WALLACE GARRET

[You have arrived in the 15th realm, Route 54: Avaldur.]

As the elevator gently descended, we eagerly peered out at the world unfolding before us.

Following a week’s stay in the vibrant city of Easrich, we reached a pivotal moment in our adventure: the decision to venture deeper into the unknown. At the heart of the respite zone, the nebula emitted an ethereal luminescence, beckoning us forward and setting the course for our next expedition.

This time, we chose not to dive into the fountain but instead took the stairs, eagerly embracing the experience of descending further into uncharted territory. Once again, we found ourselves surrounded by an array of elevators, each presenting a path to explore, just as we had before.

Before us lay a sight that left us momentarily speechless. A vast, seemingly endless, desert-like biome stretched out as far as the eye could see. But this was no ordinary desert; it was a sight both captivating and unsettling. The sand that blanketed the terrain was an unusual hue of pitch black, absorbing the sunlight and intensifying the already sweltering heat.

Kei’s voice broke the silence, expressing our collective thoughts: "This is... a desert?"

I nodded, my eyes scanning the peculiar landscape. "Indeed, and look at the sand. It’s black," I confirmed.

The absence of any visible life forms added to the eerie atmosphere, heightening our senses as we stood at the edge of this enigmatic realm. No sign of vegetation or fauna greeted us; only those mysterious mountains of dark sand rose like foreboding monuments.

The air felt heavy and dry, and the scorching heatwave made us perspire instantly. Yet I couldn’t help but feel an undeniable sense of fascination with this place.

"Let’s proceed further for now," I suggested, my voice tinged with both curiosity and caution.

We ventured into the expanse of the black desert, ready to unravel the secrets that lay ahead. The sand beneath our feet seemed to swallow our every footstep, as if concealing its own stories and mysteries.

**

"The sand feels unusual; it’s damp," Elsie remarked as she knelt down to examine the mysterious sand.

"It’s perplexing indeed. There’s no water source around here. Could it be the traces of a previous Venturer passing through?" I speculated.

"Let’s investigate the area further," Kei suggested, his daggers already in hand as he tapped into his enhanced state. With a swift leap into the air, he thrust his daggers into the sand with remarkable speed, creating a penetrating clang that gradually faded away.

Clang! Clang!

The sound seemed to resonate with a metallic structure beneath the sand.

"I’m certain of it... There’s something down there. Elsie, can you use your sol-weaving to clear the area?" I requested.

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Without a word, Elsie moved forward, her presence surrounded by glistening transparent crystals. Gradually, a large hollow cube made of crystal formed, displacing the sand as it took shape.

As the sand vanished, metallic stairs came into view beneath the transparent top of the crystal cube. Waste no time; we removed the top and bottom of the cube, creating a clear passage to the stairs below.

Descending the stairs, we found ourselves in a starkly cold room, a stark contrast to the scorching desert above. Intricate engravings adorned the walls, and a subtle hue of red covered the surface.

"It’s the passage!" Kei exclaimed from the front, pointing towards an elevator leading to the next realm.

"Finding the passage so effortlessly seems almost unreal," I mused while examining the elevator. It appeared to be no different from the other elevators we had used on our journey.

"The 15th realm can’t be that simple. There must be something more to it," I whispered, my intuition urging me to stay cautious.

Deep down, I felt that there was more to this place than met the eye—something concealed from Venturers to prevent them from discovering what lay beyond.

As Kei and Elsie stood behind me, surveying the room, I examined the peculiar engravings and the walls adorned with red paint.

"I’ve never encountered markings or red walls like these in any passage before. This room must hold a clue," I remarked, closing my eyes to attune myself to the surrounding solar energy.

The flow of sol felt different here. It seemed as if the sol was moving in two distinct directions without ever intersecting. In the realm of 3D geometry, this concept was known as "skewed lines."

"This is peculiar... Wait!" A sudden realisation struck me. It was reminiscent of the time I unlocked the passage for Elsie in Avlyrra. Without wasting a moment, I tapped into the first phase of sol-weaving, causing my vision to split in two.

On one side, everything remained unchanged, and the room’s surroundings appeared as before. However, on the other side, a change occurred.

"I can see a white door on the side of the room!" I exclaimed. Just as I could see the passage from my perspective in Avlyrra while Elsie couldn’t, a similar phenomenon unfolded here. There was an invisible white door, hidden from our sight.

I replicated the process I had performed in Avlyrra and exerted all my efforts to converge the two sol flows. Gradually, space distorted near the side of the room, revealing the appearance of the door.

However, its visibility was fleeting, and I struggled to maintain its existence for long. Soon, the two sol flows would separate, and the door would vanish.

Maintaining my concentration, I urged my companions to enter the door one by one. As they opened the door, it began to fade, becoming half-transparent, indicating that it would completely disappear within seconds. I hurried towards the partially open door, and as I stepped through, it vanished simultaneously, returning everything to its normal state.

Before I could fully observe my surroundings, a radiant white light enveloped us, and my consciousness slipped away.

**

As I regained consciousness, I found myself inside a stone room, and my surroundings revealed multiple paths stretching out in different directions, forming a maze’s centre.

"Kei, Elsie! Where are you?" I called out, but there was no response, confirming that we had been separated.

The sound of dripping water echoed in the room, and I noticed four distinct paths emerging from various directions. They were painted in vibrant colours: red, orange, yellow, and green, each forming right angles with one another.

Upon examining my surroundings, I noticed prominent writing on the stone roof of the room. Although the language was unfamiliar, I could magically read the words effortlessly. The text glowed with a white light, aiding my comprehension.

"Welcome to Avaldur, the tomb and resting place of the 9th Overseer, Nelchael. The opening sentence made me search my memories.

"Overseers! They are known as the Creators of Limbo! I exclaimed, recalling Avery’s explanation of the term.

The inscription went on, describing the four routes from the room. One path lay to the east, another to the west, and the remaining two to the north and south, each distinguished by its unique color. Red signified the most dangerous route, while orange, yellow, and green represented progressively less perilous paths.

"This vast maze is filled with countless chambers, housing various artefacts and blessings! However, dangers lurk along the paths, and you must proceed with caution to navigate through this place. Good luck," the message concluded.