Truths in a Rift (The Traveling Rifts Trilogy: Book Two)

Lost Civilization

Aris pulled herself up from the water. Dirt and grime clung to the wetness of her brown skin, coating in her in a thin layer of mud. The girl swiped an arm over her eyes, which did little to take away the dirt, then looked at the rift.

Before them, was a desolate, dusty... sprawling metropolis.

Aris knew no other word to describe it. The buildings were small at first, but as Aris's green eyes trailed deeper into the city, she saw that they grew and grew until they became skyscrapers, and just tickled the cloudless heavens. That was another thing she noticed; there were no clouds. The sun shone so brightly, the girl could feel her skin crawl under its golden stare.

But there was one other thing.

This rift was abandoned. It wasn't like the empty rift she and Raven spent the night in once, days ago. This... felt abandoned. Lonely. Like the city hadn't seen a soul for too long to remember. No wind stirred, and no vegetation grew. Dust spread over the square buildings, so much so, the surfaces couldn't even be seen.

"Where are we?" Aris whispered the question, but in the eerie quiet, it came out louder than she expected.

There wasn't an answer for a few moments. Faril finally spoke: "Wherever we are... it's nowhere I know on Aldenuur."

Aris glanced back to him with wide eyes, then gazed back at the abandoned city.

"Might I suggest we rest before exploring this new discovery?" Taleryn said as he helped Hacker out of the water.

Aris slowly shook her head. "I... I can't. I have to know what's out there."

"Waverly, if you continue, you'll just bring further injury to yourself," Tilan warned. "All of us are exhausted. All of us need rest."

The girl forced herself to look away from the view, gazing back at her companions. They did all look tired. And wounded. Lyra, especially, as she leaned back in the water, eyes closed. The journey must have taken more out of her than she let on.

It made Aris wonder what she looked like. But then she noticed the shadow creatures sulking in the shadows of the larger creatures, mainly Klovic.

"I'll... I'll go find shelter," Aris offered. Without waiting for an answer, the girl strode from the edge of the city. She walked down the road, though she couldn't tell if it actually was a road beneath all the dirt. Her boots, soaked to the brim, kicked sand up into the dry air. The girl superstitiously gazed back and forth between the buildings as she traveled through the empty city. Though it was hot, she still got a shiver.

Aris walked up to one of the buildings. It was rectangular in size, only one floor. Aris bit her lip, looking at the door that appeared to have no handle. She tried to push it, but found it didn't budge. With a furrowed brow, the girl banged her shoulder against the entryway. It hurt, but the wood was so old it splintered upon contact. She saw something etched on the surface, and peered closer-

"Aris?"

Aris quickly spun around. Taleryn stood, skin bronze in the sun, gazing at her with concerned eyes.

"Please," the elf said, "let me."

The girl reluctantly took a few steps back. Taleryn looked to the door for a few seconds before kicking it in. Aris marveled at how much muscle he had gained in the short period of time since they had rescued him from Sajen.

The door fell, and a cloud of dust floated up into the air. Aris coughed, taking a few steps back. Taleryn did the same.

"Maybe we should find a less dusty building," she suggested.