Night Terror and Northern began their journey to the Kingdom of Red Mine. For most part they just walked silently beside each other not taking any rest.
Northern at intervals took in the meretricious view of the landscape.
With no source of light to cast a warm ambience on it, everything vapid, like the land itself had fall from grace.
Northern as he strode along began to think about where the rifts core might be located.
Since this seems to be a rift that was mainly affected by the Kingdom Of Red Mine. He suspected that the core would have something to do with the story of the monarch that sacrificed his entire kingdom for power.
To become stronger.
Other than that he was pretty null. He didn’t know what else to think. In fact, he didn’t know how these things worked.
This was his first time in a rift after all.
Silently Northern walked beside Night Terror, time slowly blurred past as both… well, horrors rounded the brown lush.
The scenery began to recede, less of the brown lush could be seen and as they continued their walk, their sights were completely ridden of it.
Now, it was just a barren land with a gloomy air.
Corpse of monsters were scattered across here and there and were almost melting with the ground.
‘The effect of war…’ Northern mused.
The land had taken a severe damage from the persistent slaughters of monsters, dark and crimson blood smeared the lands and prevented the outgrowth of life.
And as time played its effect on the wide expanse, it became gruesome, bending to the cataclysmic effect of the madness that ruined every being in this realm.
The land itself… seemed inflicted by it.
Northern sneezed as he looked away. In front of them, an endless expanse of barren, rocky land met the dark sky.
It was almost like they were walking into the terrifying maw of darkness.
They continued down this path for a while walking with grave silence. At intervals Northern would look up or side ways.
Other times he just strode forward, his eyes shimmering with flickers of purpose.
Of course, those were times when he thought of how hard it was going to be and strengthen his resolve to pull through.
Other times he just wondered if they really were going in the right direction. Tiredness pulled his legs, making them slower by the second.
But Northern could tell… that they were in the right track. Because the red mountain, still lingered behind them.
Getting farther away from them with every step.
But still wasn’t disappearing from their hindsight.
As their journey stretched continuously. Something strange began to happen.
Northern turned his head around, observing the air. It was different than usual.
The air was hot and windy… just in a particular area up ahead.
From vantage point, it seemed as though it was a slight tornado.
Perhaps he would have been deceived if he had not awakened the visual prowess of [All Eyes].
Northern didn’t even need to squint his eyes before seeing it.
Ahead of them, something was subtly shimmering within the cyclone of wind. And that thing seemed to crackle with power.
Northern frowned slightly, guessing what it might be, he picked up his tired steps and dashed forward.
Scuttling his way to the heavy wind, Northern came to an abrupt pause, staring at what stayed caged in the wind with a paled face.
“It’s a gate… its a rift!” Northern exclaimed.
The blue aura that was being emanated from within, the vertical crack in space, and the foreboding heaviness that shrouded the surrounding.
Everything linked to only one answer.
A rift!
‘But how? How is a rift inside a rift? Or this isn’t a rift?’
Northern knew nothing about the dark continent and what had happened to it.
He had no idea of where Rughsbourgh had sent them to as a result, it led him to naturally think that it was a rift. Perhaps Rughsbourgh had sent each of them into a rift.
Why though?
To test them?
For them to prove their worthiness to enter into the academy?
Whatever reason it was, Northern experienced so much hell because that man’s decision. And although he didn’t want to fuel himself with hatred, it didn’t mean he felt no anger towards the deranged kid… or elder… whatever he is.
Now, seeing a rift inside what he thought was a rift all this while made him so confused.
‘No, this is definitely a rift’
That one thing Northern was sure about. What else would be the explanation of the recent happenings.
The kingdom of Red Mine.
The hidden temple in the mountain.
They were like relics of the civilization that once lived in this dimension.
So definitely, this is a rift.
Was this the way outside the rift?
‘No… that can’t be. A rift closes up immediately a walker enters. Except it has shattered and if it has shattered the monsters inside would be fewer than they are right now.’
To be exact the moment a rift appears and drifters enter, it closes up—of course, a required number of drifters has to enter before its gateway disappears.
There were also some pros and cons to this thing which Northern didn’t really know about.
For example when a rift appears, it’s gateway doesn’t immediately disappear even if drifters enter.
However, once the rift occurrence passes seventy-Two hours, the gateway disappears should anyone enter.
That is why scouting drifters are made to patrol the place and find out necessary information within seventy two hours.
The little Northern knew, once again were tales told to him from his parent.
He lacked a lot in knowledge about rifts and being a drifter.
Which was what made this situation very perplexing for him.
Night Terror loomed behind him, standing with a powerful glare in its eyes.
Northern could tell that the monster was probably waiting for his decision. Maybe it recognized what this was, maybe it didn’t.
So many uncertainties surrounding it, even though he wished to enter and see for himself what it was. He couldn’t.
He had something to settle.
He sighed and straightened his expression then he said to himself in a low whisper:
“It’s annoying but I can’t go. I have to close down this rift… I doubt this is a gateway but even if it is, where is the glory in running away from this one.” The he turned and looked at Night Terror.
‘And it’s not like this bastard is just going to le me go through it.’
That’s right, if he wanted to go through the rift, he had to be prepared to go past Night Terror…at its peak condition.
With a sigh, Northern turned and they continued to their destination.