The trail from the academy's outer wall led northeast — away from the main roads, into a region the rift-walkers called the Whispering Depths.
It wasn't a valley or a scar.
It was a sinkhole — massive, perfectly round, like a god had punched the earth and walked away.
The edges were sharp, dropping straight down for hundreds of meters.
Violet mist rose from the bottom — thick, swirling, alive.
Miko and Kael stood at the rim.
The seal pulsed — steady, excited.
Down.
Kael looked at her.
"We don't have to go."
Miko met his eyes.
"We do."
They tied ropes to the strongest tree — lowered themselves over the edge.
The descent was slow — rock crumbling underfoot, mist growing thicker.
Halfway down — the seal flared.
Close.
Miko felt it — the air humming, like standing near a live wire.
At the bottom — the mist parted.
A cavern opened — vast, ceiling lost in darkness, walls covered in glowing violet veins.
In the center — a rift.
Not breathing.
Whispering.
Low voices — overlapping, unintelligible — rising from the tear in the ground.
Miko stepped closer.
Kael grabbed her arm.
"Wait."
The whispers grew clearer — not words.
Emotions.
Fear.
Hunger.
Longing.
The seal answered — deep, resonant.
They speak.
Miko felt it — the rift wasn't just a tear.
It was a mouth.
And it was talking to her.
Kael's shadows probed — found movement.
Figures in the mist.
Mistborn.
Ten — maybe twelve — cloaked, violet-painted faces, spears ready.
The same woman from before stepped forward.
"You followed the call."
Miko's shadows rose — crimson.
"You led us here."
The woman smiled.
"We opened the way.
The Mother Rift speaks.
It wants you."
Kael's shadows thickened.
"You're not taking her."
The woman raised a hand.
The mist surged — forming shapes.
Rift spawn — larger than before, claws long, eyes violet.
They lunged.
The battle began.
Kael met the first wave — shadows lashing, cutting, blocking.
Miko stepped beside him — crimson tendrils exploding outward.
One spawn leaped — claws raking toward her face.
She dodged — spear through its chest.
It dissolved — mist.
Another attacked Kael — claws slashing his arm.
He grunted — shadows slamming it back.
Miko spun — tendrils wrapping another spawn, crushing it.
The Mistborn joined — spears thrusting, violet tips glowing.
Miko felt the seal surge — power flooding her.
More.
She gave it more.
Crimson storm erupted — tendrils multiplying, striking.
A Mistborn screamed — lifted, bones snapping.
Another backed off — spear raised.
Kael fought — shadows coiling around two attackers, yanking them off balance.
One blade caught his leg — blood bloomed.
Miko turned — spear through the attacker's shoulder.
He dropped.
The woman watched — calm.
"You're strong."
Miko glared.
"You're next."
The woman laughed.
"Not today."
She raised both hands.
The rift pulsed — violet light exploding outward.
A wave of mist hit them — knocking Kael back.
Miko staggered — seal roaring.
Open.
She fought it.
The Mistborn retreated — vanishing into the mist.
The rift dimmed.
Silence.
Kael stood — limping.
Miko rushed to him.
"You're hurt."
Kael shook his head.
"I'll live."
Miko looked at the rift.
"It spoke to me."
Kael's voice was quiet.
"What did it say?"
Miko swallowed.
"It wants me to open it."
Kael took her hand.
"Then we don't."
The seal pulsed — once, patient.
Soon.
To be continued…