The university library stood as a fragile bastion in the chaos of New Haven, its towering bookshelves and sturdy walls sheltering a ragtag group of survivors. The air buzzed with tension, laced with the faint hum of rift energy seeping through cracked windows. Angelus sat at a scarred wooden table, a faded subway map spread before him, his finger tracing the lines as he pieced together their next move. Around him, his team readied themselves: Marcus leaned against a shelf, his casual stance belying his sharp alertness; Tara gripped her baseball bat, her posture all business; and his summons—Sticky the goblin, Mr. Smashypants the troll, and Sparky the rift hound—added their own chaotic energy to the room.

Angelus closed his eyes, activating Rift Sense. The skill pulsed stronger now, a clear thread tugging him downward. “It’s in the subway tunnels,” he said, voice steady. “Deep, near the old maintenance hub.”

Marcus groaned theatrically. “Subway tunnels. Dark, damp, probably crawling with rift freaks. My favorite vacation spot.”

Tara smirked, hefting her bat. “Better than the sewers.”

Sticky perched atop a stack of encyclopedias, fiddling with a broken watch he’d swiped, his chittering laughter cutting through the quiet. Mr. Smashypants snored in a corner, his massive frame slumped, while Sparky lay at Angelus’s feet, glowing eyes fixed on the door, sensing the unseen.

Angelus crossed the room to his sister, Lily, who was helping Mia set up a makeshift infirmary. Her small hands moved with purpose, rolling bandages. He knelt, meeting her gaze. “Lil, we’re heading out again. Last anchor. Stay with Mia, okay?”

Her eyes flickered with worry, then resolve. “You’ll come back, right? You promised.”

He hugged her tight. “Always. Double scoop, chocolate chip, when this is over.”

She nodded into his shoulder. “Deal.”

Mia offered a shy smile, her hands trembling as she tied a bandage. “We’ll hold down the fort. Just… be safe.”

Angelus stood, resolve hardening. “We will.”

The group gathered their gear with practiced ease. Backpacks bulged with essentials—water, stale granola bars, and glowing potions scavenged from earlier fights. Tara had crafted torches from broken furniture, their ends wrapped in oil-soaked rags. Marcus strapped a flashlight to his wrist, its beam slicing through the library’s gloom as he tested it.

Ethan, the scrawny survivor with thick glasses, approached, clutching a notebook. “I’ve tracked the rift’s energy spikes,” he said, voice shaky but earnest. “They surge before a wave. If you’re going into the tunnels, you might hit one.”

Angelus nodded. “Thanks, Ethan. Any guess what’s guarding this anchor?”

Ethan adjusted his glasses. “No data, but it’ll be tougher. The rift’s desperate.”

Marcus sighed. “Great. A desperate rift with a big, ugly bouncer.”

Tara clapped Ethan’s shoulder, nearly toppling him. “Keep the nerd stuff coming. We’ve got this.”

With a final wave to Lily, who stood bravely by the infirmary, Angelus led the group into New Haven’s shattered streets. The sky glowed a sickly purple, the rift pulsing like an open wound.

The subway entrance yawned ahead, a concrete maw descending into shadow. Angelus lit a torch, its flame flickering as they stepped down, darkness swallowing the light. The air was damp and heavy, walls slick with moisture and streaked with faded graffiti. Water dripped somewhere, a steady echo that set their nerves on edge.

Marcus’s flashlight swept the rusted tracks. “I hate this already.”

“Stay close,” Angelus said, voice reverberating. “Rift Sense says it’s deep. Main line to the hub.”

They moved quietly, footsteps muffled by the oppressive air. Sticky darted ahead, a shadow among shadows, while Mr. Smashypants lumbered behind, club scraping the tracks. Sparky growled low, hackles up, eyes scanning the dark.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Suddenly, a swarm of [Rift Bats: 20/20 HP] burst from a side tunnel, wings buzzing like a swarm of hornets. “Incoming!” Tara yelled, swinging her bat as the bats dove, fangs glinting.

“Legion Command: Attack!” Angelus shouted. Sticky slashed wildly, Mr. Smashypants smashed bats against walls, and Sparky snapped at wings, crunching bones. Angelus and Marcus fought back-to-back, pipes cracking leathery bodies. The fight ended quickly, the last bat fleeing with a squeal.

As the dust settled, Angelus spotted items on the ground—sharp fangs and small vials of glowing liquid. “They dropped loot,” he said, showing Marcus a fang and a potion.

“Like your nerd games,” Marcus grinned. “Rift’s turning this into a dungeon crawl.”

Angelus pocketed them, intrigued yet uneasy. “Might come in handy.”

* Dropped Items:

* Rift Bat Fang x3: Crafting material, sellable for 5 gold each.

