The ruins stretched before them like the bones of a forgotten civilization, jagged and broken. Time had eroded the once-magnificent structures, leaving behind only remnants of what had been. A chilling wind howled through the crumbling arches, carrying the echoes of voices long gone. Noah’s heart pounded as he followed Vance and Killian through the ruins. The words of the shadowy figures lingered in his mind. Find the Veil. Uncover what was lost. “What do you think they meant by ‘the Veil’?” Killian asked, his voice low. Vance adjusted his gloves. “If I had to guess, I’d say it’s a place—or a barrier—between what we know and what was hidden.” Noah exhaled. “Then it’s where we need to go.” They pressed on, their footsteps echoing against stone. The deeper they went, the more unnatural the air became. A weight settled over Noah’s shoulders, a pressure that felt… aware. Then he heard it. A whisper. Faint, like a breath against his ear. “Turn back.” Noah’s body went rig

The Riftborn loomed over them, its form flickering between states—sometimes solid, sometimes a twisting mass of shadows, its edges fraying like torn fabric against the eerie violet glow of the sky.Noah’s body went rigid. His pulse roared in his ears. He had read about Riftborns in old texts—creatures that should not exist in any reality, beings that belonged to the space between worlds. But reading about them and standing in front of one were two different things entirely.Killian took a step back, his fingers twitching toward his dagger. Vance remained eerily still, his golden eyes narrowed as he studied the creature.The hooded woman—the one who had spoken to them—lifted a hand, as if holding the Riftborn at bay. “The Veil is weak,” she intoned. “And so, they come.”Noah forced himself to find his voice. “They? There are more of these things?”The woman nodded slowly. “Where the Rift thins, they gather.”The Riftborn let out a low, reverberating growl that rattled Noah’s bones.

The shadows twisted and writhed, forming grotesque figures with glowing, hollow eyes. They didn’t move like normal creatures. They slithered, shifted, and melted into the darkness before reforming elsewhere, always just out of reach.Noah’s grip on his weapon tightened. His breathing was shallow, the weight of the Abyss pressing against his chest like an invisible force. The dark mark on his wrist pulsed violently, as if responding to the creatures in front of him.Killian stepped in front of him, sword raised. “Stay close.” His voice was steady, but Noah could hear the tension beneath it.Vance cracked his knuckles. “I don’t suppose we can reason with these things?”The hooded woman shook her head. “They are not creatures of reason. They are fragments of the Abyss itself, drawn to its mark on Noah.”“Great.” Vance sighed, pulling a dagger from his belt. “Then I guess we do this the hard way.”The shadows attacked.Noah barely had time to react as one lunged at him, its form stretchin

The darkness shifted around them, restless and alive. Noah gripped his weapon tighter, his pulse quickening as the whispering voices grew louder. They slithered through his mind, their words just out of reach, teasing and taunting.Killian stepped beside him, his blade steady. "We need to move. Standing here makes us easy targets."Vance exhaled sharply. "Easier said than done. We can barely see where we're going."The hooded woman raised her hand. A faint glow flickered from her palm, illuminating the swirling void. "Follow my lead. The Abyss thrives on hesitation. If we falter, it will consume us."Noah swallowed, nodding. "Then let’s keep moving."They pressed forward, their steps cautious. The ground beneath them felt strange—solid yet shifting, like walking on the surface of a deep ocean. Noah’s mark pulsed again, the heat spreading up his arm. He clenched his jaw, ignoring the unease crawling up his spine.A low growl rumbled from the shadows.Killian stopped abruptly, his eyes

The moment Noah stepped through the portal, the air around him changed. The heavy, suffocating presence of the Abyss faded, replaced by the crisp night breeze. He stumbled slightly, his body still weak, but Killian was there to steady him.They stood in the ruins once more, the moon casting long shadows across the broken stones. For a moment, everything was silent—too silent.Vance exhaled loudly. “I can’t believe we actually made it out.”Noah didn’t respond. His mind was still reeling from what he had seen inside the Abyss. The whispers, the shadows, the thing that had nearly swallowed him whole.The hooded woman stepped forward, her voice calm as always. “The Abyss may have let you leave, but it hasn’t forgotten you.”Killian tensed. “What does that mean?”She looked at Noah. “The mark remains. The connection is still there. The Abyss has touched you, and that touch does not simply vanish.”Noah glanced at his wrist. The mark no longer burned, but it was still there, a dark reminde