Chapter 13: The Rift Opens
Silence fell, so absolute it rang in Ning Que’s ears. He couldn’t understand the scene before him, and he resisted the urge to run. To run as fast as he could, away from all the chaos and uncertainty. But he couldn’t, because his feet stayed rooted to the ground, his eyes fixed on the massive creature bleeding of smoke.
The beast knelt before him, massive and steaming. Its faceless head tilted slightly, with glowing red eyes staring into his soul.
"Welcome back... Commander."
Linx flinched, drawing his sai. He had a look of bewilderment on his face. "What the hell did it just call you?"
Aeris took two sharp steps forward, withdrawing her blade halfway out of its sheath. "Don’t move." She was prepared to strike. This E-Rank hunter that had already caused a lot of problems, was even more mysterious than she thought.
"I’m not doing anything," Ning replied, stunned and raising his hands in surrender. The beast was level with him, a strange loyalty reflecting in its eyes.
Beside Aeris, Denz grunted and leveled his cannon-arm toward Ning.
"I said stand down, what do you think you want to do?" Aeris snapped at Denz, but her eyes never left Ning Que and massive beast kneeling in front of him.
"I don’t know what this is—" Ning tried to say, but his vision warped, disorienting him immediately.
Golden glyphs flashed in the corners of his eyes, speaking of an ancient language. The sky above the rift shimmered in an unnatural way. And in his ears, voices whispered. Dozens, hundreds, all different, all beastly, all ancient.
"The seal trembles..."