After such an intense battle, the room stillness made the entire event feel like a dream, though calling it a nightmare may be a more accurate description. The demons were breathing heavily and cautiously looked at the massive crystal in the center of the room. Many of them expected the boy to come crashing out of the crystal.
Observing how everyone was looking, Melidoristria spoke to Dominaster, their leader. "We should have tried to fight him, instead of banishing him and his comrades." Her disdain at what she felt was cowardice could be heard in her tone.
"If I require your opinion, I would ask for it, Melidoristria!" Dominaster pointed a finger at her, to drive the point in.
All the other demons looked at him with interest in their eyes. Being the leader of the demons meant that they would be someone capable of demonstrating their strength, so Dominaster's choice in altering the spell and activating the crystal was met with mixed feelings. Some like Diblester and Jalestria viewed his behavior with amusement.
Melidoristria scoffed at the way he tried to intimidate her. All of them knew that she was likely the strongest fighter in their group, so trying to pressure her was meaningless and only to highlight how frazzled his mind was.
"Obviously, we were weakened by the trap that monkey used to contain us." Dominaster tried to rationalize the events that took place. "If we were at full power, not even the gods would be able to beat us."
"Instead of bickering and making excuses, we should find out how long we have been gone. Those self-righteous gods have likely noticed our absence and are likely searching for us. I would rather not have them lecture me, again." Apasteria, their strategist, mentioned to all of them.
Laughing at that image, the prideful Yelanester stated, "those gods would not even be able to push through their goals if we are not there to help them."
"They can not help being prudes and old fashioned in their thinking, trying to make people see themselves as pure and selfless. I do not understand the need to regularly be seen like that when you could be having fun." Levistria said, looking at her fingernails.
"We should just end things with them, and show who is the true rulers of this world. This need to share the world and be friends is unnecessary, especially when our armies are larger and stronger!" Ulister demanded.
His twin looked frustrated at how she could share so many similarities but still have such an idiot for a twin. "If we could have done that, do you not think we would have proceeded with such a move?" Ulistria sighed while shaking her head. "Your impatience will eventually lead to your demise, brother. At least you should balance it with intelligence."
The two of them glared at one another, being a norm for those two.
"I would not mind impaling those gods alongside the other creatures they enjoy receiving praises from," Venalistria looked entertained by the thought.
"Enough! I tire with all of your talking." Dominaster said, annoyed. "At least we should leave this place, and meet the gods and see what they think."
All of them began moving out of the room, and after climbing the stairs, each of them made wings burst from their back, and they flew out of the dungeon.
-------
"Welcome to my store, Mary! The weather is wonderful isn't it?" The store owner, William, greeted her. "You look as lovely as ever!"
Blushing from his flattery, Mary said, "Yes, the weather is pleasant."
"What fantastic food will you be making, today?" William guided her into his grocery store.
"I was thinking of making a chicken dish, with some type of cream covering the dish alongside glazed vegetables." She politely answered.
Picturing the dish in his mind, William's face revealed how much he would enjoy eating that dish.
Heading into the store, she grabbed a device called a cart and rolled it in front of her. Occasionally, Mary would stop and grab an item from a shelf and deposit it into the cart. She hummed a lovely tune and greeted other customers as she passed by them.
Saying that life inside of this city being different compared to other locations would be an understatement. Even the most fundamental nature of an organized society was removed. Each of the items taken and placed into the cart had no direct costs to customers entering the store. If this were another city, William would be living on the streets with this type of set up. In this city, a person is assigned a living space based on the needs of the individual or family, and products and services inside of the city have no costs. This means that William set up this store due to his enjoyment in handling goods and interacting with people.
The process of creating the store is easy, with him just needing to go to the related administrative building and placing a request. When that building gets a request for a new building or business, they contacted anyone that provides the services, and if there are none, then golems do the work. She remembered asking if there could be a situation where everyone wanted to create the same business, and the people living here laughed at her and said that they could also make more room to accommodate the person.
