Rift grasps my hand tightly.

“Since you’re here anyway, don’t let go of me,” his voice hints at vulnerability, subtle fear glazes over his amber eyes. The muscles in his jaw flexes as if he’s bracing himself.

My free hand reaches up to his face and I press my palm against his cheek, turning his gaze to me.

“Rift,” I say firmly, “She’s not going to hurt you this time.”

“Right.” The corner of his lip twitches, but the fear is still there.

The leaves in the jungle trees rustle as another gust of cold wind rushes through.

In a haze of black mist the Sorceress appears before us.

“I should have known that Cursed whore would ignore my warning,” the Sorceress hisses at us. She gets close to Rift, her face inches from his, “You disappoint me, my son, you ignore everything I’ve taught you to fulfill your base desires.” Her eyes alight with amber as she menacingly glares. “I shall put you in your place and I shall make her watch.”

I squeeze his hand and step forward, my own eyes flashing red. “We already know your plan,” I taunt. “You have no real power in this world. That’s the difference between you and Rift, isn’t it? When he hurts someone he gains power, but when you do, you lose your power! You are dependent on the choices and free will of others for your strength.”

“I believe you overestimate my son’s integrity,” the Sorceress snaps. “You are a being of great power and he is attracted to what you offer him in fleshly ways.” The way she says those words sends a shiver down my spine.

Rift lets go of my hand and falls to his knees crying out in pain. “Mother, please don’t hurt me! Mother, please… I promise, I’ll make you proud this time!” he pleads, his eyes wide, but not looking at the Sorceress… or anything actually.

I am jolted at his fevered babbling, he’s in another time, in another place. The Sorceress is doing something to him!

“What is going on?” I ask helplessly. I kneel down next to Rift and grasp him by the shoulders. I shake him. “Rift, what is she doing to you? Rift, I’m right here, no one is hurting you! I’m here!”

“When Rift was a little boy, about this high,” the Sorceress puts her hand just past her knee, “I would teach him how to use the Scourge. I was quite fascinated by his ability–because you are right–unlike me, Rift gains power from the destruction he causes on his own.” the Sorceress circles us with her eyes alight and focused on Rift.

Rift continues to struggle and cry, seemingly oblivious to me. It’s heartbreaking, I watch in horror a window into his childhood.

“But he wasn’t very good at using his abilities in the beginning,” the Sorceress continues, smiling in remembrance, “I realized it was because he didn’t want it enough. Didn’t need it. So I gave him the need. I’d hurt him until he was on the verge of death. It was surprising how quickly he mastered the ability to make others suffer. That is what I’m showing him right now, see how helpless he felt? I’m showing him what he is. You will kill him with the current path you are on. You want to end me, but Rift cannot thrive unless the world is burning.”

Is this actually true? Will I ultimately kill Rift by fixing the things going wrong in Underlund? As she uses her spell on him I notice the luster leaving her red hair and the smoothness of her skin withering. The magic is draining her.

“Mother,” Rift pants, my attention goes to him, his voice is sober and his eyes are glowing amber as he struggles to his feet, he’s countering her spell as she weakens herself. “I’m ready.” He shoves my hand away from him. “I see things clearly now.”

“I knew you would and I am willing to forgive you, son,” the Sorceress purrs, ceasing the spell and smiling at him in faux sympathy. “You make me so proud.”

She extends her arms out to him. “You can have everything with me. I will even let you keep your Cursed pet to do with as you please.  It is as impossible for you as it is for me to love and I know you feel it… The deadness inside you after you’ve used her to satisfy your lust. You’re only alive when you inflict pain and disorder. Join me and you can feed on my chaos, join me and you shall live forever and experience pleasures beyond comprehension. You are my Rift, meant to divide the world!”

Rift walks toward her and my heart sinks into my toes. He accepts her extended arms, embracing.

“I’m here,” the Sorceress coos, before releasing him, she takes him by the shoulders and regards him at arms length, smiling brilliantly. “You’re my son, and you always will be. No matter what, you cannot ignore where you came from.”

What is happening? Is he really listening to her crap?

“Rift,” I say, a knot forms in my throat. “She doesn’t love you and she’s not proud of you. She’s using you to get what she wants. I know you want it so badly… You’ve wanted it since the beginning. You want her love as much as I want the love of my people.” I swallow hard, pushing back the emotions trying to boil over.

“But let’s face it, Rift,” I say firmly, balling my hands into fists, “neither of us is going to ever get what we want. It will always be fantasy.”

The Sorceress sneers at me. “You think your pathetic sentiments are going to change his mind? Change what he is?”

“The fact is,” I take in a deep breath, ignoring her. I run up to Rift, wrapping my arms around his waist and pressing my cheek against his back, “she may not love you, but I do. I really love you, Rift.”

“Kyla,” Rift says my name softly, he turns to me. “You know I’m just going to break your heart.”

“I don’t care,” I sniffle, holding him tighter, “It’s already broken.”

“Time is up,” he whispers softly in my ear and suddenly I realize what he’s been doing. He just played his mother so he could buy us time. Now the Bridge will open up and take us to Earth and the Sorceress can’t hurt either of us.

Rift draws the shard of arlite and touches his forehead and then mine with it. He grasps me so I’m pressed against him and then kisses me hard on the mouth right in front of his mother.

“I’ll always choose her, Sorceress,” he declares with a huge grin on his face.

The world flashes white and Underlund disappears.