The mise-en-scène was macabre; the students that had survived were terror-struck , crying at the dreadful turn of events. Teachers were barely hanging on, constantly comforting the students without much success.
The crystal cave debris consisted primarily of large, heavy rocks, making it impossible for the few rangers present to do much to alleviate the situation.
Many personnel eventually arrived at the scene, doctors and rescue personnels at hand had started their work. It was still unclear as to exactly what had happened, but one thing that was clear, to both the parties; was that the consequences of this tragedy, be it man or nature at fault, would be severe.
***
Rae opened his eyes again to the vast, clear sky. Groggy and lost, it took him more than a few moments to come to senses. Yet, when he recollected his last memory, all languidness left him as he immediately stood up.
He saw other students in a similar situations, either trying to get to their senses or looking at each other with half confused, half agitated expressions. Rae focused on the surroundings, starting with the direction he was directly facing.
It was a hilly and rocky terrain with sparse vegetations, rolling hills, and jagged cliff rocks.
In the distance, one could make out the silhouette of the Kapatia mountain ridge… yet when Rae tried to squint his eyes to see the majestic peaks, all he saw was an expanding vortex of white clouds.
Rae furrowed his brows, focused again, and got the same result. Further inquiries in other directions, except upwards, gave similar results. The immidiate vicinity was clear, but the moment he tried to focus a bit further, it got consumed with the vortex of clouds. Furthermore, untill you tried the excercise, the scene looked ordinary as ever.
He was thinking such when he heard someone behind him,
"Rae!"
"Sophie." Said Rae as he turned back to face her.
Sophie immediately hugged Rae and started faintly in a sobbing voice, "What is g-going on? I-i don't understand this! Weren't we in the cave? What happened to it? W-was it a-dream?"
"I don't know. I don't understand either. But we are fine, right? So calm down right now," Said Rae softly and slowly to comfort her.
Then, all of a sudden, a golden light flashed in the middle of all the students, who were curiously standing in a vortex like formation, and a monotone soft voice sounded,
"Greetings, sentients. I recognize that the suddenness of your current state may appear... disorienting. However, there is no need for alarm. Though your mortal forms have perished, your journey has not yet ended.
You have been selected for a greater purpose, beyond the bounds of your prexistence. The world you once knew has released you, and you will soon be summoned to another, a world not too dissimilar to that of yours, which requires your presence for a task of significance.
While your bodies have ceased, your essence remains intact. Fear, panic, or confusion, unnecessary however, are understandable reactions, given your limited knowledge of what lies ahead. However this is but a brief stop before you embark on your awaited journey.
Now, prepare yourselves. You shall soon enter a world that needs your talents, where death is but a transition."
As it finished its monologue, a thick golden mist started expanding bit by bit in every direction.
But other voices came just after it finished, confused, concerted, and in chorus.
"W-what!!?? What do you mean by c-ceased?? What essence!?"
"It has to be a prank, right?"
"Alright, I have had enough of this!"
Came some… agitated voice.
"W-w-w-we have died…."
"no…. no it can't.. be.."
"Why… crying SFX
Along with some sombre crying voices.
While the agitated kids kept throwing questions without any response from the… voice from the centre of the radiating light, the mist kept moving, almost about to reach the kids.
Interestingly, they could not move back.
Amidst the fever dream-esque scene, Rae, incredibly anxious just like everyone, voiced a question, "Summoned where?"
He could swear he felt the light staring at him after he voiced it; it made him feel as if his heart would burst from the speed it was beating at, but he got an answer nonetheless, well, sort of an answer.
"I believe I have briefed it already."
"Why" It was a wonder he hadn't started stuttering from his anxious heart.
"Did you listen at all what I had previously said?" it said with its same deadpan voice.
"I meant what kind"
"You'll see."
"What would we have to do there?"
"You'll know."
"How" (while gritting his teeth somewhat)
".... You'll be let known."
Any other time he would amuse himself how expressive the voice felt without any features whatsoever. Right now, however, it only added to his anxiety.
At this time, the mist had almost covered everything, it was hard to make out even fellow classmates.
One student asked at this time, "T-there's a few of o-o-ours classmates missing. W-where–"
"To have the grace of THEE is a matter of Fate."
As she was closer to Rae, he could see her breaking down even further after hearing it.
Another question, this time from Finn, came in the form of " Why us?"
Why them indeed.
Everyone present at the scene silenced somewhat : focused on listening to whatever the light in the middle had to say by now.
There was a relatively long pause for a moment, the students hoped some answer, they knew not what exactly they hoped but they all had some notion.
An answer that could at least sooth them somehow.
At this point, only sounds of sobbing filled the air everywhere, and one couldn't even see half a meter around them.
"At the right time. At the right place."
"..." "That's all?"
"What else?"
"Just that?"
"...In the appropriate manner of business?"
Finn heaved a sigh while many a students started crying hysterically.
Rae uttered a final question, what he inferred to be his final one, " At least tell us who you are?"
"The moment at hand is fleeting, too short. You shall discover however, with time, just what I am and who you ought to be. All you need to know right now is: survive.
Survive well, sentients. Survive with dignity. Survive with the knowledge that you are the champions chosen to deliver the Elders' wishes."
The last announcement did little to alleviate anybody's immediate concerns… or perhaps it did, in its own way, as they all felt unconscious immediately afterwards.
***