We did not descend.
We were 'taken'.
The blackness consumed us entirely, but rather than the anticipated inhalation of air and the certainty of death, the darkness tightened—coiling, contracting, 'securing' us. My stomach twisted as the universe turned sideways, like it had been folded and pitched.
Then—
Impact.
A hard rock hit my back. Pain shot through my ribs. The darkness unwound reflexively, softening Rei as we tumbled on a chilly, sloping surface and halted just a few inches from a serrated drop.
At that moment, not one of us stirred for quite a long time.
The darkness inhaled.
Somewhere, very high up, stone caved in. The Bearer roared—now far away, annoyed.
We had survived.
Just about.
Rei cleared her throat and, with a little effort, got up on one elbow. Her spear glimmered once… and then it was completely gone.
She looked at the palm of her empty hand.
"Not," she said in a very low voice. "Not, not—"
The words above her came in like fire, without pity.
RESONANCE OVERDRAW
ASPECT SEALED: TEMPORARY
RECOVERY CONDITION: UNKNOWN
Her lips pulled back in a tight line. Still, she did not shout. She did not weep.
Instead, she took a deep breath and turned her eyes to me. "I can't call it."
My shadow was shifting uncomfortably.
"I understand," I replied. My voice had a strange quality—too dim. "I sensed it breaking."
I attempted to rise.
I collapsed.
I fell hard on the ground, breath forcefully escaping my lungs in an agonizing wheeze. All my nerves were screaming. I was imagining my head being filled with glass and sounds—memories banging against one another, not allowing to settle.
Text was flashing violently.
BURDEN BREACH
MEMORY BACKFLOW: ACTIVE
I closed my eyes tightly.
Faces came thickly—people whom I had not helped, promises I had not wanted to break, times that I had hidden because the pain of remembering them was harder than the pain of forgetting them.
The shadow pressed down, heavy, controlling.
"You requested this," it said.
"Not now," I whispered. "Later."
Rei went to my side and held my arm tightly. "Hey. Do not leave me."
Her hand was rather unsteady.
That frightened me worse than the Bearer had ever done.
"I am here," I told, with much effort, opening my eyes. "Only... a moment, please."
We had come down on a gigantic rock shelf, which was protruding over a huge chasm.
The remains of bridges and broken pathways, like the ribs of a dead god, were at the very top of the ruins that had spiraled upward.
Below—absolutely nothing, just the darkness moving very slowly and lit very faintly by the far-off symbols that were flashing like the last sparks of dying stars.
A different area had opened up.
The text was seared into the atmosphere, with a slow and very intentional manner.
ZONE DISCOVERED: THE UNDERWAY
STATUS: UNMAPPED
RULES: UNKNOWN
Rei gulped. "I really do not like it when it says that."
"Neither do I."
We had company.
I sensed it before my eyes located it—a being gliding through the blackness with aim, not the randomness of the Bearer. It was the opposite. Controlled. Patient.
The sound of steps was heard on the stone.
I exerted force on myself to sit up with the shadow that was rising protectively around us. Rei moved closer, her back being to my chest, her tired sight still sharp and scanning the darkness.
A silhouette appeared from the front to the left of the shadows.
Tall. Wide-shouldered. Composed.
A guy dressed in armor that looked old and cracked but was still somehow radiating with the symbols of light.
He was holding a long, rectangular sword that seemed to be very heavy and impractical, yet so well-balanced that it could not be intended just for decoration.
Words floated above him.
SAEKI RYU — ACTIVE
He came to a halt a few meters away and gave a slight bow.
"You have withstood the impact of the fall," he spoke. His voice was quiet, firm. "Not many are that lucky."
Rei, in a reflex action, raised her hand that was empty, and then lowered it as soon as she remembered. She then compressed her lips to form a narrow line.
"And you are the one saying that you will not harm us?" she inquired.
Ryu's look went to her closed Aspect for a brief second... then to my shadow.
His eyes seemed to communicate something that was hard to understand.
"Not now," my voice came out very faintly. "Later."
Rei went beside me and tightly grasped my arm. "Hey. Don't you dare leave me."
Her hand was not quite steady.
That scared me more than the Bearer ever did.
"I am here," I said extremely laboriously, gradually opening my eyes. "Just... a moment, please."
We had descended onto a massive rocky ledge that jutted out over a bottomless pit. The remnants of bridges and broken paths, resembling the ribs of a dead deity, were at the very summit of the ruins that had spiraled upward. Below—absolutely nothing, just the darkness which was moving rather slowly and was very faintly illuminated by the distant symbols that were flickering like the last sparks of dying stars.
Another area had become visible.
The text was burned into the atmosphere, and it was done slowly and with great intention.
ZONE DISCOVERED: THE UNDERWAY
STATUS: UNMAPPED
RULES: UNKNOWN
Rei swallowed hard. "I absolutely detest it when it tells us that."
"I am in the same boat."
We were not alone.
Before I even saw it, I could feel it—something was moving through the dark in a very purposeful manner, which was quite contrary to the Bearer's random drifting. It was the opposite. It was in control. It was patient.
Soon, the sound of footsteps was heard on the stone floor.
I called upon my inner strength to rise and take my place next to the shadow that was rising protectively around us. Rei was now very close to me, her back against my chest, her tired gaze still sharp and scanning the dark.
A figure materialized from the front and to the left of the shadows.
Tall. Broad-shouldered.
Collected.
A man clad in armor that seemed ancient and fractured yet still somehow exuding the light symbols. He carried a long rectangular sword that appeared very heavy and useless but was so well-balanced that it could not have been made just for show.
Words appeared above him, as if they were floating.
SAEKI RYU - ACTIVE
He stopped at a distance of few meters and slightly bowed.
"You have survived the fall," he said. His voice was soft but strong. "Only a few are fortunate enough to be like that."
Rei, acting reflexively, lifted her unoccupied hand, and as soon as she recollected, she lowered it. Then, she pressed her lips together to make a thin line.
"And you are declaring that you will not hurt us?" she asked.
Ryu's gaze flicked to her shut Aspect for a moment... then to my shadow.
It appeared that his eyes tried to convey a message that was rather difficult to decipher.