* Minor Health Potion x2: Restores 20 HP. Consumable.

The tunnels twisted, air growing colder, the anchor’s pull a steady thrum in Angelus’s chest. His torch cast eerie shadows, revealing abandoned trains with shattered windows and claw-marked seats—fresh and deep. Sparky froze, growling, as a pack of [Rift Hounds: 60/60 HP] emerged from the dark, eyes like embers, bodies twisted with scales and dripping ichor.

“More pets,” Marcus said, pipe ready. “Lucky us.”

“Legion Command: Focus the leader!” Angelus ordered, spotting a larger hound at the rear—[Rift Hound Leader: 80/80 HP]. Sticky darted in, claws flashing; Mr. Smashypants crushed a hound’s skull; Sparky tackled another. Angelus swung at the leader, but it dodged, jaws snapping. He used Power Strike—[Mana: 30/50]—landing a hit—[Rift Hound Leader: 40/80 HP]. Tara’s bat finished it with a crunch, scattering the pack.

The hounds faded, leaving claws and glowing shards. Sticky grabbed a shard, squeaking, “Pretty!” Angelus took it, chuckling. “These could boost our gear.”

* Dropped Items:

* Rift Hound Claw x4: Crafts weapons with +5 attack power.

* Rift Energy Shard x2: Grants +10 mana or used for enchanting.

The maintenance hub loomed—a vast chamber of rusted machinery and flickering lights. A massive crystal anchor pulsed violet in the center, crackling with energy. But as they entered, the ground shook, and a [Rift Behemoth: 300/300 HP] roared into view—three snarling heads, tentacles lashing from a muscular, shadowy body.

“Oh, come on,” Marcus groaned, gripping his pipe. “That’s a nightmare.”

“Legion Command: Surround it!” Angelus barked. Sticky leapt onto its back, Mr. Smashypants swung at its legs, and Sparky nipped its heels. The behemoth’s tentacles struck—Mr. Smashypants was hurled back—[Mr. Smashypants: 160/200 HP]—and Tara dodged a swipe, countering—[Rift Behemoth: 290/300 HP].

Angelus used Legion’s Wrath—[Mana: 10/50]—empowering his summons. Sticky clawed a neck—[Rift Behemoth: 270/300 HP]—Sparky tore its flank—[Rift Behemoth: 250/300 HP]—and Angelus and Marcus hit its side—[Rift Behemoth: 230/300 HP]. A dark energy wave blasted from its maw, knocking Angelus back—[Angelus: 70/100 HP]—and Marcus—[Marcus: 50/70 HP].

“Target the necks!” Angelus shouted. Mr. Smashypants crushed one head—[Rift Behemoth: 200/300 HP]—Sticky gouged another—[Rift Behemoth: 180/300 HP]—and Sparky savaged the third—[Rift Behemoth: 160/300 HP]. Angelus used Power Strike—[Mana: 0/50]—smashing its chest. The behemoth collapsed—[Rift Behemoth: 0/300 HP].

Its body dissolved into light, leaving a pile of loot: a leathery hide, a pulsing fragment, a potion, and a crystal. Angelus lifted the fragment, feeling its power. “This could enhance my summons,” he said, tucking it away. Sticky snatched the Mana Crystal, squeaking “Mine!” until Angelus pried it free. “We’ll share.”

* Dropped Items:

* Behemoth Hide x1: Crafts armor with +20 defense.

* Rift Core Fragment x1: Unlocks temporary summon: Rift Guardian (60 seconds, cooldown 24 hours).

* Greater Health Potion x1: Restores 50 HP.

* Mana Crystal x1: Restores 30 mana.

Notifications flashed: [Experience gained: 500. Level 10 reached. New Skill: Master Summoner – Summons’ attack and defense +10%.]

The anchor pulsed wildly. Angelus shattered it with a swing, fragments scattering. [Quest Progress: 3/3 anchors destroyed. Reward: 1000 XP.] But the ground rumbled, and Rift Sense revealed a lingering pull. “It’s not fully closed,” Tara said, alarmed.

A new quest appeared: [Defeat the Rift Lord. Reward: 2000 XP, Rift Closure.]

Angelus’s jaw tightened. “One more fight.”

Back at the library, the rift’s glow had dimmed, and survivors cheered cautiously. Lily hugged Angelus. “Is it over?”

“Almost,” he said, smiling. “One last thing.”

That night, the library buzzed with hope. Angelus stood by a window, eyeing the rift, his summons nearby. Marcus offered a granola bar. “From nerd to badass, huh?”

“Couldn’t do it without you,” Angelus said. “We’ll finish this. Together.”

The Rift Lord awaited, but with new loot and resolve, Angelus was ready.