Chapter 154: The Price of Survival
Alison's golden light, caused by her sacrifice, wavered quietly on the horizon, its glow still there. Natasha stood by herself for a brief while, with her feet sinking into the broken jungle ground. The Riftstorm still thundered with menace, sending dark energy through the land just like a deadly disease growing on the chaos. Her heart was full of tension, and the shaking of the forest matched it
She had lost Alison.
Her stomach tightened as the truth became real to her. Although she tried to convince herself they couldn't have saved him, guilt kept eating away at her heart. She had been right by his side, at the center of the darkness, and even though she tried, she wasn't able to keep him.
The group had fallen silent. Each of Dren, Ira, and Eldric stood a slight distance away, trying to come to terms with what Alison had done. Ira's fingers shook and her light had rarely been dimmer, while Dren remained vigilant, clearly expecting something bad to happen any second. Eldric stood beside Natasha; the hardened look he usually wore had softened into a look of sadness.
He put a hand on her shoulder, aiming to give comfort, but she didn't feel it. Things had become unbearable. Even with Alison gone, they couldn't stop and had to go on.
Natasha whispered, 'How are we going to fight right now?' Her whispers brought a rare break to the heavy silence, as Natasha spoke.
Eldric didn't answer immediately. Rather, he stood watching the pulsing Riftstorm and his eyes narrowed as its power increased. The jungle which used to be bursting with colorful life was now a dark crazy tangle of shadow and weird shapes. Creatures that were long gone slithered and crawled out of the rifts with shapes that were eerie and frightful. With each throb of the Rift, the borders of the jungle became more ragged, more random.
The twisted First Hero's voice thundered through the changing air, the sneer apparent even through the static. So you think that you can save this world? You've already lost. This isn't about saving anyone. This is all about power – control of everything."
The Rift was swallowing the reality around them, and Natasha's mind was in the middle of a war between different thoughts. She could sense the presence of Alison, a ghostly whisper in the back of her head. This was the cost of surviving? Had they actually given their all to failure?
Her eyes moved to Ira, who was having difficulty keeping on his feet. The pressure on the light-wielder was evident with her body drooping in the tiredness of the continuous struggle in holding back the Riftstorm.
"Ira", said Natasha in a soft voice and she sounded very concerned.
"I'm fine," Ira answered, not long after, even though the shake of her voice spoke otherwise. "But the Rift—it's feeding off our fear and desperation. There is no way I can do so forever."
Natasha's mind raced. Ira was right. The Riftstorm was not just a hurdle —it was alive, sucking from their weakness. That very desperateness to find a solution only made it stronger.
However, the answers were not there in the Rift. Natasha's mind became introspective as she was trying to put together what they knew. The sacrifice by Alison hadn't gone in vain. He had given everything for them for the world. She couldn't allow that to go in vain.
And in spite of this resolve, another idea kept tugging away at her. Could she still save Alison? Was there any way–any path lost in the destruction–that could return him to her?
She carried the burden of decision on her shoulders, and it loomed large to kill her.
The internal chaos did not mask Eldric's words. "I've just remembered something. There is a relic, which is in a deep jungles. They say it has the ability to heal or completely destroy the Rift. He paused, his brow furrowing. "But there's a catch. We will be denied access to the jungle if we attempt to get to it because the jungle itself will reject us. There shall be trials – fatal challenges that we would need to endure if we are to succeed in getting there.
Natasha looked at him, and her brain churned with possibilities. The relic – if they located it, it may stop this. The idea to put an end to Riftstorm was tempting, but what if it would cost them everything they had left?
"We don't have a choice," Dren growled from behind her grim voice. If the Rift is not stopped, none of us would live to see another day. Not to mention what's going to happen with the world if it is made to spread any more.
The decision was inarguable, but for some reason a strange hollow feeling began to emerge in Natasha's chest. If they tried for the relic, there was no assurance that they would get out there. However, if they did not – if they keep fighting the storm without it – then there was no more hope.
She look at Ira whose body was barely managing to keep him together. And Dren, grim look on his face, fingers twitching for his weapons. All were depending for on her. Could she be victorious without Alison?
The perverted First Hero's laughter echoed once more this time keener, a vile clanging at her determination. "You are too late. You always were. The game is beyond saving."
Tasha closed her eyes as she shut the voice taunting her. It was not possible for her to drown herself in the dark whispers. They had to move forward.
"Come on," she said and her voice was steady again. "We go for the relic."
As they did, a great rumbling shook the earth under their feet as they turned to go. The Riftstorm thrummed again and there appeared another portal, this time a massive swirling vortex, its dark energy filled with malefic vibrations.
A monster that rose from the portal was tall and it that stood over them. Its body was littered with curved black veins, and its eyes shone with an evil red colour. It was distant, yet it seemed nervy as it spoke.
"The price for your world's salvation has already been paid," it said with its words coming as a low, rumbling growl. It is not for you to decide. The Rift is ours now.
Natasha's heart skipped a beat. A new threat. And it was here.
The group hunkered down with weapons drawn rearing for the fight that had become inevitable. However, Natasha's mind could not stop acting around Alison. Did his sacrifice come in vain? Was this a new enemy that they could defeat? Could they remain alive after all it was going to happen?
The response loomed heavily on the air, a question that had no answer.
And when Natasha saw the creature's red eyes locking onto hers, she knew one thing for sure.
This fight, this war-it was not yet over.