The Rift: Sunset in Darkness

By DeAnte BuckmanHarris

"The truth is slowly being revealed... questions are still lingering... why can't I solve them?"

Kaiya De' Noctis is the last key to open the door which will solve the mysteries of the Rift and the truth of the Ascended Plain. Her curiosity is leading her on her journey to understand more about the original Archlight and the reasoning behind the first war of Light and Dark. The darkness lives in all of us... but it is up to us to understand who we really are. In this final story, Kaiya must take her journey with cautious steps, less her curiosity put her in the clutches of something much worst than the monsters that hide inside us all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 7, 2019
• ISBN: 9781796064148

DeAnte BuckmanHarris

My name is DeAnte "Arthur" BuckmanHarris. I was born May 18th, 1997. I am twenty-two years old and I am a first time writer from Rockmart, GA who thought it was time to shed some light in the dark area's of the mind. I've always thought the bigger questions as to why certain things do not make sense in the human subconscious. As such I have found many obstacles, but they have not stopped my goal in finding out the truth behind the things hidden behind age and repetition. The Rift is a tale that takes the drowned meanings of depression and forms it into a fiction tale that all can understand. A dear friend of mine, April J. Smith, passed away shortly after her and I overcame our depression together and sought out a real meaning to the world we saw in our minds. The world of depression has many view, but this one is how me and my friend saw it.

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Copyright © 2019 by DeAnte Arthur BuckmanHarris.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 01/19/2021

Xlibris

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Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Epilogue

Authors Notes

Life is a fleeting mystery… whenever you think you have the answers, life seems to throw more questions at you and expect you to catch them. This was something I was all too familiar with… After a while though, the questions stopped. Almost as if I was hit with the one to end them all. That question was; How did she get here? It seems I have to ask myself that every day, less I forget. Time tells a lot of stories, but this time I will share mine.

There were many moments in time in which I felt conscious; when I wasn’t deep in thought or pondering the idea of something greater. Then there were the moments in time in which I was truly awake. Those moments in time simply feel like free falling in the sky; when you feel the rushing winds in your hair, and feel every last piece of light the sun’s rays give off. These moments, I remember all too well.

Chapter 1

I rested my arms on the balcony of white walls. Our room was higher than most others inside the castle walls, allowing me to see all of the stars in the summer-night sky of the Ascended Plain. I turn around; Orion appeared asleep in our bed. I knew he was awake though, he never truly sleeps. He never really is at ease until I was there for him when he needed clarity. I glance back at the stars in the sky; two shooting stars flew across the sky simultaneously. I grin. I wonder how she got here… I ask myself. Maybe we created her. A voice from behind me said. I turn around; Orion still had his eyes closed, and there was no one else in our chamber. Is someone there? I ask the room. Only I am, my queen. I look down at the bed; Orion was talking, but his eyes were closed. What do you mean ‘we created her’, Orion? He opens one of his red eyes. Nothing… it’s nothing. No please, tell me. I said softly and sit on the bed next to him. Orion opens both of his eyes. It was something a specter said to me… in a nightmare once. It said; we need to guide her, for we created her. I look down at my feet and curl my legs up, holding my knees. But my question is; how was she created? I mean… we never did anything until after we were married, so it doesn’t make sense in my head. Orion sits up. What do you remember? I look over at him; he was staring into my eyes. All I remember is a bright light in my room the day you were exiled. When the light dimmed to a visible hue, she was there. Orion gets up and walks over to the balcony; I watch him close. He was scanning the fields, left and right. There. He pointed off to a location on the ground. I get up and walk over to him to see where he was pointing. That is where the doorway used to be, isn’t it? I look over; it was a small staircase that led to two tall pillars that stood high off the ground; the altar of justice. In between the two pillars lied a large circular disc that had multiple cracks on the surface. Vas destroyed it years ago. He must have really hated me at the time…

I had a flashback; many Archlight were gathered around the altar. Two white wings stood with axes in their hands and black shawls covering their faces. Vas stood behind them. Vas raised his sword, but before he struck down at Orion, I heard a cry from behind me. I turn around and I saw a small child crying in a small black blanket.

