The world was fractured, its edges torn like ancient parchment scorched by dark fire. The skies bled red and black, swirling in endless, chaotic spirals as if mourning Jackeal's fall into the rift. His final, defiant stand played over and over in Reazeal's mind—a haunting memory that refused to fade. His outstretched hand, consumed by the abyss, and his fierce, unwavering eyes burned into her soul.
Reazeal stood motionless on the shattered precipice overlooking the endless abyss. The wind howled with a mournful intensity, laced with the metallic scent of blood and ash. Her fingers twitched at her side, yearning for a fight, for a purpose. The silence after the battle was deafening, leaving her stranded in a sea of guilt, anger, and helplessness.
"He's alive... he has to be." Reazeal's voice cracked, trembling with both hope and desperation.
Behind her, Aurin and Lira emerged from the blasted forest, their expressions worn and hollow. They had survived countless battles, but this loss felt different—it was personal. Jackeal was more than a comrade; he was the unyielding force that kept them together, the shield that bore every burden without complaint.
Aurin's sharp gaze swept the horizon, ever vigilant, ever prepared. His bow remained ready, though his hands shook slightly—a crack in his usual stoic demeanor. Lira's fingers glowed faintly with residual fire magic, though her flames were dim, as if reflecting her waning hope.
"Reazeal, we can't stay here," Aurin urged cautiously, his voice steady but strained. "The rift... it's unstable. If we linger, we'll be next."
Reazeal's fists clenched. "I'm not leaving until I know."
Before Aurin could respond, the ground trembled violently beneath their feet, sending jagged fissures spider-webbing across the ravaged terrain. From those cursed cracks, twisted forms began to emerge—hulking, grotesque monstrosities forged from corrupted mana and twisted flesh. The Riftborn had multiplied, their soulless eyes burning with unnatural malice.
"We're surrounded!" Lira hissed, conjuring blazing fire into her palms.
Reazeal's blade sang as she unsheathed it, its divine edge shimmering faintly despite the oppressive darkness. Fueled by righteous anger, she surged forward, meeting the first Riftborn with a devastating slash that cleaved it cleanly in two. Its form disintegrated into ash, scattered by the cursed winds.
"Hold the line!" she commanded, her voice cutting through the chaos like thunder.
Aurin loosed a storm of enchanted arrows, each one finding its mark with lethal precision. Beside him, Lira unleashed towering infernos, consuming clusters of Riftborn in blazing waves. Yet, for every beast they felled, two more seemed to emerge from the endless abyss, driven by dark purpose.
The earth groaned again—a deep, reverberating tremor that silenced even the cries of battle. The sky above fractured further, spilling black lightning across the heavens.
From the depths of the rift, an ancient, monstrous presence stirred. The ground cracked open, and an enormous figure slowly rose from the abyss, wreathed in cursed flames and encased in jagged, corrupted armor. Its twisted blade burned with dark, pulsing energy, searing the very air around it.
Reazeal staggered back, her heart pounding as she recognized something horrifyingly familiar. The way the monstrous figure moved, its stance...
"No... it can't be..." she whispered, horror dawning in her wide eyes.
With a guttural snarl, the creature raised its head. Half of its helm shattered, revealing a face twisted by corrupted mana—one side monstrous, but the other still painfully human. Fierce, stubborn eyes burned beneath the cracked visage.
"Jackeal?" Reazeal gasped, her voice breaking.
But there was no recognition in the twisted being's gaze—only the burning hunger for destruction.
With a deafening roar, the corrupted Jackeal surged forward, his cursed blade cleaving through the earth with devastating force. Reazeal barely dodged, the shockwave hurling her backward. She skidded across the shattered ground, gasping for breath, her mind reeling with disbelief.
Aurin and Lira rushed to her side, their faces pale with shock.
"That... that can't be him," Lira stammered, eyes wide with terror. "It's impossible!"
"It's him..." Reazeal whispered, forcing herself to her feet. "But he's... changed."
The corrupted Jackeal advanced, each step shaking the earth. Dark energy crackled around him, warping reality itself. Whatever had happened in the rift... it had twisted him into something unrecognizable.
But deep within her heart, Reazeal refused to believe he was lost.
"We get him back... or we die trying," she vowed, raising her blade defiantly. "This isn't over."
With that, the battle began anew—a desperate clash against fate itself.