Al ran the dungeon with the black creatures for three more days until the dungeon got sticky. Mahya still hadn’t used her last run after it got sticky, and now that it was his last run, too, they wanted to do it together.
Rue and I escorted them to the dungeon and sat down to wait outside. Less than half an hour later, the portal of doom shifted—gray, light gray, white—and then they both appeared where the portal had been. Mahya still looked unhappy.
“What happened?” I asked.
She pulled out the core and showed it to me. It was less than five centimeters across—maybe four and a half.
“Baby?” I asked.
“Not exactly,” she said, turning it over. “The mana levels here are only 38, so I’d say it’s more like a teenager. The other dungeons we’ve cleared have probably been here since the integration, but this one? It’s newer, formed after.”
I nodded, thinking back on how easy that run had felt. “Makes sense. It definitely felt like a lightweight dungeon.”
Al glanced between us, already shifting his weight from foot to foot. “Next dungeon?”
I exchanged a look with Mahya, who shrugged, storing the core away. “Might as well,” she said, and Al grinned.
“Let’s get to it, then,” I said, heading toward the next portal.
It was strange how much lighter it felt this time around. The air was still thick with that unsettling dampness, the scent of earth and decay lingering, but the oppressive sense of danger from before had lessened.
As we entered, Mahya immediately took point, her rifle in hand, leading the way through the now-familiar tunnels. The faint rustle of webs clung to the cave walls, but there were fewer webs than last time, and fewer monsters.
“We know what we’re doing this time,” Mahya said over her shoulder, giving a small grin.
“Let us see if the reward justifies running it multiple times,” Al said.
When we spotted the first cluster of webs, I knew exactly what to do. With a flick of my wrist, I summoned a Blazing Orb—a small fireball, just the right size for burning through the sticky threads. The tiny sphere flared to life and glided ahead, lighting up the webs in a quick flash. They dissolved instantly, leaving the path clear.
“Well, that’s one way to make this faster,” Mahya said.
As we moved further, the monsters appeared, but fewer and less aggressive than before. The creatures were still unnerving, those spider-wolf hybrids skittering from the shadows, but we knew their tricks. I launched lightning bolts at them before they could fire webs, and Mahya’s bullets, combined with Al’s Wind Blades, dispatched them quickly. Rue bounded ahead, snapping at one creature and tossing it aside with little effort.
“They’re like weak versions of what we faced before,” Al muttered, slicing through one more. “Not as much of a challenge.”
It wasn’t long before we reached the final guardian, the same massive web-slinging beast from before, but it was slower this time. Less vicious. Mahya fired a few quick shots to keep it back, and I followed up with red lightning, which made short work of the guardian.
“Half the monsters, half the threat, half the reward,” I commented, touching the core after we finished the battle. Sure enough, the reward was half as much—just five meters of spider silk for each of us. Still good, but nothing compared to our first haul.
Mahya turned to me with a thoughtful look. “We could do this again in a few days. This dungeon’s a goldmine for silk.”
I glanced at the thin strands of silk in my hand. It was light, almost weightless, but strong enough to make excellent armor. “Yeah, I guess we’ll be making a few more trips back here. Hopefully, it doesn’t get too repetitive.”
“We should have checked when the dungeon regenerated,” Al said.
“You didn’t?” I asked.
“No,” Mahya said with a sigh. “That was my oversight. We should try entering it daily to determine the exact regeneration time.”
The entire run took us about two hours.
“Should we tackle the last dungeon today?” Al asked. “It’s still early, and the previous ones were easy.”
Mahya and I nodded, and we headed to the last dungeon.
The entrance—a shimmering, ink-black pool on the ground—looked just as unsettling as the first time. I gave a nod to the others, and we all took the plunge. The drop still sent my stomach flipping, but the sensation wasn’t as jarring this time. It was like diving into water, except the gravity felt backward. Rue yelped behind me, clearly as disoriented as the first time, but he followed without hesitation.
The atmosphere felt lighter when we exited the arch, and the tension from the first run was noticeably absent. There was no eerie sense of being watched this time, just a quiet, dense jungle surrounding us.
“Definitely fewer of them,” Mahya observed, looking around with her rifle ready.
Al nodded, his sword and shield in hand, though he seemed more at ease than before. “Yeah, this should be easier. Let us get through it and clear the monsters quickly.”
I nodded at him. “Noted. But this time, no burning anything unless we absolutely need to. I don't want to run it endlessly until you get your plants."
