The days before my descent into the Rift were the longest I had ever known.
Time seemed to stretch and warp, each hour an eternity, each moment weighted with the knowledge that I might never see the people I loved again. The fortress hummed with activity around me: warriors training, healers preparing, and servants stocking supplies for the siege that would come if I failed. But I moved through it all like a ghost, already half-faded from the world.
Kaelen had not left my side since the morning of my decision. He slept in my chambers, ate beside me in the great hall, and walked with me on the battlements as the sun set and the Rift's glow grew brighter. He did not speak of what was coming, neither of us did—but his presence was a constant, a reminder that I was not alone.
The morning after my decision, I went to the training yard.
