The world blurred around Selene as she ran.
The sound of steel clashing against steel echoed behind her, each strike ringing with deadly precision. The canyon walls towered on either side, their jagged edges casting long, eerie shadows under the moon's glow. She could hear Cassius just behind her, his breath coming in sharp bursts as he kept pace. Orion was ahead, leading the way toward the hidden passage beneath the Citadel's eastern wall.
The Order's pursuers were relentless. They weren't just hunting them—they were herding them.
Selene's mind raced. Why now? Why, after all this time, were they suddenly so desperate to stop her? The attack felt too precise, too calculated.
A whisper of air.
A bolt of silver light shot past Selene's shoulder, barely missing her. It seared into the canyon wall, leaving a smoking scar in the stone.
"They're using magic now?" Cassius snarled. "Fantastic."
Orion didn't slow. "Keep moving."
Selene risked a glance over her shoulder. The cloaked figures moved with unnatural speed, their steps barely disturbing the dust beneath them. Their faces remained hidden beneath hoods embroidered with silver runes, but their intent was clear.
One of them raised a hand.
Selene didn't need to think—instinct took over.
She raised her own hand, and the air around her crackled with raw energy. The pulse of power surged through her fingertips, spiraling outward.
A burst of silver light erupted from her palm.
The wave of force slammed into the attackers, sending two of them flying backward. They hit the ground hard, their bodies motionless.
Selene gasped, stumbling slightly. What was that?
She had felt it before—when they were first ambushed. But this time, it was stronger, more controlled. The power hummed beneath her skin, as though it had always been there, waiting for her to call upon it.
Orion's gaze flickered toward her. His expression was unreadable, but Selene could feel it—he knew something.
Before she could speak, a deep tremor rumbled beneath their feet.
The canyon walls shook violently. Loose rocks tumbled from above, some crashing dangerously close.
"The passage is just ahead!" Orion called out.
Selene pushed forward, her legs burning with exhaustion. The passage was nothing more than a narrow crevice between the rocks, hidden in the shadows. Orion slipped inside first, Cassius close behind.
Selene turned just in time to see the remaining Order pursuers halt their pursuit.
They didn't follow.
Instead, they stood just beyond the canyon's entrance, watching silently.
Something about their stillness sent a chill down Selene's spine. They had achieved their goal.
But why let them go now?
Before she could process it, Cassius grabbed her wrist and pulled her inside the passage.
"Move, now!"
The darkness swallowed them whole.
The passage was cold and narrow, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and ancient stone.
Selene's breathing was uneven as they pressed forward. Cassius kept one hand on the rock wall, guiding himself through the pitch-black tunnel. Orion moved ahead, his movements calm and certain, as if he had walked this path before.
After what felt like an eternity, a faint light appeared ahead.
Selene exhaled in relief.
The passage opened into a massive underground chamber, its walls carved with intricate symbols that glowed faintly in the dim light. A circular stone platform stood in the center, its surface engraved with markings similar to those on the cloaked figures' robes.
Selene's heart pounded.
She had seen this before. In dreams. In memories that didn't belong to her.
Orion stepped forward, brushing dust away from one of the markings. His voice was quiet but firm. "The Order doesn't want you to reach this place, Selene. They fear what you'll find."
Selene swallowed. "Then why are you helping me?"
Orion didn't answer immediately. When he did, his voice was unreadable.
"Because I need to know the truth too."
Cassius sighed. "Alright, mysterious talk aside—what now?"
Orion pointed to the markings. "This platform is a Riftgate."
Selene's breath hitched.
She had read about them in the Hollow Archive—ancient structures built to channel energy between realms. Most were destroyed when the Order took power.
But this one… this one was still active.
Cassius scowled. "Tell me we're not about to step into an ancient, unstable gateway that could disintegrate us."
Orion ignored him. "Selene, place your hand on the center sigil."
Selene hesitated. She could feel the power humming beneath the stone.
The moment she touched it, a pulse of energy spread outward. The symbols flared to life, their glow intensifying until the entire chamber was bathed in silver light.
A rift began to form above the platform—a swirling vortex of shimmering moonlight.
Selene's breath caught. She didn't know where it led.
But something deep inside whispered that this was the path she had been meant to take all along.
Cassius groaned. "This is the worst idea we've ever had."
Selene stepped forward, standing at the edge of the glowing gateway.
And then—without another word—she stepped into the Rift.