The Rift’s Edge loomed before them, a gaping maw of swirling black and violet light that seemed to pulse in time with the shard in Aethren’s hand. The air crackled with energy, each step closer to the Rift sending shivers up Aethren’s spine.

“This is it,” Kaelor said, his voice barely audible over the hum of the Rift. “The threshold. Beyond this point, the Abyss holds sway entirely.”

Aethren hesitated, staring into the vortex. The swirling energy seemed alive, shifting and writhing like a living creature. “Are we seriously going in there?”

“We don’t have a choice,” Kaelor replied, tightening his grip on his sword. “The shard won’t survive long outside the Rift’s influence. If we want answers—and if you want to stop the Abyss—you need to face what’s inside.”

“What’s inside?” Aethren asked, his voice trembling.

Kaelor’s expression darkened. “Everything the Abyss has taken, and everything it seeks to consume.”

The ground beneath their feet shifted as they stepped closer to the Rift, the jagged rocks giving way to a smooth, glass-like surface that reflected the swirling energy above. Aethren glanced down and saw his own reflection, distorted and flickering like a mirage.

“Don’t look too long,” Kaelor warned. “The Rift distorts everything it touches, even your sense of self. Trust what’s real, not what you see.”

Aethren tore his gaze away, gripping the shard tightly. Its light was steady now, a beacon of hope against the oppressive darkness of the Rift.

As they reached the very edge of the vortex, the hum grew louder, almost deafening. The air felt thicker, each breath a struggle.

“How do we get in?” Aethren asked.

Kaelor gestured to the shard. “The shard is the key. Focus on it, and it will guide you through.”

Aethren took a deep breath, holding the shard aloft. Its light flared brightly, illuminating the vortex. The swirling energy seemed to respond, parting slightly to reveal a narrow pathway leading into the abyssal depths.

“Stay close,” Kaelor said, stepping forward. “And whatever happens, don’t lose the shard.”

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The moment they crossed the threshold, the world shifted.

The oppressive hum of the Rift was replaced by an eerie silence, broken only by the sound of their footsteps on the smooth, glassy surface. The air was cold, biting at their skin, and the darkness pressed in from all sides.

The pathway stretched endlessly before them, twisting and turning in impossible ways. Strange shapes flickered at the edges of their vision—half-formed creatures that seemed to vanish when looked at directly.

“This place feels... wrong,” Aethren said, his voice echoing unnaturally.

“It is wrong,” Kaelor replied. “The Rift is a wound in reality, a place where the laws of nature no longer apply. Keep your mind focused, or it will consume you.”

As they walked, the shard began to pulse more intensely, its light casting long, shifting shadows. Aethren felt a strange pull, as if the shard was guiding him toward something.

“Kaelor,” he said, “do you feel that?”

Kaelor nodded. “The shard is responding to the Rift’s core. That’s where we need to go.”

“What’s at the core?”

“Power,” Kaelor said simply. “But it’s not unguarded. The Rift will throw everything it has at us to keep us away.”

The first attack came without warning.

The shadows at the edges of the path coalesced into a massive, writhing form that blocked their way. It had no discernible shape, its body shifting and twisting like liquid smoke. Glowing red eyes appeared all over its surface, each one fixed on Aethren.

“What is that?” Aethren asked, his voice shaking.

“A Riftspawn,” Kaelor said, drawing his sword. “One of the Abyss’s creations. Stay back and let me handle it.”

Kaelor charged the creature, his blade cutting through its amorphous body. The Riftspawn shrieked, a sound that seemed to pierce Aethren’s very soul.

But no matter how many times Kaelor struck, the creature reformed, its body shifting and twisting to avoid his attacks.

“It’s not working!” Kaelor shouted, frustration evident in his voice.

Aethren raised the shard, its light flaring brightly. The Riftspawn recoiled, its body unraveling slightly under the shard’s glow.

“It’s afraid of the light!” Aethren realized.

“Then use it!” Kaelor shouted, dodging a tendril that lashed out at him.

Aethren focused on the shard, willing its light to intensify. Beams of pure energy shot forth, striking the Riftspawn and forcing it to retreat. The creature writhed and shrieked, its form disintegrating under the shard’s power.

When the Riftspawn was finally gone, Aethren collapsed to his knees, exhausted.

“Good work,” Kaelor said, offering him a hand. “But that was just the beginning.”

Aethren took his hand, pulling himself to his feet. “Great. Can’t wait for what’s next.”

They continued deeper into the Rift, the path growing narrower and more treacherous. The shard’s light was their only guide, cutting through the oppressive darkness.

As they walked, Aethren began to hear whispers again. They were faint at first, but they grew louder with each step, forming words that chilled him to the core.

“You don’t belong here,” the voices said. “Turn back, or be consumed.”

Aethren clenched his fists, trying to block out the voices. But they seemed to come from inside his own mind, echoing his deepest fears and doubts.

“Kaelor,” he said, his voice trembling, “the voices are back.”

“Ignore them,” Kaelor said firmly. “They’re not real.”

“But they feel real,” Aethren protested.

“That’s the Abyss’s trick,” Kaelor said. “It uses your own thoughts against you. Trust the shard, and trust yourself.”

The whispers grew louder as they approached a massive, ornate gate that blocked their path. The gate was covered in strange symbols that glowed faintly in the shard’s light.

“This is it,” Kaelor said, stepping forward. “The gate to the Rift’s core.”

“How do we open it?” Aethren asked.

Kaelor turned to him, his expression serious. “The shard will open it, but it will also draw the Rift’s full attention. Are you ready?”

Aethren hesitated, fear and doubt swirling in his mind. But then he looked at the shard, its light steady and unwavering.

“I’m ready,” he said, stepping forward.

As he held the shard toward the gate, its light flared brightly, illuminating the darkness. The symbols on the gate began to glow, and the massive doors slowly creaked open, revealing the abyssal depths beyond.

What lay ahead was both terrifying and awe-inspiring.