The journey to the First Nexus was fraught with peril. The mountain paths grew steeper, the air thinner, and the sense of foreboding heavier with each step. Kiran felt the Key's pull growing stronger, guiding him like an invisible thread.
Drayk led the way, his movements precise and confident despite the treacherous terrain. Kiran followed closely, his senses on high alert. The whispers of the Rift seemed to echo through the wind, faint but insistent.
"Keep moving," Drayk said, glancing back. "The closer we get to the Nexus, the more the Rift's influence will try to distract you. Don't let it in."
Kiran nodded, gripping his blade tightly. "What if it's not a distraction? What if it's trying to tell me something?"
Drayk's gaze hardened. "The Rift doesn't 'tell.' It manipulates. Trust your instincts, not its voice."
Far to the south, in the heart of a ruined city, Morvas stood before his gathered Riftlords. The air was thick with tension, the ground beneath them cracked and glowing with faint, pulsing energy.
"Bearer Kiran draws closer to the First Nexus," Morvas said, his voice reverberating through the chamber. "He is stronger than expected, but he remains untested. The Key has chosen well this time."
One of the Riftlords, a towering figure wreathed in flames, stepped forward. "Then let me test him, Morvas. I will crush him before he becomes a threat."
"No," Morvas said sharply. "Kiran's journey is necessary. The Rift must see him as a savior, not an enemy. Only then will it allow the final stage to begin."
Another Riftlord, cloaked in shadows, hissed, "And if he succeeds in controlling the Key?"
Morvas's mask shifted, the faint crack in it glowing brighter. "He won't. The Rift will see to that. But we must be ready. Begin the preparations. Soon, the Nexus will open, and the cycle will end—on my terms."
Back on the mountain trail, Kiran and Drayk encountered their first major obstacle. A narrow pass had collapsed, leaving only a precarious ledge along the cliffside. Below, a swirling mist churned ominously, laced with flickers of violet light.
"The Rift's presence is stronger here," Drayk said, eyeing the mist warily. "Don't look down. If you fall into that, it's over."
Kiran's heart pounded as he inched along the ledge, the Key's energy thrumming in his veins. The mist seemed alive, tendrils of it reaching upward as if drawn to him.
Halfway across, a sudden gust of wind howled through the pass, sending loose rocks tumbling. Kiran stumbled, his foot slipping off the edge. He grabbed a jagged rock with one hand, his other arm flailing.
"Kiran!" Drayk shouted, lunging forward. He grabbed Kiran's wrist and hauled him back onto the ledge.
"Thanks," Kiran panted, his chest heaving.
Drayk gave him a sharp look. "Stay focused. The Rift wants you to fall. Don't give it the satisfaction."
That night, as they camped beneath a canopy of jagged trees, Kiran felt the Key pulling at his consciousness. He closed his eyes, letting the energy guide him.
A vision overtook him: the First Nexus, a sprawling temple-like structure built of black stone and glowing veins of energy. The Rift swirled above it, a vortex of chaos and power. He saw figures—ancient Bearers—standing before the Nexus, their expressions grim.
The scene shifted. The Bearers were fighting among themselves, their light-blades clashing against one another. The Rift seemed to pulse in response, feeding on their conflict.
When Kiran opened his eyes, Drayk was watching him.
"What did you see?" Drayk asked.
"The Bearers," Kiran said, his voice shaking. "They were fighting each other. The Rift… it was feeding on them."
Drayk's expression darkened. "That's how the first Riftlords were made. The Rift turns unity into division, strength into weakness. That's why Morvas is so dangerous. He's using the Rift's own power to fuel his plans."
The following morning, as they reached a high plateau, the air grew cold and oppressive. A shadow fell over them, and a deep, resonant voice echoed through the pass.
"So, you are the Bearer," the voice said.
Kiran and Drayk turned to see a figure stepping out of the shadows. The Riftlord was massive, clad in jagged armor that seemed to shift and shimmer. A great axe crackling with dark energy rested on its shoulder.
"I am Voryn, Warden of the Rift," it said, its glowing eyes fixed on Kiran. "You will go no further."
Drayk drew his blade, stepping in front of Kiran. "Stay behind me. This one's strong."
Kiran gritted his teeth, summoning his own light-blade. "We face him together."
Voryn roared, raising its axe, and the battle began.
Voryn was a whirlwind of destruction, its axe carving through the air with bone-rattling force. Drayk moved like a shadow, parrying and dodging, his strikes precise but unable to penetrate Voryn's armor.
Kiran focused on controlling the Key's energy, channeling it into his blade. He lunged at Voryn, the radiant blade clashing against the dark energy of the axe. The impact sent a shockwave rippling across the plateau.
"You are strong for a Bearer," Voryn growled, swinging its axe in a wide arc. "But strength alone will not save you."
Kiran dodged, his mind racing. The Riftlord's movements were predictable, but its sheer power made every attack dangerous. He needed an opening.
"Drayk!" Kiran shouted. "Distract him!"
Drayk nodded, feinting left and drawing Voryn's attention. Kiran seized the moment, channeling the Key's energy into a focused beam. He thrust the blade forward, the beam piercing Voryn's armor and striking its core.
The Riftlord staggered, its form flickering. It dropped to one knee, glaring at Kiran.
"You… are not like the others," Voryn said, its voice weak but defiant. "Perhaps… you can end this. But beware—Morvas will not fall so easily."
With a final growl, Voryn dissolved into shadow, leaving behind a faintly glowing shard.
Kiran picked up the shard, its energy humming in his hand. Another vision flashed before him: Morvas, standing atop the First Nexus, his cracked mask glowing with power. Around him, the remaining Riftlords knelt, their chains broken.
"The Rift calls to you, Bearer," Morvas's voice echoed in Kiran's mind. "Will you rise to meet it, or fall like those before you?"
Kiran clenched his fist, the shard crumbling into dust.
Drayk approached, his expression grim. "This isn't over. If Voryn was here, the others won't be far behind."
Kiran nodded, his resolve hardening. "Then we keep moving. We end this—at the Nexus."