Eric and Irithel were caught in the renewed pull before they could even brace themselves. The gravitational force yanked them off their feet like ragdolls, sending them hurtling toward the rift. Eric's eyes widened, his arms flailing as he tried to grab onto anything to stop his montum.
"Hold on!" Aurelius roared, his hand shooting out toward Eric, but the distance was too great. The rift consud Eric, his form disappearing into the blackness.
Irithel's reaction was eerily different. Unlike Eric, she didn't resist. Her green eyes were calm, resigned even, as if she had anticipated this mont.
"I'll find you," she murmured under her breath, her voice too soft to carry over the chaos. Then, with a final, fleeting glance toward Aurelius, she allowed herself to be taken, her red hair vanishing into the void.
"Irithel!" Aurelius's voice cracked with raw emotion as he surged forward, but the suction force had already dissipated. The crack remained, swirling ominously, but its pull was gone, leaving a heavy, suffocating silence in its wake.
"What… what is happening here?" one of the second-years muttered, their voice trembling. The remaining crowd stared at the rift in horrified disbelief.
Ren finally rose to his feet, his sword trembling in his grasp. His face was pale, but his voice carried an edge of determination. "The dinsional crack… That figure opened it, and took others with him..."
Before anyone could process his words, a deep, guttural roar erupted from the void. The sound was primal, a noise that sent chills down everyone's spine. It was soon followed by high-pitched screeches and unearthly howls that seed to echo from the depths of a nightmare.
Aurelia clutched her staff tightly, her knuckles white, her eyes glowing in golden light. "Monsters," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "They're coming through."
Her words proved true.
In an instant, the first creature fell through the rift. Its body was grotesque, a horrifying amalgamation of writhing tendrils and jagged scales. Its crimson eyes glowed with hunger as it landed with a sickening thud, crushing a section of the stone arena beneath its weight.
Then another ca, this one resembling a giant, skeletal bird with elongated claws that scraped across the ground, leaving deep gashes. It let out a piercing screech that made several students cover their ears in pain.
Dozens of monsters followed, falling like rain from the crack in the sky. Each one was more monstrous and alien than the last—abominations that defied natural laws, their forms twisted and wrong. The arena was quickly overrun, and the remaining examinees were forced to scatter.
"Form up!" Aurelius bellowed, drawing his blade in a single, fluid motion. The weapon shimred with a faint, golden glow as he stepped forward, planting himself as the first line of defense. "Protect the examinees and the injured!"
"Aurelia, call for backup!" He shouted one last ti before he leaped onto the approaching skeletal bird monster, his sword glowing with light elents.
Battle against the monster of the void started.
_____ __ __
The aftermath of the battle left the arena in ruins, littered with the grotesque remains of creatures of the void. A faint, acrid sll lingered in the air, mixing with the tallic tang of blood.
Injured examinees were being tended to by the academy's healers, while the rest huddled together, murmuring anxiously. The dinsional crack still lood in the sky, swirling ominously like a wound in the fabric of reality.
Instructors had arrived ten minutes into the battle, led by the imposing figure of instructor Darius, a Lunar-Tier combatant with a commanding presence. Alongside him, other skilled instructors swiftly eliminated the remaining monsters, their coordinated efforts bringing the chaos to an end within minutes.
Now, the arena was silent save for the hushed voices of the academy staff and the occasional groans of the injured. A team of intelligence officers, led by the academy's head strategist, combed through the scene, their expressions grim as they analyzed the dinsional crack. The black void continued to pulsate nacingly, exuding an unapproachable aura.
Aurelius stood near the edge of the gathering, his sword still drawn, its blade coated in the black ichor of the slain monsters. His chest heaved with exhaustion, sweat dripping down his face. Despite his fatigue, his mind raced, piecing together the events that had unfolded.
He glanced at the crack, his heart heavy with the mory of Irithel and Eric being pulled into its depths. And it seems like Adrian and Aria, even his half-sister Isabella and her princess friends were sucked in before he arrived.
Behind him, Aurelia was being questioned by an intelligence officer. She explained the sequence of events with precision, recounting the appearance of the hooded figure, the scythe-wielding boy, and the monstrous horde that had followed.
Ren, leaning on his staff, interrupted her explanation. "They… they were pulled into the rift," he said, his voice hoarse. "Adrian, Eric, Irithel… even they didn't stand a chance."
