We were guided just outside the Salix although it will be difficult to tell that this place is within the vicinity of a busy city. Not a single person or Traveller can be seen within my range of vision. Even beasts were not present here.
"What is this place?"
"This is just another forest near Salix City."
"But I cannot see anything, how is that possible?"
This strange phenomenon got me questioning this vulgar knight. For some reason, he seems to know more than us Imperial Guardians and Lords.
"It's because of this."
Arwen kicked a pile of dirt which was hiding an odd looking rod.
"This device was created by Senior Jade and was assigned to me by our Majesty to put it here. I am not sure how it works, but they told me it creates an illusion which is difficult to see through unless we have the missing piece. It's also my first time to experience this illusion."
"And this missing piece is supposed to be this strange ball. Senior Jade's invention really works in mysterious ways."
"I hope Lord Jackson won't mind putting the device himself."
Jackson does it like what is requested. Placing the missing piece, the dull-looking rod dazzle with white light before becoming transparent. Weird mechanical clicks were heard while the change was occurring in front of us. It does not look like it is harmful to be wary of.
After waiting a minute, the process seems to be done when the last click resounded. Except for that, nothing really changed.
"Whaaat? Nothing happened?"
"Are you sure you know what we should be doing?"
"That's strange. A Gate should be appearing right now."
"GATE?!?! What the fuck have you been letting us get involved to."
"Calm down Helen. It's Isaac who simply ordered him to do his job. There should be reason on why a Gate should appear in this device."
Jackson's intervention was quite late as Arwen was already spitting blood on the ground because of the sudden punch to the stomach. Her impression on him is still not good, so her action lacks any hint of hesitation.
Despite all of that, I ignore all of them and head to the device that should be activating right now according to the only person who knows what this is. First thing I was worried about on why it did not act like what Arwen expected it to be is because of the damage cause during the delivery.
The damage was there, but I do not see it being the cause on why it does not function. It is just part of the outer shell that protects what is inside like what I knew it would be. So even if there was a clear crack on it, nothing should happen, probably.
Now that I have a closer look at the device, there was a new segment which has something that looks like a red button after it fuses together. I cannot help but press it.
"Like what I've been telling you, I don't know anyt-"
"What did you do, Vaughn?"
"I just pressed something. It looks bad doesn't it?"
Pressing that red button seems to have done something since a heavy force that almost took us off balance disturbing the events happening in this illusion forest. I can see that Arwen was already half-way dead from the corner of my eye.
'It doesn't look like you have protected him at all, Jackson.'
The ominous force has saved Arwen from the continuous beating of Helena. A fissure in the space with a width of at least five people appear out of nowhere.
We definitely know this familiar feeling. The feeling of dreadfulness and death, nothing can be compared when being near a Gate for the Netherworld. It is what we hate the most, yet here is one, created in front of us.
"Here it is! Our Majesty told me to instruct Dear Lords to clean up the mess inside."
"Inside? You mean we're going through this Gate?"
"Don't listen to him, V. He's just spouting nonsense. I bet he wants us to go inside the Gate because his true purpose is to kill us."
"Now you're just being unreasonable, Helena."
I told her off since there was something strange going on with the Gate. By this time, the surrounding should be covered with the essence of Netherworld. Every living thing, including the grass and trees around us, starts to lose life leaving it to wilt till everything is black. Yet none of it happened so far.
Normal people will have a difficulty staying near a Gate in a long time because of this reason. But every person present here Is far from being normal, so being so close to the Gate is not a problem for anyone here.
The fissure continues to expand as we watch it silently until we need to move aside to avoid getting suck into it. It is a huge hole in the empty air, but it does not reach close enough to the Gates we have seen before.
"Did it stop already?"
"Yea, I don't sense it increasing anymore. And by the way Helena, don't cover the mouth of Arwen. We need him to explain what to do next now that this is done."
Giving her order to release Arwen from her grasps, he was able to gasp for air before he is able to talk. I poured a bottle of high quality medicine over his body to recover him back to a functioning human being.
"Thank you very much, dear Lord."
"I assume we need to go inside of this Gate, right?"
"You're being ridiculous V. No matter how curious you are, we can't just enter a Gate like we've been told to."
"Actually, Lord here is correct. Your Majesty told me to instruct the assigned Imperial Lords or Guardians to enter the Gate and walk through the other end of the road. I don't know what he means, but I think you lords will know once you hop inside."