Aria and Milana had agreed to Marks' suggestions and were all prepared to embark on this journey where the destination isn't promised; TRANCE. They were left with no option as the both of them had been Infected with the Halos Curse which had no known Cure, until now. Mark had promised that they would be cured but under circumstances that they might never make it out. However, Aria was ever willing to try it out as she had a few moments left to live. Nothing would be much better than going for an adventure right before a visit with the grim reaper, and Aria wasn't ready for schedule as she planned not to meet him anytime soon. As they walked out of the room and through the passage, the crew met Trix coming from their back. She was unnoticed until she shouted
"Mark! Hey" Mark turned and there came Trix running to embrace him but she missed as Mark dodged and caught her moments before she fell.
"Hey Trix." Aria said
"Oh, hello Aria. You seem to be in good spirits. Better than last time I suppose. What seems to be reason for this?"
"Yes I haven't told you, have I? It turns out that Your husband over here knows about a cure to a sickness I have" Aria said.
"What might that be?" Trux asked in anticipation. "Your sickness I mean?"
"It's the Halos Curse."
"Eh? What do you mean by that?" Trix asked ever so innocently.
"Oh my. You haven't heard about such sickness before?" Aria answered with a question of her own.
"No I haven't." Trix replied, looking at Mark who was standing close to Aria. The Stare was intense and focused until it was broken by Arias' reply.
"Well, Trix it is a sickness that affects only humans that come in contact with a Halo. It is always fatal. No incident of surviving it has ever been recorded. Hopefully, I go down as the first."
After saying this, she smiled to Trix, who seemed uninterested in what they were saying as her stare was only on Mark at the moment. Trix' stare was that of a starved housewife left by her husband who had been drafted for war. Finally he returns home and God knows what she had planned in her mind.
"Trix? You okay?" Aria asked. On saying this, Mark, whose eyes were out of it due to intense thinking, snapped back to reality as he decided to look at Aria, and then to Trix. She was still looking at him. He decided to wave at her and she snapped back to reality.
"Oh yes. Sorry. Aria. You were saying?" She asked Aria, still looking at Mark, who was no longer looking at her. This time she couldn't hold herself. She began walking towards Mark and in an erotic Manner, clinged on to his arms as her bosom pressed gently on his body. Milana, Theodore and Aria felt so awkward as the looked at the sight taking place. Mark, upon realizing what happened turned to look at Trix who was this close. Inches close to him. Her eyes fixated on him and his on her. The feeling could be told to be mutual. But however Mark pulled away and got serious.
"Sorry about that." Mark said, grasping himself as he was already deep in the Aphrodite Trix' body emitted. God knows how he got out of it.
"Oh, it's no worries." Milana said.
"Please, Do lead the way" Aria said to Mark as She pointed down the passage.
"Alright. Sorry about this. Mark said, Still embarrassed as to what had transpired. He came into the front of the crew and started leading them. All the time, Trix was clinging on to his arms as he walked down the passage.
"So, Mark." Milana called out
"Yes. What seems to be the matter?"
" Well I was wondering. I have so much questions that I think I might bore you with but they are a necessity and I must ask so tell me, how does everything work in TRANCE. You said we enter with our subconscious yes? How does it feel to be there "
"Oh it's not any different from being here. Though you won't need to eat, bathe or even clothe yourself. Don't get me wrong though, you won't be naked as your mind involuntarily clothes you in what you deem fit for your survival. With time you'd get a grasp of how it works. Walking, Talking, socializing all works as it does in the real world. Oh, one more thing. You can feel pain there. But it would be Twice normal. So be sure to stay out of trouble unless need be. I have no idea how things would be right now but I'm sure it has changed from the last time I saw it."
"I see." Milana said, as she looked at Aria and looked back to Mark to ask a question.
"Where do we go once we enter TRANCE? I know you said we'll figure it out when we get there but don't you think that it's best you tell us this little detail before we embark on this journey?"
"Yes, you are right. I should have told you. The world of TRANCE is pretty vague so you should find people that you would cling to for the time being. Until you figure out what should be done. Oh, yes there's someone I'll recommend you search for in you getting there. He'll be of much help to you. Tell him you were sent by Me. Markandeya Sinister. He'll understand from there. He's the only person you guys can trust."
"What's his name?"
"Raijin." Mark said turning to Look at Trix, who clinged on to him. He smiled at her and looked forward.
" Raging?" Aria asked.
"No RAI-jin It spells R A I J I N. Back in my time, it was the name of The Japanese Thunder God. Ah, old times."
On hearing Mark say this, Theodore asked
"Wait Japanese, as in Japan?"
