Chapter 3 The Awakening

The growl echoed again, low and resonant, vibrating through the stone walls of the cavern. Drayen and Keryth exchanged a glance, their mutual hostility momentarily forgotten as the sound deepened into a rumble.

"What did you wake up this time, witch?" Drayen hissed, rising to his feet despite the lingering pain from his clash with the tendril.

Keryth gripped her staff tightly, her violet eyes darting across the dim cavern. "This isn't my doing. Whatever's down here... it's older than anything I've ever encountered. Older than either of us."

Drayen growled in frustration. "How reassuring."

The cavern shuddered violently, cracks splitting the ground and walls. From the depths of the Rift, a pair of massive eyes emerged, glowing like molten gold. They blinked slowly, focusing on the two intruders.

The creature that followed was unlike anything Drayen had ever seen. Its body was an amalgamation of shadow and stone, its massive form coiled like a serpent. Horns of jagged crystal jutted from its head, and a mist of corrupted magic seeped from its maw as it roared, shaking the air.

"Run," Keryth whispered, her voice trembling.

Drayen planted his feet. "I don't run from monsters."

"Then you're going to die!" she snapped, grabbing his arm.

The beast lunged, its serpentine body crashing through the cavern. Drayen shoved Keryth aside, flames bursting from his fists as he met the creature's attack. His dragonfire collided with its shadowy form, briefly halting its advance.

The creature hissed, recoiling, but the reprieve was short-lived. It struck again, faster and harder, forcing Drayen to dodge. He could feel the heat building in his core, his dragon side begging to be unleashed.

Keryth scrambled to her feet, chanting a spell. The runes on her staff flared, and a barrier of shimmering light erupted between them and the creature. The beast snarled, slamming into the shield, but it held-for now.

"That won't hold it for long," Keryth warned, sweat dripping down her face.

"Then we kill it," Drayen growled.

"You can't kill something that's part of the Rift! It's not alive in the way you think."

"Then what do you suggest, witch?"

Keryth's eyes darted around the cavern, desperate for a solution. Her gaze fell on the glowing runes etched into the walls. "Those markings-they're containment runes. They're designed to keep this thing sealed."

Drayen followed her gaze. "Then why isn't it contained?"

"Because something disturbed them!" she shot back, glaring at him pointedly. "We need to reactivate them."

Drayen clenched his jaw. "Fine. What do we do?"

"I need time to cast the reactivation spell," Keryth said, gripping her staff. "But that means you'll have to distract it. Alone."

"Great," Drayen muttered, rolling his shoulders. "I didn't need a breather anyway."

Without waiting for her signal, he surged forward, flames erupting from his fists as he drew the creature's attention. It roared in fury, lunging after him as he darted between the jagged rocks.

Keryth dropped to her knees, pressing her hands to the runes on the wall. She began chanting, her voice steady despite the chaos. The markings pulsed faintly, their glow growing stronger with each word.

Drayen ducked under a swipe of the creature's tail, retaliating with a blast of dragonfire. The beast shrieked, its body writhing as the fire licked at its shadowy form.

"Any day now!" he shouted, narrowly avoiding another strike.

"I'm working on it!" Keryth snapped, her concentration unwavering.

The creature seemed to sense her actions. It let out a guttural snarl and turned its attention toward her. Drayen cursed, propelling himself forward and slamming into its side with all his strength.

The impact sent them both sprawling, but it bought Keryth a few more seconds.

The runes flared brightly, their light flooding the cavern. Keryth's voice rose to a crescendo as she completed the spell. "By the power of the seals, I bind you to this place! Return to the void from which you came!"

The markings on the walls erupted with energy, tendrils of light wrapping around the creature. It thrashed violently, its roar shaking the very air as the magic dragged it back toward the Rift.

Drayen staggered back, panting. "That better work."

"It will," Keryth said, though her voice was weaker now. The effort of the spell had drained her.

The creature let out one final, ear-splitting shriek before it was consumed by the light. The cavern fell silent, save for the faint hum of the reactivated runes.

Drayen turned to Keryth, his molten eyes narrowing. "You've got a lot of explaining to do."

Before she could respond, the ground trembled again. A crack split the chamber, and a voice-deep and resonant-echoed from the depths of the Rift.

"You've only delayed the inevitable."