The Husk of a ruined city was bathed under a shower of moonlight. The natural light illuminated the tattered remnants of civilization, highlighting the silhouette of a landscape being reclaimed by a crowd of trees and foliage.
Blurry shadows danced across the ground, a result of the swaying trees and bushes, shaken by the summer wind whispering by.
This darkness gave sanctuary to all sorts of nocturnal beasts, their guttural growls and roars echoing out into the night, almost as if making claim to their territory.
Zzz!
A sudden flash of black energy crackled in the still night, ripping open the fabric of space with a swirling flash like black lightening.
A figure dressed in grey nonchalantly stepped from the void, his sudden appearance whipping up a cluster of dried leaves, startling the prowling beasts.
Every animal turned and stared in the newcomer's direction, most growling aggressively through exposed teeth.
The figure's feet had only made contact with the ground for a mere second.
Boom, boom, boom.
The thumping footsteps of a king beast rattled the earth, it came hurtling out of the shadows like a phantom, mouth wide open with slime dripping down its exposed sets of teeth, releasing a distinct roar of authority while pouncing at the unsuspecting target.
With an almost dismissive reaction, the stranger turned and sent a slow looking punch back at the animal.
The moon offered enough light that a reflection of the booming fist was visible in the beast's big round eyes.
Bang! His fist connected with the beast's head, the impact sounded like a sudden clap of thunder.
The house-sized four legged beast was blasted away without suspense. Its painful cry coinciding with pieces of flesh scattering through the air and colliding with the trees, leaving bone fragments and blood pattering down to the earth like raindrops.
What remained of its mangled carcass, crashed back loudly into the shadows from whence it came.
Then there was silence!
Hartley stood in place, black sparks hissing and sizzling around is extended right fist.
He inhaled the crisp night air, then started walking towards the mountain with his arms folded behind his back, all the terrified beasts scrambled from his path, stampeding away from the area in a trail of dust.
Hartley came to a stop at the base of the almighty Falcon mountain, blue-ish moonlight glistened off the surface of the rippling pond to his left.
The last time he had been here it was as serene and peaceful as a scenic park, now the beasts had returned, their loud roars audible in every direction.
Hartley kept going without concern, these beasts posed little to no threat to him.
A gentle wind swept by and fluttered his robe as he moved, Hartley looked up at the mountain that disappeared above the clouds and into the night sky, sighing at the sheer size of the rock face.
He took a deep breath, crouched slightly, then his feet cracked the ground as he exploded upward with power like a piston moving through a cylinder, disappearing into the dark night with a sonic boom.
***
Mist roiled and twisted on the mountain top, the night sky dazzled with dancing lights, akin to the aurora lights in the south pole.
Wisps of the mist glowed under the moonlight, oscillating like velvet waves on an ocean's surface.
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The rocky plateau was just like Hartley remembered, the tranquil atmosphere atop the mountain hadn't been tainted. His awareness scanned the entire plateau, confirming he was alone.
Hartley flashed a wry smile, he wasn't sure what to do now, but such an opportunity to gain the pocket dimension couldn't be missed.
Hartley sat in the lotus position, controlled his breathing, closing his eyes and entering into meditation.
Instantly he was swallowed up by the churning mist, hands on his thighs and face relaxed.
***
Seasons came and went, sometimes Hartley's handsome face would display a pinched frown, sometimes it was calm and neutral.
Time flowed by continually, years went by in a blink, suddenly the tattoo above Hartley's heart started flashing, the mist in his immediate vicinity was tinted blue, churning around him as if he was swallowed up by violent swells.
Lost in meditation Hartley had a weird dream, in fact more than a dream, it was like an outer body experience.
He was living through what he assumed was an alternate reality, or maybe remnants of a fractured past, which one it was, He wasn't sure.
This vision took him back many millenniums, at that time the heavens were ruled by a race of mighty people who called themselves First-Worlders.
These powerful people created a genuine Utopia, their civilization had no poverty, suffering or hierarchy. Everyone was equal and enjoyed the same standard.
