GUARDIAN OF THE FIFTH REALM

CHAPTER 8

They walked in silence for what felt like an eternity, the tunnel twisting and turning until they reached a massive stone archway. At it's center was a swirling vortex of light and shadow, it's edges crackling with raw energy.

Aila stepped forward, examining the portal. “It’s stable, for now. But the Void’s corruption is seeping in. We don’t have much time.”

Jace hesitated, staring at the swirling vortex. “And what happens if it collapses while we’re inside?”

Aila didn’t look at him. “Then we’ll cease to exist.”

“Great,” Jace muttered. “No pressure.”

Aila stepped into the portal without another word, disappearing into the light. Jace took a deep breath, his heart pounding. The shard in his palm pulsed again, almost reassuringly, and he forced himself to move forward.

The moment he stepped into the vortex, the world dissolved into chaos.

Light and darkness swirled around him, twisting and pulling at his body as though trying to tear him apart. He heard voices whispers in a language he didn’t understand, but they were angry, accusing. The shard in his palm burned brightly, and he felt its energy pushing back against the chaos, anchoring him.

When the sensation stopped, Jace found himself standing in a desolate wasteland. The sky was a sickly green, streaked with black clouds, and the ground was cracked and barren. Strange, twisted shapes moved in the distance, their forms barely visible through the haze.

Aila stood a few feet away, scanning the horizon. “Welcome to the borderlands of the Eighth Realm,” she said grimly. “Keep your guard up. This place is crawling with things that make Void Wardens look friendly.”

“Fantastic,” Jace said, gripping the shard embedded in his palm. “Let’s find those allies before something else finds us.”

Jace’s boots crunched against the cracked, barren earth as he followed Aila. The air was heavy, tinged with the sharp, metallic scent of decay. Every sound echoed unnaturally, as if the land itself were alive and listening.

“What is this place?” Jace asked, his voice low. He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching them from the shadows.

Aila’s eyes scanned the horizon, her staff glowing faintly as she walked. “The borderlands are the remnants of a realm that the Void consumed centuries ago. It’s a liminal space, neither fully destroyed nor fully alive. A perfect breeding ground for scavengers and… other horrors.”

Jace felt the shard in his palm pulse again, sharper this time. It wasn’t painful, but it was persistent, as if it were warning him. “I think the shard feels something,” he said.

Aila glanced at him, her expression unreadable behind her mask. “Good. It might save your life. Trust it's instincts, but don’t let it control you. That’s how the Phantom King gets his hooks in.”

Jace nodded, though the thought made his stomach twist.

The ground beneath them shifted suddenly, and Aila froze, holding up a hand. Jace stopped in his tracks, his heart pounding.

“Something’s coming,” Aila whispered.

The ground cracked open ahead of them, and a massive, serpentine creature burst forth. It's body was composed of jagged, obsidian-like shards, and it's eyes glowed a sickly yellow. It let out a screech that sent shivers down Jace’s spine.

“What the hell is that?” Jace shouted, stepping back.

“A Void Raptor,” Aila said, her voice tense. “One of the Phantom King’s lesser creations. Fast, relentless, and drawn to anything with light magic.” Her gaze flicked to the shard in Jace’s hand. “Like you.”

“Fantastic,” Jace muttered, drawing his sword.

Aila raised her staff, summoning a protective barrier as the Void Raptor lunged at them. It's claws scraped against the glowing shield, sending sparks flying.

“Keep it busy!” Aila shouted. “I’ll try to immobilize it!”

Jace didn’t have time to argue. The Raptor turned it's attention to him, it's jagged form moving unnaturally fast. He barely managed to dodge its claws, slashing at it's side with his sword. The blade glanced off the creature’s obsidian-like body, leaving only a faint scratch.

“Great,” Jace muttered. “It’s like fighting a mountain.”

The shard in his palm pulsed again, stronger this time, and Jace felt a surge of energy course through him. Instinctively, he raised his hand, and a burst of light shot out, striking the Void Raptor in the face.

The creature shrieked, rearing back, its glowing eyes flickering.

Aila seized the opportunity, slamming her staff into the ground. Chains of glowing runes erupted from the earth, wrapping around the Raptor’s body and pinning it in place.

“Now!” Aila shouted. “Finish it!”

Jace didn’t hesitate. He raised his sword, channeling the shard’s energy into the blade. The weapon glowed brightly, humming with power, and he brought it down on the creature’s neck.

The Void Raptor let out one final screech before its body shattered into a cloud of black dust.

Jace stumbled back, breathing heavily, as the dust dispersed into the air. The shard in his palm dimmed, its energy settling.

Aila approached him, her staff still glowing. “Not bad,” she said, though her tone was more cautious than approving. “But you need to be careful. The more you use the shard, the more the Void will notice you.”

Jace looked at the shard in his hand, it's faint glow pulsing rhythmically. “It’s like it has a mind of its own,” he said.

Aila nodded. “It does, in a way. The shard is a fragment of the Fifth Realm’s core, a piece of pure creation. It’s powerful, but it’s also unpredictable. If you’re not careful, it’ll consume you before the Phantom King ever gets the chance.”

Jace swallowed hard, his determination wavering for a moment. “So, what do we do now?”

Aila pointed toward the horizon, where the faint outline of a fortress loomed in the distance. “We keep moving. The resistance’s base is just ahead. If we’re lucky, they’ll still be there.”

“And if they’re not?” Jace asked.

Aila’s gaze darkened. “Then we’re on our own.”

As they continued toward the fortress, the landscape grew even more desolate. The sky seemed to press down on them, and strange, shadowy figures darted in and out of the corner of Jace’s vision. He tried to ignore them, focusing instead on the shard’s steady pulse.

When they finally reached the fortress, it was clear that something was wrong. The gates were ajar, and the air was thick with an unnatural stillness.

Aila raised her staff, her voice low. “Stay close. Something’s not right.”

Jace followed her inside, his sword at the ready. The fortress was eerily silent, the halls empty and dark.

As they ventured deeper, they found the first signs of a struggle, burned-out torches, broken weapons, and bloodstains on the stone floor.

Aila knelt beside one of the bloodstains, her expression grim. “We’re too late.”

Before Jace could respond, a low growl echoed through the hall. Shadows gathered at the far end of the corridor, forming into a massive, hulking figure with glowing red eyes.

It wasn’t a Void Warden, but something else, something worse.

Aila stood, her staff crackling with energy. “Run,” she said, her voice deadly serious.

“What?” Jace asked, his grip tightening on his sword.

“Run!” she shouted, as the creature charged toward them, it's roar shaking the very walls.