“...We have to find MOTRI. The realm of Yng isn’t safe, even for the Sacred Keystone himself. I know you and Bilk might be afraid, especially Bilk, who is young in his reincarnation. We can do this, as we are the three Keystones. Those who follow us, be warned you may not return, and those who do not follow us, if we do not come back, seal the crack for eternity...”

Klaus ran down the metallic hallway, his brown hair fluffing up and fluttered with the grace of a gliding eagle. However, Klaus himself was not graceful at all, as he struggled to keep his set of files in his arms. He felt dazed by the time he stopped running. He glanced at the sealed door in front of him, and he anxiously typed a passcode into a small keypad adjacent to the aforementioned door. He stumbled into the room, and he glanced around. His desk was still somewhat neat, a few notes and a coffee mug, and finally the cage off to the left of the room. MOTRI…. 

Looking at what was imprisoned made Klaus nervous, and did not like to stare at it. It was supposedly named MOTRI. MOTRI looked like a massive fluffy snake with a needle-like snout also covered in fluff. He was blue and had neon green stripes all along his body. Klaus interviewed MOTRI before since he was on the research team for Project OTHERWORLD. MOTRI had demanded access to his homeworld, although he refused to tell them, them being the other researchers, where it was. MOTRI taught them how to make a rudimentary stone portal, though he hadn’t told them how to activate it. MOTRI eventually caught on to the fact that he wasn’t leaving anytime soon, so he no longer cooperated. Klaus was the only researcher he spoke to, and even then it was brisk and more concerned for Klaus’s health. “Are they going to try the portal again Klaus?” MOTRI asked in his soft voice. “Y-yes. It’s not going to work with the electricity is it?” Klaus asked nervously. “You’re right. You know, you need a break. You’ve been working for this lab your whole life and the people in charge and around you don’t do anything but stress you out, put you under more work… Anyway, that portal setup is only going to attract things from my world to seep through. I’d recommend you tell that to your colleagues. They wouldn’t want something stronger than me appearing would they?” MOTRI queried quietly. Klaus agreed with a quick nod while gathering his papers and documents of information he had been required to pry from MOTRI. 

After sighing, he sat down in a chair and looked at the coffee mug. It was empty and pointless, which was how Klaus felt. Sure, the job paid well and he was often around this laboratory as a child with his mother so familiarity was good. But ever since he had started on Project OTHERWORLD, it felt all off. He used to be able to sit quietly in his office and pore over files upon files of strange sightings and encounters and deduce what were hoaxes and what was real. But now it was stress-filled and tedious, considering that everything was now specially kept under wraps. Large burly men and the occasional strong woman patrolled the halls now, acting as guards. At one point there used to be two outside of Klaus’s office since MOTRI requested to be kept in there. However, Klaus requested that since MOTRI was unable to escape, or more truthfully, didn’t care to, for them to be dismissed elsewhere. Looking at the clock on the wall, Klaus sighed and got up with his files. “MOTRI, if something does show up, what do you think I should do?” Klaus asked. MOTRI did not respond, and only sighed. 

Klaus left the office and made his way further down the hallway, passing a few rooms and offices. At the end of the hall was a sealed room requiring yet another passcode. After typing, Klaus entered to find a few researchers setting up the electric charge. There was a metal platform raised by a foot or two where researchers could control the various environmental variables, control the oxygen level and view the stones below, some of which were pale white and formed a cross-like symbol. One of the researchers snorted as Klaus neared, whispering something while another one pinched the whisperer. Klaus removed his notepad and then waited for Dr. Alvita to arrive. Dr. Alvita was an aging researcher who had dedicated her life to Project OTHERWORLD, at least according to her file. She was the spearhead of the project and a sometimes unfriendly bitter woman. Other times she could be agreeable, though not particularly kind either. Dr. Alvita strode in, grumbling about something to the poor intern who followed her. The intern then took their spot viewing from a safe distance. Klaus walked towards Dr. Alvita, and said, “Doctor, the OTHERWORLD organism said that this creation may cause things from their dimension to be attracted to it and spill over, such things being hazardous to health and life.” Dr. Alvita grumbled again and pushed her way past Klaus. One of the researchers sighed and promptly the others began to greet her. Klaus looked at the symbol on the ground below, pondering why he even worked here. Suddenly, a loud humming interrupted Klaus’s thoughts, and the electric shock became ready. It fired onto the symbol, and nothing happened. A roaring laugh came from Dr. Alvita and soon other researchers joined in. “That thing is stupid! It probably is just lying for its survival. Come on, Klaus is cleaning up. Again,” Dr. Alvita said, and the gaggle of scientists left the room, including the reluctant researcher and the intern. 