When she first arrived in the city and found William's store, she asked him where he received all the items inside, and he explained that the city was divided into various districts and one of the districts was dedicated to gathering and creating the items found in the Shopping District. If he found a particular item decreasing, then he just needed to contact the related office the city runs, and they would deliver more. William thought it was unbelievable how the office was very good at predicting when he would need a particular product. He had talked to one of the agents, and they explained that they used a field called statistics to predict things.
Once Mary had gathered all the things she needed, which was not much considering she didn't need to buy more to try and get a better deal, she waved good bye to William.
"Mary, we should get together and have some dinner whenever you're free!" William called out to her when she left his establishment.
Mary looked back and gave him a smile, and waved her hand at him to give him a noncommittal answer. William looked a little dejected, after being rejected for the umpteenth time. Walking through the streets of the city was very relaxing. One of the biggest thing that would be noticed is how friendly and outgoing everyone is. With how the economy worked, people were no longer stressed about living, and it showed on their face. With how people were able to pursue what they wanted and didn't have to focus on worrying what they were going to eat or where they were going to sleep, crime seemed to have been eliminated. Hearing that crime appeared to be gone, she was very skeptical, but after seeing how contributing for theft, drugs, violence was removed she could understand it. She hadn't lived here long enough to hear about murder, but she did learn that those who had a propensity for violence were, usually, discovered very early. Those in the city said that this was due to the cities education system, which trained people in various military tactics. She was surprised to learn about how everyone had access to these schools, the level they taught, and teaching people of all ages received.
People in the streets told her how there were individuals who belonged to a group that helped to police the city, finding those who may be a danger to themselves and others. Those individuals would either intervene into conflicts or determine if there's a way for the instigator to stay inside of the city. Initially, people were appalled at how efficiently people were processed to leave the city, but after learning that those banished were provided with transportation and sufficient earnings not just to survive, everyone found the set up acceptable. In the worst cases, the person would be executed on the spot. Unlike in other cities, these people who enforced the peace were highly trained and without mercy.
"Mary!" A voice called out to her.
Looking towards the sound of the voice, Mary saw that it was a friend of hers. "Hello, Eve. How is your day going, so far?"
"Those spawns are draining me of my energy," Eve complained.
"You should have someone look after them and give yourself a break," Mary suggested.
"And let someone else have all the fun?!" Eve feigned shock and horror. Both of them laughed at the idea. "I still can't believe I was able to find this place," she repeated once again. "After what happened to me, being forced by that noble and getting pregnant, I didn't know what I was going to do. I had seen plenty of women, in my line of work, who had to beg for scraps as they cared for their children. What kind of man wants to pay for a woman, when children are crying in the room."
Mary placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "you're here now. You did a good job at raising beautiful twin girls and have everything you need to bring them up."
"Yes. If it wasn't for the Master of this city, I don't know what would have happened to me." Eve praised her fortune.
"It was very fortunate that you overheard those merchants talking about this city," Mary said to her.
"How about you? You never talk about how you wound up here. Plenty of men have been trying to get me to find out for them. I know that you prefer your independence, but I worry about you being alone in that place of yours." Eve tried to coax some information out of her.
"As I was traveling to the next town, I happened to catch a ride from a merchant who was on his way here. With the money I had on me, along with other tradeable services, I was able to purchase passage to this wonderful place." She laughed, seeing Eve's expression. "It isn't anything to be saddened about. I'm used to being alone and enjoy my privacy, though I have enjoyed getting to know you." Mary winked at Eve.
Eve gave Mary a hug, saying, "I also enjoy being your friend. Even though this place has provided me with so much, I value having you as a friend." Grinning at Mary, Eve suggested, "why don't we grab some of that stuff they call ice cream? Sarah enjoys playing with the children, so I have a little time to hang out with you."
"Sounds like you finally found a good sitter?" Mary giggled.
They chatted as they headed over to one of the nearby shops that served ice cream. There were already people sitting at the tables enjoying the cold and sugary dish, so they sat at one of the outside stools. Mary placed her items into the chilled box meant for customers when they were out shopping for food.
