The Abyss had always whispered, but tonight, it screamed.
Kaelen stood at the edge of the black rift, the air vibrating with a low hum that made his bones ache. Shadows twisted unnaturally, taking on forms that seemed almost alive—hands reaching, eyes blinking in the dark.
"The seal is breaking," murmured Liora, her voice trembling despite the steel in her tone. Her staff glowed faintly, runes pulsing like a heartbeat. "Something… old is waking."
Kaelen's gaze stayed fixed on the widening crack in the void. "Not something. Someone."
A blast of freezing wind erupted from the Abyss, carrying with it an ancient roar that rattled the very ground. The Riftbound warriors tightened their grips on their weapons. From the darkness, a figure began to emerge—taller than any human, wreathed in flames of shadow, its eyes twin suns of crimson.
Kaelen's mark burned hotter than ever before. This was no mere beast. This was a sovereign—a ruler of the Abyss itself. And it had come for him.
Liora stepped closer, her voice sharp. "If it crosses into our world, everything burns. We either hold it here… or we die trying."
Kaelen smiled grimly, drawing his blade. The hum of the Abyss deepened, becoming a deafening chorus.
"Then let's give the darkness a reason to fear the light."
And with that, they charged.