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Klaus sighed and was startled by the entry of two guards, perhaps sent to watch Klaus and the portal. Klaus didn’t know how the portal worked, though he understood that it was activated by the presence of what MOTRI called Keystones. Were they a gem of some type? Klaus never asked because he did not want to be tempted to record what MOTRI was telling him. Klaus tidied up the room and then was interrupted by a strange lulling sound. Like music, but sweeter and stranger. Klaus turned around to face the symbol and leaped off the platform onto the rocks. The sound was coming from the center of the stones, and suddenly a group of people appeared. They wore strange clothing, similar yet unlike this world. The guards did not move and seemed to trust that Klaus knew what he was doing. They began to speak to each other, surprisingly in English, though quiet enough that Klaus didn’t catch everything. One of them who was wearing a violet cloak with gold trimming stood out from the rest of them. She had greying hair and blue eyes and seemed to be the leader. Klaus decided to call her Priestess, as she looked almost like a saint of sorts. She spoke mostly to a young boy called Bilk, as he had heard her say, and a young man and/or woman named Quarrow, as their gender was unclear. The Priestess then walked towards Klaus with an almost angry look in her eyes.  Klaus backed up, almost slamming his head onto one of the bars protecting the platform. “Do you speak Avarin?” She asked. “I speak English, ma’am,” Klaus said, shaking. “I’d like to recommend you move out of the way, quickly,” The Priestess said, returning to the group. Klaus moved slightly and asked why. “Oh, you know,” Bilk said, charging into one of the guards. The people all went in the direction of the second guard, knocking him out. They escaped the room, and Klaus panicked and ran out of the room. He quickly rushed past panicked scientists, screaming people, and made it into his office. He found MOTRI, out of his cage, examining a file. Before Klaus asked how Klaus found himself overwhelmed with a strange feeling. He suddenly lifted MOTRI onto his back and ran with him back to the portal room. He gained a following of the OTHERWORLD people, who knew MOTRI as the one they had come for. After placing MOTRI in the room, MOTRI, Bilk, and Quarrow gathered on the symbol. Klaus rushed towards the valves that controlled the oxygen levels and set them to 0. He then ran out of the room and sealed it. He peeped through the window, knowing that if MOTRI breathed carbon dioxide, chances are that the people from his world breathed it too. Realizing that the portal wasn’t activating, Klaus realized that the Priestess was missing. Suddenly Klaus was dragged from the door and in a panic, he struggled to get back to the door. He felt himself black out momentarily.

He druggily awoke, hanging in a pair of electric chains. He knew exactly where this room was, and it was the place for temporary prisoners. Next to him was none other than the Priestess, who looked miserable and almost lifeless. “We have to rescue them! We can make it with your help. Can’t you escape this place?” Klaus asked. “It’s not that I cannot, it’s that I will not. I no longer feel the need for this. What does it matter? I wouldn’t have made it anyways,” The Priestess said emptily. “No no! You can’t just abandon them!” Klaus shouted, not knowing what was happening to him. He felt woozy, almost sick. His eyes for a moment slipped shut again, and he suddenly brought them open again. He watched as the Priestess melted into a glowing neon green semi-liquid, escaping her bonds. It lurched itself towards Klaus, and he quietly yelped, afraid of what was happening. It latched onto his chest and neck, melting into his skin. Klaus gasped sharply, those strange emotions that had caused him to rescue MOTRI enhance and he suddenly ripped himself from his bonds. He quickly ran out of the room, into the hallway to the door, though it felt slow. He felt as if he was falling, unable to stop what was happening. As he rushed into the room which was still lacking in oxygen, Klaus leaped onto the portal, and it activated. Klaus fell to his knees, looking at the new world around him. He felt strange as if something about him had changed. He was on what appeared to be a castle-like structure that reached high enough to have clouds gathering around it. “What happened to me?” Klaus said, looking at his hands as if they were different. A familiar laugh came from behind him, and it was MOTRI and the people. The people spread out, running to reunite themselves with family and friends. “Likhar sacrificed her power and life as a Keystone to meld with you and save us, and you. Like Bilk over there and Quarrow, you are now one of the three Keystones, creatures that bear the magic of the Keystones. I am one of the last Sacred Keystones, which is even greater magic, allowing for interdimensional travel, sometimes. It doesn’t always work, which is how I became trapped in your world, or as we call it, the Realm of Yng. Anyways, maybe now you can finally relax,” MOTRI stated. Klaus looked up at the sky, which looked like it was the colors of sunset, with two moons rising, and one sun setting. Klaus smiled, feeling more at ease than he had ever felt in his entire life. Perhaps he could finally relax.