—it was active. The rift was still open somewhere, still exerting its chaotic pull. And if that was the case, they needed to find the source.
"We need to find the rift," Zynth said, his voice hard with resolve. "If it's still influencing the realm, then it's not fully closed. If we can get to the source, maybe we can stop it before it consumes everything."
Aurelia looked at him, her eyes wide with uncertainty. "But what if we make it worse? What if we trigger another collapse like in *Chroma-Veila*?"
Zynth's stomach twisted at the thought, but he pushed the fear aside. They couldn't afford to do nothing. "We don't have a choice," he said firmly. "If we don't act now, the rift will destroy this realm, just like it destroyed *Chroma-Veila*. We have to stop it before it's too late."
Aurelia hesitated for a moment, then nodded, her face set with grim determination. "You're right. Let's find it."
---
#### The Journey to the Rift
The air in the forest grew heavier as Zynth and Aurelia ventured deeper into the realm. The warmth and serenity they had first encountered had vanished, replaced by a growing sense of unease. The trees, once glowing with a soft, ethereal light, now flickered erratically, their leaves dimming as the rift's influence spread.
Zynth could feel it—the pull of the rift, growing stronger the further they went. It was faint, like a distant hum, but it resonated with the Blue Atomic Power inside him. His connection to the rift had always been strong, but now, in this fractured realm, it was like the two forces were intertwined, feeding off each other.
"Do you feel that?" Aurelia asked quietly as they walked, her eyes scanning the darkening trees around them. "The rift's pull. It's getting stronger."
Zynth nodded, his jaw tight. "Yeah. It's like it's calling to us."
They moved in silence for a while, their footsteps muffled by the soft ground beneath them. The further they traveled, the more the realm seemed to warp and distort. The trees stretched higher, their branches twisting into unnatural shapes, and the sky above them flickered between twilight and complete darkness. It was as though the realm itself was struggling to hold together, fighting against the rift's pull.
Finally, they reached the edge of the forest, and Zynth's breath caught in his throat.
There, in the distance, was the rift.
It was smaller than the one in *Chroma-Veila*, but just as dangerous. A swirling vortex of dark energy hovered above the ground, its edges crackling with unstable magic. The air around it rippled with power, distorting everything in its path. The closer they got, the more Zynth could feel its pull, tugging at his very being.
Aurelia's face paled as she stared at the rift. "It's still open," she whispered, her voice filled with dread. "I thought… I thought the surge would have closed it."
Zynth's hands clenched into fists. "It's not fully open yet, but it's growing. If we don't stop it now, it'll consume this realm just like it did before."
Aurelia nodded, though her eyes were filled with uncertainty. "How do we stop it? We tried before, and… it didn't work."
Zynth's mind raced. The rift was a force of chaos—unpredictable, uncontrollable. But there had to be a way to sever its connection to this realm, to close it for good.
Then, the answer hit him.
"The Blue Atomic Power," Zynth said, his voice tight with realization. "It's connected to the rift. Every time I use it, I feel the pull of the rift. If I can channel it—if I can use it to disrupt the rift's energy—I might be able to close it."
Aurelia's eyes widened. "But… Zynth, the last time you used that much power, you nearly lost control. What if it backfires?"
Zynth's heart pounded in his chest. He knew the risk. The Blue Atomic Power was volatile, and the more he tapped into it, the harder it became to control. But they didn't have another option. If they didn't stop the rift now, they would lose everything—again.
"I have to try," Zynth said, his voice firm. "It's the only way."
Aurelia hesitated, her face filled with worry, but she nodded. "Okay," she said softly. "I'll help you. We'll do this together."
Zynth took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was to come. He stepped forward, his eyes locked on the swirling vortex of the rift. The Blue Atomic Power stirred inside him, cold and powerful, ready to be unleashed.
He raised his hands, summoning the energy to the surface. The familiar blue flames flickered to life around his fingers, and the air crackled with magic as the power surged through him.
Zynth focused on the rift, channeling the Blue Atomic Power toward its core. The energy pulsed and hummed, resonating with the rift's chaotic magic, and Zynth could feel the tension building, the connection between the two forces tightening.
But as the power flowed through him, Zynth felt the familiar pull of the void—the same pull he had felt in the wasteland, the same pull that had nearly consumed him before.
He gritted his teeth, fighting to maintain control. The Blue Atomic Power was strong, but it was unpredictable. He had to be careful—if he let it slip, if he lost control, it could tear everything apart.
Aurelia stepped forward, placing her hands over his. Her magic flowed into him, stabilizing the power, grounding him. The two forces—hers and his—combined, creating a delicate balance that held the rift in place.
For a moment, Zynth felt hope.
But then, the rift pulsed violently, sending a shockwave of energy through the air. The ground beneath them trembled, and Zynth felt the power surge out of control, slipping from his grasp.
"No!" Zynth shouted, his voice filled with panic.
The Blue Atomic Power exploded from his hands, surging toward the rift in a massive wave of energy. The force of the explosion sent Zynth and Aurelia flying backward, crashing into the ground as the rift erupted in a blinding flash of light.
Everything went white.
---
End of Chapter 17