They took in their surroundings with growing unease.
Towering spires of jagged rock loomed in every direction. The mountains were twisted, their peaks stretching at impossible angles. Faint streaks of luminescent veins pulsed through the stone, casting an eerie glow.
The ground beneath was covered in cracked earth and patches of strange, wiry vegetation - deep purple and brittle underfoot. Occasional gusts of hot, dry wind carried the scent of sulphur and something metallic, setting their nerves further on edge.
Then, as they looked upward along the sheer rock face above them, their breath caught.
Above their heads was another gate. Unlike the crystal oval in Pantax, this one looked ancient - its frame rusted and corroded, the surface within it clouded and fractured. Burn marks marred its edges, as though it had been caught in the same explosion that tore them from their world.
Seline wiped the dust from her face, staring at it.
"Was it always here? Or did we… bring it with us somehow?"
Kaelyn shook her head, eyes still locked on the tattered gate. "I don't know. But if it's still intact…"
The surface of the gate pulsed one final time, flickering like a dying ember. Then, it vanished entirely, dissolving into nothingness. Only the metal oval remained, rusted and warped.
A heavy silence settled over them.
Mokai's pulse pounded in his ears.
The thought settled in. This world existed. Just as they had seen it overlapping with Pantax. The worlds had not merged. Pantax remained untouched.
Pantax was safe.
A wild, breathless laugh tore from Mokai's throat. It started as a chuckle, then grew into something almost manic. He threw his head back, the sound echoing against the alien cliffs.
"Pantax is safe!" he shouted, his voice raw with relief, disbelief, and sheer exhaustion.
Seline let out a shaky breath. Kaelyn sat down hard on the rocky ground. Fengyu, still catching his breath, smirked.
"Yeah. And we're not. But good for you."
He exhaled.
"Can we still open it somehow"? asked Seline surveying the rusty gates.
"Should we open it at all?" asked Mokai, getting himself questioning glances. "I mean, with all the force of the explosion and so on?"
"How does man open the gate?" asked Fengyu. "Does it not require the assistance of the Magic Guild?"
"I have never seen a gate losing its shimmering glass surface," stated Mokai. "I suppose it is completely shut down. Reopening it would be like recreating it."
And that required the assistance of the Magic Guild.
"So Pantax is totally cut off now?" asked Seline.
"No. There are more gates."
Fengyu's eyes narrowed. "More?"
"Not in use," Mokai clarified. "There is an ancient one, buried in the Azure Peaks. It pre-dates the Citadel, pre-dates the Pantax you know. In those days, Pantax was not the thriving capital it is now - people lived scattered in the mountains."
"And this ancient gate… it still works?"
"It was never fully shut down," Mokai admitted. "Only sealed. Occasionally, it is used by the rulers of Pantax."
"Sealed?" asked Fengyu.
"To avoid mishaps – like ending up in a cave in the Azure Peaks instead of the stone platform above the city." Kaelyn provided the explanation, but her voice sounded slightly bitter.
"So accidents do happen." Fengyu burst in laughter. Gate travel was not so precise and safe after all.
"Sometimes they are not accidents," she added. "It only means you are a guest of a second category."
Mokai met her gaze and then averted his eyes.
"Ah, sorry for that."
"So even that sealed gate has the shimmering surface?" asked Fengyu thoughtfully, gazing on the singed, dead gate above them.
"That is correct," answered Mokai.
The silence followed.
Now… now they were stranded in an alien world.
Fengyu forced a smirk, masking the unease creeping through his chest.
"Well, sitting around won't get us anywhere," he said. "We need to figure out where we are."
Kaelyn nodded. "We should split up, cover more ground. Look for anything useful, any signs of civilization."
The group exchanged brief glances before scattering in different directions across the rocky terrain. Soon, they discovered a well-trodden path winding down the mountain slope. That strange wiry vegetation was heavily trampled upon by multiple footsteps.
"Someone uses this route regularly," stated Seline.
Kaelyn glanced ahead, where the path disappeared into the rocky haze below.
"Then let's hope we find them before they find us."
With no better option, they started their descent.
The path snaked down the jagged slope in uneven twists, carved into the mountainside. Loose gravel crunched beneath their boots, and deep cracks marred the dry, reddish stone. Sparse, wiry vegetation clung to the edges, their gnarled roots gripping the rock, defying the harsh winds that occasionally swept through.
Below, the path faded into a dense, shifting mist that clung to the lower slopes, obscuring whatever lay beyond. The air temperature lowered significantly with each step. The scorching wind disappeared, and soon the blistering heat of the mountain peak decreased to much more tolerable warmth.
