Lyra and Alaric continued their journey through the strange lands Arcelis had spoken of. The farther they traveled, the more bizarre the scenery became—colossal trees with twisted trunks as if warped by time, streams of silver water winding across the ground, and in the sky, twin moons hung low, casting an eerie glow.
"The breath of the rift..." Lyra murmured, sensing an unusual energy coursing through the air.
Alaric slowed his steps, his eyes cautiously scanning every corner of their surroundings. "It feels like we're crossing the border between two realities. Not quite our world, but not entirely something else either."
They stopped by a small brook, its water flowing sluggishly and emitting a faint blue light. Lyra knelt down and dipped her hand into the stream. A sharp chill shot up her arm, but instead of pulling away, she felt something strange.
"This water… it's like it's telling a story," she whispered.
Alaric crouched beside her, his gaze fixed on her. "What do you mean?"
Lyra closed her eyes, focusing on the sensation from the water. Faint images emerged in her mind—a town swallowed by darkness, stone gates torn apart, and spatial rifts spilling out strange, alien entities.
"This is what will happen if the rifts continue to spread," she said, her voice tight. "We can't let it happen."
Before Alaric could respond, an eerie sound echoed from the forest—a long, drawn-out howl, followed by the heavy thud of approaching footsteps.
"Someone's coming…" Alaric rose to his feet, his sharp gaze fixed on the direction of the sound.
From the shadows of the forest, a group of creatures emerged. They resembled humans but bore strange features—eyes glowing in the dark, unnaturally long arms ending in sharp claws. Leading them was a tall figure draped in a tattered black cloak, its face obscured beneath a hood.
"Intruders," the leader's voice rang out, cold and resonant. "You do not belong here."
Lyra and Alaric froze, Lyra's hand instinctively tightening around the bracelet Arcelis had given her.
"We mean no harm," Lyra said, trying to keep her voice steady. "We're here to seal the rifts that are threatening this world."
The leader tilted its head slightly, as if considering her words. "You speak the truth, but you are also the cause of the imbalance. The rifts did not open on their own—they are consequences of your actions."
The words struck both Lyra and Alaric like a blow.
"We didn't know," Lyra protested, her voice tinged with desperation. "But we're trying to fix what happened."
The leader let out a cold chuckle, a sound like metal scraping against metal. "Then prove it, bearer of the Bridge Fragment. If you truly deserve this task, face the Trial of the Rift."
A bright streak of light appeared in the air, opening into a strange portal. Inside, Lyra and Alaric glimpsed the faint outline of a vast arena, where colossal shadows moved ominously.
"Step through," the leader said, "and you will discover if you have the strength to repair the mistakes you've made."
Alaric glanced at Lyra, his eyes silently seeking her decision. Lyra fixed her gaze on the portal, her eyes shining with determination.
"We don't have a choice," she said.
Together, they stepped through the portal, and in an instant, they were engulfed in a fiery realm, where everything seemed poised to challenge them.