The world fractured around them.
One moment, Riven's feet pressed against the cathedral floor, the next, they were running through shadows that seemed to swallow sound itself. The storm still raged above, but here, the air was thick and heavy, almost liquid, and every drop of rain that touched him sizzled and evaporated before it landed.
Azael led the way, silent and sure, shadows bending to his passage. His hand remained firm on Riven's wrist — an anchor and a warning all at once.
"Where are we going?" Riven shouted, voice barely carrying over the pulsing darkness.
"Somewhere they cannot reach," Azael replied, eyes scanning the ever-shifting terrain. "But it is only temporary."
Riven's chest burned again, the mark beneath his shirt pulsing in tune with the unnatural hum of this world. Shapes moved in the corners of his vision — twisting silhouettes, glimpses of pale eyes watching from beyond the darkness. He stumbled over a stone that seemed to appear out of nowhere, almost as if the world itself was alive, testing him.
Azael caught him effortlessly, pulling him close. For a fraction of a second, their faces were inches apart. The proximity made Riven's heart stutter — the warmth of Azael's hand, the faint pulse in his chest, the silver glint in his eyes. It was magnetic, undeniable.
But there was no time.
A low rumble vibrated through the ground beneath them. From the shadows ahead emerged figures — not entirely human, not entirely beast. Their eyes glowed faintly, mouths stretched in expressions of hunger and curiosity. They moved as one, stalking the air around them like predators sensing the smallest tremor.
Riven's mark flared violently. Energy exploded from his chest, casting long, wavering shadows across the black landscape. The creatures hissed and recoiled.
"You're too slow," one hissed, voice like grinding metal.
"I'm not ready," Riven whispered, fear and exhilaration mingling in his veins.
"You'll have to be," Azael said. His voice was calm, deadly, and full of promise. "Or they will end you before you remember who you are."
Another flash of fragmented memory tore through Riven's mind: fire, wings, a hand reaching out through smoke, a voice whispering, "Do not falter, my Eternal One."
He gasped. "I… I remember something!"
"Yes," Azael said, eyes narrowing. "And it is not enough. Not yet."
The creatures lunged. Riven barely reacted before Azael swept him aside, shadows spiraling around them, coiling like living chains. The first attacker screamed, dissipating into ash where the shadow struck.
Riven felt power surge through him — light and dark entwining, searing warmth and chilling cold mingling in his hands. He reached out instinctively, and the energy flared, knocking the remaining creatures back. His chest heaved, the mark glowing brighter than ever.
"You have to control it!" Azael barked, pulling him into a crouch. "Focus!"
Riven closed his eyes. He could feel it — the memories, the pain, the love, the destruction. The shards of what he once was and the fragment of what he is now. They swirled inside him like a storm, and for a moment, he felt infinite.
When he opened his eyes, the shadows around them were gone. The creatures had fled, leaving nothing but the whisper of wind and the faint glow of his mark.
Azael exhaled slowly, letting go of Riven's wrist. "Enough for now," he said. "But they will come again. And next time, you will not survive unprepared."
Riven's knees shook, exhaustion mingling with the raw thrill of power. "I don't understand any of this… any of me," he admitted.
"You will," Azael said, stepping closer. His presence pressed against Riven like gravity. "You are a bridge. Light and dark, past and present, life and death. And I am the one who has always waited for you."
Riven swallowed, heart hammering. The air between them seemed to tighten, hum, and almost vibrate with the pull of something impossible.
Another fragmented vision broke through — a memory of fire, his hand gripping Azael's, wings of light and shadow folding over them both. The vision faded, leaving only the ache of its truth.
Riven's voice trembled. "I… I feel it. I remember… pieces."
Azael's gaze softened, silver eyes warm but unreadable. "Then you are ready to begin again."
The storm outside finally broke fully, rain pouring down in sheets, lightning carving the dark sky. Yet here, in the Shadow Between Worlds, time felt suspended. Riven could feel the truth pulsing beneath his skin, the promise of power and danger intertwined.
Azael extended his hand. "Come. There is much to teach, and even more to survive. The Eternal One cannot awaken alone."
Riven hesitated. For a heartbeat, the pull between fear, longing, and trust froze him. Then, with a deep, shivering breath, he placed his hand in Azael's.
Light and darkness flared around them, intertwining, and the shadows of the world seemed to bend toward their touch.
And somewhere, beyond the veil of the storm, eyes watched — waiting for the moment they would step fully into their fate.