Chapter 3 3 - Rift Formation

Rift: a formation of dimensional energy that encloses an area within it, the area becomes quarantined from the rest of the world and those who have not been awakened are trapped on either side of the dimensional wall. Only those who have awakened an ability are able to pass through this barrier. When a rift is active, beasts will appear through miniature gates within the rift, and until the last monster is slayed the rift will remain, trapping any non-awakened humans from escaping. They generally are less dangerous than dungeons and gates but still require those with abilities to stop them from causing too many casualties.

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When I heard the word rift my heart stopped, the nearest shelter is 3 blocks away by the time I get out of this alley, the beasts will have already started appearing.

Danny and his goons laughed, "they think a puny rift is going to kill us? We leave for Awakened Academy in a few days, my power is strong, I've got nothing to worry about, don't plan on hiding behind me Milo, I'll use your ass as bait before I save your life."

Following Danny's retort, in the distance I could hear snarling and the sound of paws pounding on the asphalt running through the streets. Before long, the source of the sound could be seen turning the corner, and as soon as it came into view I froze on the spot. The creatures that came from the dimensional gateways were a thing I was hoping to only read about in a textbook or see on the news but standing not even one hundred feet a way, the incarnation of terror stood throwing its head back and howling.

"Shit!" said Danny, "of all the things to sniff out Milo's weak ass it had to be a Blackfang Direwolf."

The wolf itself was the size of a rhino, with sleek white fur and as the name implied, a maw filled with razor sharp black fangs dripping with blood and drool, as soon as it finished howling it turned its crimson red eyes towards the alley we were in and slowly started walking towards it, certain that it didn't have to fear its prey escaping it.

Danny and his goons took a combative stance, while I ran and hid behind a dumpster hoping maybe Danny and his two lap dogs would have some luck fighting off the massive beast. Danny had a decent ability with his control over water, if he had trained it high enough he could pull the water from the atmosphere to help him fight, and luckily he had. Danny made the first move, pulling the water out of the air and forming it into a spear of sorts. However he made a fatal mistake, he charged head first into the creature even if he did manage to land a hit he stood no chance as the wolf pounced on him tearing him to shreds, his two goons promptly collapsed and peed themselves as they realized they stood no chance. Soon the three corpses of my school bullies laid on the ground in front of me, karma was a bitch, but that wasn't going to stop the wolf from coming after me next. The pressure the monster was giving off was immense, I realized I stood no chance and closed my eyes waiting for my life to end. When I didn't die the next second, I opened my eyes thinking that maybe the wolf spared me. It was wishful thinking, the minute I opened my eyes I was face to face with the wolf's slobber filled jaws. The stench was overwhelming and the sight of Danny and his goon's flesh hanging from between its fangs proved to be too much as I hurled.

After letting me finish emptying my stomach of my lunch from today, the wolf pulled back one of its paws and slashed it across my chest, the lightning fast attack cut through me like butter and immediately I could feel my warm blood soak through my tattered shirt. I knew then and there my life would end.

I collapsed praying to whatever was watching over me that it would end quickly and painlessly when suddenly a beam of energy fired down like a comet and covered me in light, it was unknown what was the cause of the light but the minute it touched me, my hope for a quick and painless death was sent out the window. My skin felt like it was on fire, my blood felt like it was boiling and my lungs felt like I had just inhaled acid. My body felt like it was being torn apart and put back together again and again in an endless cycle of pain and misery. Whatever happened with the wolf was no longer a concern to me anymore as the pain of being torched alive by this strange tower of light was a million times worse than the slash I received across the chest from the Blackfang Direwolf.

After a minute or so of the excruciating pain, I collapsed with the last sight burned into my head of what I could only describe as the grim reaper walking towards my collapsed figure.

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