VALERIE:Bonds of Fate

The dim light of the Sanctum faded as Valerie walked through its stone halls, her footsteps echoing in the emptiness. She had made up her mind.

After everything—after the words, the dismissals, the hollow feeling of being invisible—she could no longer stay.

Her heart ached with every step, but she couldn't ignore the truth anymore. She wasn't meant for this place. She wasn't part of their plans.

The Keepers, especially Veader, had made it clear. Her connection to the Rift was something to be used, but she wasn't a part of the larger picture. She was just an outsider.

Reaching the gates of the Sanctum, Valerie paused. For a moment, she considered going back. Asking them—begging them to see her. But she knew it would be pointless. So, she stepped out into the wilderness beyond.

It was late, the stars twinkling in the sky like distant promises. The chill of the night air stung her skin, but she barely noticed. She had made her decision. She was going to leave the realm. She didn't belong here anymore.

Her destination was unclear. She had no real plan. The only thing she knew for certain was that she couldn't stay. The Rift was still a threat, but for now, that was their battle—not hers. She only wants to know why she ended up there.

As she walked farther away from the Sanctum, the realization that she was truly alone settled over her like a heavy blanket.

It wasn't just that she felt abandoned. It was the crushing weight of not being seen by the very people she had hoped would understand her, would value her presence.

Somewhere in the distance, a wolf howled, the sound echoing in the night. Valerie wrapped her arms around herself, trying to ward off the loneliness.

---

Back at the Sanctum, the absence of Valerie didn't go unnoticed. It took longer than it should have, but Veader's keen sense of awareness eventually picked up on the unsettling silence.

He had been busy with the Rift's expansion and Keira's constant barrage of updates, but something had been missing.

For the first time in days, Veader looked up from his studies and scanned the room. The others were engaged in their tasks, but there was no sign of Valerie.

At first, he dismissed it. She had been distant lately, and he had allowed her space, thinking it was just a phase. But then, the thought gnawed at him. Where is she?

His gaze shifted to the door of the chamber. He walked over to it quickly, his eyes scanning the corridor beyond. Nothing.

Keira, noticing his shift in focus, raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"

Veader didn't answer at first. His mind was racing. The silence between them had grown more pronounced in the last few days, but he hadn't fully understood the weight of it until now.

The absence of Valerie's presence wasn't just a minor detail—it felt like a void had opened up.

His fingers tightened around the doorframe, the feeling of guilt settling in his chest. He hadn't paid enough attention. He hadn't seen what was so painfully clear now.

Valerie had felt overlooked, unwanted, and he had done nothing to stop it.

Keira's voice broke through his thoughts.

"Veader, you're acting strange."

---

Meanwhile, Sky was fully engrossed in the task he had been given by the Keepers' leader, tasked with securing a perimeter near the Rift.

He had been caught up in the hours of constant surveillance, taking detailed notes, analyzing the fluctuations of the Rift's energy patterns.

The day had been long, and his mind had been entirely consumed by the tasks at hand. There had been no time to check in with anyone, let alone notice the small absence of Valerie.

He had noticed her quiet moments before—her distance—but he hadn't paid them much mind.

His focus on the Rift's energy shifts kept him too busy, too absorbed in the technical details to realize something more important.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Sky's mind finally cleared, the pressure of his tasks somewhat relieved. Only then did he feel it. The strange stillness. He glanced around, looking for the familiar, comforting presence of Valerie. But she wasn't there.

His stomach twisted. He'd been too busy to notice, but now that he did, it struck him like a sharp pang of guilt. Where is she?

Sky's first instinct was to dismiss it, maybe assume she was somewhere else in the Sanctum. But the longer he thought about it, the more the nagging sense of unease grew.

He stood up, scanning the area again. His usual sharp awareness of the Sanctum's goings-on felt dull in comparison to the gnawing feeling in his gut. He hadn't seen Valerie all day.

The realization struck hard—Valerie was missing.

His heart began to race as he quickly moved toward the main chambers, desperation creeping into his thoughts. She wouldn't just leave, would she?

But there was something about the way she had been acting, the way she had pulled away from everyone lately... It all came crashing back to him now.

Sky pushed through the doors into the chamber where Veader, Keira, and the others were. He could feel the tension in the air. Something was wrong, but he didn't know what yet.

"Veader!" Sky's voice broke through the murmurs of conversation.

"Valerie. She's gone," he said, his voice tight.

Veader's gaze shifted, his usual control faltering for a moment. He turned quickly toward the door.

Sky's frustration was evident.

"I've been busy with my assignment all day. I didn't think about it until now. But now that I do—she's gone."

"I knew it. I haven't seen her for a while. I'll go after her." Veader said.

Keira stood silently, watching the interaction. She knew better than to comment now.

Without another word, Veader strode from the room, determination setting in as he headed out into the night. He couldn't let Valerie slip away and let her think she wasn't important.