The crimson spear vibrated intensely as it traveled through hyperspace, creating luminous waves that twisted around it like snakes of light.
Each of the travelers—Jiro, Kogorō, Saria, and Ardan—held onto the spear tightly as their bodies began to distort under the immense dimensional pressure.
The space around them deformed into an infinite kaleidoscope of bright lines that seemed to extend and fold upon themselves.
It was all a chaotic swirl of colors and abstract shapes, where time lost its meaning and every second stretched and compressed simultaneously.
—I'm dissolving! —Kogorō shouted, his spiritual form fluctuating, changing size, and taking on unrecognizable shapes. —This isn't normal!
Jiro, Saria, and Ardan's faces warped as if they were figures molded by an invisible hand, moving as though they were made of translucent gelatin.
—Don't let go, no matter what happens! —Jiro yelled, his voice distorted by the space-time relativity.
The spear traveled like a comet, crossing the boundary between worlds, leaving behind a crimson trail that illuminated the void.
Dimensional forces tried to tear them from their path, but the spear held its course, vibrating with an ancient power that defied the laws of the cosmos.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternal journey, an explosion of energy tore through space and time. The distortion stabilized, and the travelers were abruptly thrown into the sky of an unknown world.
On the calm sea of that world, two elf fishermen were enjoying a peaceful day on a charmed wooden boat.
—What a perfect day, —one of them said, adjusting his net. —Nothing strange has happened, and that feels wonderful.
—You're right, —the other replied. —We should enjoy this tranquility while it lasts.
Without warning, the sky began to cloud over. The tides stirred, and the air became charged with an indescribable tension.
—What's happening? —one of the elves asked, looking toward the horizon.
A luminous vortex formed in the sky, distorting space as if reality was being torn apart and stitched back together simultaneously.
—What is that? —the other elf exclaimed, wide-eyed.
Suddenly, with a deafening crash, Jiro, Saria, Ardan, and Kogorō appeared in the air, screaming as they fell toward the sea.
—AAAAAAAAAHHH! —they all screamed as the water rushed toward them at a terrifying speed.
The impact was inevitable. The waves rose, swallowing them whole as the elves watched in astonishment from their boat. The sky cleared again, and calm returned as if nothing had happened.
—What the heck was that? —one of the elves said, speechless.
Quickly, the fishermen sprang into action to rescue them. Saria, unable to swim, was the first to be helped.
Jiro and Ardan emerged coughing, while Kogorō, though spiritual, floated near the water with an expression of deep disgust.
—Thank you, —Saria said with a bow, soaked but grateful.
The elves silently guided them to the shore, too stunned by what they had witnessed.
—Follow this straight path, —one of them finally said. —It's not far, you'll find the city.
—Thank you, —Saria repeated, bowing again.
Kogorō, checking his incorporeal body, murmured:
—What a bad experience... I thought I was going to disappear from existence.
—We all feel the same, —Ardan grumbled. —We turned into jelly and almost dissolved!
—It wasn't so bad for me, —Jiro said with a smile. —It was an enjoyable and new journey.
—"Impressive"?! —Ardan shouted angrily. —We completely deformed! How can you say that?
Jiro simply shrugged.
Finally, after walking for a while, the group reached the city.
Everything was different: the extravagant clothing of the inhabitants, the magical machines moving through the streets, and even the architectural structures that seemed to defy gravity.
Jiro, astonished, observed the scene carefully.
—Finally... —he said with restrained excitement. —We've traveled to another world.
—Look at that, Jiro! —exclaimed Saria, her eyes wide with excitement, pointing to a floating machine emitting magical sparks as it carried goods.
—Wow! This is incredible... I've never seen anything like it! —Jiro replied, running alongside her as their gazes took in every detail.
Kogorō and Ardan stopped behind them, crossing their arms with stern expressions.
—Alright —Kogorō said in an authoritative voice—. Now that we've arrived in this completely unknown world, the best thing to do is...
However, he didn't finish his sentence, as Saria and Jiro had already run off, completely ignoring his words.
—Those kids...! —Kogorō grumbled.
—Typical —sighed Ardan—. Let's go after them before they do something stupid.
Hours passed, and the sky had completely darkened.
The city lights began to dim, and the hustle and bustle slowly quieted down. Jiro and Saria, panting and exhausted after their exploration, stopped in the middle of a quiet street.
—So, where are we going to sleep? —Jiro asked with a nervous laugh.
—Good question… —murmured Saria.
Kogorō, completely furious, approached them.
