The Bloodline of the Infinite Gate
Part 2
Chapter Two: The Call of the Gate
The storm began to ease, the rain thinning to a fine mist that clung to the ruins like a ghostly shroud. Seryn crouched by the edge of the crumbled courtyard, her breathing shallow. The dagger in her hand still pulsed with faint light, and she could feel its warmth radiating into her palm. It was alive, or at least it felt that way.
Behind her, Marcus and Raelith stood on either side, their postures tense as they scanned the shadows.
“They’ll be back,” Marcus said, his voice steady but grim. The whir of his cybernetic systems was faint beneath the patter of rain. “The Order doesn’t quit.”
“They won’t need to,” Raelith added, his tone ominous. “They’ll know what just happened. They’ll know the Gate has chosen her.”
Seryn spun to face them, anger flaring in her chest. “The Gate hasn’t chosen anyone,” she snapped. “I don’t even know what just happened. That light — it wasn’t me. It was this.” She held up the dagger, its glow dimming but still visible.
“That is you,” Raelith said, his gaze intense. “The Gate’s power runs through your bloodline, Seryn. The dagger is just a conduit. Your father must have known. That’s why he kept you hidden for so long.”
Seryn shook her head, her heart pounding. “If this power is so important, why didn’t he tell me? Why didn’t he teach me anything about the Gate?”
“Maybe he thought he was protecting you,” Marcus said, his voice softer than she expected. “Or maybe he didn’t think you’d ever have to use it.”
“Either way,” Raelith interjected, “we can’t stay here. The Order knows who you are now, and they’ll hunt you to the ends of the earth to control the Gate — or destroy it.”
Seryn turned her back on them, staring out at the rain-soaked horizon. Somewhere in the distance, hidden beyond the storm, lay the Infinite Gate. She could feel its pull, a quiet, insistent pressure at the edge of her mind. It wasn’t just calling her — it was drawing her closer, like a lodestone guiding her to an inevitable destiny.
“What happens if they reach it first?” she asked quietly.
Raelith hesitated, his expression dark. “If they open it with the wrong intent, the Gate could tear the veil between worlds. Entire dimensions could collapse. Or worse, they could reshape reality to their will.”
“And if we open it?” Marcus asked.
Raelith glanced at him, then at Seryn. “That depends on her. The Gate reflects the heart of the one who wields its power. It could be salvation — or annihilation.”
Seryn’s stomach churned. She had no desire to wield anything, let alone a power that could reshape reality. But she also knew she couldn’t walk away. The Order wouldn’t let her.
“Where is it?” she asked finally.
Raelith nodded, understanding her meaning. He reached into his cloak and pulled out a map, its edges frayed and ink smudged from years of wear. “The Infinite Gate lies at the heart of the Vynspar Expanse. A wasteland of jagged rocks and shifting storms. Few have ever returned from there.”
Marcus snorted. “Sounds cozy.”
Raelith ignored him, pointing to a marked location on the map. “This is the last known site of the Gate. But we’ll need to move quickly. The Order won’t just be hunting us — they’ll be searching for artifacts that amplify their power. If they find one before we reach the Gate…”
“They won’t,” Seryn said firmly, though her voice wavered. She sheathed the dagger, the warmth fading from her hand. “Let’s go.”
Chapter Three: The Wasteland’s Edge
The journey to the Vynspar Expanse was grueling. Days passed in a blur of relentless travel — through dense forests where shadows seemed to watch their every move, across desolate plains where the wind howled like a living thing. At night, Seryn’s dreams were haunted by visions of the Gate: towering and ancient, its surface shimmering with an otherworldly light.
She didn’t tell the others, but each time she woke, the pull in her chest grew stronger.
By the time they reached the edge of the wasteland, Seryn felt as though she were being torn in two. The Expanse stretched out before them, a sea of jagged rock and swirling mist. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the air was heavy with the scent of ozone.
“We’ll have to move carefully,” Raelith said, scanning the horizon. “The storms here are alive. They react to magic — and to fear.”
Marcus smirked. “Good thing I’m not afraid of anything.”
Seryn shot him a look. “Is that why you nearly shot that shadow in the forest last night?”
“Hey, that shadow was moving,” Marcus grumbled.
Raelith sighed, but his lips twitched in a faint smile. “Focus. We’re not alone here.”
He was right. As they picked their way through the jagged terrain, Seryn felt the weight of unseen eyes on her. Whispers drifted through the air, too faint to understand but impossible to ignore.
At one point, Marcus froze, his cybernetic eye glowing brighter as he scanned the mist. “We’ve got movement. Three o’clock.”
Raelith raised his hand, magic crackling at his fingertips. “The Order?”
“Maybe,” Marcus said, his voice low. “Or something worse.”
Before they could react, a shadowy figure lunged from the mist. Seryn barely had time to draw her dagger as it attacked — a humanoid shape made of shifting darkness, its eyes glowing with an unnatural red light.
Marcus opened fire, plasma bolts tearing through the creature’s form, but it reformed almost instantly. Raelith unleashed a blast of arcane energy, forcing it back, but more shadows emerged from the mist, their distorted shapes closing in.
“Seryn!” Raelith shouted. “The dagger!”
She didn’t hesitate this time. Gripping the dagger tightly, she focused on the pull in her chest, the connection she couldn’t explain. The blade ignited with light, and the shadows recoiled, their forms flickering.
As she slashed through the air, a wave of energy erupted from the dagger, scattering the creatures like leaves in the wind. The mist parted, and for a moment, all was silent.
Then the whispers returned, louder this time.
Raelith stepped forward, his face pale. “They know we’re here. We have to move. Now.”
Seryn nodded, her heart pounding. The Gate was close — she could feel it. But so were the dangers waiting in the shadows.
As they pressed deeper into the Expanse, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the Gate wasn’t just calling her. It was waiting for her. And whatever lay beyond it was more powerful — and more dangerous — than anything she could imagine.
To be continued…
