The Ashenblade family rode at dawn, their destination clear—the southern border, where the latest Rift had torn open the fabric of their world. The journey was swift but tense, the soldiers and scouts accompanying them remaining silent as the weight of the mission pressed upon them.
The terrain grew harsher as they approached their destination. The once lush forests thinned, giving way to jagged rocks and barren fields. The Rift loomed in the distance, a swirling vortex of dark energy that crackled with unnatural light. Around it, the land seemed to wither, the very ground scorched by its malevolent presence.
Damien rode alongside Alaric, his father’s expression stoic but his eyes sharp. “This Rift is larger than any we’ve faced,” Alaric said, his voice steady. “Expect the creatures that come through to be stronger and more organized.”
Damien nodded, his grip tightening on Ebonfang. He had faced many battles, but this would be his first confrontation with the horrors that emerged from a Rift. The thought both exhilarated and unsettled him.
As they crested a hill overlooking the Rift, Damien caught his first clear view of the battlefield. The Rift pulsed ominously, its energy radiating outward in waves. Around it, a host of creatures had already begun to emerge. They were monstrous, with twisted forms and glowing eyes, their presence exuding a palpable sense of dread.
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Selene pulled her horse up beside Damien, her usual smirk replaced by a more serious expression. “Well, there’s our welcoming party,” she said, drawing her twin daggers.
Kael, ever the strategist, surveyed the scene with a calculating gaze. “They’ve already started to spread out,” he observed. “If we don’t act quickly, they’ll overwhelm the nearby villages.”
Alaric raised his hand, signaling the troops to halt. “We’ll strike in formation,” he commanded. “Kael, take the left flank with half the soldiers. Selene, you’re on the right with the rest. Damien, you’re with me in the center. We’ll drive straight for the Rift.”
Damien’s heart pounded as he took his position. This was it—the moment he had been preparing for. As the Ashenblade forces moved into formation, the creatures seemed to sense their approach, turning their glowing eyes toward the advancing army.
With a roar, Alaric raised his sword. “Charge!”
The Ashenblade forces surged forward, meeting the creatures head-on. The battle began in earnest, the sound of clashing steel and monstrous roars filling the air.