Michael was right behind Lys, then ahead of her as they charged toward the angry red tear in front of them. His dread crescendoed and turned into the sense of righteousness it always became when he was sealing rifts.As it had been the last time, the transition was nearly seamless with only the sensation of breaking glass as he leapt between worlds. The world he landed on was the same one he’d been in before, and he could see the dull red sun that bathed everything in a reddish hue as he exited the rift. He landed and immediately struck with his fiery mace, demolishing a surprised lizardman before he started to look for the source of the rift’s durability. He immediately noticed five of the lizardmen’s sorcerers in a circle nearly ten yards away, but between him and them were more than a half-dozen of the horned men who were already moving to intercept him, along with more further back that were headed toward him. He wasn’t certain how, but he knew that whatever the lizards were doing was what was fighting against his ability to seal the rift.He raised his mace and shield, and the nearest horned man nearly screeched to a halt before he could reach him, his eyes on the golden fire of the mace.“Aur-Ma!” He yelled, waiting for the others to approach before getting any closer.Unfortunately for him, Michael had no intention of waiting. He moved toward him, ducking under a high slash, and smashing in the creature’s chestplate, causing him to burst into holy flame. He then shoved the body toward the others that were charging with his shield, and it landed on the nearest of them who screamed as the divine flames licked at him.Before Michael could push forward more, the others reached him, and a spear slammed into his shoulder, embedding itself in him before the horned man ripped it out, its jagged head ripping away sinew and muscle as it was torn from him.Michael gritted his teeth and sent the pain back at him, but while (...)