STELLAR RIFT

Chapter 6: Mirror of the Rift

Kade hit the ground hard, the breath knocked out of him. The world around him spun in fragments—colors twisted into shapes he couldn’t name, and time seemed to drip like melting wax. He groaned and pushed himself up.

He wasn’t in the void anymore.

He stood on a rocky cliff under a black sky filled with red stars. Strange floating islands drifted overhead, and a giant crack in the sky pulsed like a heartbeat. Below him, the land burned. Rivers of glowing energy snaked across scorched earth, and shadows moved like they were alive.

He was alone.

“Orin? Zane? Jett?” he called out, his voice echoing strangely, as if the world was listening. “Where are you guys?”

A voice answered, but it wasn’t one he expected.

“You’ve finally arrived.”

Kade turned. Standing a few feet away was… himself. But not quite. The other Kade was older, taller, and wore a suit made of crystal and steel, glowing with the same energy that bled from the Rift.

“You’re me,” Kade said, confused.

“No,” the double said calmly. “I’m what you become when you stop fighting and accept the Rift.”

Kade took a step back, instincts screaming. “This isn’t real.”

“Isn’t it?” the double said, smiling darkly. “The Rift isn’t your enemy. It’s your future. It offers power, clarity. All you have to do is let go of your fear.”

The ground shook beneath them.

“I’m not afraid,” Kade said, though his voice trembled.

“Yes, you are. You’re afraid of failing them. Of making the wrong choice. Of not being strong enough to save anyone.”

The wind howled. Lightning cracked across the sky. Kade raised his fists.

“I won’t become you.”

His double grinned. “You already are.”

The fight was brutal. Every punch Kade threw was matched, every move predicted. It was like fighting his reflection—stronger, faster, ruthless. But Kade refused to give in. He remembered his friends, their journey, the promise they made.

Together. No matter what.

With a shout, he charged, channeling every memory, every ounce of strength. His final blow cracked through the double’s chest, and the world around him shattered like glass.

He hit the ground again—this time in a dark corridor lit by flickering lights. And someone was standing over him.

“Finally,” Zane said, offering a hand. “You alright?”

Kade gripped his hand and stood. “I saw… I don’t even know. Some version of me. From the Rift.”

“They’re messing with all of us,” Zane said. “I found Orin. He’s not the same.”

Kade tensed. “What do you mean?”

Before Zane could answer, a door burst open down the corridor. Orin stumbled through—eyes wide, breathing hard. “We have a problem.”

Behind him, Jett followed… but something about his face didn’t feel right. His usual fire was gone, replaced by something distant.

“We were separated,” Jett said quietly. “But I saw it. The truth. We’re not supposed to win.”

“What are you talking about?” Kade asked.

“I saw the future,” Jett said. “One of us has to die, Kade. The Rift feeds on balance. One life for billions. That’s the cost.”

“No,” Zane snapped. “That’s what it wants us to believe. It’s lying.”

“Is it?” Jett’s voice hardened. “Because when I was alone in that vision, I made a deal.”

Kade’s stomach dropped. “What deal?”

Jett lifted his arm—and a jagged blade of crystal formed in his hand. His eyes flickered with blue light.

“Jett,” Orin said slowly, “what did you do?”

“I chose to survive,” Jett said. “If one of us has to fall, it won’t be me.”

He lunged at Kade.

The fight exploded in chaos. Zane blocked the first strike. Orin tried to trap Jett with a pulse shield, but the corrupted power around him shattered it with ease. Kade dodged, shouting for Jett to stop, but Jett was gone—lost behind a mask of fear and desperation.

They fought through the hall until Kade finally landed a stun-blast that dropped Jett to the ground, his weapon flickering out.

Kade knelt beside him. “You’re still in there. You’re not this.”

Jett blinked, and the glow in his eyes dimmed. His breathing slowed. “I thought… I thought if I gave in, I could save us…”

“We’ll find another way,” Kade said. “Together.”

Suddenly, the corridor rumbled. A panel in the floor opened, revealing a stairway lined with ancient symbols. Light spilled from below, drawing them down.

They descended in silence.

The stairs ended in a circular chamber. In the center stood a towering obelisk covered in the same runes from the spire. Energy pulsed through the air, alive and wild.

And in front of it stood a woman in a long silver coat—her face pale, her eyes shining.

“I’ve been waiting,” she said.

The boys froze.

“Who are you?” Kade asked.

“I am the Echo,” she said. “A memory of the first Riftwalker. I was the first to touch the Rift. The first to survive.”

Zane stepped forward. “Are you… part of the Rift?”

“No,” she said, her voice soft. “I am what remains of the world before the Rift opened. A remnant of what was lost.”

“Can you stop it?” Orin asked.

The Echo looked at them sadly. “No. But you can. You’ve passed the trials. Faced your shadows. But the Rift remains open because of one last lock.”

“What kind of lock?” Kade asked.

She pointed at the obelisk. “This is the Seal. To close it, one bearer must give up everything. Their memories. Their identity. Their soul. They will remain inside the Rift forever, keeping it shut.”

Silence filled the chamber.

“You mean… one of us has to become the lock?” Orin asked, voice shaking.

“Yes,” the Echo said. “One must stay. The rest may go.”

“No,” Zane said. “There has to be another way.”

But in his heart, Kade knew the truth.

The Rift wasn’t something they could destroy. It had to be contained. And only one mind could keep it sealed.

He stepped forward slowly, looking at each of them. “I’ll do it.”

“No,” Jett croaked. “After what I did—I should be the one.”

“You’re still needed,” Kade said. “You’ve seen what it can do. You can help make sure no one else repeats it.”

Orin looked like he wanted to argue, but couldn’t. Zane’s jaw clenched, eyes wet.

Kade turned to the Echo. “Let’s do this.”

She nodded. “Thank you, Kade Riven. Your name will be lost… but your sacrifice will echo through time.”

The obelisk lit up. The ground trembled.

As Kade stepped into the light, he felt the Rift begin to pull at him—not in pain, but in purpose. His memories flickered—laughter, training, late-night talks, starlight on the rooftops.

Then they were gone.

The chamber exploded in light.

And the Rift… closed.