The air shimmered like glass as red fragments dissolved into dust. The remains of the Demon faded away in an almost mesmerizing display. However, even though his body was gone, the energy left behind did not fade. It grew and welled into a force powerful enough to split apart space itself. Above the forest of ice, thunder rumbled in warning, and where the Demon died, a crack began to form. A sound like glass breaking tore through the air. The Demon's sacrifice had created a doorway between the realms!

I covered my ears against the horrible noise and shouted at the others. “We have to disrupt the energy before a new rift is formed!”

Svend, Sebastion, Dom, Vissna, Cyra, and I all rushed to surround the space where the Demon had died. I did not completely understand how Berith had set this up but I knew we had to stop it. This was similar to when Irene used a Demon’s corpse to create the rift that brought Envy’s seven Demons, only this time, the Demon sacrificed was far stronger. If we allowed the rift to stabilize without interuption, even Envy himself might be able to cross over to this realm. We had to stop that from happening at all costs.

The six of us formed a circle around the forming rift as our domains each spread out to encompass the growing energy. Creating a rift between realms was a volatile process and usually just introducing a bit of foreign energy was enough to collapse any rips in space. However, standing in front of the forming rift now, I knew that the power left behind by the Demon’s death was so intense that simply disrupting it would not be enough. We had to find a way to siphon the energy away from the rift before it was too late.

My eyes met with the gaze of the others and I knew they understood it as well. The troubling question was, where did we siphon the energy to?

Vissna was the first to speak. “We cannot allow this power to remain in the land. It will corrupt anything it touches, twisting it into another defilement of the natural order.”

I frowned as golden fire ignited from a glyph on my fingertip. There was no reaction from the flame when it came into contact with the corruptive energy. There was nothing physical for it to burn.

“My fire has no effect and there is not enough time for us to condense this much energy solid before it forms a rift,” I said apprehensively, “Any chance one of you has an object capable of containing this much force?”

I looked around at the downcast eyes of the others. An object like what I described was rare even in the Thirteen Divisions. Even if they did own something like it, they would not be carrying it around with them for no reason. However, if there was no container, the only other choice was one of us…

There was a long moment of silence as each person realized that fact. It was only when Vissna spoke again that hope returned to everyone. “I think I might have an alternative,” she said as she looked up at the forest of ice that surrounded us, “Your father proved himself a true Adept by creating this ice. He managed to tap into the very essence of the world to provide the energy needed, something you have yet to manage yourself. Meaning, that this is not normal ice. It might be able to contain the corruption.”

“Will Dad be at any risk if we try it?” I asked hesitantly.

“This entire idea is a risk. If the ice fails to contain this energy, it will explode, likely taking all of us with it.”

Svend laughed and thumbed his chest with his fist. “Still a better option than sacrificing someone to contain the corruption. Better to die a human than survive as a monster.”

“Agreed,” Dom replied with a nod.

“Then let us begin,” Vissna said as she spread her wings wide. Her scales reflected the bright ice and the surrounding temperature began to plummet. “I will take the lead. Everyone else, use your domain together with mine.”

I closed my eyes and felt the shift in Vissna’s domain. It was like trying to follow the tides of an ocean. The tide of her power began to push and pull at the energy left behind by the death of the Demon. My own domain followed hers as we slowly began to siphon away the corruptive energy. It was not easy. Like pushing a boulder uphill, our own strength had to strain against the force tearing a hole between the realms.

The rumbling of thunder and the sounds of breaking glass got worse with each passing moment. Space itself was being torn apart in front of us. I could feel goosebumps rise on my skin. The air in front of me felt wrong as if my body instinctively knew that it was something that should not exist.

Sweat ran down my forehead as I strained against the corruptive energy shredding the realm apart. Only with all of us working together were we barely able to rip part of that energy free of the vortex that was beginning to form. Taking a deep breath, I activated the Divine Body Svend had created for me. I felt my muscles fill with boundless might. Physical strength was of little use to me right now but I needed even the smallest increase in power. I could not let this corruption run free for even a single extra second.

Following the flow of Vissna’s domain, I pushed that stubborn energy along the path she had created. Through the pillars, up into the branches overhead, and down into the expansive roots below, the forest of blue ice around me became tainted with a red haze. Guided by Vissna’s will, I felt the touch of a power unlike anything I had ever felt in any living being. In the back of my mind, I understood. This was nature in its purest form, the essence of the earth itself.

