Luke paced the confines of his room, his thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and growing concern. The encounter with his future self-a King, no less-and the presence of Queen Lexi Bonneau left him with more questions than answers.

Why had they come here? What business did they have in his reality, especially with the lumber company of Al-Tarouq Hassar? More importantly, how was it possible that they both wielded an Amarok?

The sound of the carriage fading into the distance echoed in his mind like a haunting melody. It was a clear reminder of the thin line he was treading.

"Focus," Luke muttered under his breath, forcing himself to sit down at his desk. He pulled out a piece of parchment and began jotting down his thoughts and observations.

Theories and Notes:

Future Luke and Lexi: Married and wielding Amaroks. Purpose in this realm unclear but likely significant. Their destination: the Capital. Possible intent: political or economic intervention?

Amarok Multiplicity: Two Amaroks present simultaneously? Impossible by current understanding. Research required.

Rift Mechanics: Confirm alternative means to open rifts. Investigate any historical records or artifacts linked to reality shaping.

Paradox Avoidance: Avoid interaction at all costs. Consequences: catastrophic.

He stared at the notes, feeling no closer to clarity. If his future self could traverse realms, then the rules of this universe were more flexible-and dangerous-than he'd ever imagined.

A knock on the door jolted him out of his thoughts.

"Luke?" It was his father's voice.

"Come in," he said, hurriedly folding the parchment and slipping it into a drawer.

Duke Augustine stepped inside, his arms crossed and his expression wary. "You seem tense. What's wrong?"

Luke hesitated. Could he trust his father with this information? He was one of the few people he truly trusted, but the gravity of the situation made him pause.

"I'm fine," he lied, trying to sound convincing.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "You're not. I know you too well, Luke. Something's bothering you. If you don't want to tell me, fine, but don't pretend everything's okay."

Luke sighed. "It's complicated, Father. Trust me, it's better if you don't know."

He studied him for a moment before shrugging. "Suit yourself. But if you need help, you know where to find me."

As he left, Luke felt a pang of guilt. His father had always been there for him, and he hated keeping secrets from him. But this wasn't just any secret-it was something that could unravel the fabric of their reality.

The following morning, Luke decided he needed answers, and there was only one place he could turn to: the library. The manor's library was vast, filled with tomes and scrolls accumulated over generations. If there was any information about the Amarok or rift mechanics, aside from "Legendary Artifacts of the Ancients", it would be here.

Hours passed as he combed through the shelves, pulling down books and scanning their pages. Most were useless-romanticized accounts of ancient myths or speculative theories with no factual basis. But then, buried under a pile of neglected volumes in the farthest section of the library from the entrance, he found something that caught his eye. "The Chronicles of the Riftwalkers."

The book was old, its leather cover cracked and its pages yellowed with age. But the title alone sent a chill down his spine. Could this be what he was looking for?

Opening it, he discovered detailed accounts of individuals who had supposedly traveled between realms. Some stories mirrored his experiences-portals, paradoxes, and the dangers of meeting one's alternate self. However, one particular paragraph caught his eye.

"The Amarok is but one key to the gates of reality. There are others-fragments of lost worlds, remnants of the primordial chaos. To wield them is to command the very fabric of existence, but such power comes at a price."

Fragments of lost worlds? Was that how his future self and Lexi had acquired their Amaroks? No, that couldn't be right. There was only one way to forge an Amarok: Fuse the four Gems of Fortune at the pillar. But considering what was written in this book, he might have to rethink that.

Another section described the dangers of paradoxes:

"When two versions of the same being occupy the same realm, the threads of fate intertwine and unravel. To resolve the conflict, the realm casts both into the void, erasing them from existence."

Luke shuddered. The stakes were even higher than he'd realized, and this made the situation more perilous still. If their future selves decided to take a trip down memory lane and come here...

Later that night, as the manor settled into an uneasy silence, Luke decided to investigate the portal site. The courtyard was bathed in moonlight, the air crisp and still. He crept outside, his footsteps muffled by the soft grass. The spot where the portal had appeared was undisturbed-no scorch marks, no residual energy. But something felt off.

This feeling was strengthened by the fact that he had heard a sound coming from the portal earlier that afternoon. As he crouched to inspect the ground, a soft rustling caught his attention. He spun around, his heart pounding.

"Who's there?"

From the shadows emerged a figure-a young woman with short, tousled auburn hair and piercing green eyes. She was dressed in a flowing cloak, and she held a glowing orb.

"Luke Schuyler." she said, her voice calm but authoritative. "We need to talk."

"Who are you?" he demanded, his hand instinctively reaching for the dagger at his belt.

"My name is G. I'm a Riftkeeper."

"Your name is G? What sort of name is that? And what do you mean you're a riftkeeper?"

"A guardian of the realms," she explained. "My duty is to ensure the balance between realities remains intact. And right now, that balance is in jeopardy."

Luke narrowed his eyes. "You mean because of my future self and Lexi?"

G nodded. "Their presence here is a violation of the natural order. If they stay too long, both of you would eventually be detected by the realm's natural energy, and you'd both be hurled into the abyss."

"Then why haven't you stopped them?"

"Because they're not the only problem." she said grimly. "Someone is deliberately destabilizing the realms. Portals like the one you saw don't just appear-they're being created. And I believe you're at the center of it."

Luke's blood ran cold. "Me?"

"You possess knowledge and artifacts that shouldn't exist in this realm," G said. "The Amarok, the rift-none of this is a coincidence. Someone is using you as a pawn in a much larger game."

Luke felt a surge of anger. "I didn't ask for any of this!"

"I know you didn't, Luke." G said, her tone softening. "But whether you like it or not, you're involved. And if we don't stop whoever is behind this, the entire multiverse could collapse."

Over the next few days, G worked with Luke to unravel the mystery. Together, they pieced together clues, using the library's resources and G's knowledge as a Riftkeeper.

One name kept resurfacing in their research: Gerre Voren, a rogue Riftkeeper who had disappeared centuries ago. According to the Chronicles of the Riftwalkers, Voren had sought to merge all realities into one, believing it would grant him ultimate power.

"But that's impossible. If he fused the realities, it would just create one colossal reality, correct?" Luke said as they pored over the book.

"Not if he's found a way to manipulate the Amaroks." G said grimly. "If he's behind this, then he's already started his plan."

Their investigation took an unexpected turn when Hara was visiting, and stumbled upon them in the library. Despite Luke's initial reluctance, G insisted on including her.

"She's smart," G said. "And you'll need all the help you can get."

Together, the three of them devised a plan. They would travel to the Capital, the last known location of Gerre Voren, using the trail left by King Luke and Queen Lexi as a guide.

As they prepared for the journey, Luke couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into a trap. But with the fate of the multiverse on their shoulders, he knew that one of the only ways to bypass a trap this large was to punch a hole right through the center of it.

As they packed, Luke asked G a question that he had been pondering for a while now.

"Why is your name G?"

G gave him a wry smirk.

"It's my codename. There are twenty-six riftkeepers, and they are each named after the letters of the alphabet. The first letter holds the most authority. That would naturally be A. Next is B, C, and so on."

"Interesting."

Luke wondered if they would be able to recruit any other of the riftkeepers so that they would be able to find Gerre much faster. But for now, he kept that question to himself and focused his mind on preparing for the impending exodus.