When the sun began to set to signal the beginning of the night, Mary waved at Eve and walked back to her apartment.
Going up the stairs, she made her way to her home and entered the dark room. Putting the grocery into the cold box, she stood in the dark room. "What do you have to report?"
"We are ready to infiltrate them, Mistress Shade." The shadow informed her.
Shade smiled.
-----
Han got up from the ground, looking around at his surroundings. There was a slight dizziness as he stood up, bringing a hand to his head. Around him were his classmates, who were all laying on the ground still unconscious, at least that's what he assumed. His creations were recovering shortly after he did, but they seemed affected to a greater degree.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Seeing Selestra laying on the ground, he rushed over to where she was. The first thing he did was check her pulse, and feeling one he was relieved. Placing a hand on her cheek, he used healing magic and soon saw her eyes begin to open up.
"Yi..." Selestra started to say.
"Do not exert yourself. It seems that we were transported to someplace. How are you feeling?" Han gently asked her, helping her up.
"I am fine. You do not need to worry about me." Selestra saw the concern in his eyes.
"Master, you are fine!" Brittany rushed to him and got down on one knee. "We have failed you, Master!" Her voice filled with shame, on not performing her duties.
"We have failed you, Master!" His other creations joined Brittany.
Han looked at each of them and calmly said, "we all share responsibility for what happened. I did not expect them to so quickly activate the very trap used on them to contain us. It seems like those demons are on the same level of power as the gods of this world, so it would be understandable that it was able to affect us. If not for that last minute blast, we would have been able to withstand it. It was my carelessness."
"Master!!" All of them said, shocked at his words.
"It is our duty to protect you! Please, do not lower yourself!" Anacolis cried out.
"Yes, Master! My sister speaks truly! It is us that deserves punishment." Aracia spoke up.
Han lifted up his hand to stop them from continuing. "All that is important is we are still alive. There is no longer a need for you to beat yourselves up for what happened in the past. Let us first see where we are." Accessing the system, he found out their location.
Forgotton Continent
Once, before the time of the gods and demons, the Ones Before lived on the Forgotten Continent. Their numbers were few, so they longed for companionship. With their powers, they created Eletran and all the creatures on it. This required them to use a vast amount of their forces, but they were happy. Descending onto Eletran, they fell in love with their creations and soon the gods and demons were born from the unions of the Ones Before and their creations. As time moves on, soon the ones before slowly had their abilities diminished. They vanished, and the Forgotten Continent soon became a myth.
"It appears that we are on one of the moons of Eletran." He murmured.
"These Ones Before seemed to be powerful beings," Queen said, after reading the system description sent by Han.
"So the gods and demons are the children of the Ones Before?" Selestra was a little confused, after hearing this information.
"It appears to be the case," Han remarked.
"Making babies," Brittany whispered, giggling to herself.
Han felt a little chill going down his spine, after hearing that. Everyone else seemed to lock onto what Brittany said, and they shared a similar look.
"Yi..." a weakened voice called out to him.
Relieved for the sudden distraction, Han looked back and saw that Ha-Yoon had woken up. She looked to be in a sorry state, her eyes not in focus and rolling around as she tried to gain focus on her surroundings.
He walked over to her and gently lifted up her head with one hand and placed his arm around her to support her back. "How are you feeling?"
"What h-happened?" she stuttered, still looking disoriented.
"The demons used the mana crystal to pull us into the place they were trapped. It seems we were transported to another area, maybe outside of the world." He commented.
"What do you mean 'outside of the world'?" Ha-Yoon tried to look around at her surroundings. There were trees and other items that made it look as they were still on Eletran.
Han simply pointed up and guided Ha-Yoon's eyes. When she followed where Han was pointing, her eyes widened in alarm.
"W-w-what is that?!" She cried out.
"That would be Eletran."
"W-wait! How are we going to get back?!" She realized after seeing the world she came from in front of her eyes.
