"Alright, everyone! Hurry up and gather around,the rift is about to close!" Captain Brutus bellowed, his fierce expression shadowed by the swirling gray portal looming in the distance.
The massive rift was shrinking, threatening to close at any moment.
"Yes, Captain!" responded a group of about two hundred individuals clad in various types of armor adorned with intricate runes. Each warrior bore a small glowing orb pulsating with energy embedded in their chests.
"Let's move out!" Ryker urged, glancing at Eclipse and Zairia as they prepared to leave.
They quickly hefted their heavy bags filled with valuable parts from the Rune Monsters that have been killed and rushed toward the enormous trucks waiting nearby.
Scavengers were also busy loading all sorts of materials into these colossal vehicles.
Minutes later, everything was stowed away. "Alright, let's get out of here!" Captain Brutus shouted as he climbed into one of the front trucks. The others followed suit without hesitation.
With about fifty trucks available, it was a tight squeeze for all two hundred warriors and scavengers; thankfully, these metal behemoths were built to accommodate them.
Eclipse, Ryker, and Zairia boarded one truck designated solely for scavengers.
With a thunderous roar, twenty trucks sped off into the dust-filled air, leaving behind the devastated battlefield.
As they approached the portal, they surged through without issue.
The world around them transformed instantly, the dim and bloody sky gave way to a brilliant blue canvas dotted with fluffy white clouds.
The air that had once reeked of death was now fresh and invigorating.
"We made it!" Eclipse exclaimed joyfully as he watched the portal begin to close behind them.
"Yeah! Finally free after half a month," Zairia sighed with relief. "I wonder how things are back home."
"Don't worry; everything is fine! The city has strong defenses," Ryker reassured her.
"It'll take us another few hours to reach Sector 71," Eclipse noted while gazing out the window at the blurred scenery rushing by.
Outside lay an overgrown wilderness filled with towering trees and distant mountains.
Occasionally, gigantic birds zipped past like living missiles, unaware of the trucks rumbling below.
As Eclipse peered through the heavily armored windows, all he could see were forests and hills; no signs of civilization remained except for crumbling buildings scattered along their route, remnants of abandoned cities lying in ruins.
"I have to say," Eclipse mused wistfully, "the Darkstar Alliance Guild is incredibly powerful and wealthy! I didn't expect each truck to be equipped with camouflage shields."
"They're one of Sector 71's top five strongest guilds," Ryker replied matter-of-factly.
"And don't forget, you can join them after today! After all your big day is finally here!" Zairia added with an encouraging smile.
Eclipse looked at her affectionately. "Yeah… today's the day."
Eclipse gazed at Zairia, warmth radiating from his eyes. "Yeah it's today!" he said with a smile.
"Don't sweat it, buddy! You'll definitely be joining the Darkstar Alliance Guild," Ryker chimed in, a reassuring grin on his face.
Eclipse furrowed his brow in confusion. "Aren't you two already supposed to have joined? I mean, since you've both awakened your powers, why wait?"
Ryker chuckled lightly. "Well, we thought we'd squeeze in one last scavenging mission before we commit. Plus, it'll be way more fun if we all join together tomorrow after you awaken yours!"
"Yeah, that sounds like a solid plan," Eclipse replied with a bright smile. "We can all become members of the Darkstar Alliance Guild together!"
Zairia nodded enthusiastically. "Absolutely!"
Curiosity piqued, Eclipse leaned in closer. "Oh! How did it feel when you awakened your powers?" He looked expectantly at Ryker and Zairia.
Ryker's expression shifted to one of seriousness as he met Eclipse's gaze. "Listen closely," he said solemnly.
Eclipse straightened up immediately, ready to absorb every word Ryker had to share.
"The awakening process is... excruciating," Ryker continued, his voice heavy with memory. "When I say excruciating, I mean it's intensely painful, so much so that you'll wish for death itself. It feels like your soul is on fire; it's truly unbearable." Fear flickered in his eyes as he recalled the torment of his own awakening.
Eclipse's face paled at Ryker's description; he swallowed hard as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. "That painful?"
"Yeah… painfully real," Ryker confirmed with a grave nod.
Eclipse let out a dry laugh and shook his head slightly. "Guys, maybe I don't want to awaken anymore."
"Hahahaha!".Suddenly, Ryker burst into laughter, clutching his stomach as if it were about to split open.
"Don't listen to him, Eclipse! He's exaggerating!" Zairia rolled her eyes playfully at Ryker. "It's definitely uncomfortable but not nearly as bad as he makes it sound."
"You should've seen your face just now, it was priceless!" Ryker pointed at Eclipse between fits of laughter.
"Stop laughing or I'll twist your ears off!" Zairia threatened playfully while reaching over and giving Ryker's ears a playful twist.
"Ouch! Okay! Okay! I promise I'll stop!" Ryker begged dramatically with an exaggerated pout.
"Hmph!" Zairia snorted triumphantly as she crossed her arms defiantly, her posture drawing attention that made Eclipse glance away quickly with a hint of guilt flashing across his features.
Shaking his head at the antics unfolding before him, Eclipse turned back to Ryker and said: "Just you wait will get back at you".
"Hahaha! I'll be waiting then!" Ryker shot back, a proud grin spreading across his face as he crossed his arms.
Eclipse merely shook his head, his gaze fixed outside the window.
The twenty trucks sped through the vast ruins and desolate wasteland, leaving behind only fleeting images that blurred into the horizon.
After what felt like an eternity, about three hours later, the convoy finally came to a halt.
"Hold it!" A loud shout echoed through the air, snapping Eclipse out of his deep thoughts.
"Looks like we've arrived!" Ryker exclaimed, peering eagerly out the window.
Eclipse joined him, both of them staring ahead in awe.
Before them stood a colossal iron gate, an imposing wall stretching nearly two kilometers high, constructed from some unidentifiable metal that seemed to extend endlessly into the distance.
Atop this formidable barrier loomed massive futuristic rail cannons, each pulsating with an intense energy that crackled in the air.
Painted in faded white letters at the top of the gate were two words:Sector 71, old and peeling but still legible.
"We're back, guys!" Eclipse beamed. "Sector 71, finally home!"
"And Zairia," Ryker added with a triumphant smile, "I told you everything would be fine!"
Zairia rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smirk.
"It feels so good to be home again! I haven't had a decent meal in over half a month," Eclipse said, patting his stomach dramatically.
"You and your food obsession! Seriously, how do you eat so much without ever getting full, or gaining weight?" Ryker teased.
"Yeah," Zairia chimed in with mock envy sparkling in her eyes. "I wish I had your metabolism!"
"I guess it's just one of my talents," Eclipse replied with a playful grin.
Just then, the trucks moved again as the colossal iron gate began to creak open slowly, emitting an ear-piercing sound that echoed around them.
"Guys! We're entering the city!" Eclipse exclaimed excitedly, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.