After eating lunch, the enforcers scattered. Sterling entered the researcher's tent and met with Charles.
"So…how'd it go?" Charles asked, crossing his legs.
"Decent." Sterling replied, spitting.
"Didn't find anything interesting?" Charles's face contorted in disgust.
"Yeah…" Sterling placed the diary and pen on the table. "I'm planning on exploring the abyss next."
The air in the room instantly froze. Charles's smile turned upside down. He leaned forward, placing both his feet. He locked eyes with Sterling.
"Sterling…don't." He warned.
"I know you're worried, Charles." Sterling grabbed another diary and pen.
"Of course, I am! You're trying to approach a void that we discovered a few days ago!" Charles pointed out.
"Don't worry, I'll be with Arthur." He turned towards the exit.
"Arthur can't protect you from possession! You must understand!"
"Then, I'll tell Nyx to watch over me."
Charles sighed, realizing he couldn't change the old man's mind. Sterling exited as Charles watched him with a worried expression. Sterling approached Nyx, tapping her on the shoulder.
"Supreme commander." He called out. "I'm going to approach the abyss. Can you protect me?"
Nyx groaned, giving her approval before dozing off. The professor's face lit up like a child. He turned around, gesturing Arthur to follow him. Arthur, who was meeting with his friends, rushed over to his side after a quick goodbye. The two passed the veil and reentered dangerous territory. Sterling began nearing the darkness that craved through the land.
"Sir! Where are you going?" He called out, closing in on the scientist.
"I'm going to explore the abyss, Arthur. Don't disturb me." Sterling clicked his pen.
"But-"
"I'll be careful. You're with me, right? All will be fine." Sterling cut the lieutenant general off.
Arthur peered into the abyss – worried. The darkness swirled like a river, flowing from one end to another. Sterling approached, he felt a light weight on his chest. Arthur stood close but not too close as the immense chaos made his bones creak. He gulped, staring into the unknown. Sterling crouched, adjusting his glasses. Arthur gripped his katana, preparing if the ghostly figures came out again. As Sterling scribbled things down, the tension in the air became thick. But even then, the ghosts didn't appear. Arthur let his guard down a little when the professor stepped away.
"Arthur." He called, pointing towards the abyss. "Shoot at it."
"What?" Arthur blurted. "No!"
"Just do it! It's for science!"
Arthur stared at the abyss – contemplating. Then, He folded and pointed his finger at the darkness. He closed one eye, activated his attribute and braced himself. A small laser formed on the tip of his fingers and shot towards the void. The next second, he turned it off. Sterling brought his ears closer, hearing rocks falling into…something. He couldn't hear them land – not even an echo, not even a whisper.
"What the hell is this thing?" Sterling muttered – writing.
"Dunno, sir." Arthur pulled him, coughing. "But step back a little."
"Okay – okay." Sterling replied, checking his notes.
He scanned through them again and again. He picked up a stone and threw into the abyss. He waited…waited for a sound to come…but nothing did. He exhaled heavily, writing once more. He looked through the notes once more. Realizing something, he chuckled slightly and adjusted his glasses.
'From what I've gathered…either this hole is a massive chaos fragment but that wouldn't make sense since fragments tend to gather chaos rather than expel it…'
He tapped his pen against the diary.
"Or, this hole is deeper than the crust which…is the most unlikely probability for some damn reason." He muttered under his breath.
Then, an idea came to mind. He approached the abyss, stroking his chin. Arthur trailed right behind him, feeling the chaos rise.
'This can also be a portal to another dimension…'
Sterling merely chuckled at the thought of such.
'Ah…that seems like the most unlikely probability. Oh, how funny I am.'
Just then…the air froze…the darkness rippled. Arthur's eyes widened – his worst nightmare came true. The ghosts escaped the abyss again, the darkness rippling. But they did not possess anyone. Arthur's eyes widened in horror as one leaned into Sterling's ear.
"Do not try to understand what's beyond you…Sterling…"
The ghosts voice felt like an echo. Sterling's pupils dilated as he pulled down by the ghosts.
"Professor!" Arthur rushed towards Sterling.
Dark tendrils surged out of Nyx's barrier, reaching towards Sterling. Acting fast, the professor twisted his old body and threw the diary.
"ARTHUR!!!"
He couldn't speak more words as the abyss swallowed him whole. Time seemed to slow down as Arthur paused – realizing he was too late. The tendrils caught the diary with ease. Silence engulfed the whole area as Arthur stared into the void. The wind blew, leaves rustled and grass waved. He took a step forward, halting at the edge of the abyss.
"…sir…?"
His voice echoed throughout the land but no response came. He froze – a surge of…. emptiness washed over him. His mind became blank and cracked a little as he continued staring into the darkness. His hands swung at a steady pace; his bright blue eyes became hollow like the darkness before him. He bit his lips – a void formed in his heart.
Then, a memory he had forgotten long ago flashed before his eyes.
He saw the sight of a woman hanging from the balcony of his own home. Her face covered by darkness as blood poured down her whole body. He took a deep breath and chuckled hoarsely. Then, he began laughing silently like a maniac.
"Is this how you feel…Missio…?"
He took the name of a good friend of his. He bit his lip, drawing blood. He wanted the void to take him to but it didn't. No ghost came to possess as if they were mocking the loss he had experienced. Or was that because he was an Ashking? He wouldn't know. His anger rose as he formed a gun pointed at the abyss.
But he didn't fire off an attack – he couldn't.
'Why…? Why…? Why can't I do anything? Why am I so helpless?'
He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. His heart ached heavily as he remembered the conversion he had with Kay at the Hospital.
"An enforcer must have a flexible heart."
His own words echoed in his mind. He chuckled darkly while turning around.
"Your own words come back to bite you someday, don't they…?"
He headed back to the camp – slowly. The dark tendrils followed him like his own shadow. He passed the barrier as the tentacle like Darkness pulled the Sterling's items in. When he entered, he lifted his head and saw the supreme commander in front of him. He didn't say anything to her, knowing she had witnessed the same thing he had. He passed her without a word, heading for his tent. Nyx drew a deep breath and pulled the items she held down.
"We need to get out of here..." She whispered.