I shake my head… the memory ended. I look over at Orion; his eyes were fixated at the altar. I grab his hand and hug him. He never wished it upon you. I know… I look up; he was holding his shoulder and his eyes were still staring at the altar below. Let’s get some rest… the three of us have big day coming up. I said to him. He looked down at me. What is planned on this ‘big day’ of yours? I grabbed his hand and walk him back to bed with me. Orion lied down on his back; I crawled on top of him. One filled with excitement, wonder, and full of magic. The celestial alignment festival is in one week, you promised you would take me and Angel to go. He grinned. I rested my head on his chest; he began running his fingers through my hair. Angel needs this… she need to forget about you know who, and I think this will help. Orion turned his head to look out towards the balcony. De’ Leon… As long as she wears the ring, she will never forget him. Just as I never forgot about you when the locket was around my neck. I move Orion’s head and look into his eyes. Just promise me you will make an effort in helping me help Angel move on. He kissed my forehead I promise. He said and closed his eyes. I rested my head once more on his chest and closed my eyes.

Noble and proud Archlight, we are gathered here today to bring justice to the sorrow and misery brought upon us today. There was someone speaking loud. I open my eyes; it was sunrise. I slowly get out of bed and walk toward the balcony. Looking down, I see many white and red wing gathered around the altar of justice. At the top of the stairs, a dark wing lied on his knees before the disc that gave off a slight yellow glow on the outer frame while the inside was black… darker than anything I’d ever seen before. I couldn’t tell who it was; they had a black cloth covering their head. I turn around and look at the bed, Orion wasn’t there. I look back down at the altar and listen. The Archlight before you has been found guilty of the following; threatening the wellbeing of white wing, assault, multiple accounts of murder, treason, and multiple accounts of defiance against his respected commanders… including me. It was the taller white wing on the altar by the dark wing talking. He lifted the black cloth from off his head and tied it across his chest. The dark wings long black hair fell down, exposing the upper half of black and white robes and shackles on his hands and feet. Is that… I say to myself and pause, covering my mouth. It is with sincere regret that I say ‘you have disgraced the hospitality given by the white wing, insulting the name of Archlight’s and worst of all… disrespecting your families name’, Rune Knight Orion De’ Noctis. A message will be sent to your father, following your sentence. Do you have any last words before we carry on? The tall white wing asked before pulling back his hood; it was my father, Vas. I covered my mouth with both my hands and attempted to run out my room, but the door was locked shut. I run back to the balcony and hear the remainder of his words. …she will be free. I swear to you all when I return, I will free her. My insanity will be the very thing that will bring her to my arms once more and then burn your laws to the ground. You may kill me… but a part of me will live on in this moment to show you all why you should fear the dark wing. Vas raised his blade. Sadly, you will not be killed Orion… but you will no longer need these where you are going. I ringing metal sound was heard, following the slash; two large thuds were heard at the altar. I look down; leaning over the balcony… tears were running down my face. A loud scream was heard, almost as if it he could be heard from miles away. His wings… had fallen and began turning to ash from the tips all the way to the roots. My wings formed on my back in a cluster of white particles and I tried to fly off the balcony, but before I could a large white light engulfed my room. I shielded my eyes from the rays and stepped back from the balcony. Seconds later the rays dimmed down and my wings were giving off a vibrant glow before slowly fading away… I felt weak. I look down in the center of my room; crying was heard coming from a small black cloth resting in one of the four baskets in my room used to hold extra cloths. I slowly walk towards it. My balance was off and my head was spiraling. I fell to my knees in front of the basket. I look inside; a newborn with black and white hair, and small red eyes was wrapped in a black shawl on top of the other cloths in the basket. I pick the child up and look into its eyes. Almost immediately, it stopped crying and smiled. Something about the newborns presence felt familiar, almost as if I had seen the same look before. I stood up with the newborn in my arms and walk slowly over to the balcony; the once yellow glow given off from the altar of justice was gone, and the Archlight were walking away, except Vas. He took his blade and swung at the disc on the altar, shattering the remainder of the glass, before walking down the stairs and away from the altar of justice. The newborn in my arms began to cry again. I look down at the newborn and wipe the tears away. That was Orion who was exiled… The child’s look of confusion turned into a frown. What he said though… ‘A part of me will live on in this moment to show you all why you should fear the dark wing.’ What did that mean? I look back out the balcony and immediately turn back to my bedroom door; it was being unlocked. I look down in my arms, the newborn vanished and the room around me began fading away. The darkness began filling the room and closing in toward me. I close my eyes and shield myself.

I open my eyes; it was sunrise. I look up; Orion was fully dressed in his robes and was sitting on the railing, letting his feet dangle