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Chapter 47: Onwards to the Rift

Chapter 47: Onwards to the Rift

"Okay, settle down now," Guildmaster Thorne said firmly, clapping his hands once. The sound echoed off the stone walls and snapped everyone’s attention back to him. "Let’s discuss the rift."

From a leather satchel slung across his shoulder, Thorne pulled out a thick scroll sealed with the crimson insignia of the Central Guild Authority. He unrolled it over the long wooden table near the breakfast spread, where several maps and sketches of magical readings were already laid out.

At the center of the table was a drawn depiction of the rift’s location.

"Before anything else," Thorne began, "let me be clear. This mission is dangerous. If any of you came here expecting an ordinary subjugation quest, walk out now."

No one moved.

Even Reina, normally full of words, had gone still. The flicker of anticipation in her eyes dulled to something more serious.

Thorne nodded approvingly and continued. "This is what we know so far. Two days ago, a rift appeared in west ridge, as confirmed by Inigo and Lyra. It’s stable for now but the longer we left it there, the more chance it could turn into a breach, unleashing a monster existing inside of it."

Darius crossed his arms. "So we close it."

"That’s right. As you all know, rifts can be closed by exterminating the monsters inside of it. The numbers are unknown and the strengths are also unknown. If the enemy numbers inside are overwhelming, or if there’s something we haven’t accounted for, you are to fall back immediately. Exit the rift and signal us. In that case, the Guild will escalate the matter and deploy multiple strike teams in collaboration with the government."

"Sounds like a lot of ifs," Kael murmured.

Thorne didn’t deny it. "That’s why we selected you seven. You represent a wide range of strengths and specialties. If anyone can handle this, it’s this team."

He paused, letting the silence settle.

"But should you succeed—should you eliminate all threats and collapse the rift without outside aid—the Guild and the Elandra Council have agreed to a reward."

He looked at each of them, measuring their attention.

Inigo raised a brow. "And?"

Thorne grunted. "Ten thousand gold coins. Per person."

The room reacted instantly.

That’s a lot of money and tokens for Inigo.

Marianne, serene as always, merely smiled. "The Church will be grateful."

Kael remained stoic, but his hand subtly tightened on the hilt of his sword.

Only Shade and Darius were unmoved—whether out of professionalism or disinterest was unclear.

"It’s generous," Inigo said, resting a hand on the edge of the table. "But I guess it needs to be, considering the risk."

"Make no mistake," Thorne said, rolling the scroll back up. "The pay is good because the danger is real. Rift incursions are unpredictable. No mission plan survives first contact."

He stepped back, then looked toward the massive doors at the end of the hall.

"Carriage and mounts are ready outside. Once you step through that rift, you’re on your own. You’re authorized to make decisions on the field without checking back with the Guild."

Kael gave a sharp nod. "Understood."

Thorne paused, then added more quietly, "And one more thing. If any of you fall inside... we won’t be able to retrieve your body."

A chill passed through the group.

Even Reina, whose usual cheer had returned halfway through the reward announcement, swallowed hard.

"We won’t fail," she said softly, gripping her staff.

"No," Kael agreed. "We won’t."

"Let’s move out," Shade said quietly, already turning toward the door.

The group followed in silence.

Lyra slung her quiver over her shoulder, fingers lightly brushing the fletching of her arrows. "Hey," she said to Inigo as they walked side by side. "Think we’ll make it back?"

"We have to," Inigo said, adjusting the strap of his satchel. "Ten thousand gold coins and a glowing review from the Guild? I’m not dying before I see that payday."

Lyra chuckled under her breath. "Typical."

"And we might get promoted," Inigo grinned.

"That is if you contribute to the fight," Lyra replied. "I think they’ll base it on individual performance. But seeing you in combat, I can confidently vouch that you can make an impression on our new party."

"Right."

As they passed through the main hall and out onto the steps of the Adventurer’s Guild, morning sunlight greeted them.

Two armored carriages stood ready, one for personnel, one for supplies. Horses stamped impatiently, snorting steam into the crisp air.

Thorne stood at the doorframe behind them, arms crossed. "Strike Team Alpha, you are hereby authorized. May the gods watch over you."

Kael was first to step into the carriage. Reina climbed in next, nearly tripping on the step. Darius and Marianne followed, quiet and composed. Shade didn’t enter—he simply vanished, reappearing a moment later already seated inside like he’d always been there.

Lyra hopped in next.

Inigo turned, glancing one last time at the guild hall—its pillars, its banners, the familiar warm smell of food and parchment.

And then he climbed aboard.

The doors closed.

The wheels turned.

And the Strike Team rolled out of Elandra.

Toward the unknown.

Toward the rift.

And whatever waited on the other side.

Inside, Inigo broke the silence.

"You guys have experience with rifts?"

For a moment, no one answered.

The wooden wheels creaked beneath them as the carriage rolled through the outskirts of Elandra, the buildings thinning into forest. Morning light filtered through the slitted windows, illuminating dust in the air.

Then, Kael finally responded.

"Yes."

Just that.

Reina, surprisingly, didn’t chirp in with some bubbly comment. She nodded, her usual grin absent. "Third-year assignment at the Academy. We lost three students that day."

Marianne folded her hands in her lap, eyes distant. "I’ve entered two rifts on official clergy missions. One collapsed prematurely. We weren’t able to retrieve everyone."

Shade didn’t speak—but the way his fingers tapped once on the hilt of his dagger spoke volumes. That, and the fact he hadn’t made a sound since boarding.

Darius grunted. "Twice."

That was all he said.

Inigo glanced around. No one offered details. No one described what they saw, what they fought, what they lost.

Just numbers. Cold, hard numbers.

"How bad is it?" he asked, quieter now. "Honestly."

Kael was the one to answer again. "Fatality rate’s high. Some say over sixty percent for unranked or silver teams."

"Seventy-three," Marianne corrected gently. "Based on Church records."

"Higher in some cases, they are unpredictable at best," Darius added, eyes still fixed on the window.

Inigo leaned back against the carriage wall, processing that.

It wasn’t fear that gripped him.

It was clarity.

Rifts weren’t just dungeons. They weren’t glorified monster nests. They were meat grinders—freak distortions of magic and space, where the rules of reality twisted and survival wasn’t guaranteed by strength alone.

Lyra, seated beside him, crossed her arms. Her voice was tight.

"So you’ve all been in before. But I’m guessing none of you trust us to survive this."

That hit the air like a thrown blade.

No one denied it.

Reina glanced at her sideways. "It’s not personal."

"Could’ve fooled me," Lyra muttered.

Kael turned his gaze toward them at last. "You’re silver-ranked. Neither of you have rift experience. It’s not about trust—it’s about probability. We’ve seen what happens when people underestimate what’s inside."

Lyra’s jaw tightened. "We’re not reckless."

"Good," Shade said flatly. "Then don’t get in the way."

Inigo put a hand lightly on Lyra’s arm before she could snap back. He gave her a small shake of the head.

"Don’t bother," he said quietly. "Let them believe what they want. We’ll show them in the field. I’ll show them what freedom looks like."

This confused the six of them.