"Fuck my life!! Fate has a twisted sense of humor," Tristan muttered, his hand clenched into a tight fist, frustration etched across his face.
"Lady Ayana... Valeria... I warn you, don't come here," Tristan said, his voice tinged with worry.
"There is an impending avalanche heading my way. I pray you will save yourselves. Distance yourselves from this path. I shall strive to survive this calamity!" he added, his tone now infused with courage.
"No! Tristan—" Valeria's voice cried out from the other end.
"Valeria, stop your steps. Tristan is telling the truth. We should turn in the opposite direction. It's too risky for us to face a raging avalanche," Lady Ayana's voice echoed, calm but firm.
"We shall return to Tristan's location once the avalanche subsides," Lady Ayana added. "Did you hear, Tristan? We will not leave you behind. Seek refuge in a secure location and strive to survive! Can you hear me, young man?" she exclaimed.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the radio, Tristan firmly grasped his sword. He then began to crawl, desperately searching for a sizable boulder or a sturdy cave that could provide shelter from the impending avalanche.
"Daggo, scan the vicinity for any nearby crevices or caverns robust enough to offer me solace when the avalanche arrives," Tristan commanded, not waiting for Daggo's response.
Tristan promptly followed his instincts, diligently crawling in the direction guided by his intuition. And there, right before him, lay a small opening barely sufficient for a hare. However, he felt an inexplicable aura around the crack.
Without second-guessing, he unholstered his gun and discharged round after round, aiming at the edges of the opening until his magazine was emptied. Then, he unleashed forceful blows upon the frozen walls, relentlessly pummeling them until the hole was wide enough to accommodate his body.
The roar of the avalanche became deafening, and the Earth trembled beneath him, signaling its imminent arrival. Tristan summoned all his courage to push himself into the gap. As he entered, he felt the fleeting touch of snow shifting at his feet.
With all his might, Tristan forced himself deeper into the cavity as the cascading snow threatened to fill the opening. Gradually, the small gap turned into an empty space where he could kneel.
"Fortunately, I don't suffer from claustrophobia," he mused while crouching in the cave. Tristan assumed a more comfortable position, making sure he didn't venture too deep. He reminded himself that he needed to get away once the avalanche stopped attacking.
Halting his progress, Tristan sat down, hugging his knees for warmth. The walls of the gap were frozen solid, and the frigid air gnawed at his flesh. Summoning his inner power, he generated heat to ward off the biting cold while instructing Daggo to set into safe mode to conserve energy in his armored jacket, enabling Lady Ayana and Valeria to trace his location.
As the warmth enveloped him, he began meditating once more, desperate to regain his full strength, ready to excavate himself from his confining refuge.
Within moments, he succumbed to a trance-like state, drifting away from his conscious self.
However, an unexpected occurrence unfolded within his mind. Tristan found himself unable to withdraw from the confines of the cavity; instead, he sank deeper into the recesses of his subconscious. In this entranced state, he sensed an overpowering force, its presence akin to a gravitational pull.
Abruptly, the force beckoned him, drawing his consciousness towards it. Not only that, but it also called out his name.
Panic struck Tristan as he attempted to rouse himself from the depths of his trance, mustering all his mental faculties to fight the pull of the force.
Tristan screamed, repeatedly calling Daggo's name, yet his efforts failed, unable to bridge the gap to his waking consciousness.
Realizing his struggle against the inevitable was futile, Tristan let go of control, allowing the force to draw closer to him.
Now, his mind drew nearer to the wellspring of this gravitational power. Although he delved deeper into the Earth, the surroundings appeared bathed in a radiant glow, exuding an uncommon warmth instead of the expected darkness and chill.
As Tristan's consciousness inched towards the source, he could finally discern its nature. It manifested as a brilliant light accompanied by a gentle, balmy breeze.
The ethereal light ceased its circular motion, becoming still as it hung in the air before Tristan. Its voice resonated once more, enveloping his mind with its serene presence.
"Tristan Quinn," it uttered calmly, its words reverberating and pulsating within him. "Do you understand the purpose that awaits you within Gaia?"
A confused expression appeared on Tristan's face as he met the gaze of the shining entity.
'How does this voice know my real name?' Fear welled up within him. No one should have knowledge of his transmigration to this place. If this individual possessed that information, then he likely played an important role in his arrival.
"Yes, I understand my purpose in Gaia. Who are you?" A myriad of questions now swirled within Tristan's mind. He pressed further, "Are you the one who sent me here? And what happened to my physical form on Earth? Was it destined to perish there while my soul now resides within the realm of Gaia?" his confused voice echoed within the ethereal chamber.
However, the luminescent presence ignored his question, continuing his conversation unfazed.
"Tristan, do you have any understanding of the Forbidden Gate riddle?" His voice carried a calm authority.
Tristan, unfazed by the nonchalant rejection of his question. He gave a firm response.
"No, the specifics of the Forbidden Gate are unknown to me. I just know, that together with Prince Alexander, we have been entrusted with the task of thwarting the evil schemes of Narak and Zahak. To ensure they don't utilize the power of the Mythical Beasts to wreak havoc on Cresentia. This task, I accept without hesitation," He said firmly.
"And I won't say anything else unless you answer my questions or at least one of them," Tristan adds, a bit upset with the ethereal being.