"Yes, how do you know this place?" Mark asked, looking really puzzled.
"Well, History has it that it was a city that existed years back. A city so big that it was named a country. How cool is that?"
Mark let out a slight chuckle upon hearing Theodore say this. He knew that Japan was but one of the many countries that had existed in the past. Compared to the cities of today, The countries of then flourished by a long mile. Marks' reminiscence lingered until it was cut short by Milana who asked.
"So, uh. This Raijin guy. Tell me Mark. Is he an actual god or was he just named after The god Raijin?" She said, obviously trying to mock Mark. Milana had this bad habit of trying to mock religions that never matched with hers and so any time chance presented itself, she would seize the opportunity to have a good laugh but however, this time she was disappointed as Mark said.
"Well, he isn't a god himself, but he possesses the tool of the Thunder god. Don't worry. You'll see for yourself when you both get there." He turned back to her and Aria and let out a slight smile.
"Well, you sure are smiling more than usual don't you think?" Milana asked Mark, whose face, on hearing this, became puzzled as he tried to make sense of what she meant by that.
"How? What do you mean?" He said.
"It might be because of Trix. Is it Trix though? I mean, if you had been starved of the other partner for some time now this would be same for you." Aria whispered loud enough for both Trix and Marks' hearing. After hearing this, Trix turned to look at Aria.
"Oh, see? she's blushing. That means it's true. Look!" Aria said as she tried to point at Trix' red face but her hands seemed to pay her. I attention as they were paralyzed.
"Yes, it's true. I see it. Love. A wonderful thing is it not?" Milana said with a question that refered to no one in particular.
A short moment of silence ensured until they arrived at the end of the passage. Trix immediately said.
"Well, it seems we have arrived so." Turning to look at Milana and smiled.
"Oh yes. Thank you for the escort. We will now go it on our own." Mark said, as he turned to Trix whose eyes were fixated on him throughout his speech.
"no worries. I'll be waiting for you guys. Go down the stairs on your right and you would be in the place of which The remaining pods lay. Good luck dear." Trix said, as she drew close to Mark and he did the same, but however got to their senses when Aria said.
"Well, we must get going. We don't have time. I don't want to die especially now of all times. I have a task to accomplish. a mission to fulfill. Come on Mark. We don't have all day. You can get all lovey dovey with your wife when we're gone."
"About that." Mark said. He was however cut shut by Milana and Aria who thought he was trying to make excuses for what happened there and started making loud noises and running until the got the the entrance of the stairs and began their descent. Theodore couldn't understand what was happening and awkwardly stood there watching them until they screamed at him
"Theodore! come along now!" Aria in particular.
"Oh, sorry about that. Here I come." Theodore replied as he followed them down they stairs. After a short time later, Mark and Trix came down the stairs too.
"How far down do we have to get in order to reach The Entrance?" Aria said inquisitively.
"Well," Trix replied. "It should not take long now. Just any moment now and we would arrive. Why the rush though?" We're almost there."
"Alright then. I'm in no rush. Okay, I'm in a rush but not as you would expect."
"I know what you mean but what I meant by the question is this, the stairs are not as long as you would expect. Besides, you're not even walking down. You're being pushed on a wheelchair."
Awkward silence ensured after this as the descended gently. Nothing could be heard only footsteps all marching down in a rhythmic pattern. The stairs wasn't a straight one. It curved round and round the deeper the went Their path was lit brightly by white lights everywhere. The white colors on the walls and stairs made the reflection of light easier and so the light shone bright.
Few more steps and a whole minute later, they had arrived at the bottom of the long entrance stairs.
"Ladies and gentlemen. We have arrived at the destination. The Entrance to the world of TRANCE. Are you not as excited as I am for this great venture!" Mark said, smiling brightly. It was the brightest he had ever smiled and Milana took notice of this and was uncertain as to when a smile left her face. His smile was contagious as he looked on to what could have been a spectacle.
"So, what happens now?" Theodore asked
"Oh we have so much to do. We have many tasks to accomplish now, and after now. You recall the Cut I made in the Walls right?"
Mark asked Theodore.
"Yes I do. I hope the are done with fixing it by now."
"Well, it turns out that I would have to go back up there and defend you guys against the Halo. It's very important that I do so. Even now more than ever."
"Why is that so? Trix asked anxiously. She secretly didn't want Mark to go and leave her again but didn't want him to know.
"Tenebrae needs defending. Especially now you guys have a person with Halos Curse here." Mark replied.
" We'll talk about this later but for now, we have to send them off. The hold in their palms the fate of the human race."