The intelligence officer nodded grimly, noting down Ren's observations. "We've already identified the pattern, only those who were touched by the scythe or the chain weapon got pulled into the rift," he said. "Preliminary analyses suggest that the dinsional crack repels entry from outside forces. Even our Lunar-Tier instructor couldn't breach it. Whatever this anomaly is, it's beyond our current understanding."
Nearby, Darius stood with his arms crossed, his piercing gaze fixed on the crack. His presence was commanding, his voice sharp as he addressed the gathered crowd. "For now, the crack is stable. But make no mistake—this is not over. If it starts destabilizing, it could endanger not just this arena but the academy itself. We'll continue to monitor it closely. And find a way to rescue the kidnapped."
That's right, Darius imdiately ca to a conclusion after watching the records and hearing the testimonies - all those who were sucked by the crack were kidnapped, to another world. However, he couldn't think of the reason. Why would they kidnap the examinees or the second years? What was their intention, plan? He had no idea.
Despite the instructors' words, Aurelius couldn't shake the strange feeling gnawing at him. The crack pulsed faintly, almost as if it was… calling to him. He clenched his fists, his thoughts racing.
'Why do I feel like I can enter it?'
Minutes later, Aurelius approached Darius, who was directing the instructors. The older man turned to face him, his expression unreadable. "Student Aurelius," he said curtly. "What do you need?"
Aurelius hesitated for a mont before speaking. "Instructor… I think I can enter the rift," he said, his voice steady despite the uncertainty in his heart. "I don't know why, but I feel like it's… pulling . Like I'm ant to go inside."
Darius raised an eyebrow, his gaze sharpening. "Explain."
Aurelius struggled to find the words. "It's not just a feeling—it's like the rift is resonating with . I can't explain it, but I know I won't be repelled like the others."
"Hmm... Could there be restrictions to enter the crack?" He muttered to himself, after all, he was familiar with this type of occurrences - there were Ruins that limited age or Tier to enter, like putting a limit.
His eyes flickered to Aurelius and a few other second years.
He crossed his arms, his sharp gaze settling on Aurelius. The instructor's hesitation was evident, though his tone remained firm. "You realize what you're saying, right? Entering that crack could very well an death. There's no guarantee you'll co back, or even survive in whatever lies beyond. Are you prepared to risk your life for this?"
Aurelius looked down, his hands tightening into fists. The mories of Irithel's resigned glance, Eric's panicked expression, and the faces of Adrian, Aria, Isabella, and the others haunted him. They were his friends, his sister, and future juniors. His resolve solidified, and he raised his head, eting Darius's gaze with unwavering determination.
"Yes," Aurelius said, his voice steady. "I'm willing to take that risk. If there's even a chance I can bring them back, I have to try. I can't just stand here and do nothing."
A ripple of silence passed through the group. Nearby, Aurelia had been listening, her glowing staff dimd but still clutched tightly in her hands. She stepped forward, her eyes burning with resolve.
"Then I'm going too," she said firmly, her voice cutting through the tension. "I want to save my brother and the others too."
"Aurelia—" Aurelius began, but she silenced him with a sharp look. Discover more stories at empire
"Don't even try to stop ," Aurelia said, her tone brooking no argunt. "You'll need , and you know it."
Before Darius could interject, two more figures stepped forward from the huddled crowd. Ren, leaning heavily on his sword, managed a weak but determined smile. "Count in. I don't know how much help I'll be after all that, but I'm not letting you guys go alone."
Lyra, her face pale, but her green eyes glead with resolve. " too," she said firmly. "I'm not the strongest here, but I'm not about to stand by when my friends need help."
Darius's sharp eyes flicked between the group, his expression unreadable. Finally, he let out a slow breath, rubbing his temple as though the weight of the situation had physically settled on his shoulders.
"This isn't sothing to decide lightly," Darius said, his voice heavy. "We don't know what's on the other side. If you're going, you'll need to prepare. Properly."
The crack pulsed again, faint and ominous, as if it were a living entity waiting patiently for them. Aurelius glanced at the rift, his resolve only deepening. "We don't have ti to waste. Every second we wait could be putting them in more danger."
Darius studied the group for a long mont before nodding. "Fine. But you're not going in unprepared. Gather your gear, and et in the northern training hall in fifteen minutes. I'll brief you and provide the necessary things for protection and communication."
He paused, his stern gaze softening slightly. "And… for what it's worth, you're doing sothing noble. Just… don't die."
Aurelius nodded, his throat tightening at the instructor's rare mont of approval.
Then before leaving to prepare, they turned their eyes toward the looming crack, its swirling void a promise of danger and the unknown. Whatever awaited them on the other side, they would face it together.
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