Chapter 86: The Final Stand

The fissure pulsed with a thunderous roar, its energy coursing through Magnus' chest like a living beast. He would never feel anything like it: an overwhelming force attempting to claw its way into his own essence. He swayed, striving to keep his balance as the split widened, its edges darkening with the raw might of the thing inside. Magnus was well aware that this was the moment of truth. He could not afford to fail right now. Celeste was out there, waiting for him to accomplish the impossible.

"You are too weak," the creature's voice repeated in his head, twisting through the confusion.

"No," Magnus replied, his voice steady while his body trembled under the effort. "Not anymore.

He reached out with all his strength, his fingers brimming with energy. The barrier that surrounded the rift shimmered before him like a living wall, but Magnus was prepared. He was not about to give up this time. He pushed harder, resisting the oppressive pull, feeling the rift push back with an unwavering, almost mocking ferocity.

The barrier resisted, but finally a crack appeared. Magnus felt his heart skip when the rift's centre rattled. Was it sufficient?

Celeste hung in the gap between worlds, her body floating aimlessly in the void. She was disoriented and lost in the swirling maelstrom of the rift, but she could still feel the faint but irrefutable pulse of Magnus' strength. It gave her hope, the thinnest thread she could grasp.

However, the creature's grip on her tightened, like an iron clasp around her chest. Her heart was racing. She was unable to breathe.

"You can not escape," the thing exclaimed, impossibly close. "You are mine." Forever."

She struggled to move, to break free, but the harder she battled, the stronger the rift's hold became. The blackness began to suffocate her, blurring her eyesight. She could feel herself disappearing, sinking into the abyss.

Magnus' presence surged through her like a flash of light in the dark.

Her eyes sprung up, and her body trembled with the unexpected rush of energy. But is it too late?

Magnus' eyes widened as the rift in front of him shattered. As the barrier dissolved, he felt a burst of raw energy rush through him, threatening to rend him apart. The creature shouted in wrath, its strength crackling like a tempest threatening to break.

"You think you can stop me?" the creature yelled, its voice warped with rage.

Magnus' mind raced as he summoned every last ounce of force he possessed. He could not allow the thing to win. He could not let Celeste fall into the abyss. He had trained for this moment, when everything depended on him.

He took a step forward into the rift, and the world around him began to distort with light and shadow. His body was on fire, and he could not stop. He could feel Celeste—so close and yet so far.

Just as Magnus reached out to her, the fissure shuddered again, collapsing into a swirl of bright white light. What exactly had he done? Was he in too late?

Celeste's eyes popped wide as the rift's grip on her relaxed, but only slightly. She gulped for air, her chest heaving, but there was not time to recover. The creature's laughter resonated in her head, louder than ever, mocking her every attempt to escape.

"You can not win. You never could," it mocked.

However, something had changed. Magnus' presence filled her senses, wrapping around her like a lifeline. Her heart pounded in her chest as she pushed against the dark vacuum, searching for him and the connection they had.

She was almost out of time. The creature's might was overwhelming. Magnus' energy, however, was stronger than anything she had ever felt. They were capable of accomplishing this task together.

She closed her eyes, focussing on their relationship. But as she reached out, a flood of blackness smashed into her chest, turning everything black.

Magnus stood in the centre of the rift, his body filled with energy. The world around him whirled, as the creature's form loomed in the distance, rising in size. The schism had widened again, reaching a point beyond his control.

"No more," Magnus muttered, stiffening his fists. "I will not allow you to destroy everything."

The creature's voice rang out, its tones distorted and vicious. "You can not stop me." "I am the end.

Magnus' eyesight blurred as the raw strength of the fissure attempted to overwhelm him. He could not hold out much longer. But suddenly, through the storm, he sensed it again: the flare of hope. Celeste.

The rift was about to collapse. There was little time left.

"Celeste," he said quietly, his voice scratchy. His hand extended forward, attempting to grab the impossible.

But just as he felt the rift tugging him down, a figure materialised in front of him—Celeste. Or was it the creature? His heart raced a little fast.