As we moved deeper into the dungeon, the plants looked familiar—thick vines, strange glowing flowers, and twisted trees. The first creatures we encountered, the same oversized vine plants from before, appeared weaker. They still looked creepy, but their movements were sluggish, and it took less effort to put them down. Mahya took out a few with her rifle, Al cleaved through the rest, and I barely needed to use any mana.
We made our way through the jungle much quicker than the first time, navigating around the vines and avoiding any unnecessary entanglements. There were no traps, just more of those weird vine creatures, though even they seemed to have lost some of their fight.
When we reached the clearing with the massive, carnivorous trees, it was clear that the dungeon was giving us a more leisurely ride. Mahya sliced through the attacking vines, Al stood his ground, and I hit them with a few quick spells, but nothing pushed us too hard. When the tree got its roots out of the ground, Rue demolished them in less than a minute.
The final guardian, another massive tree with writhing roots and acid-filled pods, looked just as menacing as before. But even it wasn’t as aggressive. We stuck to the plan, focusing on its roots. Al and Mahya hacked away at them while I sent bolts of red lightning into its trunk, and Rue tore through the roots with his teeth.
The battle ended with far less effort, and the tree toppled over after a few well-placed strikes. No sweat, no panic—just a straightforward win. When the room finally fell quiet, we each touched the core, and the reward appeared: 10 gold coins each.
Scrunching my nose in displeasure, I hoped Al would be satisfied with one harvesting stint.
Al immediately set to work, scanning the surrounding plants with a focused expression. “I’m going to harvest these for alchemy. Some of these are rare, and I am not missing out this time.”
While he gathered what he needed, Mahya and I monitored the area, making sure nothing else stirred. Rue sat beside me, watching Al pull various herbs and plants, his nose twitching.
“Find anything good?” I asked, leaning against a rock, still trying to shake off the residual dizziness from the portal.
Al grinned, holding up a glowing vine. “Plenty. These plants are perfect for crafting potions—some of the rarest materials we have seen. Last time, we burned through them too quickly to notice.”
“Good thing we took it slower this time,” Mahya remarked, glancing around the now-empty clearing. “We can rerun this dungeon again if you need more.”
Al nodded. “Definitely. And the gold’s not bad either.”
Once Al finished his harvesting, we made our way back to the dungeon entrance. The second run had been smoother, less dangerous, and far more profitable, especially with the valuable plants in Al’s hands. Still wary of the plants, Rue stayed close to me, but his tension had lessened since the fight ended.
We passed through the portal with the same unpleasant sensation as before—the world flipping upside down, making my stomach lurch—but I was getting used to it. Rue nudged me as we emerged on the other side, reminding me he was still looking out for me.
“Well, that was easy,” Mahya said, shaking her head as she glanced back at the dungeon entrance. “Almost too easy.”
Al chuckled. “I am not complaining.”
Rue sniffed the air and huffed. “No more bad plants. Rue not like bad smell.”
I laughed, scratching behind Rue’s ears. He leaned into the touch, his tail wagging lazily. “Don’t worry, buddy. I think we’re done with that for now.”
Turning to Mahya and Al, I raised an eyebrow. “Do you need me for consecutive runs, or can you manage on your own?”
Mahya and Al exchanged a long glance, a silent conversation passing between them. Mahya gave a slight nod before answering, “We can manage.”
Al smirked, crossing his arms. “Don’t want to run it for gold?”
I shrugged, rubbing the back of my neck. “I’m just tired of fighting.”
The next few days, I rested, read, played my guitar and cello, and cooked. I didn’t feel like going back to the annoying books or fighting anything.
Al and Mahya discovered that the dungeon with the plants regenerates every three days and the spider-wolves every four days. They didn’t need me for the plant dungeon, but did for the spider-wolves. My red lightning was still the most effective weapon against the final guardian.
After three runs of the plant dungeon, Al decided he’d harvested enough, and they took the core. At that point, I figured it was also time to give up the dungeon with the spider silk. We each had twenty-five meters of spider silk, and no one knew what to do with it, so I felt that was enough.
“What do you say about taking the core of the last dungeon?” I asked at dinner, looking between them.
“Why?” Mahya asked, her brow furrowing. “Are you in a hurry to start clearing the next part of the city? I thought you were tired of fighting. That’s why I didn’t suggest we do it between dungeon runs.”
I shifted uncomfortably in my chair, feeling the weight of her question. “Maybe we could give up on the rest of the city?”