Han sighed, understanding how confusing all of this could be. The effects of the travel were enough to make him feel a little dizzy, so he could only imagine what it was doing to her mind. Helping her up, Han held onto her to make sure that she didn't fall over.
"We will just need to find a way to return to our world." Han put it simply.
Ha-Yoon was only able to dumbly nod in agreement, though it was evident that she didn't feel that was possible. Looking at the students laying on the ground, she began to regain her mental faculties. "What happened to everyone? Are they still okay?" She tried to move towards them, but Han made sure to hold onto her tightly. If he weren't holding onto her, she would have fallen over.
"They are just unconscious. It seems as if that spell was potent, understandable considering who it was meant to capture. It is only reasonable to expect that humans and beast people would be affected by the transportation." He reassured her.
As they were talking, many of the adventurers became conscious. They went through a similar situation as Ha-Yoon, so Han carefully explained the information he presented to Ha-Yoon. It wouldn't be wise on his part to give out more since he didn't enjoy the idea of them getting suspicious about who he was. Han wondered if this is how a game developer would feel like if he could go into a game and manipulate the code. Even if you could find out how the game ended, it wouldn't be enjoyable to peek ahead. Also, having the NPCs be aware that they are NPCs isn't the best idea.
----
Several hours had passed before everyone recovered from the incident. Many of the students were distraught once they learned that they might be unable to return to their homes. Ha-Yoon did a good job at trying to reassure the students, giving them hope that they may be able to escape their present circumstances.
The adventurers were a lot calmer, compared to the students. Even though they may be feeling overwhelmed by everything, they did a good job at hiding their feelings.
"Are you guys doing okay?" Han asked one of the adventurers.
The adventurer looked over at the students, and said, "giving into feelings of hopelessness is the worst thing we could be doing. It offers no solution while making things several times worse. I do admit that the idea we may be stuck here is a scary thought."
"The real problem is that if this place is the same location the demons were sealed, then the odds we could find a way out is highly unlikely. I mean, those things were sealed since the first Overflow." Another adventurer chimed in, as he held back the fear in his voice.
Nearby adventurers overhearing their conversation nodded their head, considering they had reached a similar conclusion.
"How is it you're so powerful?" An adventurer asked him, after a moment of silence had passed.
The adventurer he had spoken to initially also looked curious about it. "Yeah. You seemed to be able to go head to head with those demons, who seemed very surprised when you did."
"That is because I am a god." He looked at the adventurer with a serious expression.
Everyone fell silent after hearing his comment, but they began laughing at what he said. Han also joined in the laughter.
"You're a pretty funny guy. I don't know how you're so strong, but we're very fortunate you were. My name is Clouse. He's Wel. And he's Frank." The adventure he first talked to introduced himself.
"It is nice to meet you. You can just call me Yi, and obviously, you know that I am a student at the Academy." He joyfully said to them. Sometimes the best way to hide something was just to tell the truth, though if it did come out, then he wouldn't worry about it.
"Yi," Ha-Yoon walked up to him, nodding to the adventurers. "We should probably think about what we will be doing, regarding finding a way out of here or living here for who knows how long."
"Well... when you are lost, and you know that no help is coming, the best bet is to just choose a direction because any direction is the best route to take." Han casually mentioned. There was a particular cat in a book that gave similar advice to a character, and it seemed to fit this moment well.
Ha-Yoon appeared stressed after hearing his answer. He understood where she was coming from, being a teacher who wanted to keep her students safe.
A part of her seemed to understand what was happening and accepted what Han was saying. "What are we going to do about supplies?" She asked.
"I made sure to store away a lot of supplies, those who came with me also have plenty stored away. We will be fine for now, but we should probably see if there are any resources available." He lied to her. Though this place was able to contain those demons, he was confident that he wouldn't have any issues. The issue was likely due to them being unable to manipulate space-time, which was easy for him to do. If things got too serious, he would intervene into the situation, but Han was interested in seeing where this led him to.
