Chereads / Fractured Horizons / Chapter 13 - A Desperate Gamble

Chapter 13 - A Desperate Gamble

The battlefield erupted into chaos. Zeke activated his cybernetic weapons, cutting through the Harbingers with precision. Juno scrambled to stabilize the Nexus console, her mind racing as she fought to align the fragmented data.

Nia approached the rift, her glowing form radiating an energy that seemed to resonate with its chaotic light. She reached out, her hand brushing the edge of the void.

"I can feel it," she murmured, her voice distant. "It's alive. It's... calling to me."

Raith fired his weapon at the advancing Harbingers, his movements precise and controlled. "Stay focused, Nia! We're running out of time!"

Juno's voice cut through the chaos. "I've stabilized the Nexus, but the energy levels are critical. If we collapse the rift now, we might take the entire city with it."

Raith's jaw tightened. "Do it. We don't have a choice."

Nia turned to him, her eyes glowing brighter than ever. "Once I go in, there's no turning back. If I fail..."

"You won't," Raith said firmly, his gaze unwavering.

Nia nodded, then stepped into the rift. Her form was engulfed in light, her presence vanishing into the void.

The rift pulsed violently, its energy spiraling out of control. The Harbingers faltered, their forms flickering as the rift began to collapse.

"Juno, now!" Raith shouted.

Juno hit the final command, the Nexus roaring to life. A blinding light consumed the rift, and the ground trembled as the tear in reality sealed itself.

When the light faded, the rift was gone.

Raith dropped to his knees, the silence deafening. Juno stared at the empty sky, her voice barely a whisper. "It's over."

Raith's gaze remained fixed on the horizon. "No. It's just beginning."