As they pressed forward, the environment gradually changed. The wiry vegetation thinned, replaced by sturdier bushes in muted shades of blue and grey-green. The strange purple hues that had dominated the upper slopes faded, giving way to flora that, while still unfamiliar, felt closer to something they recognized. The air grew damp and the mist coiled around their ankles.
They heard it first - the steady crunch of loose gravel underfoot, not their own. The unmistakable sound of movement ahead. They dropped into a crouch, exchanging quick, wary glances.
"Let's figure out who it is before we make ourselves known," Kaelyn murmured.
She gestured toward a dense cluster of greyish bushes.
They slipped behind the foliage just as a figure emerged from the curve in the path. A man strode forward with a measured gait of a seasoned climber.
He was tall and broad-shouldered, dressed in layered garments of dark fabric, worn and travel-stained. A hood was pulled low over his face, partially obscuring his features, but they could make out a strong jaw and the glint of something metallic strapped across his back - a weapon.
Seline leaned in slightly, whispering, "A man!"
"A scout?" asked Fengyu.
Kaelyn's gaze remained fixed on the stranger. "Let's wait."
The man strode past them. He didn't seem to notice them hiding in the brush, his gaze fixed on the distant top of the mountain, where the faint outline of the ancient gates could still be seen. His steps were quick, determined, and there was an air of urgency about him.
The disturbance at the gates had not gone unnoticed.
As he disappeared up the slope, they emerged from their hiding and resumed their descent in silence. Mokai took up the rear, staying alert, ready to warn in case the man returned.
Soon, they began to notice more signs of habitation - traces of people living here, or perhaps squatting. The further they descended, the more it seemed like this place was not as empty as it first appeared.
As they reached the crest of a small ridge that extended from the mountain's peak, they saw a village tucked away in the gorge below. Small, squat buildings dotted the valley floor, their thatched roofs blending into the earth tones of the surrounding terrain. Smoke curled lazily from chimneys, rising into the still air.
The sight of the village below was both a relief and a cause for concern. On one hand, it meant they weren't alone in this alien world - there were people here, perhaps even resources or knowledge that could help them. On the other hand, the presence of others also meant potential danger. If the disturbance at the gates had not gone unnoticed, as the man they'd seen earlier suggested, then the villagers might already be wary of strangers - or worse, hostile.
Moreover, the village seemed eerily calm. There was no sign of the frantic activity one might expect in a place that had just narrowly escaped a cosmic collision. It was as if the villagers had either grown numb to the danger or were blissfully unaware of how close they had come to disaster. Or had the whole ordeal not been seen here at all?
They found a secluded spot on the ridge, a natural vantage point that offered a clear view of both the village below and the winding path up the mountain. The location was perfect - hidden by a cluster of twisted bushes and elevated enough to see without being seen. From here, they could monitor the village's activity and keep an eye on the path.
Mokai and Fengyu went down to scout.
They moved silently down the slope, stayed low, using the natural cover of the alien vegetation to hide their approach. They could hear faint sounds now - the soft murmur of voices, the clatter of pots, and the occasional snore from within the huts. The village was waking up, but slowly.
The largest structure stood at the centre, its roof slightly taller than the others, suggesting it might be a meeting hall or the home of a leader.
As they crept closer to the central building, the murmurs grew clearer. Peering through a crack in the wall, they saw two men inside, their appearances rough and unkempt. They looked like thieves or local bandits, their clothing patched and worn, faces stubbled and unkempt. One of them leaned back in a chair, scratching his chin, while the other poked idly at a smouldering fire in the hearth.
"Scouting man's supposed to come back soon. Why is he still stuck up there?" the first man muttered.
The second man gave a half-hearted shrug. "We'll anyway need the help of the mage," he replied with a yawn. "We might as well wail for him. It usually takes him at least half a day to climb here from his little settlement. What kind of beast can we spare? The hunt has not been the best recently."
"Aaahh, what a waste! This should not have happened. Why the gates have been affected?" the first man groaned, frustration heavy in his voice.
"Probably some pest from Pantax did something," the second man muttered with a chuckle, continuing to prod the fire. "The sight of the Citadel over the mountain was something, wasn't it? However, it was smooth enough, I would recon. How many of those collisions have you lived through? This wasn't the first, and it won't be the last. The Pantax ones, they're the ones who got the real scare."
"Let's pick one of the fluffy birds and head up the mountain," the first man sighed, clearly resigned. "What a hassle. Remind me, why do we have to do it?"
"You have to do it because we've got a half-ass mage, who got kicked out of the Guild before he could learn much," the second man was still focused on the fire. "At least some of his skills are useful."
"Hmm…" the first man murmured.
"But you also owe him all of this business, chief," the man at last lost interest in the fire and grinned at the other one.