With one less thing to worry about, Ha-Yoon gave him a smile. "A part of me feels like we do not need to worry as long as you are near."
"You are doing fine. This situation is not something that anyone has faced, so it is natural that you are feeling like you playing everything by ear." He reassures her.
"Thank you, Yi. I am glad that you are here." She said and walked back to where the students were.
Watching her walking back, Han got up and stretched. "I think it may be a good idea for us to have a warm dinner and a place to sleep." Ignoring the questioning looks from the adventurers, he headed towards an area that had plenty of space and pictured several large tents, with plenty of home comforts inside. Luxurious tents appeared out of nowhere, causing students and adventurers to shout in surprise.
Looking at the tents with pride, he snapped his fingers and tested out a theory of his. Several maids appeared and bowed their heads. "You have summoned us, Master?" The leader asked.
"Have the chef cook up enough food to feed everyone here. There is no rush, but I would prefer it to happen sooner rather than later." He instructed her.
Just as quickly as they came, they disappeared.
"What were those things??!!" Ha-Yoon came running up to him, the shock was written all over her face.
"You already know that I have some skills in summoning magic, and those were creatures I made a pact with. They have the ability to prepare food and help with supply issues." He blatantly lied to her.
"I have never heard summoning magic being used by a person, other than in legends, let alone what you just did!" She refused to accept his half-hearted explanation.
"Do not mind the small details. Let us just say that my bloodline has a bit more power than the average magic family." He dodged her question.
"No! I want an explanation now! There are just too many things that are connected to you that do not make sense!" She vehemently denied his escape path.
Seeing Brittany and his creations heading towards him, reacting towards Ha-Yoon's outburst, he motioned them to stop. Looking at Ha-Yoon glaring at him, he sighed and thought it might be good to throw her a doggy bone. "Fine. I will answer a little of your questions." Raising three fingers, Han said, "you get to ask three questions." A part of him felt like those mythical creatures on Earth who were forced to make deals with humans that found them.
He indicated for her to enter the nearest tent, where he proceeded to sit at one of the many sofas. This was designed for a large group, so there were plenty of couches. While Ha-Yoon was amazed by the interior, he quickly thought of believable lies he could tell.
Ha-Yoon took a seat across from him, looking slightly dazed. There were definitely a lot of things that were going on today.
"What are your three questions?" Han leaned back into the sofa.
"What is your background?"
"That is a very broad question. I come from a family with a unique bloodline." He shrugged his shoulders.
"What does that even mean?!" Ha-Yoon looked frustrated.
"It means that I have abilities that others do not have." Han grinned at her. He raised up his index finger, to indicate only one question remained.
"Wait!! You need to give me more than that!" She pleaded with him.
Ignoring her protest, Han said, "What is your last question?"
She took a little more time with her last question. He could tell that she wanted to flood him with questions, but it would ruin the enjoyment he was having.
"How powerful are you?" She looked at him with serious eyes.
Considering her question, he placed a finger on his chin. "Let us say that there is not a person that can threaten me." Seeing that she was not satisfied, he suggested, "how about we enjoy some tea." Sweeping a hand between them, he made a table and tea set materialize.
"How...?"
"This should give you a hint of my power." Han winked at her.
Shaking her head, and understanding that he didn't have to answer her, she picked up one of the cups and smelled the contents. "This has a very nice fragrance." Taking a sip, the stress she was holding in seemed to melt away.
"Feeling better?" He asked her.
Smiling at him, she asked, "what kind of tea is this?"
"It is called Chamomile Tea. Drinking can help calm the nerves, and I have found it very useful. I just tweaked it a little, to make it faster acting."
Looking impressed, she continued to drink more of it. Leaning back into the seat, Ha-Yoon sighed.
"Master, the food has been prepared." One of the maids entered the tent.
"Serve it to those who are hungry. Help set up someplace for them to enjoy the meal. Ha-Yoon and I will be dining here." He indicated the small table between them.
As the food was placed between them, Ha-Yoon looked impressed by the setup. "I wish you would be more giving when it comes to who you are." She glared at him but dived into the food.
