Chapter 4 The Warning

The cavern's trembling subsided, leaving only the heavy silence of aftermath. Drayen's heart pounded in his chest as the voice from the depths lingered in his mind-ancient, commanding, and dripping with malice. His molten gold eyes locked onto Keryth, who sat slumped against the cavern wall, clutching her staff like it was her lifeline.

"What the hell was that?" he demanded, his tone sharp enough to cut.

Keryth didn't answer immediately. Her breathing was labored, and her violet eyes were glazed with exhaustion. The spell had clearly drained her, but Drayen didn't care. He wasn't about to let her dodge this.

"Keryth," he growled, stepping closer.

She flinched at his tone, snapping her gaze to him. "It's not a what-it's a who."

"That doesn't make it better," he snapped. "Explain."

Keryth dragged herself upright, leaning heavily on her staff. "The Rift doesn't just hold corrupted magic. It's a prison, a seal placed to contain something far more dangerous-an ancient being that feeds on chaos. What you heard... that was its voice."

Drayen stared at her, his flames flickering faintly. "You're telling me we almost unleashed something worse than that shadow beast?"

Keryth winced. "Not almost. We did."

His flames surged, licking at the edges of his clenched fists. "And you didn't think to warn me about this earlier?"

"I didn't know!" she shot back, her own frustration flaring. "The Rift was supposed to be dormant. Nothing should have been able to break the seals." She paused, her expression darkening. "Unless someone tampered with them."

Drayen's jaw tightened. "You mean someone like you?"

Keryth glared at him, her exhaustion replaced by anger. "I'm not your enemy, Fael. You need to stop thinking of me as the villain in your story. There's more at stake here than your vendetta."

"Convenient for you to say," he growled, though her words struck a nerve.

Before either could say more, the ground trembled again, though this time it wasn't violent. It felt deliberate-controlled. The voice from the depths returned, resonating through the cavern.

"You meddle where you do not belong, dragon and witch."

Drayen's flames flared as he instinctively stepped between Keryth and the source of the sound. "Show yourself, coward."

A deep, mocking laugh echoed in response. "You are bold, little dragon. Bold and foolish. Do you not see? You have already sealed your fate."

Keryth gripped her staff tightly, her face pale. "It's testing the limits of the seal," she whispered. "It shouldn't be able to speak to us unless-"

"Unless what?" Drayen demanded, his frustration mounting.

"Unless the seals are weaker than I thought," she admitted, her voice trembling. "It's trying to break free."

"Soon, your world will know my wrath," the voice continued, its tone oozing with malice. "And you, Keryth Veylan, will be the key to my release."

Drayen froze, his eyes narrowing as the creature uttered her name. "What does it mean by that?"

Keryth didn't answer. Her knuckles whitened as she clutched her staff, her gaze fixed on the glowing runes along the walls.

"Witch," Drayen pressed, stepping closer. "What aren't you telling me?"

She shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "I... I don't know."

Drayen's patience snapped. He grabbed her arm, forcing her to face him. "You're lying. You know something."

"I don't!" she shouted, pulling free. Her violet eyes blazed with frustration and fear. "I've been running for years, hunted by people like you, blamed for crimes I didn't commit! If I had answers, don't you think I'd give them to you to save myself?"

Before Drayen could respond, the voice interrupted again, its tone dripping with mockery.

"You cannot escape your destiny, Keryth. You are bound to me, whether you wish it or not."

The runes along the walls dimmed, and the presence withdrew, leaving the cavern deathly quiet.

Keryth sank to the ground, trembling. Drayen stood frozen, his claws flexing as he struggled to make sense of what he'd just heard.

Finally, he turned to her, his voice low and cold. "What does it mean by 'bound to me'?"

She shook her head, tears glistening in her eyes. "I don't know."

"Then we find out," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Keryth looked up at him, her expression conflicted. "You don't trust me."

"I don't," Drayen admitted. "But I need answers as much as you do."

He extended a hand toward her, his golden eyes unwavering. "This isn't over. Whatever that thing is, we stop it. Together."

Keryth hesitated, then placed her hand in his. "Agreed."

As they climbed out of the cavern, the weight of the Rift's warning hung heavy between them. Unbeknownst to either, shadows began to stir deeper within the Rift, ancient forces awakening to the call of their master.