The ground trembled beneath their feet as Artemis and the team approached the glowing tear in the forest. Jagged edges of shimmering light cracked open the sky, bleeding energy that warped the air around it.
From the rift's gaping maw, twisted shadows spilled forth—monsters born from the corrupted Rift energy, grotesque forms writhing and snarling with unnatural hunger.
Artemis's heart thundered. The Beacon pulsed fiercely on her wrist, syncing with the primal surge roaring inside her.
"Hold the line!" she shouted, claws extending as her skin shimmered with the first faint glow of transformation.
Elara fired precise bursts from her rifle, cutting down snarling beasts before they could close in.
But the horde came in waves—tentacled limbs, barbed tails, and jagged teeth flashing like knives.
Artemis dove into the fray, her senses sharpening. Her muscles flexed with unnatural strength, eyes glowing crimson as the transformation took hold.
She moved like a shadow and a storm combined—claws tearing through chitinous armor, reflexes blurring as she dodged vicious strikes.
A monstrous beast lunged, jaws snapping inches from her face, but she spun, ripping a serrated limb clean off.
Another surged from behind—she caught it mid-leap, slamming it into the ground with a bone-shaking roar.
Around her, the other bonded fought with desperate courage. Nova's energy blades flickered with lethal precision, carving arcs of light through the darkness.
Yet the rift pulsed, growing unstable, feeding the creatures' strength.
Artemis's transformation deepened—white hair flowing wildly, red eyes burning like embers. The air crackled with her unleashed power.
She let out a guttural roar that echoed through the trees, a surge of energy blasting outward, throwing creatures back in a violent wave.
The ground cracked beneath her feet, roots erupting and entangling the smaller beasts.
But just as the battle seemed to turn, a colossal shadow emerged—a Riftspawn unlike any they'd seen.
Towering and jagged, it was a living nightmare—limbs twisted into blades, eyes glowing with malevolent intelligence.
It bellowed, shaking the forest with a deafening roar.
Artemis met its gaze without flinching.
With a fierce battle cry, she charged—her claws slashing arcs of fiery energy, striking the beast's armored hide.
The clash sent shockwaves through the clearing, light and darkness colliding as the battle for the Rift reached its deadly peak.
Artemis's claws met the Riftspawn's armored limbs with a shower of sparks. The beast swung a jagged blade-like arm, aiming to cleave her in two. She ducked just in time, the razor-sharp appendage slicing through the thick trunk of a tree behind her.
With a roar, Artemis surged forward, landing powerful blows that cracked the monster's plating. The air around her shimmered with raw energy, her transformation pushing beyond limits. Her glowing red eyes pierced the Riftspawn's hide, finding weak spots beneath the chitin.
Nova and Elara flanked her, striking at its joints and distracting it from overwhelming Artemis.
The beast lashed out, sweeping the ground with a bladed limb. Artemis leapt high, slashing downward with claws ignited by the Beacon's power. The beast howled, staggering.
"Now, Elara!" Artemis shouted.
Elara aimed her rifle, charging a concentrated pulse. She fired, the beam striking the Riftspawn's exposed core—a glowing fissure pulsating with Rift energy.
The creature shrieked, its movements slowing.
Artemis didn't hesitate. She plunged her claws deep into the core, ripping the rift energy from within. The beast convulsed, then exploded in a brilliant flash, sending shockwaves through the clearing.
Breathing hard, Artemis landed on the ground as the Rift began to close, the glowing edges shrinking and sealing the wound in the sky.
The forest stilled. The monstrous cries faded. The rift was gone—for now.