The moment Rose emerged from the portal, she was swallowed by suffocating darkness. Propelled by momentum, she stumbled forward, her feet meeting nothing but void. Suddenly, she plummeted down what felt like an endless slope, her body bouncing and contorting with each impact. She gritted her teeth in determination as she braced herself for the inevitable collision at the bottom, her arms shielding her head from the impending danger.
A pained groan echoed through the surrounding darkness as she finally hit something soft and came to a halt. It wasn't her own.
Luke had apparently taken the same route when he arrived in the realm. He must have still been lying there, confused and scared, when Rose crashed into him.
Rose scoffed. It was his own fault for sticking his nose where it didn't belong. At least he was somewhat useful, cushioning her fall.
With how soft the ground felt beneath her, she wasn't really worried about him being seriously injured. Nonetheless, she still patted him on the side, asking in a low voice. "Are you alright?"
She heard his clothes rustling as he sat up. "I-I think so," Luke stammered, his voice thick with panic.
"Shh," Rose hushed, jabbing her elbow where she thought his back was. "Be quiet. We don't want to alert any monsters to our presence."
"M-Monsters?" Luke's voice cracked, rising in pitch.
Rose grabbed his head, clamping her hand over his mouth. She brought her lips close to his ear and hissed, "I told you to be quiet. Do you want us both to die?" Her grip tightened. "From now on, you'll follow my every command if you want to make it out alive. Understood?"
She felt Luke stiffen, then nod hurriedly against her palm.
Rose slowly released her grip on Luke, her senses on high alert for any sign of movement in the darkness. The air was thick and heavy, carrying an acrid scent that made her nose wrinkle. She could feel Luke trembling beside her, his rapid breathing the only sound breaking the eerie silence.
Even after blinking and adjusting her eyes for a few moments, she was still unable to make out anything. For now they appeared to be alone, but who knew for how much longer.
Remembering Zen, the peculiar hologram, Rose hastily retrieved the device from her pocket, where she had instinctively stashed it before plunging through the portal.
This time, she didn't need to resort to violence. Either it had registered her touch or could somehow read her thoughts, for Zen flickered into existence without a word from her.
"Boss, at your service," he announced with a bow, his voice echoing too loudly in the darkness.
Unable to clamp his mouth shut, Rose could only hiss urgently, "Quiet! I swear, if you attract a monster, I'll let it devour you first!" She fumed inwardly. Shouldn't an alien device possess more intelligence than this?
"Did you finish you analysis before? What can you tell me about this realm?" she asked in a whispered voice.
Even the slight light emitted by his hologram didn't really give them any new insights. Only that the ground beneath them was soft brown earth.
Zen's holographic form dimmed slightly, as if sensing the need for discretion. When he spoke again, his voice was barely above a whisper. "My apologies, Boss. I've completed a preliminary analysis of our surroundings. This realm appears to be a subterranean network of tunnels and caverns. The air contains high levels of methane and sulfur compounds, suggesting significant microbial activity."
"Any other signs of life forms? I am referring to the monster." Rose clarified, her eyes darting around uselessly in the darkness.
Zen's form flickered as he processed the query. "Unfortunately, that is still out of the range of my capabilities. No information on this realm`s monster can be provided."
Rose nearly rolled her eyes. "Then what other information can you give me?"
"I can tell you what kind of crystal core this realm contains."
"Then do so." Why did she have to ask about every tiny detail specifically? Couldn't it give her a comprehensive report from the start?
"It is a fire ability with level one."
Level? This was the first time that Rose had heard of specific levels for abilities. But now was not the time to further inquire. It was more important to find it and leave as quickly as possible.
"How about it's location?"
"Unfortunately, that is still outside the range-"
"I know, I know, you need your upgrades," she interrupted in frustration.
Zen fell silent with an amiable smile on his lips.
Although she would have wished for more information, it was already more than she would have without Zen. At least now she knew what kind of crystal core it was, which only confirmed, that her decision to enter the portal was right.
Rose couldn't help get giddy at the prospect of getting her hand on the crystal core. The fire ability was a strong offensive ability, quite useful inside as well as outside the realms. If she could equip her brother with that, their future would be much brighter.
But before she could go on the search, she had to somehow get rid of the little puppy that was tagging along…
Rose's first impulse was to shove Luke back through the portal. But as she turned around, she couldn't see it anywhere. Recalling her tumble down the slope, she realized the portal must be at the top of whatever hill or incline they'd descended.
With that option gone, she had no choice but to drag him along. She couldn't quite bring herself to abandon him. Still, if they stumbled across the portal again, she'd waste no time booting him straight back through it.
Rose had made a clear line she wouldn't cross. She was no hero. If things took a turn for the worse, she wouldn't hesitate to flee, leaving Luke to whatever fate awaited him. It might seem cruel, but she wasn't even confident her modest speed ability would be enough to keep herself alive, let alone the both of them.
With that thought in mind, she reached out and gave Luke`s arm a firm tug "Follow me and stay close."