"Hmm…" the chief murmured once again, and stretched.
After that, the silence fell over the hut.
Fengyu and Mokai exchanged a brief glance, signalling it was time to leave. They silently retraced their steps, careful not to make a sound.
As they passed one of the huts, Fengyu reached up and grabbed a handful of dried meat from the racks hanging outside. Their pace quickened as they made their way back up the slope, eager to share the news with the others.
They settled quietly, crouching in the shelter of the bushes, the dried meat between them. The silence hung heavy, broken only by the occasional crunch of the tough jerky. All of them chewed slowly, but their minds were racing.
The odd calm in the village, the cryptic conversation inside the hut - it felt like some grand scheme. Simultaneously it seemed so casual and off-handed, as if nothing really happened.
"What is this world, that the cosmic collision is a business as usual here?" asked Fengyu.
"They offered lectures on cosmic disturbances in the library." Seline said absent-mindedly.
"What?"
"They offered lectures on cosmic disturbances in the library," repeated Seline.
"Secret ones?"
"No, open to everybody." Seline gaze swept over them one by one.
"None of you bothered to visit the library?" she asked.
"I was busy on the training grounds, while Fengyu and Kaelyn were discovering hidden conspiracy schemes." Mokai grinned at Fengyu shamelessly. Fengyu grinned back unbothered.
"Ok, so what did they tell about the cosmic collisions?" asked Kaelyn.
"They are not exactly cosmic," answered Seline. "They happen because of higher 16 dimensions, we do not perceive. You can see and understand: height, width and length, but there are 16 more. If two worlds get close to each other in one of those, we got cosmic disturbance or cosmic collision if they got too close."
She was met with silence.
"To simplify, let's strip our perception of one dimension and think of this world and Pantax as two sheets of parchment floating in a vast, unseen space. Most of the time, they don't touch. But if something nudges them together, they start to overlap. What we saw - the mountains over the Azure Peaks - those were just glimpses of that overlap." She continued.
"16 more dimensions." Fengyu said, tapping his torso with both hands, as if this would cause these additional 16 dimensions to be felt somehow. "Everybody holds that for child's gibberish."
Fengyu exhaled sharply. "But if these people here have seen this happen before and they're still around, that means the worlds usually don't merge, right?"
"I do not know. I only attended one lecture to please the library master," answered Seline.
"So next time, this world might not pull apart," Kaelyn finished grimly.
The level of the unknown weighted heavily on their shoulders.
"Couldn't you have attended more lectures to keep the master extra pleased?" asked Fengyu half-jokingly.
"You never even set foot in the library," Seline shot back, mildly offended.
"Let's agree all of us were foolish, not to use the opportunity to learn more about Mytharok's theories," admitted Mokai.
"Who would have thought that all this poetic nonsense would actually turn out so practical," murmured Fengyu.
"So, Seline what was your real interest in the library?" he added aloud.
Seline looked at him appalled.
"You did not go there without a reason." He continued. "Tell us, what have you stollen from the library."
"I have not stollen anything," she started and paused. "I mean… I did not mean to steal. I just wanted to borrow it to show it to Renyi, but then all the chaos broke out," she admitted deflated.
"So what was it?" asked Mokai.
"A book about mythical beasts," she murmured.
"Mythical beasts? Why? They are mythical for a reason!" exclaimed Fengyu, still in a hushed tone, because of their surroundings.
"Well, less of a nonsense then pursuing knowledge of cosmic disturbances. At least, they are mentioned in our history." Seline retorted.
"True point. It is strange how this was recorded while the 16 higher dimensions were not." Fengyu pondered for a while.
"But why did you want to show it to Renyi and where the book is now?" asked Kaelyn.
"Renyi is not actually a maid, she is my friend from the academy in Yuevalen. She is very good at interpreting ancient texts. There were a lot I could not understand there."
"And both the book and Renyi are now in Pantax?" asked Mokai.
"Is it important now? Do you think the mythical beasts will gain some practical use as well?" Fengyu could not get his head around all the new information and wanted a break.
"She will not have an easy time as a fake servant in Pantax," deadpanned Mokai, causing Seline to shot him a concerned look.
"So what did you understand from the book?" Fengyu pushed through his brain fog.
"It was mostly a dictionary of known species of mythical beasts."
"So you could recognise one, if you see it?"
Fengyu paused as he noticed what he just said. He made it as if there was a possibility that they would see one. Was the bird, the men in the village had mentioned, a mythical beast?
"Well, more or less." She answered cautiously.
He hold her gaze for a while, not sure what was that that she still withheld from them, but decided not to press her.
"So be it," he said finally.
And with that, silence settled over them.