There was a huge square platform. Some strange symbols were carved on it and together formed some sort of image.
The bandaged man was jumping happily around it. He would seam a kid if it weren't for his creepy look.
"Do you know how to activate it?" – Asked John.
"Yeah, after the creeps from the Church gave me some books…" – He glanced towards the hooded people. There was a mix of gratitude and disgust in his eyes. – "…I was able to gasp this formation very quickly. Probably a I can even recreate it completely."
'He probably is smiling right now.' – Supposed Nameless. To confirm this thought the bandages around the man's mouth moved slightly.
"Good work! Send us to the second island."
"Sure Cap. Everyone, step on the platform!"
After a few minutes a golden light flooded the platform and there was no one on the first island after it vanished.
[…]
"Another time!? Really?"
Nameless, annoyed, kicked the white invisible wall. Remembering the first time he directly started looking for a door handle.
The white space dissipated.
The scene was very different from the first time. There were rows upon rows of humanoid being. Nameless couldn't see their features. All of them were clad into identical golden armor and had the same weapons: a sword and a spear. Nameless was one of them.
This time there were seven ocean-blue suns in the black sky. As far as his sight could reach there were only rows of soldiers.
"PREPARE FOR ASSAULT!" – Suddenly from the distance ten bluish lights were rapidly shot in the sky.
They seemed slow but after a few second the first explosion could be heard accompanied by screams.
Then the second, the third…
*BOOOOOM*
Nameless suddenly found himself flying above the ground. His head was ringing, and the whole body was in pain. For a moment he was about to lose consciousness. 'I will die if I don't fight here!'
He bit the tip of his tongue and the pain helped him to stay awake.
He was on the ground. Screams and sound of fighting could be heard around. He opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was a gray glow just some centimeters from his face.
Subconsciously he extended his hand towards the glow and it suddenly disappeared. With that some strange energy entered his broken body.
The nameless soldier stood up. His armor crumbled completely leaving him bare-chested.
He looked around and saw many strange four-armed creatures fighting against his fellow comrades. Suddenly one of the creatures assaulted him.
By sheer reflex Nameless, hit it on the throat and forcing it some steps back.
With absolute calmness he dashed forwards. Jumped and his knee connected with the creature's face.
"SPEAR!"
His roar attracted everyone's attention, and another soldier threw him a weapon.
He caught the spear and impaled it into the creature's head. Multiple golden symbols suddenly shined on the spearhead and the upper half on the impaled body exploded into bloody mist.
Some sort of fire started burning inside his chest. He rose his spear in the air.
*ROOOOOOOOOAAAAR*
And jumped towards the next opponent.
Nameless was still watching everything from the man's perspective. But the more he observed the more he could feel the emotions on this person.
Slash. Stab. Dodge. Slash. Dash. Jump. Kill. Dodge. Kill. Rip. Slash. Dash…
He became a mindless killing machine. Surrounded by heavy red mist illuminated only by flashed of golden light.
After hour of fighting he noticed that there were no more enemies.
Behind him where were hundreds of people. Everyone was looking towards him.
In their eyes was some sort of respect and even reverence which he couldn't understand. Suddenly someone kneeled. Then another one, and another.
His pupils constricted.
Suddenly the scene changed. He was in the middle of a huge square platform in the middle of more than hundred other people.
John and other crew members were already alert, but nothing happened upon their arrival. Suddenly a slight pain appeared on the back of his right hand.
'What a hell is that?'
There was simple gray circle. After the first unpleasant sensation, nothing else happened, so Nameless could only leave it be for now. 'I will ask someone about it later.'
The island was completely different from the first one. Instead on jungle there were a few scattered palms and the rest was covered by yellow sand. The temperature wasn't very high or at least it wasn't like it should've.
"Oh, it's raining…" – Suddenly exclaimed someone. Indeed, something was falling from the sky, but it wasn't water; it was sand.
Very cold to the touch if felt like being punctured by many small ice shards. The sand rain didn't last long but still was very unpleasant.
The day went on smoothly but still the crew members were strangely alert.
"Is here another guardian?" – Asked Nameless to Doctor who was doing nothing at this moment. – "Yeah. But it still hasn't appeared."
Suddenly the ground trembled and a tide of sand appeared in the distance.
It was moving at high speed towards the platform they were on. Once it was near, Nameless saw a huge horn emerging from the sand.
After, the full body of creature emerged.
It was a serpent; at very least six hundred meters long. Three horns decorated its head. Bluish scales completely covered its huge body.
Temperature rapidly decreased as the beast approached.
Just before hitting the platform, the serpent emerged completely from the sand and five pairs of wings, made from some azure energy appeared on its back.
The beast was looking at Captain. He snapped his fingers, and someone brought a black box. Without saying anything unnecessary he directly threw it towards the monster.
The creature, like if it was a puppy, caught it mid-air and swallowed directly. Then it stared again on John.
"Damn beast! Do you think that it's easy to find the food for you swallow!"
*GRROOR*
Cap sighed and another box appeared in his hands and was swallowed shortly after.
This time the creature seamed satisfied. It let out a pleased growl and dived into the sand. – "Prepare for the impact!"
*BOOOOOM* The platform suddenly moved. More than half of the people on it, directly fell and someone was about to be pushed out of its bounds but was stopped by some crew members.
'They really need all of us alive for some reason…'
Thought Nameless. 'Probably that thing will kill many, if not all, of us…' This grim possibility didn't affect him that much. The life hi was living back in Lamar-Tir wasn't all that better from being dead.
'But…' – Some sort of defiance rose in his heart. '…I'm not sure that I care to survive…'
The platform was moving at high speed in an unknown direction. Around them there was only sand but sometimes there were some strange ruins.
"There were people living here before?" – Asked Nameless to nearby bandaged man.
"Yes. But before this place became part of the Seven Star Archipelago."
'It "became" part of it? How is it possible…'
But the man was strangely taciturn about this matter so Nameless could only push his doubts on the back of his mind.
It was difficult to say how much distance they have crossed, and the always identical landscape didn't help much either.
After some hours cheered up only by occasional cold sand rain a huge city appeared in the distance. 'Huge…'
Tens of towers were scattered through all the city. The houses made white stone were extremely simple but refined.
Once the platform was only one meter away from the houses, it stopped, and an underground tremor announced that the winged serpent dived away after doing its job.
"Everyone! In this city don't enter inside the houses, don't touch anything, and don't speak too loud."
Informed James. – "My is only an advice, and if you want to experience how's beautiful the Underworld you could choose not to follow it."
Everyone slightly shuddered. Meanwhile Nameless smiled. 'We will probably die anyway…'
The group entered the city.
'For the capital of the Shurika's Empire to fall this much…' Thought the boy but suddenly was startled by this thought. 'How do I know that is the ancient Shurika's capital…? What's going on…Shurika shouldn't be here…Damn. Maybe I'm wrong and it's only my fantasy.'
He went near James. – "What is this city?"
"It's the capital of an ancient empire of Shurika. It wasn't an empire from our world thought. This city was named after the founder of the empire…"
"…Karwalash."
James was startled for a moment after hearing this name. – "Yes, that's exactly his name. How do you know it?"
Nameless didn't answer immediately. 'How do I know this…I don't…'
"I've heard it somewhere at Lamar-Tir…"
James still was somehow dubious but didn't particularly cared either. – "It's strange. I know about this city only because I was here with Captain once before."
Suddenly everyone stopped. Before the huge group was a round square. In the middle of it were was only a single lonely person.
John stepped forward.
*Crrok*
With a sound of something breaking the person turned his head.