The far northwest corner of North America is in Alaska. The winds were sharp, and the cold gnawed at exposed skin like tiny knives.

  "Shit..."

  "What happened? A little cold pinching your ass?"

  "Very funny, James. It's an ant. Bit my finger."

  "Conner, you're a Coreborn now. Don't tell me an ant biting your ass hurts."

  "It was my finger."

  "Ass, finger—both got skin, heh."

  Two Coreborn from the Covenant: Horizon sat at the edge of a wide, unnatural well. It wasn't filled with water. Instead, it swirled with a thick, oily haze of black residue—Abyssal in nature. Like a Rift, but worse. This one didn't open. You couldn't enter it, like it wasn't meant for Earth at all—more like a hole drilled halfway to somewhere else.

  "Btw."

  James said, glancing at the pit.

  "Does that well ever open?"

  "Nope. Never seen it open. Never heard of it opening."

  Conner replied.

  "Well, I guess it should stay like that. Whatever's inside—better stay inside. Life's good with just a few Rifts."

  James stretched, popping his shoulders.

  "Don't jinx it, asshole."

  Conner scoffed.

  "Relax. Nothin's gonna happen."

  "Can both of y'all shut it..."

  From behind, a voice cut through the air. A girl with dark brunette hair stepped forward, her tone flat.

  "You know, Alison, we were having a private convo."

  James said.

  "Shut it. It's starting now."

  She sat beside them, eyes upward.

  The three of them sat together in silence. The northern night sky slowly bled into colour—green waves shimmered above, the aurora borealis painting the world in slow motion.

  "I'm so glad we chose our missions somewhere far."

  Alison muttered.

  "Life's too short to miss this..."

  A beat of silence passed.

  "Btw, Conner, James—how long is our duration here?"

  She asked.

  "Around two weeks. Not short, not long."

  James replied.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  "I mean, as long as we get to see northern lights every night, I'm not complaining."

  Alison said, her voice softer now.

  A satisfied smile curled on her lips. Her eyes didn't blink as she stared up at the lights.

  They said nothing more. Just the three of them, seated in the frostbitten quiet, while something in the well below breathed—slow, deep, and unheard.

  ****

  On a private jet en route to Alaska:

  The low hum of the engines buzzed under the lavish silence inside the cabin. Seo Ilyeon sat reclined in a black leather seat, eyes closed, one leg crossed over the other in complete calm.

  "Sir, would you like some wine?"

  His assistant asked, gently pouring into a glass.

  Ilyeon didn't open his eyes.

  "Hmm... no, I'm fine."

  She nodded, stepping back, but the tension in her voice lingered. "Holding the thread of relations between Covenant: Iron Judgement and Covenant: Horizon... must be a lot of pressure."

  "It is."

  He muttered, lips curling slightly.

  "Since the bastards in Iron Judgement don't know how to speak English." He scoffed, leaning back deeper into his seat.

  A chuckle escaped his assistant, though faintly awkward.

  "Either way, it's not a long stay. A two-week mission or more, and I'll be back in Korea."

  "You seem very hasty to go back."

  She noted, tilting her head.

  "Is something bothering you, sir?"

  He stayed quiet for a beat. His eyelids twitched, fighting a grin.

  "No..."

  He said at last, voice dark, low.

  "I just have some nasty business to take care of..."

  Then he smiled—no, grinned. A full, murderous grin. One born not from duty, but from hate long buried and soon to be unleashed.

  ***

  Inside the rift—

  The glow of Rift Crystals bathed the cavern walls in pulsing hues of blue and violet. Jaemin and Yoon Taeha moved carefully through the warped terrain, boots crunching over fractured crystal and warped ground.

  "HYUP!"

  Taeha yelped, immediately tossing his jacket and grabbing his pickaxe like he was some seasoned veteran.

  "Hyung-nim!! Look at me—I've been training a lot these few days, look how quickly I'll retrieve the crystals!!!"

  He beamed, flexing his arm. Well… trying to. The bicep was barely there, but the confidence? Through the roof.

  Jaemin gave him a quick once-over and sighed inwardly.

  "What a kid."

  THUMP!

  Farther down the ridge, a guttural sound echoed as dozens of Abyssals came crashing down—Striders, One-Eyed Crawlers, a couple of Vulpus, and towering behind them, a Riftlord, its form shimmering with malicious aura.

  Jaemin narrowed his eyes and muttered with a smirk.

  "Hmm… this rift's being a little aggressive today, huh."

  A burst of bright energy ruptured from beneath his feet. The air snapped cold.

  FWAHHHH—!

  "AAAAAAA!!"

  A sudden, high-pitched scream broke through the tension.

  Jaemin turned around, scratching the back of his neck in pure deadpan annoyance.

  "Hyung-hyung-HYUNG-NIM!!!!! GHOSTS!!!!!!"

  Taeha was practically airborne in panic, nearly throwing his pickaxe.

  "Oi oi, relax will ya."

  Jaemin said, trying not to let out a chuckle.

  "I summoned them."

  "WHATTTTT?! YOU CAN SUMMON GHOSTS WITH YOUR SKILL?!?!?!"

  Taeha gawked, eyes wide like saucers.

  "Yeah... eh... I used to be a part-time magician before becoming a Coreborn."

  "WOOAHHH... THAT'S... nice..."

  Taeha muttered, sitting on his ass, completely overwhelmed.

  Jaemin turned his gaze back toward the rushing Abyssals. His Resonants were just standing in formation, unmoving.

  "Oi—DON'T JUST STAND THERE!! MOVE!! KILL THOSE THINGS!!"

  He lifted his boot and jabbed a leg toward the incoming wave, commanding like a pissed-off drill sergeant.

  His Resonants charged forward like a tide, blades flashing, crushing the Abyssals without hesitation. The battle was a blur of violence.

  Meanwhile, off to the side, Yoon Taeha had returned to nervously mining the Rift Crystals, trying to ignore the chaos only meters away. His hands trembled with every shriek, every crash. He kept digging like his life depended on it—which it kind of did.

  Jaemin turned to look at him with a devilish smirk. Quiet steps. A calm breath.

  Then—

  "BOO!"

  "AAHAHAHAHAH!"

  Taeha practically jumped out of his boots, nearly tossing his pickaxe into orbit.

  "HYUNG-NIM!!!!"

  He yelled, clutching his chest.

  Jaemin chuckled, low and amused.

  "Heh."

  "Hey Taeha."

  Jaemin said suddenly, his voice a little quieter now.

  "Yes, Hyung-nim?"

  Taeha looked up, wiping sweat from his brow.

  "How's your condition…?"

  There was a pause.

  Then Taeha gave a lopsided smile.

  "Bad, hah. It's not getting any better."

  His voice cracked on the next words.

  "At this rate… I'll probably have a few months left…"

  He turned his head, looking away as his throat tightened. His eyes burned with tears he refused to let fall.

  Jaemin didn't speak. He just stood there, watching his friend mine while the shadows worked beside him.

  By the next day, all Rift raids were done.