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Chapter 7: The Broken Thread

The forest didn't let them rest.

Erynn's steps were tense, her blade still drawn as she scanned the shadows. The Whispering Woods were quieter now, but the silence carried a weight that pressed against their senses, like a coiled trap waiting to spring.

Aru walked with his usual casual stride, hands in his pockets, but there was something different in his gaze—something sharper, more alert.

The air shifted suddenly, colder and heavier, and the faint whispers returned.

Erynn froze. "It's here."

Aru tilted his head. "What's here?"

The shadows moved.

The Fractured Beast

It emerged from the darkness like a tear in the world, its body shifting and flickering as if it didn't fully belong. The beast was massive, its form a patchwork of jagged limbs and exposed bone, its glowing eyes burning with an unnatural intensity.

Erynn's breath hitched. "A Rift Stalker."

Aru raised an eyebrow. "Catchy name."

"It shouldn't be here," Erynn muttered, her voice tight. "This deep in the woods… it means—"

The beast lunged before she could finish, its claws slicing through the air with terrifying speed.

Aru stepped back instinctively, but his foot caught on the uneven ground, and he stumbled—a rare misstep that sent him sprawling to the dirt.

The Rift Stalker didn't hesitate. It pounced, its massive jaws snapping shut where Aru had been a second earlier.

But Aru wasn't there anymore.

A Fight Unraveled

He reappeared several feet away, his back pressed against a tree, his smirk gone. "Okay," he muttered, brushing dirt off his coat. "That's new."

The beast turned, its glowing eyes locking onto him again. It moved with an unsettling grace, its flickering form leaving faint afterimages as it approached.

Erynn stepped between them, her blade raised. "Stay back!"

"Sure," Aru said, straightening up. "You've got this, right?"

Erynn didn't reply. She lunged forward, her blade flashing in the dim light as she struck the beast's flank. The blade connected, sparks flying, but the Rift Stalker didn't flinch. It turned on her, its claws sweeping in a wide arc.

She barely managed to dodge, rolling to the side as the claws tore into the tree behind her, splintering it with a deafening crack.

Aru sighed, stepping forward. "Guess it's my turn."

Chaos Unleashed

The Rift Stalker lunged at him again, its speed blinding. Aru moved to dodge, but his footing slipped—and then the world shifted.

He found himself behind the beast, his hand brushing against one of its jagged limbs. The creature recoiled, its flickering form warping violently as if it had been struck by an invisible force.

Aru blinked, glancing at his hand. "Huh."

The beast roared, its movements growing more erratic as it charged again. Aru stepped to the side—and vanished, reappearing mid-step on the opposite side of the clearing. The ground where he had stood erupted in a spray of dirt and stone as the creature's claws struck.

Erynn watched, her expression caught between awe and disbelief. "What are you doing?"

"Improvising," Aru replied, his tone strained.

The beast turned toward him, its glowing eyes narrowing. The air around it seemed to warp, its presence distorting the very fabric of reality.

Aru took another step—and stumbled as the ground beneath him twisted, shifting unnaturally. He fell, landing hard on his back.

"Not ideal," he muttered.

Unpredictable Powers

The Rift Stalker loomed over him, its jaws opening wide. Aru raised a hand instinctively, though he wasn't sure why—and the air around him shimmered.

The creature's lunge faltered as its body twisted mid-air, colliding with an invisible barrier. It howled in frustration, its form flickering violently as it tried to regain its footing.

Aru scrambled to his feet, his smirk replaced by a rare flicker of unease. His powers were moving on their own now, shifting reality around him in ways he couldn't control.

The beast charged again, its speed relentless. This time, Aru didn't move fast enough. Its claws raked across his coat, sending him sprawling to the ground once more.

Pain shot through his side, sharp and hot. He glanced down to see blood seeping through the fabric of his coat.

"Okay," he muttered, his voice strained. "This is officially less fun."

The Turning Point

The stained-glass shard in his pocket pulsed faintly, its warmth cutting through the cold pain in his side. Aru hesitated for a moment before pulling it out, holding it up to the light.

The shard glowed brighter, its etched patterns shifting and swirling like liquid light. The Rift Stalker hesitated, its glowing eyes narrowing as it focused on the shard.

Erynn's voice cut through the tension. "What is that?"

"Not sure," Aru said, his smirk returning faintly. "Let's find out."

He flung the shard toward the beast, the glowing fragment spinning through the air. When it struck, the light erupted in a blinding flash, engulfing the creature in a cascade of shimmering energy.

The Rift Stalker howled, its form flickering wildly as the light consumed it. The air around it twisted and warped, the shadows collapsing inward until, finally, the beast was gone.

The Aftermath

The clearing fell silent, the faint glow of the shard lingering in the air before fading completely.

Aru staggered, his hand pressed to his side as he tried to steady himself.

Erynn rushed to his side, her expression a mix of concern and anger. "Are you okay?"

"Define okay," Aru muttered, wincing as he straightened up.

"That was reckless."

"Yeah, well," he said, his smirk faint but present. "Reckless is kind of my thing."

Erynn shook her head, but she didn't press further. Instead, she glanced at the spot where the Rift Stalker had vanished. "What was that shard?"

"Something interesting," Aru said, slipping it back into his pocket.

Erynn frowned, but before she could say more, the whispers returned—soft and distant, but unmistakable.

"Let's keep moving," Aru said, his tone light despite the tension in his voice. "I think we're just getting started."