The forest had fallen silent after the battle, the echoes of ancient power now fading into the distance. Kael stood alone, his silhouette a dark figure against the flickering sky. The Rift had closed—but it was not gone. The Rift was him, a part of his very essence, coursing through his veins like a new heartbeat.
His fingers brushed the air, and a ripple passed through reality itself, distorting the space around him in ways that were both terrifying and exhilarating. The Riftblade, once a weapon of unimaginable power, now felt like an extension of his own arm. It no longer just responded to his will—it was bound to him, its essence intertwined with the heart of the Rift that pulsed within his chest.
The ground beneath his feet shifted, the very earth bending to his will. He could feel the cosmic balance of the worlds tugging at him, as if the universe itself was asking him what to do next. And for the first time, Kael felt truly limitless.
His eyes glowed with the light of distant stars, the power of the Rift radiating from within him. He opened his status screen one last time, the holographic window materializing as if it were a mere extension of his thoughts.
[STATUS REPORT]
Name: Kael Drayven
Class: Gatekeeper
Level: 20,000
XP: 0/500
HP: 100,200/200,000
MP: 250,000/250,000
Attributes:
Strength: 222,500
Dexterity: 222,200
Constitution: 222,100
Intelligence: 122,800
Wisdom: 122,700
Charisma: 122,000
Skills:
Riftblade Mastery (Max Level)
Shadow Fusion (Max Level)
Echo Step (Max Level)
Dimensional Strike (Max Level)
Rift Storm (Max Level)
Battle Instinct (Max Level)
Riftborn Legion (Max Level)
Worldbreaker (Max Level)
Time Dilation (Max Level)
Soul of the Gatekeeper (Unlocked)
God's Harvest (Unlocked)
Nexus Core (Unlocked)
The Forgotten's Shadow (Active)
New Skill:
The Heart of the RiftDescription: The Rift is no longer an external force—it is you. You control its energy, its movements, its very existence. With the Heart of the Rift, you can manipulate the fabric of reality itself, shaping the world around you. The Rift will answer only to you, its master and its keeper.
Kael's gaze turned toward the remnants of the Rift's previous location. The land was scarred, twisted by the cosmic tear, but now, he could feel the pull of its power within him. The Rift no longer threatened to break through—it was a force he commanded, and as its master, he could reshape reality to suit his will.
He closed his eyes, focusing on the sensation of the Rift flowing through him. The connection was intimate, personal. He could feel the flow of time bending, the space between worlds thinning, and the distant echoes of other dimensions. Every atom in his body vibrated with the same energy that had once threatened to destroy him.
The Heart of the Rift beat in perfect synchronization with his own.
Without a thought, Kael raised his hand, and the world around him responded. The earth trembled, the air shimmered, and the sky itself seemed to bend under the pressure of his will. He was not controlling the Rift; he was the Rift.
A portal opened before him, a shimmering tear in reality, swirling with dark energy. He could see distant worlds, foreign landscapes, and countless unknown horrors waiting to break through. But now, it was his choice whether they entered—or remained locked away.
Kael smiled, a dark and knowing grin. The power at his command was unimaginable, yet it was all within his grasp. With the Heart of the Rift, there were no limits.
"You wanted the Rift to break free," Kael murmured to himself, his voice low and steady, "but you didn't realize that I am the Rift now."
The Riftblade pulsed in his hand, but it no longer needed to be raised for battle. It was the tool of a master, not a weapon for a warrior. Kael's very presence was enough to command the forces of the Rift. Reality itself bent and twisted at his whim, and the worlds beyond trembled in fear.
The wind stirred, as if the universe itself was exhaling in response to his power. The stars flickered above him, a quiet acknowledgment that Kael had become something far greater than even the Gatekeeper.
He walked toward the heart of the Rift's scar, the fractured land at his feet shifting with each step. The Rift recognized him as its master. It pulsed with his heartbeat, its power thrumming in sync with his own. The realms beyond were no longer beyond him.
"Let them come," Kael said, his voice filled with a dark promise. "But they will only come when I allow it."
With that, Kael raised his hand, and the world before him twisted. The fabric of reality unraveled, showing him glimpses of what lay beyond, of what sought to break through.
He could feel the presence of things—ancient, powerful, and dangerous—that lingered just beyond the veil. But Kael wasn't afraid. He was the veil.
And with a single thought, he closed it again.
The Rift may have been a force beyond comprehension, but now it was his.
Kael took one last look at the stars above and turned his back to the broken earth, walking into the unknown with the Heart of the Rift guiding him. He was no longer just a keeper. He was a god.
For now, the Rift would remain sealed. But Kael knew—he was the master of what was to come. The future was his to shape, and no force could challenge his reign
end of chapter