The morning came with a biting chill. Kiran and Drayk moved quickly, descending the unstable mountain path before the temple's growing unrest could trap them. The distant rumble of shifting stone echoed behind them, but Kiran's focus was on something closer—on the sigil that pulsed faintly, urging him forward like a whisper at the edge of his thoughts.
"Keep your senses sharp," Drayk warned as they passed a narrow gorge. "The temple's energy doesn't just vanish. It leaks. And where it leaks, trouble follows."
"What kind of trouble?" Kiran asked, his grip tightening on his machete.
"Creatures. Phenomena. Sometimes worse," Drayk said darkly.
"Worse than creatures?"
Drayk gave him a sidelong glance. "You'll see soon enough."
As they trekked down the mountain, Kiran found himself experimenting with the Key's energy. When they came across a narrow, unstable ledge, the sigil seemed to hum with purpose.
"Wait," Kiran said, placing a hand on Drayk's shoulder. "I think I can stabilize this."
Drayk raised an eyebrow but stepped back to watch.
Closing his eyes, Kiran focused on the pulsing light of the sigil. He imagined the energy extending outward, weaving into the rocks beneath his feet. The air around him grew tense, charged with power, and a faint glow spread across the ledge.
When he opened his eyes, the unstable path had solidified, the cracks mending themselves.
Drayk nodded approvingly. "Not bad. But don't get cocky. The Key responds to your intent, but if you push it too far, it will push back."
Kiran smirked. "I thought you'd say, 'Good job.'"
"I'm not your cheerleader," Drayk replied, already moving ahead.
They had barely descended another hundred meters when the air grew heavy. The wind stopped, and the mountain fell into an eerie silence.
"Something's coming," Drayk said, drawing his blade.
Kiran felt it too—a ripple in the air, like the world itself was holding its breath. The sigil on his wrist flared, and he instinctively stepped closer to Drayk.
The ground trembled, and from the mist ahead, a figure emerged. It was humanoid but wrong, its body flickering between forms as if it couldn't decide what to be. Its eyes glowed with an unnatural light, and its voice was a distorted echo.
"Bearer of the Key," it said, its gaze locking onto Kiran. "You tread where you do not belong."
"What is that?" Kiran whispered.
"A Rift Echo," Drayk said, his tone grim. "Fragments of those who fell to the Rift's madness. Dangerous and unstable."
The Echo raised a hand, and the air around it twisted violently. The mountain trembled as jagged spikes of energy shot toward them.
"Move!" Drayk shouted, shoving Kiran aside as he deflected one of the spikes with his blade.
Kiran rolled to his feet, his heart pounding. The sigil on his wrist burned, and he felt the Key's power surging within him.
"Focus, Kiran!" Drayk called out as he dodged another attack. "The Key can disrupt its form!"
Kiran steadied himself, raising his arm. The sigil flared brightly, and he concentrated on the Echo, willing the energy to unravel. A beam of light shot from his wrist, striking the creature and causing it to convulse.
The Echo let out a piercing screech, its form flickering violently. But instead of fading, it split into two smaller versions of itself.
"Well, that's new," Kiran muttered.
"Some Echos adapt," Drayk said, slicing through one of the smaller forms. "You'll need to hit it harder."
Kiran nodded, his confidence growing. He reached deeper into the Key's power, feeling it respond eagerly. This time, when he unleashed a blast, the energy was stronger, more focused. The second Echo shattered, its form dissolving into particles.
Drayk finished off the first with a precise strike, and the mountain fell silent once more.
Kiran leaned against a rock, catching his breath. The sigil's glow dimmed, but he could still feel its energy coursing through him.
"That was… intense," he said.
"You're getting stronger," Drayk said, sheathing his blade. "But strength isn't enough. You need control. Discipline. The Rift doesn't reward recklessness."
Kiran nodded, his thoughts racing. He had felt the Key's power more clearly than ever during the fight, but it had also felt... alive. It wasn't just a tool; it had its own will, its own limits.
As they resumed their descent, Drayk spoke again. "That Echo wasn't random. Something—or someone—is aware of us. The Rift Core's disturbance might have drawn their attention."
"You think more of those things will come after us?" Kiran asked.
Drayk's expression was grim. "Count on it."
Kiran glanced at the sigil on his wrist, its faint light a reminder of the power he now carried. The journey ahead would only grow more dangerous, but he was determined to master the Key and prove himself worthy of the role he'd been thrust into.