Dark clouds loomed over the group of four as they pressed forward, their journey stretching past two exhausting hours. They alternated between walking and jogging, though for Vance, it was more akin to full-blown galloping. His breath came in ragged gasps, his legs ached, and yet, to his growing irritation, the others barely seemed exhausted.
"How close are we?" Vance managed to ask between breaths.
"We're almost there," came the halfhearted assurance from Balgur.
The pace remained relentless, guided by their navigator, Astre, who moved with an effortless grace that suggested he knew the terrain as intimately as one knows the back of their own hand. The landscape had been eerily silent.Not once had they encountered any of the creatures that Balgur, the group's unofficial hunter, had so frequently spoken of hunting.
Vance was beginning to wonder whether those "beasts" were even real when Balgur's stern voice suddenly cut through the tense quiet.
"There."
Vance forced his sluggish legs to move faster, closing the distance between himself and the others. As he caught up, his eyes landed on the landmark ahead.
"A cave?" Vance asked, his eyebrows furrowing as he took in the surroundings.
Before them stretched a vast, open clearing layered with dark, almost obsidian-colored rocks. Sparse shrubs, resembling twisted strands of wheat, wove through the cracks in the stone, their frail bodies swaying slightly in the cool wind. At the far end of the clearing stood a towering mountain, its jagged face shadowed by the dim sky above.
Embedded in the rock was an entrance.
Gaping, cavernous, and utterly foreboding.
"Yes," Baldur answered instantly, his voice devoid of hesitation. "It's further inside."
Vance exhaled sharply and nodded. He had little choice but to follow.
As they stepped into the darkness, the temperature seemed to drop. The cavern walls pressed in around them, jagged and rough, their uneven surfaces casting strange shadows as the group navigated the tunnel. Each step echoed, swallowed almost immediately by the oppressive silence.
Vance stayed close to the others, his senses alert.
Minutes passed before they finally emerged into a more open space.
That's when he saw it.
The Gate.
At the center of the chamber sat a structure unlike anything Vance had ever laid eyes on.
A raised podium of smooth, light blue metal pulsed faintly with an eerie glow. Resting atop it was no ordinary construct, it was a door. Or at least, that was the shape it took.
It's frame was lined with veins of pulsating energy, twisting along its surface in an almost artistic fashion, as if some unseen hand had carefully etched them into the material. At its center swirled an expanse of deep, endless blue-churning, shifting, as if alive.
It gave the distinct impression that it was watching them.
Daring them.
Inviting them to step forward while whispering silent warnings of its insidious nature.
Vance tensed.
"Vance, let's go," Astre's energetic voice cut through the heavy air, shaking him from his thoughts. "Be prepared, though this ride isn't the most pleasant for dregs."
Vance exhaled and nodded, slowly ascending the stairs. His heart pounded in anticipation as the "Gate" loomed before him.
A few feet away, Baldur abruptly stopped, patting himself down and rummaging through the compartments of his attire. After a few seconds, he pulled out a peculiar-looking device-a hybrid between a compass and a time-dial.
Vance's curiosity got the better of him.
"That's…?"
"An astro-compass," Baldur replied without missing a beat. Already anticipating the question, he moved toward the right side of the doorframe and, after adjusting the device slightly, inserted it into a hidden slot. The veins of energy along the Gate flared brighter in response.
A low hum filled the chamber.
"Let's go."
One by one, the others stepped through the Gate in a interval of a few minutes, vanishing into the swirling blue void.
Vance hesitated. His posture stiffened slightly as he approached, his breath shallow. Just before he could take his final step—
"Don't vomit," Balgur muttered, followed by a low chuckle.
He had no time to react.
......
Blurrghhh.
The moment Vance landed, his stomach lurched violently. Before he could even take in his surroundings, he doubled over, expelling what remained of his last meal onto the cool, almost metallic floor beneath him.
A tragic event, indeed.
Seconds passed before he forced himself upright, his mind still reeling from the nauseating sensation of transit. He took in a deep breath, swallowing down any lingering discomfort before finally assessing where he had landed.
That's when he realized he had an audience.
Around him, a handful of individuals stood in almost semi-circle, their expressions ranging from mild curiosity to poorly concealed amusement. Unlike the rugged appearance of his companions, these people were dressed in formal attire, dark blue khaki pants that bordered on black, paired with matching tops that gave them an almost uniformed look.
Vance's face burned with embarrassment.
A sharp, hyena like laugh erupted from the far side of the room.
"Bahahaha!"
Vance instinctively turned his head toward the source. His irritation only grew when he saw Astre at the back of the room, grinning like a mischievous fox. Standing beside him was a woman, her long blue trousers and crisp white top giving off an air of professional authority.
"Boy, Vance, you made quite a mess, huh?" Astre jeered.
Vance wiped his mouth, exhaling sharply before responding.
"He did," he admitted, "but the experience was quite… discomforting."
A small chuckle escaped from someone in the room-who he quickly identified to be a female that was engaged in a convo with, Astre before.
"Vance?"
The woman beside Astre finally spoke, her tone neutral, though her eyes carefully assessed him. After a moment, she turned to Astre as if awaiting an explanation.
Astre, never one to miss an opportunity to add unnecessary flair, rubbed the back of his pale golden hair before flashing his usual smirk. His gaze briefly flickered to the mess on the floor before he answered.
"Yep, that's Vance. The only non-unascended survivor from his planet.Apparently, Cecilia found the kid squaring up against an orc barehanded." He paused, shaking his head in amusement. "I still don't know if he's bold, stupid, or just ridiculously brave."
The woman stepped forward, her measured steps carrying a quiet confidence.
Vance's figure tensing slightly as she approached.