He felt a strong feeling lingering down his throat. It almost felt like someone scrapped a toothpick inside. His shoulders slumped as he exhaled. His hands turned the knob, allowing him to take a step out of the motel.

Ah, what a pain. It was pouring a storm.

He ran out of the motel and sought cover. The droplets crushed the ground with force. His eyesight was distorted as if he were gazing through a filthy window. He was the only man on the planet. No one was outside, which wasn’t surprising considering how furious the clouds were.

His feet slapped the puddles with every step. Water bounced off the ground and back into the air, only to return. His hands covered his brows as if he were awkwardly saluting, though it didn’t work very well.

He finally found an alleyway between the buildings covered by the attached roofs. The structure was odd yet convenient, so he raced over there, escaping from the clouds' fury.

He stretched his arms and felt the old walls of the neighboring buildings. They weren’t perfectly smooth, but rigid bumps rendered its elderly stone.

His clothes stuck onto him like an extra layer of skin. He kept tugging his shirt off his chest, but it was useless. Wearing a tight shirt in the rain wasn’t a good idea.

He brought his wrist towards his chest, keeping a light distance.

“2A, I call your name for your assistance.”

The circular, black device on his wrist emitted an aqua light.

"Hello, Avery. What may I assist you with? "The tone was robotic and womanly.

Avery cleared his throat, coughing to remove the disgusting phlegm. “I call your name for guidance. Now, please, show me the way to Lotus 23.”

The device wasn’t ordinary. It could do anything, from telling the time to reading thermal energy behind a wall. It could change its shape to whatever the user wanted it to be. Well, to an extent. This thing could do it all. It was one of the most advanced carry-on items that Ionia had to offer. For it to be in his hands felt amazing yet terrifying.

A sizable 3D hologram popped up from 2A. Judging by its unique shape, it was the royal palace. He slowly spun the hologram, looking at every angle possible. The only entrance was the front. He couldn’t idiotically barrage into the front since that was inviting disaster. He could break into a window, but that would cause some noise.

He pulled his short hair.

This wasn’t going anywhere. How would he accomplish his one task if he couldn't get in? Think. Was there any other way?

“2A, suggest me an entrance.” It was all up to the device now.

The hologram of the palace morphed into a random cave.

“This cave will lead you into an underground entrance. From there, you will be able to reach Lotus23. May I pinpoint its location?”

There was a feeling of uneasiness within him. He wanted the device not to give such a discrete way in. He could've gone back, claiming it was difficult even to enter. But either way, they wouldn’t have bit on his bullshit.

This was his mission. Four years of planning had led to this moment. If it slipped away, how would they react back home? There was no choice but to solemnly give the go for its location.

The cave was around a five-minute walk. Running would cut the time in half, maybe more. But because of the downpour, there was no choice but to run. According to his location, he was at the edge of the city. Conveniently, the cave wasn’t on the other side, or else that would’ve been a hassle.

He took a deep breath and bolted towards his destination. 2A guided him there with her voice. Avery brushed off his disoriented eyesight and ran through Mother Nature’s wrath. The tar-black clouds gloomed over, preventing any natural light from shining.

An umbrella would be perfect right now. He could easily change 2A’s appearance to one, killing her battery. He didn’t want to take the risk, so he allowed the rain to bully him.

"Arrived"

Avery charged inside the cave, and his shoulders felt slightly lighter before he knew it. No more water was beating his body. The planet must have moved slowly since those few minutes felt much longer than usual.

“2A, light, please.”

"As you wish."

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Still in its watch appearance, a white light gleamed through its black circle. The once pitch-black cave glowed with enough light to illuminate a town.

2A gave him directions while he walked deeper into the semi-broad cave. He heard nothing but his breath, footsteps, and the hint of rain from above. Walking through an alien land was nail-biting, not knowing what to expect. The walls and floors were stone, which seemed pretty old to him.

Why was the inside coated with stone? And it wasn’t any stone. This stone was smooth and pleasing to the touch. This place had to be used for something.

Out of nowhere, a flock of birds swept across the area's apex, and screeching shrieks echoed in the halls. He ducked down with both hands over his head, not moving a muscle. He couldn’t tell what birds they were.

Were they bats?

He’d never seen one before, but he heard stories that if someone were bit, they’d become a vampire. It was child's talk. How could a simple bite turn someone into a supernatural being? But what if it wasn’t gibberish? He slapped himself across the face, snapping out of it.

He got back up and continued to follow 2A’s instructions. This led him to a hallway with a prison cell, its door wide open. Did someone forget to close it? He wasn’t aware that the king held prisoners.

