Rift Duology #2: Rift of Shadow

Chapter 27: Entombed Fear

—Jayden's POV—

"Aspen, create the platforms!" I shouted, and below us, ice chunks floated to the surface, and I landed in the water instead.

"Jayden!" Aspen yelled, and I swam to a building.
Aspen and the second ice chunk were pushed away, and Xavier was still atop the tower.

"Now that you don't have that little ice child, we can properly fight, can't we?" Cassiopeia said behind me.

"Why are you doing this?! What purpose does this serve?!" I shrieked, and unsheathed my dagger.

"I know you and the rest of your little team figured it out. The Merging of 2 realms- but don't worry, there won't be an overflow of Oni. I despise those things, so not those."

"Then which realm? There's no other realm that seems like a realm you'd choose." I replied.

"The Aether Realm. The realm your foolish brother fell into." Cassiopeia taunted, smiling.
"It's too bad none of you are prepared for what happens."

"Oh, stop it with your monologue! We'll defeat you and Xavier before you even have a chance!" I yelled and threw my dagger at him, with a thin red line tied to the handle and my wrist.
Cassiopeia merely slapped it away, and the line snapped, making my dagger fall into the waters.

"Soon, this entire city will sink beneath the waves. But don't worry, I'll preserve it. Freezing is one way of doing that, right?" He asked and he summoned his axe. It had a black blade with a red outline, and the handle was a long staff, with red carvings depicting a battle.

"I have already given you enough chances, Candelora." Cassiopeia said.
"But, instead of merely imprisoning you, I will keep you alive, long enough to see the world's fall."

"I won't let you! Neither will your sister! Leto and Owen and resurrecting Polaris right now, and—"

"You forget.. they don't have the Fragments. Mere mortals cannot resurrect anyone, let alone a powerful goddess such as Polaris. Your plan will fail." He replied, and dark red tendrils grew around me.

In my hand, I unsheathed another dagger- this one plain Stygian Iron.
"I won't go down without a fight." I stated and slashed at the tendrils.

"No, of course you won't. I'd gladly fight you any day, but I simply can't fight now. I have better things to do, and they definitely don't involve you." Cassiopeia said as he waved his hand, which made the tendrils snap around me, and make me drop the dagger.

"But don't worry, I'll be glad to give you a first row seat during my world domination!"

—Leto's POV—

"Okay, Owen, it's been hours! We've only found five." I complained, and looked around us.
There were large holes scattered throughout the ground, walls and ceilings.

"We have to try. We can't leave here without resurrecting Polaris, okay?" Owen replied, and continued digging with a shovel I summoned.

"Fine. But I'm not doing it your way anymore." I said and put my hands out.

12 letters appeared in front of me, and the dirt in a large radius sunk and disappeared, along with rock and stone. There, lie 8 more stones.
After Owen collected them, we counted.

"13 stones- which only leaves 2 more." Owen informed and continued digging. Occasionally, he'd try summoning Fear Blades to loosen up the dirt, and he found one more stone.

"14. We can do this, okay Owen? We will." I told him.

"No, I think I was wrong- Like I told you, each of the Etherials condensed their power and gave it to Polaris to resurrect her. But, I forgot that Polaris herself was part of the Etherials, which means—"

"That we have all of the stones!" I exlaimed and quickly laid each one around the circular pedestal.

"How do we do this?" I asked.

"I might know how.." Owen whispered and walked up to the flame.

"Owen—?" I called, and his eyes began to have an eerie glow, golden and white.

"Polaria, Godia fre Kresio; Keriala, Keriala, Legre aen Makar ynd Vilef."

"Mythian.." I muttered, and Polaris' flame grew brighter and larger.

"Owen, stop! You'll—"

But like he said.. he would not survive. When I woke up, the pedestal was now a stone bed. And on it, was Polaris.

Her skin was practically glowing- her eyes were gold, she had golden necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, and even golden beads imbedded into her skin.

Owen was nowhere to be seen.
I sat down next to the wall and just stayed there.
I had accidentally caused someone else's death.. but I had to get up and wake Polaris up.

"Polaris?" I quietly asked and tried to gently shake her awake.
"Please, wake up!"
As soon as I finished saying that, she quickly got up and gasped.

"Polaris! Please, you have to follow me! It's important, and—"

"Who are you? And why do you think I would help you?" She said and stood up.

"I'm- uh, Leto. Leto Murka, daughter of Symbos. And I'm asking for your help because your brother—"

"Wait, don't tell me. He's causing trouble again? Making another plague, or causing wars through his puppets?" Polaris listed.

"No. Er, Keros might've..
reassembledthefragmentsandbroughthimback? I'm sorry, but we have to hurry."

"Oh, gods— Yes, let me just-"

She waved her hands and the stone wall collapsed into itself, sparking a golden swirl.

Once we made it to the other side, Cassiopeia was holding Jayden with red tendrils.

"Kasiopa!" Polaris shouted
"What in Hellion do you think you're doing?!"

"Ah, Polaria! Perfect timing. As I told Jayden- you'll get first row seats to see my world domination!"