Atop the great tower of gray stone, where it broke off and didn't rise to who knows how far, like its brother and sister pillars, a huge forest went from its very edges all the way to its center. Until the lush green landscape turned stone like, sculpted from the very ground, but refined to work as roads leading to the great settlement that humanity had built in this outlandish hell.
In the center of the jungle, rough buildings of stone rose from the ground, their walls gray like the tower, but polished and maintained by those who actually inhabit it. Just like the buildings, weathered and thought looking people roamed the streets of dirt and gray sand.
The main area of the settlement was an old city like structure made of weathered stone buildings that extended up to 4 or 5 stories up. And in the very center of it all a huge gray pentagonal castle with towers on every end of the shape could be seen.
Men and women walked in and out of it with somber and desperate expressions.
What would surprise the most about the people present here wouldn't be their gruffness, but their age. Despite the vast majority of the population being young as in below 20, there were some older ones reaching all the way to 27, but that was it.
The reason for that was simple, yet disheartening for many, no one knew how to get out of this dungeon.
Typically, the first dungeon would be simpler for newly awakened humans, there would be a human base of operations where a gate could be found, leading back to earth.
Yet, here no one knew where the gate was due to the simply massive scale of the rift and deadly dangers everywhere.
As a result, no one had ever emerged from this dungeon, and anyone who had been there before the oldest explorers were presumed to have perished.
However, that did little to break the spirit of a particular group based on the outskirts of town.
Similarly, a five-floor building with gray stone construction but much coarsely crafted was where many awakened entered and exited with much lighter and determined attitudes.
A blue flag with four stars plastered around a much bigger, more detailed one was hanging at the very top of the structure.
Inside, people talked and planned monster raids, collecting of resources and survival in general for the group's members and the community tightly woven around it.
At the highest floor, two girls were alone in a big room, one with brown hair growing white at the edges and another one with fully white hair. In it there was a simple bed, a table with a map on top of it, many chairs in a circle around and strew across the room were trophies.
These were the heads, tails, and bones of many creatures felled by the star of the entire cohort.
Nike, who came to town only a few days ago, was already changing things all around the settlement, helping those who couldn't protect themselves and guaranteeing fewer people would starve.
All who were in this building trusted her skills, family backing and determination to make it back to earth, even to the extent of risking their own lives against the pre-established order.
''So...'' signed the shining star to her sister. ''What the hell happened in these last few days? How did you survive and who was that guy that was with you?''
Laura sighed and communicated to her sister that it was a long story.
''No problem! There is nothing urgent that requires my attention today, so do tell.''
''Well,'' began the deaf girl, '' I met him by pure coincidence the day I fell from the settlement...''
Thus, Laura began to explain their journey. How they began by exploring the cave and growing stronger with each kill they managed, how she had begun to realize how unusual Jack was just from the fact that he could absorb seemingly endless amounts of blood at once.
''What? He actually bathed in blood and managed to absorb it's power, with no consequences?! Did you find out anything about his past?''
''Just that he belonged to no clan and had no formal training in anything but swordsmanship. But I did find out when he was called into the rift, and it is one of the reasons I'm sure he'll survive and possibly even surpassing you, Nike.''
The young leader was already astonished with her sister's luck on being saved by someone with no ill intentions and with so much potential.
''Did he get called in this hell faster than even me?'' She asked, doubt and even some insecurity stamped on her face.
''He... wasn't just faster than you... but quite possibly the fastest in history. He was called inside the rift the very moment he awakened.''
''No way! Is that even possible? Was he not just lying?''
''I don't think so, since he really didn't seem to have gone through the military preparation training or have any knowledge that this was even a way to gauge one's potential.''
Nike was awestruck, if she was already considered the prodigy of her generation before leaving earth, then what the hell was this Jack guy?
As Laura went on with her explanations of the journey, her sister bewilderment just grew, for the pair had found a secret cave ecosystem in the very pillar they were in.
''We are definitely going to have to go down and explore that place in the future...'' gestured Nike.
''Oh, you have no idea, sis.''
She went on to explain of the war between the two fallen level beasts and how they were changing the very environment of the cave and how the pair had gotten caught up in the middle of the conflict.
When Laura got to the part on their path and attempt to sneak past the fallen mushroom lord, Nike interrupted.
''That was foolish, Laura! You could've both died, and we would be the ones to fight against your corpses!'' Anger was overflowing from her as she thought on how this man had dragged her sister along to such a fatal mistake.
