BOOK 1 - CHAPTER 10 - THE RIFT OPENS

CHAPTER 10 – THE RIFT OPENS

The camp began to fall into chaos. Julia was barking out orders to alliance members. The least trained alliance members in combat were dismantling the tent.

"I can't have a death trap above our heads." She said.

She had others running messages to other elite members of the alliance. Orion was notified but was waiting for a response. She had one group try to recall her elite guard. The group was Johnny's main protection force. She had them doing recon for any other possible void bringers in the world.

"I want my elite guard to know about what is going on. I had sent them away for recon since things didn't seem too dangerous. Especially with Orion around. Boy was I wrong." She spoke nervously to Johnny in a ranting tone.

Julia had relayed a message to the quadrant's HQ. As well as the main HQ of the dire situation. The alliance was thin on members who were currently available. The closest power player to help couldn't be there within the next few hours from either location. By then things would be too late.

The man told her he could not leave where he was. The barrier had released when he got the message. If the mystic rift eater was to break free, he would need to be there to stop rift eaters from pouring out of the portal.

Time started ticking away as Julia had non-essential fighters leave the world. She had them sent to nearby outposts. With only fighters left. Some non-essential fighters stayed behind to fight. They volunteered to help. Many had lost their own loved ones or whole worlds to rift eaters. They wanted some justice in any way they could. They planned what to do.

Julia paced around nervously. "When that thing pops out, we are so screwed." She said in a panicked tone. "We are in short supply of radiant fragments. We cannot kill that beast with our current supply." She continued to rant.

Johnny who was now utterly concerned. He wanted to help Julia in some way. He had heard her ranting as she walked back and forth. He decided to ask Albert for some advice on what they should do. Albert replied. "Why don't you use the core fragment with radiant magic in your head to conjure up weapons to fight it? Also, if the alliance has any of those radiant fragments I can produce more with the use of radiant magic." Stated Albert. Johnny facedpalmed for not thinking of that idea. Good idea Albert. Why didn't I think of that? Johnny thanked Albert as he walked over to Julia who was still pacing.

"Hey, Julia, I have an idea." suggested Johnny with a smile. Johnny went on to explain that he could conjure up any kind of weapon from the core fragment that was in his head. He then went on to explain Albert could copy any weapon.

"Who is this, Albert?" asked Julia in a curious tone.

Johnny replied. "He is the prototype's artificial intelligence. He doubles as my companion. If I need help, I ask him."

"Interesting. The Alliance has something similar with our own mind companions." She spoke.

Julia listened to Johnny's plan with a nod and replied. "That could work."

She asked Johnny if he could try to make radiant fragments. He just shrugged, not sure what a radiant fragment was. Julia sighed with a grunt as she spent about five minutes finding a radiant fragment. She had a hard time finding a fragment to show Johnny. The other fighters were fearing for their lives. As a result, they didn't want to give what they had.

Another issue was most of the staff that were not fighters had evacuated. Leaving everything scattered. She finally found a crate filled with more fragments. Julia ran back to Johnny as she handed him the fragments she had found. Five minutes were left until the beast would break free.

Johnny had Albert analyze it. In the meantime, Johnny assisted Julia in setting up last minute defenses. With two minutes left Albert called Johnny. Albert was able to produce a copy of a radiant fragment. He then handed it to Julia.

"Yes, this is what I needed! How many more can you make? I need at least 10 for a radiant weapon." asked Julia.

Albert immediately began producing 9 more fragments for Julia in a second. She then asked if Albert could make more for the fighters that were on hand. Some who had volunteered to help kill the beast, so Albert produced more radiant weapons for the volunteers.

She then told Johnny radiant weapons couldn't harm members of the radiant alliance. Anyone could get caught up in a blast and be fine.

Johnny asked Albert if he could produce him some as well. Julia stepped in and refused Johnny to fight. She needed him alive. She then cast another barrier spell on Johnny. As well as the prototype.

She then placed Johnny around 250 yards away from the prototype. "If I fall to that beast. This spell has an auto warp that will take you back to our HQ base. My second in command would take over. She began to cry but straightened herself. Then the rune on the prototype glowed and boomed.

The core began to spew out inky liquid as if it were a broken fountain. The inky liquid slowly materialized into the gigantic beast Johnny saw in his dream. The beast was a bigger version of the rift eater Johnny had seen when at his trial. The beast had completely formed now. It let out a wild roar.

Julia turned the radiant weapon she had into a bow with arrows. It glowed a crystal white color. The arrows shined when she fired them at the beast like a thousand sons. She pierced the massive beast under it's upper front legs with two arrows. It roared in pain. She shot 2 more arrows at its back legs next.

Julia knew the beast would open a rift void then and there. She yelled out to the volunteers to attack the beast. She had the other fighters on standby for normal rift eaters. The portal opened and soon they were overwhelmed, but kept up the fight.

When the portal appeared. Johnny knew he needed to act but he wasn't sure how to break the barrier. Someone then approached Johnny. The figure was wearing clothes of the radiant alliance. The man said. "I know you want to help Julia. So go." The man deactivated the barrier. Johnny thanked the man as he passed him, but before he could assist Julia. He felt a sharp pain in both his legs. As he fell to his knees.