“Why?” Mahya’s eyes narrowed, but her tone told me she was curious, not accusatory.
I rubbed the back of my neck, choosing my words carefully. “I know we came to this world to collect cores, and I’m completely on board with that plan. But we’ve been here for over three months and still haven’t met a single person. The dungeons and cores are great, but I want to travel. I want to see more of this world and meet its inhabitants. In the world information, we read about noble, warlords, and business tycoons cities. I want to see the differences between them. I’m sure this world also has beautiful places, and I want to see them. Let’s go explore. We’ll run into more dungeons; if not, this city isn’t going anywhere. We can always come back before crossing the mountain range into the mainland.”
They both looked thoughtful for a long time. Al was the first to speak, nodding slowly. “I understand. I am tired, too—fighting all the time and not seeing anyone but the four of us. I fully support this plan.”
Mahya crossed her arms with a faraway look in her eyes. “We’ll need to do a few things before we leave, though.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Because of the condition of the roads,” Mahya began, “I’ve been thinking about those giant monster truck wheels we picked up in Vegas. I want to find a way to fit them onto the Jeep.”
I raised an eyebrow, unsure where she was going with this. “What are you thinking, exactly?”
“For example,” she said, tapping her fingers on the table, “if we hit a stretch where the road is in terrible condition or there’s no road at all, those wheels would be perfect. We’ll need to make some adjustments, but I think they’ll be a game-changer for rough terrain.”
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“We have the balloon,” I pointed out.
Mahya gave a small nod but didn’t look convinced. “True, but we won’t always be able to fly. I don’t know about you, but I’m not keen on being in a balloon when it’s raining or snowing with strong winds.”
“Yeah, I see what you mean,” I said, nodding.
“Besides,” Mahya continued, “we might need to move on water. Sure, we have the boat, but the jet skis could come in handy. Have you noticed the size of your familiar? We need to do something about his jet ski—there’s no way he’ll fit on it right now. And while we’re at it, we might as well install cores in the jet skis and perform the rituals to connect each of us to the cores.”
I glanced at Rue and had to admit she was right. The jet ski was only enough for about half of his body.
“So, let’s take care of all these things, then move on to the next city on the Map. I’m not sure if it’s an inhabited city or just another ruin with dungeons, but at least we can check. Also, I want to close up the house and fly north. There’s a big lake I want to use to refill our water. We haven’t done that in a while, and I’m not sure how much is left in the reservoir,” I said.
----------------------------------------
Mahya stood in front of the Jeep, arms crossed, staring at the giant monster truck wheels I had “liberated” from Vegas. “Alright, time to get these wheels installed,” she said, determination clear in her voice.
I grabbed my tools and knelt beside the Jeep, already loosening the bolts from the current wheels. “So, we’re replacing the regular wheels for good, right?”
“Exactly,” she replied, unfolding a blueprint she’d sketched out. “We’ll swap these out permanently and add a lift system to raise the Jeep when we hit rough terrain. These wheels should be able handle anything.”
I nodded, unscrewing the lug nuts. “Sounds good. Once the wheels are off, I’ll begin working on the rune engravings for the lift system.”
We spent most of the first day removing the old wheels and prepping the frame. Mahya removed the suspension system piece by piece, adjusting the axles to make room for the larger wheels. I helped where I could, clearing space and making sure the brackets were ready for reinforcement. By the end of the day, we stripped the frame down to the essentials, preparing it for the next phase.
“We’ve got a solid start,” Mahya said, brushing some dirt off her hands as she stepped back to admire our progress. “Tomorrow, we’ll start reinforcing everything.”
“Sounds good,” I replied, stretching out my sore muscles.
We were back at it early the next morning. Mahya took the lead, welding reinforcements to the frame and suspension system while I began working on the runes for the hydraulic lift.
“These wheels are going to be massive,” I said, glancing over at the monster truck wheels. “They’ll dwarf the Jeep.”
“That’s the point,” Mahya said with a grin, tightening a few bolts. “We’ll be able to clear anything that gets in our way.”
While she worked on stabilizing the suspension and making sure the Jeep could handle the added weight of the new wheels, I started engraving the runes along the underside of the Jeep. The runes would channel the magic through the reinforced suspension system, activating a hydraulic lift whenever we needed more clearance.
By mid-afternoon, Mahya had finished reinforcing the frame. She stood up, wiping sweat from her brow. “Okay, we’re good to start attaching the lift system and the wheels tomorrow.”
