Amara’s breath came in shallow gasps as she fought to remain standing. The overwhelming presence of the being that had emerged from the rift radiated power so intense it felt like gravity itself was bending under its will. Its words echoed in her mind, each syllable a piercing reminder of the dire stakes. “You are the final sacrifice.”
But sacrifice for what?
The question burned in her mind, louder than the thrumming pulse of the rift around her. Every fiber of her being screamed for her to run, but her body was frozen in place. The figure’s black, swirling gaze bore into her, and the pull she had felt before—like the rift was tethered to her soul—intensified. It wasn’t just calling her anymore; it was demanding her.
The ground beneath her feet splintered and cracked, the landscape arou
