Chapter 533: To the Rift
With Luke by my side, we made quick progress through Haven. Despite the oppressive gloom and ever-present shadows, a sense of optimism slowly rose within me, made brighter by Luke’s wonder at the surreal landscape. When he wasn’t battling remnants, he gazed around in awe, pointing at islands, and asking questions I couldn’t always answer.
It was hard to tell whether his curiosity was genuine or merely an attempt to distract me from the daunting task ahead. However, his expression grew increasingly concerned as I explained the nature of the realm, the catastrophe that had befallen it, and my desperate attempt to fix it.
"You mean to tell me you think you can repair a tear in reality itself?" he asked, incredulity lacing his voice.
I nodded, slightly deflated by his skepticism. "It’s not reality, precisely," I said, "but Fate. And I’ve done it before, just never on this scale."
He blinked, mulling over my words. "Fate?" he echoed. "What’s the difference?"
I opened my mouth to explain, then closed it again, realizing I had no idea how to explain the difference. From my perspective, Fate was merely the fabric of reality, the threads from which it was woven. Explaining it would be like trying to convince someone that a tapestry wasn’t actually the string itself—a conversation I had no experience with nor concept of where to start.
Luke smiled as I lowered my head in embarrassment. "It’s alright," he chuckled. "You can explain it to me later. All that matters is that you can do it, and we can find a way to get out of this realm."
After traversing several islands and battling a dozen more remnants, we reached the edge of the massive island that housed the city and the Cathedral of Fate. It struck an imposing sight, spreading almost a mile in either direction, the ruined walls reflecting the light of the rift. Now that we were closer, that light illuminated the entire sky, a sign that we were near.
"What is it?" Luke asked, noticing my hesitation as I paused at the edge of the bridge leading to the island city.