From the sounds she made, Han knew that she, like everyone else, was enjoying the meal. He also began to eat the food.
After the meal had been eaten, they enjoyed the comforting feeling that comes with consuming enjoyable food.
"Yi, do you really believe that everything will be okay?" Ha-Yoon asked him, as she lay on the sofa and stared at the ceiling.
Looking at Ha-Yoon, Han answered, "it is too soon for us to be worried about what has happened. These are the types of things you should worry about after we have been here for months."
Ha-Yoon nodded her head drowsily at his reply. Soon, Han could hear the sound of her deep breathing and knew that she had fallen asleep. Knowing how stressed she was, Han had made her tea slightly more potent. Getting up, he lifted her up like she was a princess in a fairy tale.
Taking her to one of the bed chambers, he laid her on top of one of the beds and covered her with a blanket. As he was walking away, about to tell one of the maids to let her sleep in peace, Ha-Yoon suddenly said, "please. Don't hurt me. Why won't anyone help me? Mommy."
Han looked back at her and saw that she was talking in her sleep. Walking up to the bed, he could see that she was having a nightmare. Tears were streaming down her face, along with her face contorted in pain.
Making a chair appear next to the bed, Han sat down and took Ha-Yoon's hand into his own. "I am here. You are safe. I won't let anyone harm you." Han gently whispered as he stroked her hand.
Hearing his soothing words, her face slowly relaxed. No longer did she look to be suffering, and instead reminded him of a certain princess sleeping in a castle.
As he looked at her face, he wondered what her life was like for her to make such an expression. Being a person who valued his privacy, Han decided not to intrude onto hers. He would wait until she felt comfortable talking to him.
"Yi..." Ha-Yoon softly spoke, a smile on her face.
----
Ha-Yoon woke up feeling relaxed and refreshed. She couldn't remember the last time she had such a good sleep. Seeing her surroundings, she put together what had happened. A part of suspected that the tea she drank was a bit stronger than what it normally was. Considering how well she slept, Ha-Yoon didn't blame Yi for doing what he did.
Turning her head, she was alarmed to see Han resting in a chair. Looking down, she realized that he was holding her hand. She could feel her face heating up, after seeing him tenderly holding her hand. Looking at his face, she wondered who he was and where he came from. Though he looked young, she always got an impression that he was older than he appeared.
Feeling his hand on hers, she left behind those thoughts and gently removed her hand from his. This action made Yi slowly wake up, and the two ended up staring into one another's eyes.
"G-good morning," Ha-Yoon stammered and blushed from giving such a reaction.
"Seems like you have had a good night sleep?" Yi inquired, smiling at her reaction.
"It was adequate," she pouted at his impertinence. She was his teacher, and he was actually treating her like a little kid!
"That is good. Judging by the smell in the air, I believe breakfast is being served?" He commented. "How about you stay here, and I will bring you some food."
Ha-Yoon watched as he casually walked out of the room, the cloth that separated the rooms fluttering over him. After he had left, she thought about how his hands felt on his, and it made her smile. She slapped both of her hands onto her cheeks, feeling the sting. "What are you thinking?" She berated herself.
"You already understand your place in this world." She bitterly thought to herself, thinking about what he would think of the thoughts that went through her mind. Thinking about him, she realized that her body wasn't reacting how it usually had. She wondered if it had anything to do with the way they sucked into that mana crystal.
"Am I free?" She thought to herself. Tears began to well up in her eyes but were quickly wiped away. "No. The moment we get back, he will rectify the situation."
A part of her thought about what Yi had told her, and a thought crossed her mind. Before it could fully form, she vehemently shook her head. "No. I will not jeopardize someone for my own issues."
Ha-Yoon heard the sound of Yi coming back and the smell of food wafting ahead of him. She quickly tried to fix her face with the blanket and thought cheerful things to hide how she was feeling.
