Summary
It is with great pleasure that we meet this week, a distinguished guest as a Rare Special Card of the 8th AirDrop of the Rift Season 3. This is an emblematic figure of Cross The Ages. She is at the origin of the Blast (with Faust), which forever froze in time, the fight of the heroes of Cross The Ages. It is clear that we do not pass by such a personality. You guessed it, it is about Chaka.
Chaka, a misunderstood legend, is stuck in the memories of a troubled and complicated past between destruction and hope. She is the victim of a painful story, which is responsible for many complexes. She hides this barely perceptible vulnerability, well hidden behind her power and a semblance of cruelty, coldness, even impermeability.
She chose to become a genetically optimized Warrior thanks to Mantris and its high technology. Her destiny is intimately linked to the Blast, this mysterious phenomenon that upset the balance of Artellium. It completely destroyed Solon and replaced him with this gaping scar that is the Rift. But would he have also left a mark on Chaka?!
One thing is certain, he inevitably marks his passage towards the Invermonde, where shadow and light merge...
How can one not be moved by discovering the poignant nature of Chaka?
It’s hard not to be fascinated by his power and need for control, even in the midst of chaos. Let’s enjoy these two Special Rare cards together, rich in detail and symbolism. They reveal the many facets of Chaka and his story.
Chaka's outstretched hand, swallowed by the darkness... or the Inverworld!
In this map standard, Chaka is immersed in a dark and enigmatic environment, in which black and gray hues set the scene and constitute swirling volutes. The atmosphere is oppressive, as if the world around Chaka is disappearing. Moreover, a part of her body, in this case her legs, also disappear. Chaka desperately stretches her right hand with her fingers spread forward, as if she were trying to catch a person or a thing that feels irremediably leaving.
The expression on his face is a heartbreaking mixture of sadness and resignation. His attentive, tearful eyes seem to fix precisely the cause of this deep sorrow. Seeing Chaka in the grip of such emotions is intriguing and exciting. This reflection raises a myriad of questions.
What could possibly make Chaka cry? What is this strange phenomenon surrounding her? Is she the source? Or the victim? What if she really was sucked into this strange vortex? Is she going to the underworld? Will she come back? What awaits her there?
The light that emanates from her gaze and the purity and clarity of her tears contrast with the surrounding darkness, like a last burst of humanity, as she sinks into this endless abyss. Chaka is recognizable by her outfit. She wears black Baggy pants, wider at the bottom, and more fitted at the waist, which she marks with a belt with a Logo as a buckle. This logo also questions, it is certainly the acronym of a Mantri company.
As a top, a simple white strip of fabric is wrapped around his chest and forearms. As for his skin, it is almost completely covered in fine reptilian scales.
Other, larger, green scales that more clearly resemble crocodile skin grow on her shoulders, forearms, and ribs. This reptile skin is the result of the famous hybridization with the crocodile genome that she underwent in Mantris.
On the other hand, no sign of her iconic Crocodile Jaw swords. Usually, they accompany her everywhere, unless this time Chaka doesn't need them... She doesn't seem combative at all.
Is Chaka safe? Is Chaka on home turf? Are the shifting, distorted shadows real? Are they a shadow rift? Perhaps a remnant of the blast she and Faust created?
Everything seems to fade or fold around Chaka as if this scene were ephemeral...as if it marked the passage to another dimension.
A breathtaking blast, Chaka explodes everything...
In the alternative version from this SR Card, we find the Chaka that we know.
Combative, determined, powerful, she is represented here in full action. The dynamic is striking! Everything in this card testifies to the importance of this moment that will remain forever frozen in time. A true enigma of the past, the heart of a mythical scene, except perhaps for Chaka.
She charges and throws herself forward, holding her two sharp weapons with sharp teeth in her hands, ready to fight, to cleave the air or her opponent. Her posture is that of an enraged warrior, her attack cry is frightening, even through the illustration of the card.
Her face distorted by emotion and this rage that takes hold of her guts, and the strength of this moment contrast with the version of the standard card where she is so calm and vulnerable.
Chaka seems focused on her goal and nothing and no one will distract her from it.
Around her, chaos is absolute!
The strongest rocks explode under the pressure of this cataclysm. Whole blocks are thrown into the air. These explosions cause incandescent orange amber shards to burst forth from the earth, illuminating the scene. This material is so precious and so difficult to find. A material that is commonly hidden in the depths of shadow faults, so perilously that very few people manage to reach it.
The scenery seems to literally shatter, as if reality itself were cracking under the effect of the Blast. The suspended fragments that suggest the pieces of a shattered mirror, symbolize the passage between two dimensions and the collapse of the current laws of this world.
An energy from elsewhere invades the space. It is swirling, and is concentrated in the upper left corner of the map. Which further reinforces the idea of a portal to the Invermonde that opens under the combined power of Chaka and her legendary enemy Faust.
Chaka, vulnerable legend or furious warrior!
Both Rare Special Cards This week's episodes juggle two facets of Chaka.
First, the standard version in which we discover in Chaka a vulnerability that we did not know she had. She gives the impression of having to face an inexorably difficult destiny. Second, the alternative version captivates us with the incomparable power of Chaka in the heart of chaos.
These two cards highlight Chaka's crucial role in the creation of the Rift and its passage to the Underworld, which has sparked much speculation among Cross The Ages fans as to the repercussions and outcome of these events.
This captivating mix of emotion, intensity and mystery that envelops Chaka only confirms her iconic status within the Cross The Ages universe.
These cards, which are true works of art, lead us to wonder about Chaka's destiny: Is she the captive of a past that torments her, or is she the architect of a future that is still elusive?
