The Eternal Strive

The air crackled with unstable energy, rippling around the cloaked figure as if reality itself was struggling to contain his presence. His golden eyes gleamed, locking onto Caden with eerie amusement.

"You came faster than I expected," the man said, his voice smooth yet laced with something dangerous. "Good. That means you understand the weight of your new throne."

Caden's Ring of Equilibrium pulsed, sensing the unnatural distortion in the air. This wasn't just some anomaly—this man was actively manipulating the forces of Order and Chaos, something only a Rift Sovereign should be able to do.

Seraphis took a step forward, blades drawn. "Who the hell are you?"

The man smiled faintly. "Ah. I suppose introductions are in order." He spread his arms, the swirling energy around him bending to his will. "You may call me Varian. Though some, long ago, called me… the Riftbreaker."

Caden's eyes narrowed. The title alone sent a chill through him.

---

System Alert: Riftbreaker Identified!

Varian – Former Rift Sovereign (Status: Exiled)

Threat Level: Unknown

Warning: His presence destabilizes the balance of Order and Chaos. Immediate action required.

---

Caden's fists clenched. "Former Rift Sovereign?"

Varian nodded. "Yes, long before you inherited the Rift's will, I held that power. But unlike you, I saw the truth." His golden eyes burned brighter. "The Rift is not meant to be balanced. It is meant to be freed."

A pulse of chaotic energy surged outward, distorting the landscape further. The sky above fractured, pieces of color shifting unnaturally.

Seraphis gritted her teeth. "You're the reason the Rift Convergence is happening."

Varian tilted his head, smiling. "Of course. I spent years waiting for a new Sovereign to emerge. And now that you have… it is time to see whether you are worthy to keep that title."

He raised his hand, and the Rift's energy howled in response.

The ground beneath Caden shifted, pulling him into a swirling void. In an instant, they were no longer standing in the barren wasteland—but inside the heart of the Rift itself.

Rift Battlefield – Varian's Domain

Caden's feet touched an endless expanse, where the laws of reality were meaningless. Shapes twisted, colors bled into each other, and the very air throbbed with unstable power.

Varian floated above him, his aura pulsing with ancient authority. "If you wish to call yourself the Rift Sovereign, then prove it."

Caden took a deep breath. He wasn't afraid.

He lifted his hands, and for the first time, he called upon his Rift Dominion. The chaotic battlefield stilled, as if awaiting his command.

Varian's smile widened. "Good. Let's begin."

Then he attacked.

A clash between Sovereigns had begun.