—Where are we going to sleep? —he repeated sarcastically—. First off, this is your fault! We couldn't search for the next temple because you two were busy getting amazed by trivial things!
Ardan, with his usual calm but firm expression, crossed his arms.
—Kogorō is right. Jiro, is this how you plan to save your world? Wasting time like a kid getting excited over every little thing?
Jiro lowered his gaze, feeling the weight of the scolding.
—Sorry… —he said softly.
Saria, trying to ease the tension, pulled a map from her bag.
—Well, at least we have the dimensional map. Nothing bad can happen…
—Wait! —Kogorō yelled—. That map doesn't work like that. If you use it...
But Saria had already unfolded the map, which suddenly began to crumble in her hand, turning to dust before their eyes.
—What happened?! —Saria screamed in surprise.
—You can only use one map per journey —Ardan explained coldly.
—What? —Saria asked, confused.
Jiro intervened:
—According to Milena, each time you enter a loom temple, you get a map, but you can only use it once. If you want to travel to another world, you need to find that place's loom temple.
—How could you not know this?! I explained it to you before we left! —Ardan yelled.
—Sorry, sorry! But don't yell at me… —Saria said timidly.
—Well, now what do we do? —Jiro asked, trying to sound cheerful.
—Guess we ask around —Kogorō replied with resignation.
Walking through the dimly lit city under the starry sky, they came across a group of adventurers chatting on a street corner: a human swordsman, an elven mage, a semi-human cat archer, and a dwarf warrior.
Jiro, with determined steps, approached them.
—Excuse me, can I ask you a question?
The elven mage smiled softly.
—What are you doing out so late, kid?
The dwarf eyed the spear Jiro was carrying.
—You're not from around here, are you?
Ardan, with a cold stare, replied:
—We're not adventurers. Just answer the question.
—Ardan, calm down! —Saria whispered in his ear.
The semi-human cat archer intervened with a seemingly friendly smile:
—It's fine, it's fine. If you want to get out of here, you need to cross the Shadow Forest.
He pointed toward the dark horizon.
—But be careful —he warned—. The trees release a kind of mana that induces sleep, and there are creatures that emerge from dimensional rifts. They devour anyone who dares to cross.
—Got it, thanks a lot —Jiro said casually.
As the group walked away, the archer watched them with a smile that concealed something sinister.
The group walked down a dusty path under the dim light of the moons. The city streets were far behind, and the dark horizon loomed closer.
—Hey... —Saria said, her voice trembling—. I'm worried about what that archer said. That forest sounds way too dangerous…
Ardan frowned, distrustful.
—I know. It's weird. How could the only way out of the city be through a forest full of dangers? There should be at least a sign or guards watching the entrance. Something doesn't add up with that information...
—Bah, no need to worry —Kogorō interrupted, brushing it off—. Besides, we have Jiro, who has a powerful spear.
—Exactly! —Jiro said with a bright smile as he jumped—. Let's hurry up and see what awaits us on this adventure!
Despite his enthusiasm, tension was palpable. The cold breeze blew gently as they ventured into the mysterious forest.
Meanwhile, in the city…
The human swordsman watched the semi-human archer with a serious expression.
—Hey, why did you lie to them like that? The exit from the city is through the crystal bridge, not that dangerous forest.
The cat archer narrowed his eyes, showing a sly smile.
—Oh, nothing. I just like confusing outsiders. A little harmless joke, you know?
The elven mage giggled, covering her lips.
—You're so bad. You know they could die if they don't have a protective spell to counter the forest's mana.
The dwarf let out a rough laugh.
—Bah, better this way. Maybe while they're sleeping, we can steal their stuff before the monsters devour them.
—You're right —the swordsman said with a conspiratorial smile.
The group of adventurers kept laughing maliciously, oblivious to the possible consequences of their deception.
---
Back in the Shadow Forest…
The mist was beginning to rise, thick and enveloping, as if it had a life of its own. The twisted trees towered, casting shadows that seemed to move in the gloom.
—This... doesn't look good —Saria said, her voice filled with fear.
—Stay alert —Ardan warned in a firm voice, his cold gaze scanning the surroundings.
As they moved forward, a strange emerald glow emerged from the ground, and the air filled with a sweet, dense fragrance.
—What's this? —Jiro asked, feeling his eyelids grow heavy.
The mist danced around them, slowly wrapping itself around the group. Their bodies began to stagger, sleep beginning to take over.
—No... we can't... —Kogorō whispered before his voice faded into the silence of the forest.