The weight of my thoughts pressed harder than ever, each step feeling like a battle. A part of me wanted to turn back, to let the chaos unfold without getting involved. The temptation to step aside was strong, but the pride that pushed me forward was unyielding, as though some invisible force was shoving me, making me feel like there was no other choice but to act.
Kristine's words echoed in my mind, the soft "Suki" a persistent pulse in my chest. It was as though the word had burrowed deep inside me, a quiet hum beneath the noise. The "what-ifs" of my emotions—the feelings I never asked for—slithered into my thoughts, cold and insistent, threatening to overwhelm me.
"Stop it," I muttered, shaking my head as if the motion could shake the thoughts loose. But they lingered, twisting and turning in the corners of my mind, refusing to be pushed aside.
Then, a sharp voice cut through the fog of my thoughts.
“Hey, you three!”
My heart skipped, and I snapped my head toward the sound. For a heartbeat, time seemed to freeze—everything around me stilled, the world pausing for a split second. Daisy’s face brightened in recognition, her eyes sparking with determination. But Oliver—Oliver looked like he was still piecing everything together, his brows furrowing as confusion lingered on his features.
“Follow me,” the voice demanded, firm and unwavering.
I turned toward the girl who spoke—she was unfamiliar, but her tone brooked no argument. It was authoritative, commanding. Her voice carried the weight of someone used to urgency. I exchanged a glance with Daisy, but before I could say a word, Daisy was already moving, her footsteps quick and determined. Oliver hesitated but followed her, still caught in his uncertainty.
Something about the girl’s voice snapped me back into focus, pulling me from the swirling chaos inside my mind. There was no time for distractions. Only action.
I moved, matching Daisy’s pace as we weaved through the market district. The air crackled with tension, thick with the presence of the rifts, distorting the very air, making it hard to breathe. The usual sounds of street vendors and neon lights seemed distant, drowned out by the cries of panicked civilians. The cacophony of shouts and clanging street performers echoed through the market, but it felt hollow, like it was all a distant memory compared to the nightmare unfolding around us.
The further we went, the more the air thickened, mixing with the strange energy of the rifts, until my skin prickled with unease. Streetlights flickered above us, casting sickly glows in patches. The tension in the air tightened, pressing in on us, as though something was coming—something worse.
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We rounded a corner, and there he was—Zane—standing beneath the dim glow of a flickering neon sign. His stance was relaxed, a little slouched, but his eyes were scanning the surroundings with the sharpness of someone who knew how to read the signs of danger.
"Yo, there you guys are," Zane called out casually, his tone easygoing, almost like we were meeting up after a long day of errands. But then, his gaze shifted to the girl, the sharpness returning for a second. “Well, look who it is. You always show up when things get interesting, huh Tessa?”
She shot him a look that could've frozen fire, her lips pressed into a tight line. “Let’s move. We don’t have time for introductions,” she snapped, her voice clipped and commanding. “More rifts are opening up. We’ve got bigger problems than formalities.”
Zane just grinned, as if the seriousness of the situation didn’t even phase him. “Ah, I was wondering when the fun would start. Lead the way, then Tessa.”
He fell into line with us, his usual relaxed demeanor blending with a newfound focus. There was no sign of hesitation in his movements, though it was clear this was more than just another mission for him—it was personal.
My mind cleared. There was no more doubt. No more hesitation. The path ahead was clear: stop the rifts, find out what was happening, and protect as many people as we could.
The ground suddenly rumbled beneath our feet, deep and ominous. My stomach churned as the earth seemed to shake with anticipation. The air grew thick and heavy, the scent of food mixing with the acrid stench of fear. It was a suffocating blend, a reminder of how wrong things had become.
---
Elsewhere, far from the chaos Zane, Daisy, Oliver, and I were rushing toward, another group of Esper had arrived at the edge of a different rift. This one was unlike any we had faced before. It shimmered, pulsating with an energy that seemed alive, its edges rippling in an unnatural, almost sentient way.
“It’s not the same,” one of the Esper murmured, his voice steady but edged with unease. "It’s… changing."
Before anyone could respond, the ground trembled again, this time harder, deeper, as if the earth itself were groaning. The rift shuddered violently, its edges warping as if preparing for something terrible to emerge.
Then, it appeared.
A monstrous form, towering and hulking, its body a mass of jagged dark scales. Its size dwarfed the Esper before it, its eyes glowing with a fierce, blood-red hue that cast an eerie glow across the crumbling landscape. The creature’s voice rumbled, low and guttural, like the growl of a beast trapped in an endless rage.
"Humans… kill..." is intoned, its voice sending chills through the air.
Before they could react, the beast lunged with terrifying speed, a blur of muscle and fury. Its roar split the air, deafening and primal, rattling the bones of the earth itself. The force of its attack shattered the ground beneath their feet, sending debris flying in all directions.
The Esper fought back, their weapons raised, but it was too late. The beast moved faster than any of them could react, tearing through their ranks with brutal precision. Screams filled the air, but they were drowned out by the deafening roar of the creature as it ripped through the group, tossing them aside like ragdolls.
One by one, the Esper were overwhelmed. The last thing they saw was the creature’s blood-red eyes locking onto them, its gaze filled with an unnerving intensity. And then, everything went black.
---
Back with Daisy, Oliver, Zane, me, and the girl Zane called Tessa, the rumbles of the earth grew impossible to ignore. The sky itself felt heavy, as if it too were preparing to collapse. We pressed forward, heartbeats quickening as we neared the source of the disturbance. In the distance, I saw the unmistakable glow of the rifts, flickering and shifting, pulsing like the heartbeat of the city itself.
Daisy’s voice, full of tension, cut through the silence. “Do you feel that? It’s not just the rifts anymore. Something’s wrong. Really wrong.”
Oliver, usually quiet and reserved, spoke up, his voice unsteady. "Now that you mentioned it…” his voice trailed off, as the loud roar echoed in our ears. My pulse quickened, but my voice was steady. "Looks like our fight isn't over yet.”
[End of Chapter]