'Could it really be you?' Emily's heart raced with lingering disbelief as she gazed at his radiant figure through her glowing amber eyes. He stood suspended above the stone floor, his brilliance a stark contrast to the dim chamber.
The radiance dimmed, the energy settling like embers as it left his body. His pale skin was revealed, his flaring ash-white hair falling into place. Slowly, he began to drift downward.
"Devin!" Emily cried, rushing to catch him before his knees hit the floor. "Dev…" Her voice faltered as she froze, mesmerized by the glow of his crimson eyes.
"Wait… did she just say Devin?" Aidan asked, glancing between the others for confirmation.
"I don't know," Cassidy replied, shrugging before turning to Angel. "It must be Devin Draik, the one who's fifth place in our grade," Angel surmised with a frown.
"Oh, the loner!" Cassidy exclaimed, furrowing her brows as she studied him. "Was his hair always like that?"
"Nope. Pretty sure it was brown or black," Aidan said, scratching his head. He shot Angel a teasing grin. "Man, you really keep track of that list, huh?"
"At least he cares about being the best," Cassidy cut in sharply, crossing her arms. "Unlike someone else I know."
"Devin… Are you okay? Dev…" Emily's voice trembled, hope and disbelief mingling as she held him close.
'I know that voice…' Devin's crimson eyes fluttered open, slowly focusing on the face before him. He saw her warm, honey-due like eyes, blurred at first, before her features cleared.
'Emily?' Devin mouthed, confusion etched on his face.
"Yes!" Emily's voice lifted, her heart soaring as she read his lips. She wrapped him in a warm embrace. "It's me, Devin. I'm here!"
"I thought he was a loner," Cassidy mused, her heart softening at the sight. She hugged Angel tighter, then turned to Aidan with a teasing smirk. "So, what's your excuse?"
Aidan chuckled, brushing off her jab. "Yeah, that's nice. Now that there's all five of us, what happens now—"
CRACK!
The jarring sound of glass splintering echoed through the chamber, freezing the group in place. Aidan stepped back sharply, his eyes darting upward. A transparent barrier wrapped around them, its surface fracturing with ceaseless cracks.
"What the hell is happening now!?" Aidan stammered, his voice rising in panic.
The barrier shattered without warning, exploding into a cascade of star-like particles. A deafening rush of air filled the void, battering the group as they strained against the force. Their tunics whipped wildly in the turbulent wind.
Aidan shuddered as the radiant light from the runes faded, plunging the stone room into an oppressive darkness. His auburn eyes flickered with panic as he raised his fists defensively. 'Whatever the fuck is going on here, I'm not dying without a fight!' Burning with resolve, he hardened his stance as he braced himself.
"Please, don't panic, dear guests from another world." A cool, calm voice attempted to soothe them as a crystal embedded in the stone ceiling flared to life, casting light over the group. A cold mist curled from the breath of the figure now visible before them.
He stood at the edge of the room, his cold, leaden eyes reflecting their shock and confusion. His regal blue tunic billowed faintly in the lingering wind as he bowed deeply, his short raven-black hair swaying behind him.
"I apologize for the unfortunate first impression of our world, dear guests."
"Who are you? Why are we here?" Angel's voice cut through the tense silence, his questions echoing what the others were too stunned to ask.
"I am simply Douglas," the man replied, straightening his posture. "I understand you all have many questions, but for now, please be patient. You will soon meet someone better suited to explain everything."
"Who?" Angel pressed, his brow furrowing.
"All in due time," Douglas answered coolly, turning his attention to a rectangular structure near him. It was carved from obsidian stone, standing atop a dais. Raising his hand toward it, he exhaled a cold mist, faint lines of fatigue shadowing his eyes.
On the dais, yellow, brown, azure, and black energies erupted, spiralling into the air before clashing at the structure's center. The forces merged, forming a swirling dark portal that grew to man size.
"Would you all please enter." Douglas gestured toward the portal, his voice as calm as ever.
"So, let me get this straight," Cassidy snapped, stepping forward. "You bring us here against our will, tell us nothing, and now you expect us to step into that weird-ass portal?"
"Yes," Douglas replied simply, his tone as cold as ice.
"Oh, fantastic." Cassidy crossed her arms, inching closer to Douglas. "I've got plenty to say to you—and your 'Mr. Better Suited to Explain Everything!' Do you—"
She stopped abruptly as Angel tapped her shoulder. Annoyed, she turned to him, her frustration evident. "Why are you stopping me? I'm right! They have no right to do this to us."
"I agree," Angel admitted with a heavy sigh. "But there's too much we don't know yet." Gritting his teeth, he stepped forward and met Douglas's cold, unwavering gaze. "Even so, why should we trust you?"
"For the answers you seek, of course," Douglas said, letting out a measured sigh. "It's either that or you stay here forever. So please, follow me, dear guests from the other world."
'What do I do?' Angel questioned, doubt swirling in his mind. Douglas's emotionless demeanor, paired with his insistence, rubbed him the wrong way. But staying here wouldn't give them any answers. Angel's gaze shifted from the swirling portal to Cassidy as he weighed their options.
Emily, however, had already made up her mind. After helping Devin into the velvet tunic passed to him, she stood, steadying him by the arm. Moving forward with quiet determination, they passed Douglas and approached the portal.
"Emily!" Cassidy's voice rang out, sharp and uncertain. "Are you sure about this?"
Emily paused, letting out a sigh. Her shoulders sagged as she glanced back at Cassidy. "What choice do we have?" she murmured, before continuing forward.
At the foot of the obsidian dais, she gazed up at the swirling portal. Pulses of energy radiated from its depths, vibrating through the air with an almost magnetic pull. For a fleeting moment, her sense of wonder overtook her fear. The vibrations filled her chest, sparking visions of endless possibilities—a new world waiting beyond the dark veil.
Stepping up the dais, Emily moved forward, Devin steady at her side. Together, they vanished into the portal, leaving behind the chamber—and welcoming the unknown wonders of a new world.
Welcome.
End of Chapter 22