He then turned to see the man laughing in an evil mocking tone. "For the Loathing One." The man cried out as he switched from a wand he had just used on Johnny to a knife. He then strolled over to Johnny.

He whistled in a low tone. Two rift eaters broke from the fight that went unnoticed and headed towards the man. "Time to feast." He spoke.

The man never got the chance to gut Johnny though as Albert blasted the man to ashes. "Thanks Albert." Said Johnny. Albert tried to blast the rift eaters, but it did nothing more to annoy them.

Albert vanished from view. "I'll warn Julia that you are in danger. Seems only those radiant weapons can hurt those beasts. Here is one for you" Albert told Johnny in his head. Albert then lured the rift eaters away. Not before handing Johnny a crafted radiant weapon that fell in front of him.

Johnny then tried to move, but his legs wouldn't budge. Johnny felt hopeless. He was now lying on his stomach watching the chaos unfold around him. Members of the radiant alliance were crying out in pain or for help. One beast spotted Johnny and it began to run in his direction.

Johnny saw the beast running his way. Knowing he was in trouble he looked at the radiant weapon. He closed his eyes and imagined it as an AK-47. When he opened them. The radiant weapon was now a glowing AK-47. He was an ex-special forces operative with years of gun training. He looked down the barrel of the gun as he fired. The beast was only thirty feet away when he shot. He shot the beast right in the middle of the eyes. Ending the beast as it melted into an inky mess.

At the same time Johnny fired. Everyone on the battlefield froze. Wondering where that noise had come from. The sudden shock only lasted for a second as the rift eaters were not fazed. Some of the figheres were knocked over by rift eaters, which quickly started the fighting again.

Julia was panting for breath as she dodged blow after blow from the mystic rIft eater. "Don't let it move." She commanded the volunteers as she parried a rift eater that came at her. The beast was dispatched by one of the radiant alliance fighters.

Albert soon zoomed right up to Julia. Who had two rift eaters in tow. The radiant fighters were quick to cut them down.

"Johnny is in trouble." Albert relayed to Julia.

"What? What happened!" she asked as she dodged a mouth full of teeth from the mystic rift eater. Albert quickly explained the traitor and Johnny being immobilized.

Julia was about to send some fighters to Johnny's aid when a loud bang was heard. Everyone froze, including Julia. Trying to figure out where the noise had come from. Everyone's slow reaction gave some of the rift eaters a chance to attack, Even the mystic rift eater. Julia dodged another set of teeth as the fighting continued.

Soon the mystic rift eater was overwhelmed from its injuries. Its legs gave out as it collapsed…

Johnny watched as the mystic rift beast began to slowly succumb to the attacks. The beast was no longer able to stand. It buckled under its own weight crushing many of the volunteers under it. Along with a few rift eaters.

Johnny watched in horror as the now trapped alliance members were being bitten by rift eaters. The same couldn't be said for the trapped rift eaters who were quickly dispatched.

Julia was one of those unfortunate to be standing too close as she was trying to fend off rift eaters. That had caused her to parry the same time the mystic rift eater fell.

The beast soon spotted Julia under its left leg. It turned its head to her while she was fighting off attackers. It waited for the right moment as it pulled Julia up. It gripped her with the radiant weapon in her hand. As she was yanked beneath into the air. It opened its jaws wide hoping to swallow her whole. She managed to turn her radiant weapon into a spear. Right as she fell into its open jaws. She used it to wedge the beast's mouth open.

Johnny watched in horror as Julia tried to pry herself free of its jaws. Johnny knew he had to act fast. What can I do? What can I do? Julia is done for if I don't act fast. I need some bigger fire power to take that thing on though. He thought in panic. He suddenly had an idea.

Johnny was told radiant weapons can't harm other members of the alliance. I hope what Julia says is true. Johnny frantically turned his AK-47 into a RPG. He quickly lined up the shot to kill the beast. He launched the missile at the beast's head. Julia's spear snapped right as the missile hit the beast. She tumbled out of its mouth as she fell to the ground in a roll.

The beast had exploded into a liquid mess along with the other trapped rift eaters under it or near the explosion. As the inky black liquid dissolved Johnny saw Julia standing up from her roll. She was dazed, bloodied, but alive. Everyone else was confused by what had just occurred as well.

Julia finally came out of her shock as she spotted Johnny. She stared over at him with relief, which soon turned to horror. She yelled something he couldn't hear.

What Johnny hadn't noticed was more rift eaters had snuck up on him. He turned around and they all jumped on Johnny. The RPG was knocked clean from Johnny's hand. It formed back into the radiant weapon he was using. The rift eaters began to bite Johnny as they began to dogpile him. Johnny screamed out in pain as the rift eaters kept biting him. He felt like his whole body was on fire.

I can't die like this. Thought Johnny as the rift eaters kept biting him.

He struggled to get them off. Johnny then heard the beasts yelp in pain as they jumped off him. Johnny tried to sit up. He was too weak and was losing a lot of blood. He looked at his body as he saw the black ink pouring into his open wounds.

He then looked over to see Julia finishing off the last rift eater. Julia was now beside him yelling for all the healers. She then focused back on Johnny and spoke. "This might feel funny, but I need you to survive."

"Huh?" asked Johnny as he groaned in pain.

Julia said something he couldn't make out and he then blacked out…