The wave of pain intensified before gravity suddenly reclaimed them, slamming them back onto the ground.
A strange zephyr blew around them.
The unfamiliar atmosphere and the mysterious aura surrounding Marthadon weighed heavily on their souls.
Slowly, they began to stand.
They staggered weakly, their vision dizzy and unfocused.
Ely: What the hell happened, Ryan?
He held his head in pain.
Then he looked beside him and froze.
Alicia was standing there.
Ely: What?! Alicia?! What are you doing here?
Alicia: I should be asking you that, Ely Krueger.
She pointed at him offensively.
Ely: Nope. We got here first, so you guys just poked your noses in.
Alicia: Says who?
She looked at him with disgust.
While they argued, Ryan and Iriel remained focused on their surroundings.
Something was wrong.
They were no longer in the library.
They were somewhere completely unfamiliar.
Ryan: You two should stop this nonsense and focus on where we are!
Immediately, Ely and Alicia straightened up like soldiers caught misbehaving before their commander.
They looked around.
The sight before them sent shivers down their spines.
Their hearts pounded as adrenaline surged through their bodies.
Ely: Where are we?
Ryan's POV
Little did we know that the boundless chains of fate had dragged us to where we were truly needed.
We stared around in fear and confusion.
We were standing in a forest filled with dry, lifeless trees. Their leaves slowly fell from the branches at irregular intervals, carried away by the strange breeze.
Ely: Where the hell are we, and how did we even get here?
Fear was written all over his face.
Alicia: Why ask me? I don't know.
Ryan: I think it was that big orb you touched.
He pointed at Ely.
Alicia: You mean me?
She pointed at herself.
Ely: No, it was me who touched it.
They immediately started arguing.
Ryan, highly surprised by their immature behavior, raised his voice.
Ryan: You guys should stop arguing about whose fault it is!
They immediately straightened up.
Ryan: As I was saying, that orb... I think it's what teleported us here.
Iriel: You mean that big red thing was a teleportation machine?
Ely: So you're saying that thing brought us here?
Alicia: And it was activated when someone touched it.
Ryan: I'm not saying that. I'm just guessing.
Alicia: Your guess seems right.
Iriel: But why would it teleport us here?
Ely: Yeah. Of all places, dry woods?
He gazed around, looking completely bewildered.
Ryan: We'll find out.
Alicia: How?
Ryan looked at her with a cold, confused expression.
Ryan: I don't know.
Ely: I do.
His expression suddenly changed.
Anger and determination filled his face.
Ely: We'll find out by kicking the butts of these trees!
He ran toward one of the trees and began punching it fiercely as though it were a human being.
The others stared at him in disbelief.
But Ely kept punching.
Then something horrifying happened.
The trees began to move.
Their wooden bodies transformed into monstrous robotic beings.
Their branches twisted into mechanical arms, and weapons began forming at the ends of them.
Fear gripped them all.
Ely, however, noticed nothing.
He continued punching the tree.
Ryan: Ely...
Ely: Don't plead with me! I'm not done yet!
Ryan: I'm not pleading. I just hope you don't end up pleading for yourself.
He pointed upward.
Ryan: Look up.
Ely stopped.
Ely: Why?
Ryan: Just look.
Ely slowly raised his head.
His eyes widened.
He stared at the monstrous robotic beings towering above them.
Ely: AH! AH!
He screamed and ran back toward the others, panting heavily.
Ely: What are those things?!
All: Why ask us? We don't know!
The robotic monsters raised their blasters.
They aimed directly at them.
Iriel: Maybe they're friendly?
Even Iriel couldn't believe what she had just said.
One of the creatures fired.
A greenish blast exploded beside them.
They scattered instantly.
Iriel: Probably not!
Ryan: RUN!
They ran.
The four of them raced through the forest as though their lives depended on it.
Behind them, blasts exploded against the ground.
The robotic creatures pursued them relentlessly.
Fear tortured their bodies, forcing their legs to move faster than they ever had before.
Suddenly, Iriel tripped over a rope and fell.
Everyone stopped.
Ryan immediately ran back to her and helped her up.
Iriel's stomach churned nervously, but there was no time to think about anything else.
They were in danger.
Ryan: Just stay calm.
Even though he wasn't calm himself.
Ely: Be fast! They're going to shoot again!
Ryan didn't hesitate.
He lifted Iriel and continued running.
Seeing this, Ely turned toward Alicia.
Ely: I'm really sorry.
He picked her up.
Alicia: What are you doing?!
Ely: You're not running fast enough. I don't have a choice.
Alicia: Put me down!
Ely: Not happening.
They pushed forward at full speed.
Eventually, they burst out of the jungle and entered a vast white desert.
Ahead of them stood a gigantic sculpted cave.
They didn't care where they were.
The robotic creatures were still on their trail.
Ely: Where are we now?
Ryan: I don't want to know. I just want to lose them.
He pointed ahead.
Ryan: There's a cave. Maybe we'll find shelter there.
Ely: What proof do you have that it's safe?
Ryan: None. But if you want to get toasted, you can stay.
Ely: Totally not.
Iriel: I can run now.
Ryan: No worries.
They rushed toward the cave.
As Ely and Alicia entered, the robotic creatures fired another powerful blast.
BOOM!
The explosion shook the entrance.
The four of them disappeared into the darkness.
Darkness swallowed them whole.
Total darkness.