MTLNOVEL Chapter 6: Rift’s Edge
Zane braced himself, the sand crunching under his boots with a gritty rasp as the woman's green eyes bore into him like twin daggers. Her armored figure loomed, runes glowing with a sinister light that pulsed in rhythm with the new rift behind her, spitting sparks into the desert air like a dying firework. Gideon stood at his side, staff raised, his scarred face set with grim resolve, the tension between them palpable. Stability at 9%, his HUD flashed in bold red, the disc's heat a constant burn against his chest, searing through the suit's layers.
"You can't stop me," the woman said, her voice cold and sharp, cutting through the dry wind like a blade. "This multiverse bends to my will—Stark's tech was just the key I needed to unlock it." She raised a hand, and shadows poured from the rift, taking shape as more creatures, their claws glinting in the fading sunlight, their growls a low rumble that shook the ground. Zane's stomach twisted, the weight of her words sinking in.
"Like hell it does," Zane muttered, his repulsors humming to life with a faint whine that steadied his nerves. He fired, the blast hitting a creature square in the chest, its form shattering into a spray of sand that stung his face. Gideon swung his staff, a green wave blasting two more back with a thunderous crack, but the horde kept coming, their numbers swelling like a tide. The disc pulsed, its light dimming further, a weak flicker against the chaos. Stability at 8%.
"Shuri, we're outnumbered!" Zane shouted, dodging a claw that raked the air with a hiss, the near miss sending his heart racing. His leg buckled under the strain, the earlier injury flaring with a sharp pain that made him grit his teeth. The suit's repair systems whirred desperately, but the damage was spreading, the creaking joints a constant reminder of his fragility. "Any ideas?"
"Hold them off," Shuri's voice crackled through the comms, tense but steady, a lifeline in the storm. "I'm analyzing the rift—there's a control node inside. Target it, but watch that disc—it's your only shot!" Her words were a spark of hope, but the static grew thicker, threatening to cut her off.
Zane gritted his teeth, pushing forward through the sand that dragged at his boots. The woman smirked, her armor shimmering with an oily sheen as she stepped closer, her presence a suffocating weight. "You're brave, boy, but foolish," she said, her tone mocking, dripping with disdain. "That device will kill you before you touch my anchor." She gestured with a flick of her wrist, and the creatures surged, their movements a blur of claws and teeth.
He leaped, thrusters roaring with a strained groan, and landed near the rift's edge, the heat from the portal washing over him. His HUD pinged with a soft chime: Control node detected. Proximity: 50 meters. The node glowed faintly within the rift, a crystalline structure pulsing with red energy that clashed with the desert's muted tones. Zane fired, the blast grazing it with a sharp crack, but a creature slammed into him, its weight knocking him down hard. Armor integrity at 70%. The impact jarred his ribs, a dull ache spreading through his chest.
Gideon roared, his staff cutting through the air with a whistle, clearing a path with a burst of green energy that scattered the beasts. "Get to it, kid!" he yelled, his voice rough with effort, sweat beading on his brow. Zane scrambled up, sand clinging to his suit, the disc burning hotter against his skin. Stability at 7%. He dodged another attack, rolling to avoid a claw that gouged the earth, his breath coming in short gasps.
The woman laughed, a sound that chilled his blood and echoed across the dunes, her amusement a cruel taunt. "You'll fail," she said, raising her hand again with a flourish, her runes flaring brighter. The rift pulsed, widening with a groan, and a massive shadow emerged—something larger, its eyes glowing like twin suns, its roar shaking the sand loose from the dunes. Zane's heart sank, the sight a nightmare made real. What now?
He lunged, repulsors blasting at full power with a high-pitched scream, the energy cutting through the air. The node cracked under the assault, its light faltering, but the massive creature roared, its claw swiping toward him with a force that made the ground tremble. Gideon tackled him aside, the impact jarring his already bruised ribs, a grunt escaping his lips. The disc flared, its weak pull dragging them toward the rift as the node shattered with a final, resounding crack. The world dissolved into blinding white, the woman's furious shout fading into the void.
Zane hit the ground hard, sand giving way to cold, slick stone that bit into his palms. The rift closed with a sharp snap, leaving a heavy silence that pressed against his ears. His suit sparked, the disc dimming to a faint, trembling glow that barely illuminated the dark. Stability at 5%, his HUD whispered, a fragile lifeline in the chaos. He groaned, pushing himself up with a wince, pain shooting through his side where Gideon's tackle had landed.
Gideon lay nearby, breathing heavily, his cracked staff clutched in one hand, blood seeping from a gash on his arm. "You okay, kid?" he rasped, his eyes searching Zane's face with a mix of concern and exhaustion. The desert was gone, replaced by a cavern, its walls glowing with faint blue veins that pulsed like a living thing. Zane nodded, his throat dry. "Barely. You?"
"Alive," Gideon said, sitting up with a grunt, his movements slow and pained. "That woman—she's got power we can't match yet. We need a plan." His voice carried a weight of defeat, rare for the grizzled man, his usual confidence shaken.
Zane's comms crackled to life, a faint lifeline. "Zane! Gideon!" Shuri's voice broke through, clear but urgent, her relief tinged with panic. "You're in a rift pocket—stable for now. But that disc's on its last legs—its energy signature is almost gone!" Her tone was a stark reminder of their peril, her words cutting through the haze.
He glanced at the disc, its light flickering like a candle in the wind, its weight a bitter reminder of his dependence. Stability at 4%. The cavern trembled, a low hum building from the depths, the blue veins pulsing faster. His HUD pinged with a soft alert: Energy surge detected. Proximity: 300 meters. Shadows moved in the distance, their forms indistinct but menacing, and Zane's gut tightened with dread. Not done yet, he thought, gripping his repulsors, their glow faint but ready.
The shadows took form—more creatures, their eyes glinting like stars in the dimness, their bodies twisted and unnatural. Gideon stood, his staff raised despite the crack running its length, his resolve hardening like steel. "We fight," he said, his voice steady despite the blood dripping from his arm. Zane nodded, the disc pulsing weakly as the first creature charged, its roar echoing off the cavern walls.