CHAPTER 12 – THE RIFT OPENS
The camp began to fall into chaos after what Julia had discovered. She was barking out orders to alliance members. The least trained alliance members in combat were dismantling the tent.
“I can’t have a death trap above our heads.” She said.
She had others running messages to other elite members of the alliance. Orion was notified but was waiting for a response. She had one group try to recall her elite guard. The group was Johnny’s main protection force. She had them doing recon for any other possible void bringers in the world.
“I want my elite guard to know about what is going on. I had sent them away for recon since things didn’t seem too dangerous. Especially with Orion around. Boy was I wrong.” She spoke nervously to Johnny in a ranting tone.
Julia had relayed a message to the quadrant’s HQ. As well as the main HQ of the dire situation. The alliance was thin on members who were currently available. The closest power player to help couldn’t be there within the next few hours from either location. By then things would be too late.
Julia had asked Orion for help. The man told her he could not leave where he was. The barrier had been released when he got the message. If the mystic rift eater was to break free, he would need to be there to stop rift eaters from pouring out of the portal.
Time started ticking away as Julia had non-essential fighters leave the world. She had them sent to nearby outposts. With only fighters left. Some non-essential fighters stayed behind to fight. They volunteered to help. Many had lost their own loved ones or whole worlds to rift eaters. They wanted some justice in any way they could. They planned what to do.
Julia paced around nervously. “When that thing pops out, we are so screwed.” She said in a panicked tone. “We are in short supply of radiant fragments. We cannot kill that beast with our current supply.” She continued to rant.
Johnny who was now utterly concerned. He wanted to help Julia in some way. He had heard her ranting as she walked back and forth. He decided to ask Albert for some advice on what they should do.
Albert replied. “Why don’t you use the core fragment with radiant magic in your head to conjure up weapons to fight it? Also, if the alliance has any of those radiant fragments I can produce more with the use of radiant magic.” Stated Albert.
Johnny facedpalmed for not thinking of that idea. Good idea Albert. Why didn’t I think of that? Johnny thanked Albert as he walked over to Julia who was still pacing.
“Hey, Julia, I have an idea.” suggested Johnny with a smile. Johnny went on to explain that he could conjure up any kind of weapon from the core fragment that was in his head. He then went on to explain Albert could copy any weapon.
“Who is this, Albert?” asked Julia in a curious tone.
Johnny replied. “He is the prototype's artificial intelligence. He doubles as my companion. If I need help, I ask him.”
“Interesting. The Alliance has something similar with our own mind companions.” She spoke.
Julia listened to Johnny’s plan with a nod and replied. “That could work.”
She asked Johnny if he could try to make radiant fragments. He just shrugged, not sure what a radiant fragment was. Julia sighed with a grunt as she spent about five minutes finding a radiant fragment. She had a hard time finding a fragment to show Johnny. The other fighters were fearing for their lives. As a result, they didn’t want to give what they had.
Another issue was most of the staff that were not fighters had evacuated. Leaving everything scattered. She finally found a crate filled with more fragments. Julia ran back to Johnny as she handed him the fragments she had found. Five minutes were left until the beast would break free.
Johnny had Albert analyze it. In the meantime, Johnny assisted Julia in setting up last minute defenses. With two minutes left Albert called Johnny. Albert was able to produce a copy of a radiant fragment. He then handed it to Julia.
“Yes, this is what I needed! How many more can you make? I need at least 10 for a radiant weapon.” asked Julia.
Albert immediately began producing 9 more fragments for Julia in a second. She then asked if Albert could make more for the fighters that were on hand. Some who had volunteered to help kill the beast, so Albert produced more radiant weapons for the volunteers.
She then told Johnny radiant weapons couldn’t harm members of the radiant alliance. Anyone could get caught up in a blast and be fine.
Johnny asked Albert if he could produce him some as well. Julia stepped in and refused Johnny to fight. She needed him alive. She then pulled an item out of belt pouch she had strapped around her waist. In her hand was a small radiant orb. She tossed it at Johnny without warning.
The orb shattered at his feet trapping him inside a barrier. Johnny could only stare before getting angry at her trying to break free. “Traitor,” he said. Johnny turned his back knowing he was helpless again.
“I’m not imprisoning you. I only put the barrier up for your protection. If I fall to that beast. This barrier has an auto warp that will take you back to our HQ base. My second in command would take over.”
“I should help you fight. Not be trapped in here,” Johnny protested.
“I’m truely sorry but there is no time for you to help us now,” Julia began to cry, she had seem to many people she had become friends or allies wirh die.
