The rift's influence spread like wildfire, its reach far beyond Kael's own immediate surroundings. Across the world, the beasts that had once been confined to the rift began to pour forth, their grotesque forms tearing through the fabric of reality. What had once been a localized tear in the world's boundaries had now become a gaping wound, one that no nation was prepared to face. The world's fragile peace crumbled as chaos unleashed its fury.
In the East, the once-mighty cities of the Dominion of Jaal were now crumbling beneath the weight of the rift's spawn. Towering, spider-like creatures with multiple limbs and venomous fangs descended from the sky, tearing through buildings and devouring anything in their path. The sky itself seemed to warp, turning a sickly red as the rift's energy twisted the very atmosphere. Panic gripped the streets as the Dominion's armies scrambled to defend, but they were nothing compared to the forces emerging from the tear. Cities that had stood for centuries now lay in ruins, the survivors fleeing into the mountains, their hope diminishing with each passing day.
To the West, the continent of Vaeloria had long been the cradle of human civilization. But now, its once-proud citadels were nothing more than ash. Huge, monstrous wyverns, their wings spanning the horizon, rained down fire and destruction upon the coastal cities. The Vaelorian fleets, some of the most powerful in the world, were no match for the creatures' overwhelming might. The seas turned black with the burning wreckage of ships, and desperate cries for help echoed across the waves. Even the Vaelorian king, once a symbol of unshakable strength, had fallen, his castle overrun by a relentless swarm of the rift's monsters. The world watched in horror as Vaeloria fell, its fate sealed in the shadow of the rift.
The United States had long been a global powerhouse, its military unmatched and its resources seemingly endless. But the rift didn't care about borders or empires. Across the plains of the Midwest, colossal, two-headed beasts emerged from the ground, their roars shaking the earth as they crushed entire battalions beneath their feet. The government scrambled to deploy every weapon in its arsenal, but it was clear that nothing could stop the tide of destruction. Cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago were hit hardest, their skyscrapers toppling like matchsticks in the face of the creatures' fury. The government's last resort — a series of nuclear strikes — was considered but ultimately deemed too dangerous, as the rift itself seemed to be impervious to conventional weaponry. The world's most advanced nation had fallen into chaos, its future uncertain.
In Europe, the ancient kingdoms of Arnaldo, once bastions of knightly valor, now lay broken. A massive, hulking creature, shaped like a living fortress, smashed through the defenses of the kingdom of Arnaldo. Its enormous fists reduced towers to rubble, and its monstrous roar sent waves of terror through the land. The knights, long thought invincible, fell one by one, their swords no match for the beasts' raw power. The once-proud banners of the Arnaldo kingdom fluttered in the wind, tattered and burned. Their leaders, desperate to salvage what they could, formed shaky alliances with other nations, but they were already too late. The beasts came too quickly, their numbers too vast, their rage too uncontrollable.
In the heart of Africa, the rift had opened into an endless expanse of swirling darkness, from which a massive serpent-like creature emerged, its eyes glowing with an unnatural fire. It coiled around entire cities, crushing them beneath its massive coils and sending toxic fumes into the air. The people of the continent, once accustomed to the harshest of environments, could not withstand the onslaught. Wildlife, too, had been affected, as animals once thought to be docile or territorial now turned vicious, attacking anyone who ventured too close to the rift's influence. The continent's fragile infrastructure collapsed under the weight of the monster invasion, and the survivors, few as they were, fled toward the southern regions, hoping to escape the spreading darkness.
In Asia, the once-thriving megacities of Japan and China were now under siege. In China, massive, multi-legged creatures with armored bodies plowed through the urban centers, destroying everything in their path. The Great Wall, once a symbol of resilience, crumbled as monstrous beasts breached it effortlessly, advancing into the heart of the nation. Meanwhile, in Japan, sleek, snake-like entities slithered through the islands, their venomous strikes crippling cities in a matter of hours. The survivors fought desperately, but they were outmatched, the monsters' abilities far beyond anything humanity had ever seen.
Every corner of the earth, from the ice-capped peaks of the north to the arid deserts of the south, was being ravaged. The rift did not discriminate. It tore through continents, bringing humanity to its knees.
In the midst of all this destruction, there were those who tried to fight back, but their efforts were futile. Governments declared martial law, but the rift's spawn didn't care for laws or borders. What had once been humanity's greatest strength — its unity — was now its greatest weakness. Without the ability to communicate, to strategize, or even to know where the next attack would come from, the world had descended into a state of madness. Entire civilizations, once proud and mighty, now lay shattered, their populations reduced to survivors scavenging for their next breath.
And through it all, Kael stood at the center of it all. His decision had not only sealed the fate of one woman, but it had irrevocably altered the balance of power. The rift had consumed everything, but what he didn't understand, what no one had realized, was that this chaos was exactly what had been wanted. The rift was never meant to be sealed. It was a force that could not be stopped, not by weapons, not by magic, and certainly not by humans.
It had always been part of the plan — a plan much larger than Kael could comprehend, a plan that stretched across continents, across history. A plan to tear the world apart, one rift at a time, until nothing remained but dust and shadows.
And as the beasts continued to pour from the rift, Kael finally understood. He was part of something far greater than himself. Something that had already been set in motion long before he had ever made his choice.
This was the beginning. And there would be no end until the world was undone.