Rift

The closer to the Breach they got, the easier it became for June.

Not mentally, of course, but his Strict Binding seemed to be quelling gradually, as if the weight of a thousand boulders were no longer gripping his soul, dissolving over time.

As he dealt with that, the girl and the boy next to him chatted amongst one another.

"Yeah, I'm confident in my training — it's the entire reason I joined the Ascending Academy in the first place. But still, seeing it in person makes you doubt yourself, ya know?"

Said the guy with black hair, softly massaging the blade of his dagger.

"Sure, yeah, um… I feel the same. Hearing about it and seeing it are two different things… I remember Professor Ginge saying that, and now I know why."

The shy girl responded, once again holding her hands together to stop her nervous trembling.

"I just want to get this over with and return home. My parents are counting on me."

"Yeah… I get that. I promised my younger sister I'd make it home. My mother was also devastated after learning I was infected, but she's counting on me too. At first, she begged for me to wait to turn eighteen and join the military rather than challenge a Trial, but I was already ceasing to exist within society as a normal human being… so."

"Yeah, I feel that… once you're infected, everyone looks at you differently. It's hard to carry on when you know you no longer belong among the mundane side of society. I think that's one of the main reasons why most of us attended the Academy in the first place, leaving behind the normal world we once knew."

The guy made a good point. In fact, it was quite spot on. His reasoning was the main aspect toward everyone being here — even June, in a way.

They simply didn't fit in, and never would.

The moment they awakened, their existence became anew, separating them from society.

It was why Jessie had said most choose to join the military or become Ascenders soon after their Awakening Trial… because they were different.

The two seated with him were probably District children, no… they definitely were.

But despite that, they knew what it felt like to be ostracized. It wasn't like they could avoid getting infected either; it was simply impossible.

It just showed that no matter where one was, they weren't capable of escaping the Ark.

In truth, June was a prime example of that.

He had ignored it all his life… and look at him now.

"... How about you, why did you decide to challenge the Ark rather than wait to join the military?"

The girl suddenly asked, snapping him out of his inner thoughts.

He didn't really know how to respond to that.

"Uh, the same reason as you guys…"

June answered, scratching the back of his head.

They both nodded in return, accepting his response. Although, the girl's gaze seemed to linger on him for a few moments.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing… you just seem calm is all. Too calm, actually."

She let out a nervous giggle, looking away.

Was he too calm?

He sure didn't feel calm.

The weight on his soul from the Strict Binding was gradually disappearing, so the further in they got, the more comfortable he became. 

But other than that, he was still quite anxious. Not as much as the girl, but he definitely was.

"Well, good luck to you both."

The guy said, nodding at the both of them.

"Yeah, good luck to you two as well…"

The girl responded.

June nodded in return as well before turning his attention back toward the Breach.

At this point, they were close enough to hear it resonate. Not only that, but specks of interstellar dust seemed to be dancing on the edges of the Breach, warping the space and affecting their senses.

June directed his attention to the very front of the lake where boats of people were entering through the Breach, disappearing from view altogether as if they had been consumed.

Before long, they too followed, enveloped by the Breach.

A flash of a second later, the scenery around him changed.

And so did the mood.

Gone was the courageous chanting of humans, replaced with sounds of fearful screams and guttural anguish.

The cavern was no more either, completely left behind as June now existed under a sickly crimson sky that seemed to stretch infinitely, its blood-red moon shining upon the space.

Around him, amongst the many boats of Challengers, the waters were plagued with carcasses and skeletal remains, giving the once vibrant lake an awful color.

"AAAGGHH! HELPP!!"

"No, No!!"

"Damn you!!"

"Fuuuuck!!!"

All around June people were screaming for their lives, fighting and struggling against what appeared to be about a thousand… birds..?

"Oh god, Deathbirds! B-but how?!"

The girl next to him yelled, visibly distraught.

'Deathbirds…'

These were one of the Rift Dwellers Winston had warned June about.

"Damn it! How is it out here?! They never told us it'd be out here?!"

The guy screamed, lying low and cowering in fear as he held his dagger in his hands, trembling.

Perplexed, June watched as one of these Deathbirds pierced through the flesh of a helpless Challenger with their horrifically large talons, producing a deafening screech as they did.

'Holy hell…'

Its jet-black plumage, hollow crimson eyes, towering figure, and menacing talons ignited a horrific fear within many — including June. 

Not only were they great in size, but they were strong enough to pierce through any Relic, rending flesh effortlessly.

What's even worse is they were everywhere — hundreds — maybe thousands of them soaring through the air and descending upon everyone.

With gritted teeth, June hunched low, crouching down to avoid being torn apart.

As he did, he turned toward the girl who was visibly struggling to breathe.

"I-I'm d-doomed… oh gods, I am g-gonna die…"

With widened eyes, she touched her tears with her fingers which streamed down her face, her eyes reflecting the horror that surrounded her. She was frozen in fear.

"Hey! You're not going to di—"

Just before June could finish, a Deathbird swooped in and tore through the poor girl's shoulder blades as blood spewed out.

A split-second later, it lifted her away.

June tried to quickly grab her, but there was no point.

In utter dismay, he watched her fly off, the talons protruding out of her flesh as she screamed uncontrollably, her legs squirming.

However, it didn't end there for her.

'Gods…'

The Deathbird soon tossed her into the maw of another Deathbird… which then tossed her into the talons of another.

Eventually, she was just being tossed back and forth as if she was merely a toy made of flesh.

As June struggled to accept what he was seeing, the Entity's voice returned, whispering:

[Welcome Back…]