The rune on the prototype made a girgling noise distracting everyone. It glowed dark purple before the rune exploded, spewing out inky liquid as if it were a broken fountain. The inky liquid slowly materialized into the gigantic beast Johnny saw in his dream. The radiant fighters took up position around the forming beast. Johnny could only watch in disappointment, not helping. Within several minutes, the beast had completely formed now.
“Roarrr!” It yelled stunning most of the people around in fear.
Julia was ready with her radiant weapon she had. She turned it into a bow with arrows. It glowed a crystal white color, with five arrows made of radiant magic drawn back waiting to be fired, waiting for an attack. She let them loose when the beast howled. The arrows shined when she fired them at the beast like a thousand suns. The beast caught three with its mouth. They shattered to pieces. Two pierced the massive beast under its left front leg with two arrows. It ripped the arrows out as Julia fired more. The wound it had suffered began to instantly heal.
It stepped forward, eyeing Julia with hate. Each step it took the life around the area withered and died. While the surrounding landscape began to turn to nothingness.
Julia was in a panic, she knew the beast would open a rift void then and there. She yelled out to the volunteers to attack the beast. She had the other fighters on standby for normal rift eaters. As if cue the mystic rift eater dug its front claws into the dirt opening a portal.
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Julia unleashed a barrage of arrows as the beast did so. It howled in pain as it was now in one of its most weakened states, using its energy to open a void portal. Julia hoped to do overwhelming damage before it began to regain its power.
The portal opened with rift eaters pouring out. The fighters were soon overwhelmed. They still kept up the fight even though it seemed hopeless.
Meanwhile, Johnny could only pace back and forth looking at the horror unfolding in front of him. He knew he needed to act, but he wasn’t sure how to break the barrier. He tried to see if Ablert could disable it but wasn't having any luck with anything the AI tried. Johnny just sighed with frustration, but was grateful the barrier was pretty solid, in case rift eaters tried to attack him if they all fell.
While trying to think of a way out. Someone approached Johnny. The figure was wearing clothes of the radiant alliance. The man said. “I know you want to help Julia. So go.” The man deactivated the barrier in an instant. Johnny was so stunned by how easily the newcomer was able to take down the barrier he was frozen for a second or two before taking off.
Johnny thanked the man as he passed him, but before he could assist Julia. He felt a shock in both his legs. As he fell to his knees. Then on his face.
He rolled over on his back moaning, to see the man laughing in an evil mocking tone. “I have temporarily immobilized you. You will not be able to move your legs for a while or speak, or conjure anything up from that core of yours, unfortunately my spell wasn't powerful enough to completely paralyze you,” The man sighed with frustration.
The man had a wand out that was sparking off electricity. He then let out a low war cry to not gain attention from others. “For the Loathing One.” The man pulled out a knife as he put back his wand. He then took his time as he walked over to Johnny. Johnny was in so much shock he could think. He lied there with his mouth hanging open.
As the man walked, he whistled in a low tone. Two rift eaters broke from the fight that went unnoticed and headed towards the man. “Time to feast.” He spoke.
The man never got the chance to gut Johnny though as Albert blasted the man to ashes. Albert fired off a plasma beam so powerful it vaporized everything it touched. Luckily, the only fatality was the man. Johnny could only look at the pile of ash that once was the man with horror. He gulped. Thanks Albert, Johnny said telepathically.
No problem, sorry I wasn't there sooner. That electric shock effect had worked on me as well. It temporarily stunned me. I was able to break free though. Albert spoke as now focused on trying to blast the rift eaters, but it did nothing more to annoy them. He was able to keep them at bay.
Albert, this isn't working. You are going to have to let Julia know what is going on. Johnny spoke laying on the ground.
Understood. I'll at least get the rift eaters away from you. I'll leave you with a radiant weapon while I'll get Julia.
Albert vanished from Johnny's view, not without leaving Johnny a radiant weapon. He blasted the rift eaters with a ton of laser beams causing them to go after him.
Johnny tried to move, but his legs wouldn’t budge. Johnny felt hopeless as rolled onto his stomach. He lay there watching the chaos unfold around him. Members of the radiant alliance were crying out in pain or for help. One beast spotted Johnny and it began to run in his direction.
Johnny saw the beast running his way. Knowing he was in trouble he looked at the radiant weapon. He closed his eyes and imagined it as an AK-47. When he opened them. The radiant weapon was now a glowing AK-47. He was thankful for being an ex-special forces operative with many years of gun training. He looked down the barrel of the gun as he fired. –BANG!-- The gun fired releasing a defeaninf sound. The beast was only thirty feet away when he shot. He shot the beast right in the middle of the eyes. Ending the beast as it melted into an inky mess.
