Rift Duology #2: Rift of Shadow

Chapter 12: The Fall

-Owen's POV-

After Nyctos slammed his Voidstone Sword at Keros, I thought we finally won. I mean, there was a huge cloud of dust when Keros slammed into the ground.
But of course, I was wrong.
He just flew upwards and split the comet apart, sending Nyctos and I flying into a distant nebulae.

"At least we have land to actually stand on.." I said.

No response.

"Nyctos? Are you okay?"

"Do you think I'm okay?! We're stranded! We let Keros find the fragment! We failed, Owen. When we return to the mortal realm, there'll be no world. We failed, Owen." Nyctos' voice broke at the end and I sat down next to him.

"It'll be okay. I promise!" I sensed fear in him.
And stupidly, I decided to absorb his fear. I felt what he felt, feared what he feared.

He didn't necessarily fear the destruction of the world itself, just the people inside.
He feared what Keros will do to us if he captures us.

I started shaking and Nyctos turned to me.
"I know what you did- you shouldn't have done that, Owen. I was fine before that-"

"Don't lie to me, Nyctos. You obviously weren't fine, you said so yourself." I snapped.

Nyctos looked around at the nebulae. I would've enjoyed it more if I didn't know the end of the realms was soon upon us.

"Sorry. But, I'm just rather agitated. We're stuck and we're not doing anything to go back." I said.

"What can we do? Like Jayden said, we don't have a powerful physical ability. We can't just move our half of comet with fear and fire.

Sadly, he was right. We didn't have any mystical artifacts to help us this time, either. We were stuck. And I already felt the tingling sensation in my body.
That's a rule of this realm- being the primordial soup that made and holds everything, it can melt things that are inside that weren't originally from there.
Soon enough, Nyctos and I would melt into goop if we didn't find a way out of here.

We sat in silence for a few minutes before I stood up again.

"Let's try." I said.

"What? There's nothing we can do, Owen." Nyctos replied.

"But there is- you can control fire. If you stand at the end of the comet, you can propel us back to where we came from. Like a jet, except it's half a giant rock!"

"Maybe.. but I haven't tried making such a big blast of fire, and especially not for a long time."

"I know you can do it, Nyctos. I'll go with you, just in case." I said.

"No, you have to make sure we go the right way. Just send a small wave of fear or something if I go the wrong way, okay?" he said and ran off.
Several minutes later, I saw a huge flame behind us. Nyctos finally made it, and soon, we were flying towards Keros!

..who had the Power Fragment. But, we were ready to defeat him, no matter what it took!

-Xavier's POV-

After the mini battle with Andrea, I fled to the halls. I still had the Axe of Abhor, in case I needed it.
Eventually, I made it back to the palace entrance and sat down.
I realized how tired I actually was.
I foolishly entered the Abyss to find something I never even got in the end.

The Candle of Enaid.
I never even found it.
Just another failure, right?

"Xavier?" I heard a voice call out.

"Riley! Gods, where is everyone?!" I exclaimed and ran to hug her. I hadn't seen her or anyone else in a long time.

"They're okay, but Keros got the final fragment!" Riley yelled and I froze.
I didn't even know what the last one did, but I knew it was more powerful than the other fragments combined.

"But- but are the others okay? And how'd you get back?" I asked.

"Yeah, but they're stranded in the 8th Realm. Also, I got blasted into the realm when Keros split the comet we were on.
Owen and Nyctos got thrown somewhere, as well as Jayden." she said.

During her explanation, I was staring at her scaly skin and horns.
"You never said you had an Oni form.. you said only Keros children have those."

"Of course I have an Oni form! And, when did I say that?" she responded.

"I'm not sure when, but you definitely said that once. You said you were a Keros Legacy, not child." I was definitely skeptical.

"I think you're confused- but it's fine, really. And by the way, can I see that Axe? Maybe we can use it to defeat Keros!" she exclaimed.

"I still need it. There's a crazy oni that was attacking me because I freed her- well, that's not entirely the full story, but I won't get into details."
As soon as I finished that sentence, Andrea zoomed past us, to the lower stairs.

"Her! She's the-"

"Ah, Riley! I was wondering when you'd return!" Andrea said.

"What is she talking about, Riley-?" Riley ignored my question.
"Riley, what is she talking about!"

"She hasn't told you? She's Keros'
Second-Hand! She's been getting much help by these demigods that haven't seen her true self!"
Andrea answered.

"Riley?" My voice broke. After already surviving the Abyss and Andrea, I just had to get more bad news.

"It doesn't matter now. Give me the Axe, Xavier." Riley demanded.

I shook my head and slammed the axe on the ground, which made the marble split, along with the entire island we were on.

"What have you done?! The Island is going to fall onto Camp Cetus!" Riley yelled.

"What's Camp Cetus?!" Andrea asked.

"Somewhere where they can defeat you both!" I yelled, and jumped off the island, falling into the clouds.