“What?!” Klein yelled. We had finished telling him about my dreams—and of how we crossed the barrier.

“It’s not good down there. I just know it,” I said.

“Wait wait wait,” he was shaking his hands as he spoke. “So Beth, Gregor, all of them down there?”

“I mean, we don’t know,” Aria said.

“With the clarity of everything I saw I can’t but believe it.” I said.

“I mean I’m not calling you a liar, Dex, but I’m finding it hard to believe that you saw the future like that,” he scratched the back of his head. “Here, let me try and message Gregor to clear this mess up.” He opened his menu and swiped over, typing a few words into the chat box and hit send. The message sent and he closed out the box.

“Well, he’s alive,” Klein said. “If he wasn’t it would’ve errored out. If he responds I’ll let you both know.”

He’s still alive? That’s great...although something doesn’t feel right. I’m sure that that dream wasn’t just that.

“Well, if you’re all ready to go we can continue forward. Hell, maybe we can even meet up with him if he’s crossed over.” Klein said. “Would be nice to store that second keystone, which, by the way, nice job.” He held out his thumb and forefinger. “Caught me way the hell off guard.”

“Yeah, you missed quite the fight,” Aria said.

“Ah well, maybe next time,” he said, and then looked down at Sam in his arms. “Little guy can sleep through anything, huh?”

“You look like a dad,” I joked. “A troubled dad, but a dad nonetheless.”

“Troubled? I’m not even in my thirties yet of course I’d be troubled! Gah, let’s go already.”

“Right behind you,” I said.

As the teleporter brought us to the real third floor I saw the stone walls shrink into nothingness—only to be replaced by buildings in the distance and a winding dirt road. The sides began to fill with grass and flowers of every color. The dirt starts to transition into a brick road halfway to the colony of buildings—the next town. To our right and left the flower fields extended into oblivion—their petals glowing into the sunlight.

“Wow, that’s absolutely gorgeous,” Aria said, her eyes brilliant.

“Hey Dex, isn’t this the part where you tell her that she’s even more gorgeous?” Klein said.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“You really are aching to be missed again, huh?” I asked.

Smiling she walked over and took my hand in hers as we continued together down the path and looked toward him. “You also happened to be away for quite a bit.”

“Woah now WAIT YOU JUST A SECOND.”

“What?”

“I MEAN WAIT A SECOND. WHEN?!”

“It doesn’t really matter, does it?” I asked. “It’s in the past. Loooong gone. Finito.” I started to laugh. “Just kidding. We made a promise to meet up when we got out of here.”

“Well why aren’t I in on this promise?” Klein pouted.

“You can be in on parts of it,” Aria said.

“Well, why don’t you two kiss already?” Klein goaded.

Aria looked him dead in the eyes and all at once I knew that look of a challenge accepted. She turned and planted her lips straight on mine, and then whipped back around to finish staring back at him. Game, Set, and Match. “That’s the second time, actually,” she said, and then let go of me.

“W-Wow. I didn’t actually think…well, I’m happy for the both of you. Just make sure you keep it together on the battlefield, okay?”

“Already working on it,” she said.

“Yeah, I guess I did see some of that. I have to hand it to you, Dex. You’ve improved a lot since I last saw you.”

I looked to her, her hair hangs close to her head, it looks full of sweat and clumps of dirt. We’re all so weary and yet even still she catches my gaze. “Yeah, I still have a lot to learn, but I feel more confident in myself,” I said.

“Good, I don’t need you two going all Romeo and Juliet on me,” he said.

“Who would that make me?” Klein asked.

“Tybalt.” The both of us said in unison.

“Aw, I don’t want to be the one that dies first,” Klein whined.

“You wouldn’t die first, remember, Mercutio dies first?” Aria said.

“Oh, well then I’m second to die, great,” he said, his feet nearly dragged along the ground now.

“Dude, it’s not like you’re destined to actually become Tybalt. It’s just a joke, you’re a little hotheaded like him, that’s all,” I said, chuckling.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“A laugh is all in good fun here, but I could use some rest. I don’t know how much more I can run after that,” Aria said, picking up her pace, but only slightly.

“Yeah, now that you mention it...I am feeling exhausted.”

“Damn, another one of the downsides of crossing that stupid barrier,” Aria said.

“Okay, okay,” Klein began, hiking Sam up closer to his shoulder. Let’s see if we can find an inn in this town up here, shall we?”

Sweet rest for even the shortest of times sake. Each step seemed to multiply in the weight I carried. I felt as if I ran any longer than under this heavy burden would I sink.