"Looks like you are in for a treat," Yi said, placing the food on her lap. "You enjoy the food, and if you need to there is a washing area in this tent." He gave her a cheerful smile and proceeded to leave the room.
Looking down at the food, she was blown away by how extravagant it looked. Not even at that man's house was the food this great. Bringing the food to her mouth, the flavors exploded inside her mouth. "Delicious!" She exclaimed and began to shovel the food into her mouth.
----
After eating the food, she got up from the bed, setting aside the tray for the maid to take away. Just thinking that there were maids that he summoned made her feel like this was all a dream. How could one person have such abilities? It was as if he was a god that was fooling around. Laughing at the thought, she proceeded to remove her leather armor and clothing. Being a former adventurer, she always made sure to wear protection which was both comfortable and practical. You never knew when you would be on a mission that demanded sleeping outside under a tree.
Leaving the bed chamber, she saw that there was another room that had a bathing area set up. There was an area to wash and soak inside of a copper tub. Sitting on one of the stools, she began to clean. Lathering herself up, she was reminded of who owned her. There were lashes across her body and various burn marks. He was never kind and enjoyed a wide variety of techniques. The only thing that made it bearable was the drugs he made her take. She remembered all those times where everything was in a fog. During those times, every humiliating and painful thing made her feel amazing.
Covered in soap suds, she held herself feeling ashamed at how she could enjoy such things. How he laughed whenever she begged for more, with a giant smile on her face. He would make her look into a mirror so that she could see the kind of disgusting expression she was making. Unable to hold back the feelings, she cried alone.
----
"I think today we need to try and figure out if there is a way out of here." Han talked to his friends and creations.
"Not even the demons were able to escape from this place," Selene said, confused at what Han was getting at.
"Yeah. If the demons couldn't leave, then what can we do?" Jim agreed.
"There is no such thing as a prison that can not be broken out of." He sighed in frustration.
"I think we should listen to what Yi is saying. The person who made this trap did not seem to create this place, so there may be a way out. It could be a method that demons could not use." Selestra said, trying to cheer everyone up.
"Just staying here is not a sound strategy," Queen stated, agreeing with Han.
"I also agree," Ha-Yoon's voice said to them. Looking behind him, he saw her walking towards them.
"Just staying here could be equally as dangerous, so we may as well try and see if there is a way out." She continued.
-----
As everyone began to get ready to leave, though there was not much for them to pack considering all of their supplies weren't with them inside Forgotten Continent, Han thought about where they should head off to.
With his knowledge, he knew that this place was the home for the Ones Before and not the demons. There was a chance that the Ones Before had the ability to transport themselves, but considering how their magic was severely weakened after creating the world they came from it was more likely they had a device that could transport them.
They had talked for a bit more before everyone was ready. Ha-Yoon placed herself where everyone could see her. When everyone was listening, she said, "I know that everyone is worried about what will be happening in the future. We are trapped in a far away place, away from our loved ones." She paused to let her words sink in. "But we can not allow ourselves to fall into despair. If there is a way to leave this place, we will find it! You are students of the greatest Academy, and I have faith that you will all succeed. By working together, we can accomplish anything that stands in our way!"
Though people didn't seem very encouraged by her speech, it at least allowed them to hold onto hope. This kind of situation was where Hope was necessary.
Picking a direction, they began walking through the forest. Compared to what was on Eletran, the forest was very dense. This made traveling slow for a group their size. Even though they have yet to run into anything dangerous, they needed to keep the mentality of there being something that could appear.
----
After traveling for several hours, the forest started to thin out. More rocks appeared, making it look as if something was corrupting the forest.
As more of the greenery began to be replaced with the sinister landscape, Selene asked, "does anyone else have a feeling like we're being watched?"
"Shit," Han said, looking at Selene.
Selene looked back at Han, confused by his reaction.
"What's wrong?" Jim asked.
He sighed, and said, "there are just some things you never say out loud."
In the distance, all of them could hear the roaring and snarling of monsters, as the ground trembled.
"Yep. Things you never say out load..." Han muttered.