The moment of truth had finally arrived. Mark was set in position, Aria and Milana as well. Theodore told him they were all in and ready for whatever he planned by giving a Thumbs up that signified Okay. No one knew how this would work out though but they trusted that Mark wouldn't do anything to harm them, especially if they were his friends. Or so the thought.
"Alright. I'll begin the transportation process now. It's not going to hurt, trust me and listen to the sound of my voice in every step of the way. It's meant to guide you on the path towards TRANCE safely so until I say so, do not close your eyes."
In unison, Aria and Milana replied "Okay!"
"Beginning the process now. Closing pods"
Mark said, as the pods of both Aria and Milana could be seen to have a transparent glass cover them from their legs upwards slowly encroaching to cover the entire pods. Soon enough, there pods were safely closed shut.
"Applying gas" Mark said, as he pushed some buttons in the control room.
"Applying gas, yes. Wait what?!" Theodore said looking up to the position Mark stood.
"Yes Theodore. They need to it fall asleep. Well, for all their senses to shut down to say the least." Mark said affirmatively.
"Okay? I'm not sure about this"
"You don't have to be!" His voice echoed from the microphone as he continued in a lower tone this time "You don't have to be. No one was okay with this the first time we did so. Please, don't interrupt the process. It can lead to unnecessarily disturbing consequences. Let me finish with my job. Or you know what?"
Mark asked.
"What?" Theodore replied.
"Move away from the scene. It would do me good that you don't make noise and you too that your conscience doesn't seem to judge you."
"Alright then. Whatever you say" Theodore said, while giving in to Marks' demands. He was about walking down the path until Aria called to him. "Theodore," In a low tone and so this peaked his interest.
"Yes, what is it?" Theodore said, rushing towards her pod. " Thank you."
Tears rushed down Theodore's face as he ran down the passage without replying Arias' gratitude. He knew he shouldn't be long as Mark had ordered he leave. Doing what was the most important as the moment would be to leave the section of the passage in which Aria and Milanas' pods lay.
Moments later, Theodore was out of sight. He sat at the entrance of the room, on the stairs. Looking down the passage he had just walked through. Seeing this, Mark stated.
"Alright then, As I was saying, Applying gas."
Saying this, Milana and Aria looked around to see their pods being filled with a thick fog of a gas they knew nothing of. However, although they both were scared, Their trust in Mark did not waver as the stayed and closed their eyes on his command.
"Close your eyes, let the gas take control. Follow the sound of my voice. Listen to me and I will guide you through it all."
"Mark said, as the gas had finally covered their entire pods and could be seen from outside as whitish. Soon after this, they both fell asleep and their senses were all knocked out apart from their hearing.
"Milana, Aria. Can you hear me?" On saying this, They replied almost at the same time. Yes. Yes we can hear you."
"Good. Now, Follow my voice. You are on a dark room. With a cloud beneath your feet. Does it feel warm?" Mark asked with a really calm voice, which was very much unlike him.
"Yes, it does." They replied.
"Good. Can you see each other. Look around this room. Who is that on the other end?" Mark asked.
"Milana" Aria said
"Aria" Milana answered.
"Good. Good. Now, still looking round, I need you to help me find something. Can you do it?"
"Yes, we can."
"Alright. What we're looking for right now is a thread. A white thread. It's not as thin so you should be able to see it."
Milana and Aria began looking around, trying to find what Mark had ordered they should. A white Thread. The knew not what it looked like and therefore began searching the clouds Which their feet lay.
"Found it." Milana said, Raising up a Thread that flowed brightly. Aria was amazed as to what Milana held up was actually a thread. and it glow magnificently.
"Wow! You found yours". She said,
"Yes, I did" Milana replied with another question"What about you?"
"Oh, no not yet. I'm still searching though. I'll be sure to tell you once I find it though."
"Alright then" Milana signalled to Aria with A smile.
"What next, Mark?" Milana said, speaking to thin air as it was only Mark's voice that could be heard. They were in the entrance between TRANCE and the real world.
"We wait. Until Aria finds hers."
"I've found it!" Aria said, with a brilliant look on her face. She was feeling so fulfilled with this achievement and her face radiated such. Her happiness spread like a disease and Milana contracted it with the symptom of a smile. She also like of it whenever Aria smiled. It always brightened up her mood no matter how down she would be.
"Alright then. No drag this Thread. This helps to find the location of TRANCES' Main entrance. The direction of which the thread moves when you drag, follow the path and you shall find TRANCE or even better, The Witches' Green."
"Alright." Aria said, walking on the cloud with excitement in her face. "Woah." She said. "My legs feel, different. The floor I mean. It's there, but at the same time, isn't. Is this how TRANCE feels?" She asked out loud, still walking in the direction of the threads' origin.
"No, it feels realistic. Except, the pain us twice and you can do many more things that shouldn't be considered logical. So many things to tell you that I can't even fathom as to where begin. I can only say that you see it yourselves and have the best experience. Luckily, evolve and on time."
"I see. Well, no problems then. I think we're well in our way, don't you think so, Milana?"
Asked Aria, who looked at Milana.
"Ah, yes. Yes. I can't just get the hang of this cloudy floor." Milana said, as her walking posture couldn't come to a conclusion as to remain stable.
"I know right? Well, it's another experience all together. Hopefully, we don't fall in." Aria said smiling at Milana who eventually squeezed a smile back.
The walk lasted for nothing less than five minutes through the nocturne until the got to the end of the their threads.
"Mark." Aria called out.
"Yes?" Mark replied, "still here. Have you found it yet?"
"Yes, we have. It seems to varnish into the cloudy floors. So what comes next?"
"Oh, I see. Well then drag it out."
"Why?" Aria asked
"Wouldn't that cause some issues? I don't know how this works though." Milana said Indifferently
"It wouldn't. The moment you drag it you would be on your way to TRANCE. This is as far as my voice goes though. The moment you drag your Threads, my voice would seize to be heard and you would be deep within your subconscious, as it is connected to another realm all of its' own. The shape of your body in that world is the very representative of your true self, so also is your Requisite as well." Mark said.
"Wait, What do you mean? I can't understand this
You're going too fast. Requisite? Shapes? Don't you think this is something you should have told us BEFORE we entered here? Can we even come out of this?" Milana asked, rather annoyed as this is yet another mistake from Mark.
"Oh, yes about that. You're already in deep now, there's no going back. Besides, trust me when I say this though, you're already in TRANCE. Good luck. Godspeed. Over and out."
His voice immediately stopped reaching their ears as they looked up and into the dark room as in an attempt to find out why they couldn't hear his voice. Milana and Aria looked at each other. Fear obviously in there eyes as the took deep breaths and immediately, on dragging the Thread, They fell into the cloud that had been holding them all this time. The final end of the thread was connected to the cloudy floors and on pulling it out, they had unknowingly made a hole enough for the both of them to pass through and that is exactly what happened. The fell, and fell and fell. Untill..