The aqueduct groaned like an injured beast. Stone splintered, water surged in violent torrents, and shadows danced along walls carved by the Rift's pulse.
The hunters' coordinated formation crumbled. Boulders slammed into the floor, sending waves of water cascading across the tunnels. Riftspawn surged from cracks in the walls, clawing at anything that moved.
Kael barely kept his footing, fire flaring in his gauntlets to vaporize a creature that lunged from the shadows. He glanced back. Astraeus and Vanguard squads had scattered, caught in the chaos.
Then the ceiling cracked again — wider this time. The aqueduct began to collapse in earnest.
Thrown Together
A boulder the size of a small car fell between Kael and Lucien, separating them from their squads. Dust choked the air, shadows and sparks dancing in the haze.
Kael gritted his teeth, flames lighting the path ahead. "Rael! Move!"
Lucien didn't answer immediately. His silver eyes scanned the widening Rift, calculating paths, evaluating risks. Then, silently, he stepped through the rubble, shadows coiling around his feet, clearing a path.
The tunnel narrowed. Water rushed past, carrying loose stone in its current. Riftspawn surged again, but this time the two hunters were alone — forced to face the monster side by side.
Reluctant Coordination
Kael struck first, fire erupting into a sweep that incinerated one of the Riftspawn. Lucien moved almost simultaneously, shadows lashing out to intercept another.
Kael's voice cracked, equal parts irritation and acknowledgement: "Not bad, Rael. Keep up!"
Lucien's reply was clipped, controlled: "Don't die. I won't save you again."
Their attacks began to overlap with a rhythm neither fully acknowledged. Flare and shadow collided and complemented each other, forcing the Riftspawn to retreat for a moment.
Kael caught a glimpse of Lucien's shadows twitching too violently, rippling in a way that didn't belong. He frowned. Something about him… isn't right.
The Monster's Wrath
The Riftborn horror had recovered from the previous assault. Its second phase glimmered with violet and black energy, antlers scraping the tunnel walls. Its roar rolled through the aqueduct like a tidal wave, rattling the remaining stones and water.
Kael dodged a whip-like shadow, countering with fire that carved a path toward the beast. Lucien's shadows surged forward, slashing another tendril before it could wrap around Kael's torso.
They were close — inches apart, backs nearly touching, fire and shadow dancing across stone and water.
Neither spoke of the tension between them, but every glance, every twitch of muscle carried silent acknowledgment. Their rivalry had not vanished, but survival demanded respect, at least for the moment.
Whispers and Warnings
Lucien felt the familiar tug in his chest — his father's whisper brushing against his mind.
Good… closer. This one trusts you more than you know.
He clenched his fists, forcing control back into his shadows. The pulsing Rift energy echoed inside him, demanding release. He couldn't afford it. Not yet.
Kael noticed the hesitation, the flicker of power in Lucien's eyes that wasn't natural. His gut twisted. What is he hiding?
The Collapse
A massive section of the aqueduct gave way. Water surged in from above, stone falling like rain. The hunters were caught in the torrent. Kael reached for Lucien instinctively, grabbing his arm and yanking him into a shadowed alcove just before a boulder smashed through the floor where they had stood.
They landed hard, pressed close together, mud and debris coating them. Kael's fire sputtered, the heat radiating against Lucien's shoulder. Lucien's shadows writhed around them, holding back the worst of the water surge.
For a heartbeat, the tunnel was silent except for their breathing. Their proximity was unplanned, unavoidable, and dangerous — and neither moved away.
Unspoken Tension
Kael broke the silence first, voice low, teasing despite the chaos: "You know… for someone called the Untouchable Shadow, you're awfully close for comfort."
Lucien's silver eyes met his, expression unreadable. "Focus. The Riftborn is still alive."
Kael smirked despite himself, though a heat rose in his chest he wouldn't name. "Right. Survival first. Then insults."
Lucien's lips twitched — almost a smile, almost nothing. Shadows curled tighter around him, responding to his tension, to the proximity, to the surge of energy in the Rift.
The monster's roar echoed, reminding them there was no time for personal thoughts. But beneath the rush of water, stone, and Rift energy, the first cracks in their walls had formed.