I took a step back, examining the runes I’d finished. “The magic’s in place for the lift. Once we get the wheels on, we’ll be ready to test it.”
On the last day, we got to work early again, focused on attaching the massive wheels and finalizing the lift system. Mahya adjusted the suspension brackets, aligning them perfectly with the new wheels. It took both of us to hoist the first monster truck wheel into place, but once it was secured, the Jeep was already looking more imposing.
“These things are huge,” I said, shaking my head as we attached the second wheel. “It’s like turning the Jeep into a tank.”
“That’s the idea,” Mahya replied with a chuckle, tightening the last bolt on one of the rear wheels.
Once we installed the wheels, I performed a final check on the rune engravings. Mahya locked everything in place and double-checked the alignment. When we were both satisfied, we stood back to admire the transformed Jeep.
“Let’s test the lift system,” Mahya said, stepping aside.
I tapped the runes, and with a low hum, the Jeep slowly lifted off the ground. The massive wheels stayed firmly in place as the body rose a few extra meters. The lift was smooth, and the entire frame remained stable.
Mahya grinned as she watched it rise. “Perfect. No more worrying about road conditions or obstacles.”
“Looks like we’re all set,” I said, stepping back with a sense of satisfaction. The Jeep looked like a beast now, ready for anything we might face on the road ahead.
Now that we sorted the Jeep, it was time to tackle Rue’s jet ski. The regular-sized ski was built for a much smaller Rue, and now, with his new size, there was no way he’d fit on it. I crouched next to the jet ski, running my hand along its frame, trying to figure out how to make it work.
“This thing’s not going to cut it anymore,” I muttered.
Mahya joined me, inspecting the jet ski with a critical eye. “We’re going to have to rebuild most of it,” she said. “There’s no quick fix for this. We’ll need to extend the frame, reinforce the structure, and make it wider and longer to support his weight.”
I nodded, knowing it was going to be a big job. “What’s the plan, then?”
“We’ve got plenty of materials. I’ll use the forge to reshape the mainframe,” Mahya explained, already mentally mapping out the modifications. “We’ll need to strip this down, rebuild the body with stronger materials, and extend the platform to match Rue’s size.”
Mahya didn’t waste any time. We cleared out her workroom and set up the gas-activated forge. With sparks flying, she began dismantling the jet ski, pulling apart its current frame piece by piece. I helped where possible, unscrewing bolts and carefully removing the parts we could reuse.
Once disassembled, Mahya selected stronger, lighter metals from our stash—metals that could hold Rue’s weight without sacrificing speed. She began melting down and reshaping the metal, using the forge to extend the frame. The heat from the forge filled the room, making the air thick, but Mahya was relentless, shaping and welding each piece with precision.
I assisted by prepping the new pieces, smoothing them down, and engraving basic runes for durability and balance. These runes wouldn’t alter the ski’s size but ensure the structure could handle Rue’s weight, even when moving at high speeds.
Over the next several days, Mahya meticulously rebuilt the jet ski. She extended the frame by several meters, widening the base to give Rue more stability on the water. We reinforced the bottom with additional metal plating, ensuring it could support his weight without sinking. To compensate for the added bulk, Mahya removed the motor from our extra jet ski, carefully installing it alongside the original. I worked on engraving runes into the new motor and turning it into Magitech, making sure it would handle the increased load and keep Rue’s ride smooth.
By the end of the week, the jet ski looked entirely different—larger, sturdier, and perfectly suited to Rue’s new form. Mahya stood back, wiping sweat from her forehead and inspecting her work with a satisfied nod.
“Alright, let’s see if this works,” Mahya said, climbing onto my back as we headed toward the lake I had spotted on the Map. We couldn’t take the house to refill the water reservoir since Al was making potions, so we opted to test Rue’s new jet ski instead.
Rue padded over, eyeing the newly modified vehicle. I gave his side a reassuring pat. “Go ahead, give it a try, big guy.”
With a cautious step, Rue climbed onto the jet ski. His large paws fit perfectly on the widened platform, and the reinforced frame didn’t creak or buckle under his weight. The ski held steady as he settled in, testing his balance.
Mahya crossed her arms, a small smile tugging at her lips. “There. It’s a perfect fit for him now.”
I grinned, watching Rue shift comfortably on the expanded platform, his massive form balanced effortlessly. “This is great. I won’t have to worry about him tipping over.”
