Kaelis stood frozen for a brief moment as the Riftborn charged toward him, its colossal form tearing through the broken landscape like a beast from the depths of nightmare. The world around him seemed to slow as the creature's every step shook the ground beneath his feet. The whispers in his mind grew louder, more insidious, pulling at the edges of his sanity.
But there was no time for fear. Only the instinct to survive.
Lyra's crumpled form lay just meters away, her body broken, bleeding. She stirred weakly, groaning in pain, but still alive for now. Kaelis' blood boiled. He couldn't afford to lose her. Not after everything they had endured together. Not like this.
With a primal scream, Kaelis charged forward, his blade raised high. The Hellfire that once empowered him had flickered out, leaving him with only his raw strength and rage. He aimed for the Riftborn's legs, hoping to cripple it, slow it down anything to stop the monstrosity's advance.
His sword clanged against the creature's bony limb, barely scratching the surface. The Riftborn barely seemed to notice, its grotesque head snapping toward him with glowing, hate-filled eyes. Its maw opened, revealing rows of jagged teeth, as it let out an unholy roar that sent a shockwave of energy tearing through the air.
Kaelis was flung back, his body crashing into the jagged rocks behind him. Pain erupted through his spine, his vision momentarily going dark as the world spun. He gasped for breath, struggling to push himself up, his limbs trembling with the weight of his exhaustion.
The Riftborn advanced again, its claws slashing through the air with unnatural speed. Kaelis barely rolled out of the way in time, the ground where he had been lying moments before now gouged with deep, blackened scars.
It was unstoppable an unrelenting force of pure malice, driven by the will of the Rift itself. Kaelis could feel the pull of the portal growing stronger, the whispers now a cacophony of madness that threatened to tear his mind apart.
He staggered to his feet, his body screaming in protest, but he couldn't stop. Lyra needed him. The world needed him.
"We... end this..." Kaelis growled through gritted teeth, his voice barely audible over the growing storm of chaos around them. "We end this, or we die."
A low, guttural laugh echoed in his mind, the voice of the Rift itself mocking his futile determination. You cannot stop what has already begun, it hissed, its words slithering through his thoughts like venomous serpents. You are nothing but a fleeting moment in the void a forgotten speck of dust.
But Kaelis would not be forgotten. Not like the countless souls that had fallen before him, consumed by the darkness. He would carve his name into the flesh of this nightmare, even if it cost him everything.
The Riftborn lunged again, its massive claws cutting through the air, seeking to crush him beneath its might. But Kaelis was faster this time his body moving with a desperate agility that defied the pain coursing through him. He dodged to the side, his sword slashing out once more, this time aiming for the creature's exposed joints.
There was a sickening crack as his blade connected with something solid. The Riftborn let out a roar of pain, stumbling slightly as its arm jerked unnaturally to the side. For the first time, it seemed vulnerable.
Kaelis pressed the attack, his heart racing. He hacked and slashed at the creature's limbs, his sword biting into bone and sinew. The Riftborn retaliated with a swipe of its claws, but Kaelis was ready, ducking beneath the strike and driving his blade deep into the monster's leg.
Black ichor sprayed from the wound, splattering across Kaelis' face and armor. The Riftborn howled, staggering back as its massive form shuddered with pain. But even wounded, it was still far too powerful. Far too dangerous.
Kaelis could feel his strength fading, his body barely holding together. But he had to keep fighting. For Lyra. For all those who had been consumed by the Rift.
As the Riftborn struggled to regain its footing, Kaelis glanced toward the portal. The dark energy swirling around it had intensified, the whispers now so loud that they seemed to shake the very air. The Rift was growing feeding off the chaos and destruction, preparing to consume the world.
An idea mad, desperate formed in Kaelis' mind. The Rift was the source of the creature's power. If they could somehow destroy the portal, maybe just maybe it would weaken the Riftborn. Or, at the very least, slow its advance long enough for them to escape.
But how could they destroy a rift in reality itself?
Kaelis' eyes flickered to Lyra. She was still alive barely. He had to get her to safety. But there was no time. The Riftborn was already recovering, its glowing eyes locking onto him with renewed fury.
He couldn't win this fight not like this.
"Lyra," Kaelis gasped, his voice hoarse. "Lyra, we need to... destroy the Rift..."
She stirred weakly, her eyes fluttering open. Pain and confusion clouded her expression, but she nodded slowly, understanding the gravity of the situation.
Kaelis looked around, searching desperately for something anything that could help them. And then he saw it.
Near the edge of the Abyss, half-buried in the twisted earth, was the Hellstone a shard of pure dark energy that had been shattered during their battle with the Whispering Ones. It pulsed faintly, still crackling with remnants of the Hellfire that had once powered their weapons.
It was a long shot. But it was all they had.
Kaelis sprinted toward the Hellstone, his lungs burning, his vision blurring with every step. The Riftborn roared behind him, its massive form lumbering after him, but Kaelis didn't look back. He reached the stone, his fingers trembling as he grabbed it, the raw energy coursing through his body like fire.
"Lyra!" he shouted, turning back toward her. "We have to hit the Rift with everything we've got!"
She nodded weakly, dragging herself to her feet, her blades still clutched in her bloodied hands. Together, they faced the Rift its swirling mass of dark energy pulsing with malevolent intent.
Kaelis raised the Hellstone, the dark energy within it crackling wildly. It felt like holding a piece of raw chaos, barely contained, ready to explode at any moment.
"Now!" Kaelis roared, hurling the Hellstone toward the Rift.
Lyra followed suit, launching her blades with all the strength she had left. The weapons tore through the air, their edges glowing with the faint light of the Hellfire.
The moment the Hellstone collided with the Rift, there was a blinding flash of light so intense that Kaelis was momentarily blinded. The ground shook violently, the very air around them seeming to split apart as the Rift screamed in agony.
And then, everything went silent.
The Rift... was gone.
The dark energy that had once swirled around it was no more, replaced by an eerie stillness. The whispers, the voices, the madness all of it had vanished.
But the Riftborn remained.
It stood in the center of the battlefield, its massive form now shrouded in darkness, its glowing eyes dimmed but not extinguished. It was weakened, but not defeated.
Kaelis and Lyra stood side by side, their weapons raised, their bodies battered and broken. But they were still alive. Still fighting.
The Riftborn roared one last time, its massive form lunging toward them with terrifying speed.
This was the final battle. The end of everything.