After enjoying happiness and contentment for a long period of time, these well-meaning people decided to share their Utopia.
They had seen the sufferings of the mortal realm, mortal men cowered before beats, often times seen as just food, but men were resilient. They suffered the beasts, the cold, the heat, but still they survived.
The First-Worlders sent representatives down to lower realms, teaching men how to control and harness the power from the world and it's elements, this was a mission to enlighten the laymans of the lower realms, intending to empower them to end hunger and suffering, and carve out their own Utopia down on the lower planes.
Contrary to the naive First-Worlders, the lower realms took these teachings and created wars, established Kings and Kingdoms, then oppressed or killed the weak.
Hartley watched as the history unfolded in front of his eyes as if he was living it first hand.
In the beginning the pocket dimension was one of the first artefacts gifted to the mortals, its sole purpose was to drastically shorten the time it took to teach mortals how to harness power from their environment.
Instead, the mortals who had gained their footing, waged brutal and bloody wars to take control of the artefact.
Betrayal, blood and death became its only rewards.
After witnessing the wars ravaging the lower realms, the First-Worlders decided to seal the artefact, trapping some of he most power-hungry humans inside.
Safe to say, the mission of bringing Utopia to the savage lower realms was promptly abandoned, leaving them to their own fate. From then on the heavens fought against anyone trying to ascend from the mortal realm, segregating all realms and planes from the highest heavens.
Decades turned to centuries and over a span of thousands of years, the seal on the pocket dimension gradually decayed, drawing vitality from the lands around it. Slowly transforming lush and fertile lands into barren deserts.
it was the law of equal exchange, the pocket dimension needed an infinite power source and Hartley knew just where to get it.
Hartley's eyes flicked open with a bright blue gleam that cut through the mist.
There was no telling how many years had passed while entranced in his vision, his face hadn't aged but his robe was dry rotted and crumbling from his back.
Hartley knew what he had to do now.
He slowly began merging the pocket dimension and his inner world.
***
"Nine years has just melted away," Zhi Ruo said with a frown, "I wonder if he's succeeded."
"I'm sure he will if he hasn't already," Kang answered, placing a cup of steaming tea in front of her.
"You need to stay focused on your own breakthrough." He said, looking straight in her eyes.
Zhi Ruo accepted the hot beverage, nodded and took a sip.
Kang sat down across the table with a sigh, even though it has been so many years, his eyes still couldn't get used to the dilapidated state of the Cambridge camp.
One has to understand that Kang kept his estate in pristine condition at all times, he was what some people would describe as a perfectionist.
The two had just returned from one of their patrols at the perimeter of the camp.
Qin Li and Commander Genk had left years ago, opting to wonder the pocket dimension in search of strength and experience.
"Commander Genk should also be close to a breakthrough." Kang mused to himself.
Zhi Ruo and Kang had stayed to help protect the camp. In truth Kang had found out that his brother was one of the ancestors who brought elemental cultivation to the pocket dimension.
At this moment Patriarch Wushang came into the domed structure, sunlight was pouring in through its cracked crystal roof.
Li Na trailed by his side like a trusted bodyguard.
The old Patriarch was visibly aging by the year, what was left of his hair was almost all gone now, a few stubborn strands were still clinging on for dear life on the side of his head.
Patriarch Wushang smiled, the creases at the corner of his eyes were accentuated even more.
He would often times indulge Kang with stories of his long lost brother, it was one of the perks that made Kang stay and not run off on his own adventure.
As they exchanged greetings and all sat to enjoy some tea and snacks, the entire world seemed to pulse violently, before anyone could react there was a second more violent pulse. Dust came raining down from the unstable roof, form a thin haze in the room.
First there were a few shocked voices and frantic footsteps outside, then there was full on chaos and panic after the second pulse, there was no such thing as an earthquake in the pocket dimension, this was a new experience for the rattled natives.
Amidst the noise, Li Na pointed a finger at the window, her eyes wide and her voice trembling as she said "look!"
Through the window the entire eastern sky was sapphire blue.