Rue’s ears perked up as he glanced at the lake. Then, with a careful nudge, he activated the throttle. The jet ski glided forward smoothly and silently, easily cutting through the water. In seconds, he was zooming across the lake’s surface, the twin motors propelling him steadily over the water. The expanded frame handled the waves effortlessly, and Rue’s excited barks echoed as he zipped around.
I laughed, watching him speed across the water, tail wagging. “Looks like he’s enjoying it.”
Mahya chuckled, shaking her head. “I’d say we nailed it. He’s practically flying out there.”
Of course, Rue refused to get off the jet ski until the mana finally ran out. I was relieved we hadn’t done the core ritual yet—otherwise, I would’ve been stuck by the lake for a week, waiting for him to agree to get off.
Two days after the lake test run, Al emerged from his laboratory before dinner, looking more satisfied than I’d seen him in days. He carried several boxes and set them on the table with quiet but noticeable pride.
Without a word, he handed a box to each of us—starting with me, then Mahya, and finally Rue. The boxes were filled with potion-loaded paintballs, familiar but newly stocked.
“These are for you,” Al said, his tone measured. “You’ve got health, mana, and anti-venom.”
He slid two smaller boxes across the table toward Mahya and me. “And here you have Exoskin Elixir.”
Mahya picked up one of the paintballs, inspecting it briefly before nodding in approval. “Perfect.”
I glanced at Rue, who nudged his box with his nose, clearly eager. “You’ve got yours too, buddy,” I said with a grin.
Al glanced around at us, maintaining his calm demeanor. “That should suffice for a while,” he said. “Do be sure to use them wisely.”
Mahya stored her box and gave Al an appreciative nod. “Thanks, Al. These will make a difference.”
“Yeah, you’ve outdone yourself,” I added, securing mine.
Rue let out a satisfied huff, clearly content with his share, before storing it.
Al gave a slight shrug as he turned to head back to his lab. “Simply fulfilling my duty.”
Mahya and I stood over Rue’s jet ski, carefully drawing the magic circle directly onto its surface. We sketched the outer runes with precision. It was a process we’d done countless times, so the circle came together smoothly.
“Rue’s is still the easiest,” Mahya commented, glancing at the large jet ski. The ample space made it more manageable, unlike the tight surfaces we’d deal with later for ours.
Once the outer circle was complete, I placed one of the bigger cores—eight centimeters from the desert dungeon—in the center. The magic pulsed softly, awaiting the last steps. Rue padded over and offered his paw, his eyes watching me intently. I took out a small blade and gently pricked his paw, letting a few drops of his blood fall into a bowl. With careful strokes, I drew the final inner runes in his blood, tracing the delicate lines that would bind the core to his jet ski and him.
“Alright, buddy. Your turn,” I said, stepping back.
Rue padded over, eyes bright with curiosity. He placed his paws and channeled mana into the circle as the runes glowed brighter, humming with power. The energy from the ritual surged, spreading through the jet ski and into Rue. The bond was complete—Rue was now the master of his core, connected to both the jet ski and the magic that powered it.
With Rue’s jet ski done, we moved on to ours, which turned out to be far more of a headache. The smaller surface area on our jet skis made fitting the runes and cores—each about six centimeters from the Wind, Cat, and Acid Balls dungeons—feel like squeezing a mountain into a teacup.
We muttered under our breath, cursing the design as we fought to cram the runes into place without messing up. More than once, one of us bumped into a line and had to start over.
“Why are these things so damn small?” Mahya groaned.
“Whoever designed these clearly didn’t think about magic runes,” I muttered, squinting as I tried to squeeze another rune into an already cramped space.
Despite the endless grumbling and a healthy dose of swearing, we finally made it work. It took far more effort than Rue’s, but we got there.
We carefully drew the circles directly onto the jet skis, squeezing the runes into every available space—still complaining the whole time. As before, we traced the final runes in blood, sealing our connection to the cores. The air crackled with magic as we channeled our mana into the circles, feeling the energy surge from the cores into the jet skis.
The connection solidified as the magic thrummed through us, binding us to the cores. Each of us became the dungeon master of our respective core, the power now directly linked to our jet skis.
Al’s was the last one, and finally, we were DONE.
I really hate small magic circles.
“Finally,” Mahya sighed in relief, wiping her brow. “No more mana crystals.”
I nodded in agreement, watching as Rue nudged his newly powered jet ski with approval. “No more constant refills. We’re set.”
As the final step before leaving, I closed the house and prepared to fly out to the lake. Rue, of course, joined me, his eager expression making it clear this wasn’t just a routine trip for him.