''Come on, let me finish!'' Laura said getting frustrated with her sister's interruptions.
Further explaining her plan and how it was she that ended screwing up and revealing their presences, then she got to the part where Jack fell into the water and awakened his elemental, locking into a deadly underwater battle to protect Laura.
As a result, Nike calmed down and grew increasingly suspicious of the boy who had managed to kill a being not one but two greater levels above him. Thus, starting to realize how and why her sister had so much appreciation for him, as without Jack she would've been dead long before.
Finally, they got to the cave part, where they fought hordes of birds, climbed an infinitude of stairs and discovered this sentient species that used to inhabit this place.
''This... changes everything! If there was a previous native species here, what caused them to disappear and what were they trying to do with this portal?''
''I don't know,'' replied Laura.'' but one thing I do know, sis, that rift was very likely releasing THAT kind of energy...''
The confident white haired girl instantly went pale.
''How did something like that make it's way here...? Shit, we really have to go down and explore this cave after growing stronger...''
Laura was intentionally not telling every detail for two reasons. First, she knew how busy of a person her sister was, despite her having taken her time to have this talk. And second, there were many things she herself wasn't sure of, specially surrounding Jack, like how strong of a reaction he had towards the energy or how fast he was getting stronger despite not raising in star levels.
The deaf girl didn't want to expose things about him that might arise suspicion, as she felt like she owed him big time. Plus, she had a pretty high consideration for him and was sure he was a good person.
These would be the first secrets Laura ever had with someone other than her sister, and especially, the first secrets she would ever keep from her too.
Eventually, they reached the point of climbing and escaping from the vengeful fallen bird, where both of their stories met and what followed was witnessed by both sides.
Jack's heroic and selfless choice of fighting the creature alone so that Laura could escape was still etched deep into both of their minds.
Laura even felt flustered, but was hopeful that her help had made a difference in his fight. No one but her sister had ever treated and cared for her like that, and she didn't want to be just a dead weight for him.
''Sorry Laura, I guess I got a bit jumpy in judging him.''
Laura shook her head and answered. ''I'ts fine. I guess screaming at someone that you'll kill them doesn't create the best first impressions.'' Both laughed and hugged each other.
''I missed you, Nike.''
''I missed you too, you little troublemaker!''
''I-I hope he will be okay...'' Signed Laura with a worried look.
''Hey! Don't worry! From what you've told me, this guy is as tough as nails, a little bird won't take him down so easily now will it?''
''No way in hell!'' She replied, acting tough.
''See? Now let's get you up to speed on what's happened in the settlement while you were away. After all, someone will have to be his guide when he climbs back up, am I right?'' Nike teased
"Shut up, don't play a joke on me! I'll hit you.''
''Seems like his personality rubbed off on you.''
They walked towards the building and looked out towards the castle.
''They have gotten more aggressive in their approach lately, things haven't escalated like with when you fell, but little by little, life for our faction is getting harder.''
''And what will we do about it?'' Laura inquired, not many people in the current day knew sign language, especially between awakened as having any sort of disability in a dog-eat-dog world meant you would be just seen as weak. Thus, not many would want to accommodate the disabled.
Therefore, they could usually speak with no fear of being understood by bystanders, the two sister had their own language of code since kids.
#''Nothing, for now, we don't still have the power to face that bastard yet. So for the meantime just focus on getting stronger, uniting more people under our cause and de-stabilizing their foundation.''
Laura nodded, it was way to hard to fight against the elders but unless they wanted to stay in there until their deaths, there was no other way.
''When Jack returns we can guarantee a great increase in power.'' She said.
''...''
''I trust your judgement Laura, but let's wait until he comes back to be sure. No one subjects themself to such risk without a greater objective and our job will be finding that out when the time comes.
Also, beware of the others, as not all are pleased with your return and your friend's announcement might have intensified things further.''
''Yes, sis, I'll keep my eyes focused... but I'm stronger then before and I don't want to be left in the dust by either you or him!''
''That's the spirit, seems like his influence got you more motivated isn't that right?'' Teased the older sister again.
''Stop it!'' she retaliated.
Thus, the sisters had their reunion and time of relaxation until the end of the day, while killometers down the earth in an island constantly releasing the relaxing sound of water, a heavily wounded human was enveloped in tree branches, leaves, roots and even water.
Jack was slowly being dragged down towards the center of an island where a monumental evergreen shone brightly.