After a good night's sleep, they wake up and head downstairs to meet. Belle is the last to arrive. She approaches Zack and Guntar chatting at a table near the stairs down into the tavern.

"Good morning gentlemen. Your up early.”

"More like you're up late lassy. Your boy- friend has been waiting.”

Belle looks at Zack red in the face.

"He isn't my boyfriend!!"

Zack deflates a little in his chair.

" I said boy……friend the lad you met last night and invited out with us.” He then points to that man from last night.

Gargoyle then stands up and walks over.

"Good morning fair lady, shall we be on our way?”

Guntar chimes in "Actually we need to stop by scers shop before we head out and pick up our gear I had it sent out this morning since sleeping beauty was out like a log.”

Belle playfully slaps Guntars arm.

“Come on geezer let's go get our stuff.

Gargoyle care to meet us at the portal in an hour or so I need some potions.”

"of course Belle I'll await your arrival!"

He swiftly leaves with a skip in his step.

“Belle are you sure we can trust that guy??"

Zack said trying to look serious.

"Zack you worry too much he just needs a team to join. Why not give him a chance, besides after that cave gecko incident. It seems we could use some help."

With that, they head over to scers shop stopping periodically at other vendors grabbing rations and such for their journey ahead.

Arriving at Scers they see a woman dressed in a fiery red robe with a bow in her hand. She wears thick black glasses and has brown hair going down to the small of her back.

" hello .....there" she looks nervously to the side.

Scer comes outside cracking her with the door.

" ow my head," she says getting low to the ground and holding her head.

" ahh your back for your gear then come on in!"

He looks at the girl rubbing her head.

“What happened to you?? Hit your head or something?” He shrugs and walks back into the shop.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

They make their way into the shop following Scer.

Guntar pats the girl's head and walks in

"Good luck malady!"

"Scer how does my blade look," Zack asks

"Better than ever my boy, take a look.

He pulls the blade from the sheathing. What was once a standard steel longsword, now has a glowing blue vein pulsing thru the center of the blade to the hilt.

Zack grabs the blade and inspects it in awe.

Belle chimes in, "while zacks busy drooling on the blade, Scer do you have those potions I inquired about??”

" I sure do kid here ya go.”

Belle and Zack slap the few gold pieces they have on the table in front of Scer.

"Thank you for the repairs Scer your the best!!"

Zack said excitingly sheathing the newly mended blade.

"No problem Zack now go your next adventure awaits!”

with that, they leave Scers shop. They make their way to the staircase which leads to the portal. It stands atop a stalagmite that has been cut and sanded smooth. On the way to the top is a winding stair case wrapping around it.

Atop this monstrous rock structure Is A portal made out of what seems to be quarts polished clean. Next to it is a stand with an obelisk. Sleeping along the side is a dwarf.

That girl from before is crouched before him.

"Excuse me... sir please wake up...."

"No no lass this is how you wake him up. Garthemel ATTENTION!!"

The dwarf jumps up abruptly. With his hand saluting "GARTHEMEL REPORTING SIR!!" He looks to the "sir" it's guntar

"Guntar you son of a keku don't do that, given this old man's heart cramps"

"Aren't you supposed to be awake during your shift on the portal?"

" yeah yeah I was tired is she with you lot??"

"Oh no no I wouldn't trouble them I'll just go after." She exclaims.

"Nonsense you must have a party of at least three to pass through no exceptions unless you are part of that brigade.

"Zack jumps in such a joker of course she is with us we more than meet the required numbers."

Gargoyle comes running up the stairs

"Sorry I'm late everyone, oh you guys had one more person a bit crowded if you ask me but oh well.”

The girl tries to contest but guntar puts a finger to his mouth signing to shush and come along.

She thanks him with a proper bow " My name is Kyra it's nice to meet you.”

She then realizes she just ruined the lie Again.

Garthemel shrugs not being paid enough to interrogate. He steps in front of the obelisk and starts to turn the pieces. He begins chanting in dwarven.

"Chalki no Dari shin KOOOKI!

The pieces line up together, and a brilliant light flashes from the portal a deep purple, pulsating arcane energy.

"In ya go don't be afraid now."

" thank you, sir” said Zack as he walks through followed by Belle.

Guntar and Kyra soon after with Gargoyle being the last biting his nails as he goes in. He looks frustrated.

As they come out the other side they are blinded by the sun in the sky. It shines so brightly here that it takes a minute to adjust their eyes. from the gloomy foggy air around Zindali compared to where ever this is. Belle looks at her surroundings and is amazed.

They seem to be on a mountain range the sun is bright casting over everything. There are trees along the ridges and small pockets of forest scattered around it. Before them is a path seemingly leading up the mountain.

As they press on entering a small forest of ever-green trees all around them. Kyra is looking around with a confused expression on her face.

"Uh does anyone else get a weird vibe from this place? I don't see any signs of life, no birds chirping or anything it's like it's empty...."

Belle looks around searching for anything. " yeah now that you mention it, maybe the wildlife is scared cause we are here."

"There are no recent tracks anywhere, that is disturbing we should be alert." Kyra said party no tall grass still searching.

The group continues down the path for another ten minutes or so. They arrive at a clearing or what they think is a clearing. It looks like a field of grass, but after Zack trips over a stump it can be seen that all the trees for about a mile look like they have been ripped out of the ground.

Belle laughs at Zack for tripping not paying attention to where she was going and falls.

Guntar grabs her by the hand but then has a haunted expression on his face looking behind Belle.

"What's with the face old man I just fell"

She turns around and looks "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!!”

Behind her, what she fell in is a footprint about the size of a big sailboat.......