WALLACE GARRET
"Are we ready?" I asked, turning around to see my companions as we made our final preparations to vacate the inn.
The last three months had passed like sand through an hourglass. Our stay at ‘The Faint Mice’ had come to an end, and the day had arrived for us to set off for the 8th realm. I took one last look around the busy metropolis of Aurorium, a melting pot of ventures from all walks of life, with a mixture of excitement and trepidation.
We were ready to leave when a voice screamed out from Elsie’s room, forcing us to halt. "Wait a minute!". Elsie’s voice rang, her tone tinged with desperation.
Kei, who was standing behind me, couldn’t help but make a witty remark. "Girls always take their time getting ready," he remarked with a sly smirk on his face. He held up his newly acquired daggers, the shining blades catching the light.
"I heard that!" Elsie’s voice was irritated and definitely not amused by Kei’s statement.
Elsie came from her room after what seemed like forever, dressed in a sleek white steel vest that complemented her curves. We had pooled our remaining finances to outfit ourselves with defensive armour.
We chose lightweight solutions for practicality and ease of mobility. During the three months of preparation, we spared no effort to guarantee our readiness.
Elsie wore a small backpack that was carefully stocked with vital materials to keep us going on our adventure. We had chosen a democratic approach to assigning roles and tasks as a team.
Elsie had been tasked with managing our resources, and she had been placed in the centre of our formation to benefit from dual protection. I took the lead in the front, leading the way with a mix of determination and prudence, while Kei kept a close eye on the back.
I couldn’t conceal my exhilaration any longer, and it was accompanied by a tinge of fear. "Let’s go!" , we exclaimed, our united resolve echoing in my voice.
**
A massive fountain was before us, its vivid purple waters mimicking the one I had seen at ‘The Lakefront’, the same one that had taken me away into Compound 009.
As Davy and Cliff had stated when we first arrived in this respite zone, this majestic edifice, known as the ‘Nebula,’ was thought to function as a doorway connecting all the realms and Earth. We could possibly visit the realms we had already conquered—ranging from the first to the seventh—and even return to Earth by drowning ourselves in its luring depths.
However, the prospect of returning to Earth too soon did not sit well with me. I had previously told Davy and Cliff to notify Gary that I was okay and expected to remain longer before returning to Earth.
"Do you think Davy and Cliff will come back?" Kei inquired, his interest clear.
"They will, but we don’t know when. It’s already been three months. They urged us to proceed on our way without waiting for them. I’m sure they have important things to do back on Earth," I said, admitting the uncertainty surrounding their return.
We got closer to the fountain and discovered a giant stairway next to the nebula that led lower into the underground.
"This must be the passage," Elsie said from behind me, her voice full of excitement.
"Oh, so you see it now?" Remarkable. "It means you’re fully recognised as a Venturer," I said, a smile on my face.
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Elsie’s face lit up with delight as her lifelong ambition of being a venturer had come true.
We neared the steps and started down. To our amazement, the stairs seemed to go on forever, their steps steadily growing as we descended.
However, my first anxiety was unfounded, as the steps eventually reached their end, exposing a magnificent and awe-inspiring chamber awaiting our arrival.
"What in the world..." Kei remarked from behind me, his gaze fixed on the perplexing sight before us.
Stretching out before us was a grand elevator, serving as our passage to the next realm. However, what caught our attention was the sheer number of circular platforms. Instead of the usual single elevator, there were at least a hundred of them arranged in rows, creating a mesmerising illusion.
"How can there be so many elevators? Do they all lead to the 8th realm?" I murmured, my confusion mounting.
"Well, actually…" Elsie began, reaching into her bag to retrieve an old notebook. Flipping through its pages, she stopped at a particular one before continuing, prompting all of us to turn our attention to her.
"These circular platforms do indeed descend to the 8th realm, but there’s a twist," she revealed, her voice filled with intrigue.
Before we could voice our queries, she pressed on, eager to explain.
"In respite zones like this, there are approximately a hundred paths to choose from. Each elevator will transport us to a different instance of the 8th realm, and the route we take here will continue for the subsequent realms. In other words, we have to select our route from the hundred routes available here," she clarified.
"So you mean there will be a hundred different versions of each realm from now on?" Kei questioned him, seeking further clarification.
"Exactly, but all of these paths will converge at the second respite zone, which marks the fourteenth realm. Regardless of the route taken, we will eventually arrive at the same destination when entering the fourteenth realm," Elsie responded, addressing Kei’s concern.
"This is done to prevent venturers from acquiring too much prior knowledge about the upcoming journey. The limbo desires exploration of the unknown, not the familiar. As a result, we will venture blindly into one of these paths, unaware of what awaits us in the 8th realm or any subsequent realms," she explained, shedding light on the mechanism at play.
"We can only choose our route from here. When we do this, it will be locked until we reach the second respite zone. This means that we won’t have an option like this when we descend to the 9th realm. We’ll keep going on our selected route." She finished her explanation.
"I understand," I replied, acknowledging the disadvantageous nature of the situation. As we approached the rows of circular platforms, a slight blur clouded my vision, accompanied by a dizzying sensation. It became challenging to discern the exact location of each platform.
"Are you all experiencing this too?" Kei inquired, his voice tinged with concern. "This is likely because the limbo deliberately obscures the knowledge of which platform leads to which path. Our only option now is to swiftly step onto any elevator we encounter," Elsie suggested.
"Fine! Let’s hold onto each other’s hands," I commanded, determined to remain together.
After ensuring our grip, we leaped onto one of the platforms, embracing the uncertainty that awaited us in the next realm.
**
[You have arrived in the 8th realm, Route 64: Devlocsea.]
The resounding voice of the "Will of the Overseers" echoed within my mind as the elevator completed its descent.
"So we’ve chosen Route 64," I muttered to myself. "Yes, now we will continue along Route 64 until we reach the second respite zone," Elsie replied, confirming our path.
Although our vision had cleared, the area before us was shrouded in a lingering fog. To navigate through it, we decided to adopt a formation and proceed cautiously.
After walking for a few minutes, the fog gradually dissipated, revealing the presence of another person. As we drew nearer, we realised it was a young woman, slightly older than me, with cascading scarlet hair and a leather vest.
She appeared engrossed in examining the surface; her attention was focused on something on the ground. Curiosity piqued, Kei broke the silence with a question. "Why is the ground blue?" he inquired from behind me.
In response, I directed my gaze downward, and indeed, the ground beneath our feet possessed a soft texture and a deep blue hue.
This is sand!" Elsie whispered, her voice barely audible.
"You are correct," the red-haired girl acknowledged, finally turning her attention to our arrival. She slowly unclenched her fist, allowing the dark blue sand to trickle through her fingers, confirming its nature. It was indeed sand.
Suddenly, the distant sound of crashing waves reached our ears. "We must be near the shore," Kei affirmed.
The red-haired girl pivoted towards us, her gaze fixed on me, and began to speak. "It seems both your team and mine have had the worst luck. What a pity," she remarked, a wry smile forming on her lips.
Curiosity and concern mingled on our faces as I posed a question. "Why is that?" I inquired.
Her smile widened into a sardonic grin. "Welcome to Route 64, the most brutal and unforgiving path within Compound 009," she revealed, her gaze steady. "This is Devlocsea, the Sea of Devils. If you meet your demise here, you will be trapped for eternity."