Lyra's response was immediate. The bond pulsed, sharp and eager.
He opened the interface without hesitation.
▒░ [Essence System Active]
Stored EP: Updated ░▒▓
"Let's make this quick," he muttered.
He moved through Lyra's skill list with practiced ease, eyes flicking over familiar names.
Phantom Rush.
▒░ [Skill: Phantom Rush – Expert] ░▒▓
Effect: Speed burst increased by 15%. Cooldown reduced to 20 seconds.
Additional Effect: Improved control during rapid movement.
▒░ [Upgrade Available] ░▒▓
Target: Lyra
Path: Expert → Master
Cost: 1500 EP
"Approved."
The essence drained smoothly.
▒░ [Upgrade Successful] ░▒▓
Phantom Rush – Master
Effect Update: Movement speed greatly increased. Directional control enhanced. Brief afterimage created during activation, reducing hit accuracy against Lyra.
Lucien whistled softly. "That's going to be fun."
Next.
Earthen Pulse.
▒░ [Skill: Earthen Pulse – Adept] ░▒▓
Effect: Focused kinetic shockwave on ground contact.
Additional Effect: Increased disruption radius and brief stagger chance.
▒░ [Upgrade Available] ░▒▓
Target: Lyra
Path: Adept → Master
Cost: 2200 EP
"Do it."
▒░ [Upgrade Successful] ░▒▓
Earthen Pulse – Master
Effect Update: Shockwave power increased. Terrain deformation amplified. High chance to stagger or knock down enemies within range.
Lucien nodded once. "Solid."
Static Arc followed.
▒░ [Skill: Static Arc – Expert] ░▒▓
Effect: Chained lightning with improved stability and range.
Additional Effect: Sustained damage increased.
▒░ [Upgrade Available] ░▒▓
Target: Lyra
Path: Expert → Master
Cost: 1500 EP
"Same as before."
▒░ [Upgrade Successful] ░▒▓
Static Arc – Master
Effect Update: Chain count increased. Damage retention between targets improved. Brief paralysis chance added.
Lucien's grin widened.
Finally, Predator's Step.
▒░ [Skill: Predator's Step] ░▒▓
Effect: Silent short range movement after successful dodge. Damage boost on next strike.
▒░ [Upgrade Available] ░▒▓
Target: Lyra
Path: Expert → Master
Cost: 2500 EP
"Last one."
▒░ [Upgrade Successful] ░▒▓
Predator's Step – Master
Effect Update: Near silent movement guaranteed. Significant speed boost after dodge. Damage amplification increased and extended to next two attacks.
Lucien let out a slow breath.
"That'll do."
Lyra practically hummed, her presence brighter, sharper, overflowing with confidence. He reached out and brushed her gently, grounding both of them.
"Same rules as always," he said quietly. "You move when I say, and I'll cover the rest."
The first D rank beast lunged.
"Static Arc," Lucien said, voice calm.
Lightning tore through the air as Lyra answered instantly, the strike meeting the beast's attack head on.
Lucien's eyes flicked sideways. "Second one incoming. High left."
Lyra blurred, Phantom Rush carrying her clear as the second D rank's skill carved through empty space.
The ground shook as more beasts closed in.
Lucien smiled.
And the fight began.
*****
While the clash echoed through the Rift, behind the backs of rescued awakeners including Cael.
By the time his boots crossed the boundary of the anchor point, his lungs burned and his legs felt like they might give out. The glowing sigils embedded in the stone pulsed steadily, forming a wide circle of relative calm in the unstable Rift. To anyone else, it felt like safety.
To Cael, it felt wrong.
The first thing he noticed was the noise.
Not the beasts. Not the distant rumbles of tearing space. Voices. Shouted commands. Heated arguments. The sharp crackle of instruments being recalibrated again and again.
Rift Walkers were everywhere.
Some stood watch at the perimeter with weapons drawn, others clustered around floating instruments that hummed and flickered with uneasy light. The anchor point was active in a way Cael hadn't seen during briefings. This wasn't routine.
"This doesn't make sense," one of the Rift Walkers snapped, slamming a fist against the side of an instrument. "The tear density just spiked again."
"It's not localized anymore," another replied, voice tight. "We're picking up fluctuations across multiple sectors."
"That's the third recalibration in ten minutes."
"Then do it again."
Panic crept in through the cracks of discipline. Cael could hear it in the way their voices overlapped, in the way orders were repeated twice to make sure they were heard.
As his group stumbled forward, heads turned.
Other awakeners were already gathered at the anchor point. Some were sitting against stone pillars, others standing in tight clusters. A few pointed in their direction, murmuring to each other.
"They made it."
"Another group survived."
"I saw a flare earlier. Must've been them."
The rescued awakeners barely registered the attention. One of them nearly collapsed as soon as they crossed the threshold, only staying upright because a Rift Walker caught his shoulder.
"Easy," the man said, already pulling out a canteen. "Drink. Slowly."
Another Rift Walker knelt beside the injured warrior from their group, hands glowing faintly as he assessed the damage. "You're lucky," he muttered. "Another inch and you'd be limping for life."
Water was passed around. Bandages followed. A few shaky laughs broke out as the immediate pressure eased.
Cael didn't drink.
He stood there, chest rising and falling, eyes fixed on the Rift beyond the anchor point. His hands were clenched so tight his knuckles hurt.
Lucien was still out there.
The thought hit him harder now that the danger had paused. When they were running, when adrenaline had drowned out everything else, it had almost felt manageable. Now, standing still, it weighed on him.
He remembered Lucien turning back.
The narrow path. The plan clicking into place too late. The way Lucien had cursed, not in fear, but irritation, like the situation had personally offended him.
I'll catch up, he'd said.
Cael swallowed.
"Idiot," he muttered under his breath, though there was no real anger in it.
The others he'd been rescued with felt it too. Their relief was thin, stretched tight by guilt.
"He didn't hesitate," the elementalist whispered. "Not even for a second."
The summoner nodded shakily. "He just told us to run."
Cael closed his eyes briefly, then stepped forward.
A Rift Walker with graying hair and a scar cutting through his eyebrow was clearly in charge. He stood near the center of the anchor point, listening to reports with a grim, steady expression.
Cael squared his shoulders and approached.
"Sir," he said, voice hoarse. "I need to report something."
The man looked at him, eyes sharp despite the chaos. "Go on."
"There's an awakener still out there," Cael said. "F rank summoner. He stayed behind to cover our escape. Multiple D rank beasts were closing in."
The words felt heavier spoken aloud.
The leader's jaw tightened. "Location?"