Once we arrived, I opened the house again and pulled out the long, coiled hose I used to refill the water reservoir. The lake glistened under the sunlight, and I quickly got to work, submerging the hose and telling the house to start filling up.
Meanwhile, Rue wasted no time. The moment his eyes locked onto the lake, they lit up. Without even glancing in my direction, he was off—zipping toward the water and tossing his jet ski in like a child racing to play with a new toy.
Before I could finish securing the hose, Rue was already zooming across the water, his jet ski cutting through the waves effortlessly. He barked in delight, sending sprays of water into the air as he made sharp turns, the jet ski gliding smoothly beneath him. His tail wagged wildly as he sped past me, clearly having the time of his life. I chuckled, shaking my head as I watched him.
“Yeah, buddy, you enjoy that,” I muttered as I monitored the water levels.
The house filled slowly but steadily, and with every passing minute, Rue seemed to find new ways to push the limits of his jet ski. He sped up, he spun around, and occasionally, he’d zoom so close to shore that I’d get a spray of water, his telepathic joy filling my mind.
By the time the tank was full, I was ready to call it a day. But Rue, naturally, wasn’t. I stood on the shore, hands on my hips, watching him zip back and forth without slowing down.
“Alright, time to go,” I said telepathically, my tone gentle but firm.
“Zoom zoom zoom,” came his response, his mind filled with pure joy and the wind in his fur.
“Rue, seriously. The house is full. We’ve gotta get back.”
“One more! One more!” He insisted, speeding past me yet again.
It took me about half an hour of steady telepathic persuasion to finally convince him to come off the jet ski. Rue, the stubborn ball of fur that he was, responded with variations of “just one more round” until I had to gently remind him that we’d be leaving him behind if he didn’t get off.
Finally, with one last zoom across the lake and an exaggerated spin, Rue reluctantly guided the jet ski back to shore. He hopped off, shaking the water from his fur and sending droplets everywhere.
“Good boy,” I said, scratching behind his ears. Lucky I have telepathy. Just the thought of having to shout at him from the shore gave me a sore throat.
Rue gave a satisfied huff, nudging me with his nose, and said, “Next time, Rue, stay longer.”
I rolled my eyes and smiled. “Sure, next time.”
With everything packed up and Rue finally off his beloved jet ski, we flew back.
Morning came quickly, and we gathered our gear for one final run of the spider-wolves dungeon. The routine felt almost mechanical by now—familiar and predictable. The dungeon was quieter this time, the spider-wolves offering less resistance as we made our way through. After clearing the last chamber, we collected another five meters of spider silk, the last bit we’d be taking from this place, and the core.
As the dungeon spat us out, the cool morning air hit my face, and I took a deep breath, relieved to be done with it all. Mahya and Al joined me as we began prepping the balloon for departure, setting it up right where the portal used to be.
“Finally,” I muttered to no one in particular, glancing around at the empty, crumbling buildings of the ghost-city. The silence weighed heavily here, broken only by the occasional rustling of wind through the ruins.
The balloon inflated slowly, its canvas stretching and creaking as it filled with air. Al secured the ropes while Mahya checked the rigging. Rue, ever watchful, sat by my side, his eyes scanning the empty streets as if making sure nothing would follow us.
I couldn’t help but glance around one last time. This place had been profitable—core-wise, it was a goldmine. But something about it left me feeling uneasy. The emptiness, the silence... it was as if the city had been abandoned not just by its people, but by life itself.
With the balloon fully inflated, we climbed aboard. Mahya gave a signal, and with a soft creak, the ropes were untied, and we began to rise. The ground beneath us slowly disappeared as we floated higher into the sky, leaving the ghost-city behind.
As we ascended, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief. “I’m so glad to leave that place behind,” I said, leaning against the edge of the basket, watching the city shrink below. “It might’ve been profitable, but...”
“It was depressing,” Mahya finished for me, her voice soft as she gazed down at the ruins.
I nodded. "Exactly. The place feels like it’s been torn apart, every corner a reminder of what’s been lost—just a hollow, crumbling shell of what it used to be."
“Well, the next city should be different. Hopefully,” Al said.
Rue barked in agreement, his tail thumping against the basket as we continued to rise, carried by the wind toward whatever lay ahead. The ghost-city grew smaller and smaller beneath us until it was nothing but a speck on the horizon.
With that, we soared toward the next city, hoping it would offer more than cores and silence.