I opened my eyes in amazement as I looked up at the forest of ice with a new perspective. If what Vissna had told me was true, this was what it meant to be an Adept. I did not truly comprehend how it worked, not yet, but I now had an inkling of understanding.

As the energy from the Demon was siphoned into the ice, it mixed with that natural wonder I had felt. The ice began to change color. The red corruption melted into the blue ice, leaving behind a beautiful purple. It was almost like standing amidst a forest of brilliant crystals.

Vissna let out a breath of relief as the last of the corruptive force was siphoned away. The tear between realms stopped spreading. Only a large crack was left behind, floating in the air, and releasing an enormous flow of chaotic energy. Through the crack, I could see the land beyond, a wasteland teeming with nightmarish Demonkin for as far as the eye could see.

A voice echoed out from beyond the crack with a mocking laugh. “You appear to be having trouble Aurielle. So much effort just to delay the inevitable for a few extra days, was it worth it?”

Releasing a long breath, I deactivated the Divine Body and felt a wave of fatigue wash over my body. “I have no interest in talking to you Envy.”

“Aw, you hurt my poor stagnant heart.” Envy said sarcastically from the other side of the rift, “But that is okay. I will be there before you know it, and then, we can meet face to face.”

“Are you sure you want that?” I replied with a shake of my head, “Your little fortune teller seems quite convinced that it will only end in both our deaths. For me, death is nothing more than a short nap but you… you will not escape this time. I will make sure of it.”

Envy’s laugh echoed from the other side of the rift with a level of confidence that sent chills down my spine. “Is that what Berith told you? And you take a Demon at her word? If I knew it was that easy to fool you, I would have done so years ago. No, those expendable pawns simply wish to save their own skin, whatever the cost. I am sure you have figured it out already but let me spell it out for your little friends. You may think you are weakening me by killing my seven Demons but to me, they were always expendable. With every Demon you kill, you will tear at the barrier that keeps me at bay. Their deaths will count down my arrival. Your struggles are quite literally opening the door for me to invade your realm sooner.”

“In that case, I will see you when all seven of your little pets are dead,” I said as I reached out to touch the crack between the realms. I injected my own energy into the tear and disrupted the flow of energy emanating from it. As the crack began to fade, the view of the Demonkin army vanished. The last sight I saw before it closed completely was a bright red eye peaking back at me with laughter.

Watching the rift fade away, I shook away the discomfort of Envy’s words. I could worry about his threat later. Right now, I had more important worries to deal with.

I turned away from the mending tear in a rush and hurried back to where my mom lay on the ground. Her injuries looked ghastly. Half her body was charred beyond recognition. If we did not get her help soon, she would certainly die.

“Dad, do you know Charly’s healing glyphs?” I asked as fought back the tears forming in my eyes. I paused, waiting for an answer but none ever came. “Dad?” I asked with fear creeping into my voice.

I looked over at my dad, still standing in the same place as before without moving. The glyph under his feet was gone but he had yet to acknowledge it. Filled with worry, I rushed over to my dad’s side, only to freeze with shock when I saw him up close.

He looked old. It was as if he had aged several decades in the span of our short fight. His skin was wrinkled beyond recognition and his hair was bleached white. He looked like a man on the edge of death. However, none of that compared to the emptiness in his eyes. I could see his chest moving. He was still breathing but it was as if his soul had left its body.

“Vissna! I need you over here now!” I shouted in a panic.

The dragon flapped her wings as she rushed through the field of ice. Her body morphed back to that of a human as she landed.

“Do you know what is wrong with him?” I pleaded desperately.

Vissna nodded slowly as she reached out towards my dad and laid him down on the ground. “He has lost himself in the flow of energy that runs through the heart of the realm. It sometimes happens to newborn dragons the first time they tap into that power. Their sense of self is overwhelmed by their new connection to the world and they lose grasp on who they were.”

“Is… is he going to be okay?” I stuttered hesitantly.

Vissna paused for a moment before replying. “I am not going to lie to you. Some of those lost like this can recover in a few weeks or months but many do not. Most young dragons never wake after losing their sense of self and their body withers away.”

I gripped my chest as I felt a horrible pain deep within my heart. I looked over at my mom and then back at my dad as tears started falling down my cheeks. There were no words that could explain how I felt. My breath caught in my throat and I cried.