Death was the only punishment. That’s what he was taught and believed. He flashed the light through the bars. Not a soul was inside.

His head turned away, but something bugged him. A demonic voice at the back of his mind kept demanding him to go inside the cell. It repeated itself on a loop. That voice showed up whenever Avery was in a sticky situation and lacked the guts to make the correct decisions for himself. When it does, Avery is intermingled with a spell of doing whatever that voice tells him to do. But it was weird for it to show up now. He didn’t feel harmed, so why did the voice tell him to go inside?

Like a puppet on strings, he was controlled by the voice and went inside the cell. After carelessly shining the floor, he saw it. So that’s what the voice wanted him to see. It was a thin metal object that looked like some jewelry. He crept towards it to get a better look. It was a silver necklace with a half-circle. How cute. He picked it up, examining it closer. He noticed a few red stains coating the silver pendant.

Avery didn’t want to accept it. It was a tough pill to swallow. His hands quivered, intensely staring at the dried blood. That person was most likely murdered. Knowing that someone was here, just wanting to live, was killed in this eerie place sunk in his stomach.

Every murder is the end of someone’s story and also the start of another. No one can be the same after shedding blood. Avery saw it firsthand. It kills the bottled-up innocence. It’s the gravest sin one could do. If they were prisoners, they deserved a second go at life. Everyone does.

That’s what the City of Ionia did. When someone is convicted of something, we offer a task. And if successful, they earn their second go at life. Sometimes, it's unsuccessful, but they still desperately seek a second chance. Did these prisoners have that opportunity? Or were they brutally murdered just cause?

Avery stuffed the necklace into his pocket, tapping it several times to ensure it was there. He’ll take it home, so parts of the person will make it to paradise.

There were more cells along the way. He convinced himself not to check for time purposes. It was just past one in the morning, and he had to return before sunrise. He still had enough time to glance into each cell quickly. But after finding the first cell, he didn’t want to know what could lurk in the others.

Avery finally reached a stairwell that unevenly twirled upward. There were no railings, so every step had to be taken cautiously. His hands glided against the eerie gray stone, mimicking the atmosphere.

Could there be someone up there? 2A didn’t announce any danger, so he should be fine.

Avery lowered the brightness of the light. The door stood in his way. It felt inviting. One turn of the knob, and he’ll be a step closer to ending his mission. One turn of the knob, and he’ll be a step closer to betraying his friend.

The knob was dustier than cracks on the edge of a sidewalk. He attentively turned the knob and crept his head out, checking his surroundings before fully exposing his body. The coast was clear.

Avery didn’t need to check on his own. 2A could’ve told him if someone was approaching. Deep down, there probably was some level of paranoia.

"Arrived at Lotus 23."

He jumped and grabbed onto his heart, where there was a constant thudding that didn’t slow down. He completely forgot to lower its volume, which nearly gave him a heart attack.

Lotus 23. It was code for the king’s chamber. The origin of the name was unknown, but he never cared to ask. It’s not like it would’ve changed anything.

"Person detected inside the destination."

He jumped up, though not as much as the last time. He complained about the volume being high but didn’t lower it.

“2A, morph into P-09.”

"As you wish."

2A quietly changed her appearance to a handgun within a few blinks of an eye. The device was truly amazing.

One deep breath in and out. Calmness spread across his body like branches from a tree trunk. If his brain were in shambles, then it would only affect him.

Avery opened the door, squeezing his way through. The rain pounded on as each drop smashed the roof. The room glowed with darkness. Not a single ounce of light was present. He felt like a blind man looking for a black bunny that wasn’t there.

He whispered, “2A, give me some light.”

"P-09 does not have the ability to—"

He frantically slammed on the volume button, never lowering her volume until now. His chest beat harder than before. Did anyone hear the voice?

Within a few seconds, the lights magically turned on. There were no candles. It was all electricity. Some lamps resembled miniature city lamps. Ceiling lights that normal homes would have. Avery was stunned yet perplexed. How did an outsider have access to electricity?

He could get a good look at a royal room with the entire place lit up. The clean, maroon bed was surrounded by golden decor. The walls were all paintings of a garden. Multiple couches of royalty were settled at the far corner of the room. There was a small, round table that was available for two people. Well, it was available for two. Now, only one other person could take a seat.

Avery’s finger wasn’t on the trigger since the man in front was no threat. He wore a black, ankle-length cloak that matched the color of his beard. His appearance made it seem like he didn’t care about his status.

“Come here, my child. Take a seat.” His innocent voice offered me something Avery didn’t expect.