At the same time Johnny fired. Everyone on the battlefield froze. Wondering where that noise had come from. The sudden shock only lasted for a second as the rift eaters were not fazed. Some of the fighters were knocked over by rift eaters, which quickly started the fighting again.
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Julia was panting for breath as she dodged blow after blow from the mystic rIft eater. “Don’t let it move.” She commanded the volunteers as she parried a rift eater that came at her. The beast was dispatched by one of the radiant alliance fighters.
The surrounding landscape for about a 100 feet was turned to nothingness. Julia wanted to keep the beast from consuming tye world at valley costs.
Albert soon zoomed right up to Julia. Who had two rift eaters in tow. The radiant fighters were quick to cut them down.
“Johnny is in trouble.” Albert related the news to Julia.
“What? What happened!” she asked as she dodged a mouth full of teeth from the mystic rift eater. Albert quickly explained the traitor and Johnny being immobilized.
Julia gave an order for two fighters to go to Johnny's aid. The two were heading his way when a loud bang was heard. Everyone froze, including Julia. Trying to figure out where the noise had come from. Everyone’s slow reaction gave some of the rift eaters a chance to attack, Even the mystic rift eater. Julia dodged another set of teeth as the fighting continued.
Soon the mystic rift eater was overwhelmed from its injuries. Its legs gave out as it collapsed…
Johnny watched as the mystic rift beast began to slowly succumb to the attacks. Two alliance members stood next to Johnny that Julia had sent.
“I gotta admit she is good.” Replied Johnny to both of his guards. They just nodded as they killed any rift eaters that got too close.
Soon the beast was no longer able to stand. It buckled under its own weight crushing many of the volunteers under it. Along with a few rift eaters.
Johnny watched in horror as the now trapped alliance members were being bitten by rift eaters. The same couldn’t be said for the trapped rift eaters who were quickly dispatched.
Julia was one of those unfortunate to be standing too close as she was trying to fend off rift eaters. That had caused her to parry the same time the mystic rift eater fell.
The beast soon spotted Julia under its left leg. It turned its head to her while she was fighting off attackers. It waited for the right moment as it pulled Julia up. It gripped her with the radiant weapon in her hand. As she was yanked beneath into the air. It opened its jaws wide hoping to swallow her whole. She managed to turn her radiant weapon into a spear. Right as she fell into its open jaws. She used it to wedge the beast’s mouth open.
The two guards, seeing that Julia was in trouble, left Johnny. He watched in horror as she tried to pry herself free. He knew they needed to help her fight off the remaining rift eaters. Now that many members were trapped.
Johnny wasn't sure what to do. Johnny knew he had to act fast. What can I do? What can I do? Julia is done for if I don’t act fast. I need some bigger fire power to take that thing on though. He thought in panic. He suddenly had an idea.
Julia had told Johnny that radiant weapons can’t harm other members of the alliance. I hope what Julia says is true. Johnny frantically turned his AK-47 into a RPG. He quickly lined up the shot to kill the beast. He launched the missile at the beast’s head.
Julia’s spear snapped right as the missile hit the beast. She tumbled out of its mouth as she fell to the ground in a roll. The beast had exploded into a liquid mess along with the other trapped rift eaters under it or near the explosion.
As the inky black liquid dissolved, Johnny saw Julia standing up from her roll. She was dazed, bloodied, but alive. Everyone else was confused by what had just occurred as well.
Julia finally came out of her shock as she spotted Johnny. She stared over at him with relief, which soon turned to horror. She yelled something he couldn’t hear.
What Johnny hadn’t noticed was more rift eaters had snuck up on him. He heard the sounds of growls. He turned around to see a hoard of rift eaters. They all jumped on Johnny so fast he didnt have time to react. The RPG was knocked clean from Johnny’s hand. It formed back into the radiant weapon he was using. The rift eaters began to bite Johnny as they began to dogpile him. Johnny screamed out in pain as the rift eaters kept biting him tearing at his flesh. He felt like his whole body was on fire.
I can’t die like this. Though Johnny tried to fight back with the rift eaters biting him.
He struggled to get them off. Johnny then heard the beasts yelp in pain as they jumped off him. Johnny tried to sit up, but couldn't. He was too weak and was losing a lot of blood. He looked at his body as he saw the black ink pouring into his open wounds. He could see exposed bones in some places. The shock must have kept him from feeling the most pain.
He then looked over to see Julia finishing off the last rift eater. Julia was now beside him yelling for all the healers. She then focused back on Johnny and spoke. “This might feel funny, but I need you to survive.”
“Huh?” asked Johnny as he groaned in pain.
Julia said something he couldn’t make out and he then blacked out…