A year had passed. Now it was exactly three days until the expedition would depart.
"You've gotten a little stronger… but always ask yourself — is this really enough to get what you want?" the long black-haired girl from Dark's dreams whispered.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Dark muttered, still foggy.
"Patience. I told you we'd meet soon. Now — I think someone behind you is calling," she said.
Dark turned. In the desert ahead a deep well yawned, and a faint voice echoed up from its black throat: "Wake up… hey, wake up." He leaned over—and the girl shoved him. He toppled into the well, falling through near-black air. All he could see was her silhouette shrinking above him until he finally snapped awake, drenched in sweat.
Laiver shook him awake. "Finally — you're up. If you'd stayed out another minute I'd have burnt you myself. We've got an important day — it's the selection of the physician who'll be assigned to each of you," he said, and behind him the Dream Chasers were gathering.
"We would've left you if we could," Pedro muttered, "but Serato insisted we must be together to begin."
"Stop wasting time. Let's move," Kazato snapped, annoyance in his tone.
Dark changed his clothes quickly and hurried after Laiver, joining the rest of the members. As they walked, Dark thought: I can't believe how far we've come in the past year.
They reached the health center where Serato was waiting at the door.
"All present," Serato announced. "I will call the names of this year's Dream Chasers." He recited them in turn: "Dark — Four Points, Light. Laiver Crostfield — Five Points, Stormfire. Kazato the Legend — Six Points, Ice. Mirai Al-Fin — Rare Eye, Lunar Light. Nital Kingston — Six Points, Darkness. Pedro Dalcon — Five Points, Sand. Franx Masterland — Five Points, Water. Nathalie Haunbon — Five Points, Metal. Robert Green — Five Points, Gale Wind. Josie Star — Four Points, Earth. Daniel Rozi — Five Points, Pinewood. Toro Krimble — Five Points, Shade." He paused. "Good. Everyone is here. You will now choose the chief physician who will be responsible for you during the journey."
Daniel raised his hand. "Will the physician accompany us along the route?"
"No," Serato replied. "You'll carry a hologram device so they can examine and communicate with you remotely. Each of you will select a doctor. Jason has gathered the best physicians of the First Realm — they're all in the next room. Without wasting time, let's go in."
They entered a long medical hall. Doctors stood by beds and tables, instruments gleaming. Most of the physicians clustered around Mirai, Kazato, and Nital — interest obvious because of their eyes. Others inspected the rest of the team. Everyone avoided Dark; his pale, faded pupils made the doctors edge away. Serato leaned against the wall, watching quietly.
"They'll avoid him. They know someone with faded eyes won't last long on a grueling mission. And Jason pays them — if a team member dies, the physician loses part of the Lord's pay. This world is harsh," Serato thought.
Dark walked along the long room while the doctors averted their gaze. The feeling was cold and clinical. Then he noticed a young physician at a bench, distractedly peering into a microscope, muttering to himself, "Yes… yes… like that." The doctor paused, scribbled a note, and looked up.
Dark approached hesitantly. The doctor jumped, startled. "Oh—I didn't see you come up," he said, then leaned in, inspecting Dark with an odd curiosity. "Fascinating. Truly fascinating."
Before Dark could speak, the doctor—quick, a little reckless—grabbed a syringe and jabbed it into Dark's arm.
"Hey! You madman, stop—!" Dark cried, alarmed as the needle bit his skin. The doctor drew a small sample of blood, placed it in a vial, then returned to the microscope.
"Go fetch the required forms," the doctor said without breaking his focus. "Do you want your physician to wait like that? By the way, I'm Krislin — call me Kris." He flipped his head back to the lens.
Dark, pale and baffled, muttered, "What just happened?" He watched Krislin scribble. I did it. Found a doctor. A little mad, but I found one. Relief warmed him faintly.
Laiver watched the scene while being examined; Serato watched as well. A physician inspected Mirai. One checked Kazato — Kazato left the exam quickly after a single test; the attending doctor stood puzzled, holding a tongue depressor in his hand.
Kazato had ducked into a restroom, sweating. He opened his mouth and bit his tongue, revealing an orange stone lodged beneath the underside of it. He stared at the stone with a hateful light and whispered, "I'll kill her. I'll make her pay."
Meanwhile, on the first planet of the Path of Trials, another Dream Chasers' team was in ruin. Corpses were scattered across the shattered plain. One survivor tried to flee, flying through the dust, but was struck down by a crushing blow. A figure stood in the gloom, red-crimson eyes burning. Above, Joker and Silber sat on a flying beast, watching.
"You're savage, Joker," Silber commented.
Joker's masked smile couldn't be seen, but his voice was oddly playful. "Just a necessary sacrifice for a brighter future — though that one was dull. "
"Alright, what do we do now? Honestly, watching that made me hungry." — Silver
"Same. Let's go eat something. Hey Bara, you want anything?" — Joker
The dust cleared, and the crimson element user raised his eyes toward the sky, looking up at where Joker stood.
"No. The weak make my appetite disappear." — Bara
Joker grinned under that mask with the unsettling smile."Don't worry… the next squad is going to be far more interesting."
Then he stepped through the portal.