Into The Unknown

Now that there were no longer any obstacles in the way, Alex could peacefully seal the dungeon rift.

"Alright. Almost done now. We just have to wait." [Alex]

It appeared that Alex had assembled a silver box-like object. It sat at the base of the rift, with visible lines of energy being drawn into it.

"Huh. That looks pretty cool." [Adam]

Approaching the box, Adam knelt down to observe it.

"It's pretty beautiful when you get to admire it." [Felix]

Standing next to Adam, Felix also knelt down.

"I wonder what kind of energy that is?" [Felix]

("Dianoia, can I absorb it?") [Felix]

"If you'd like to die." [Dianoia]

That wasn't an answer he was expecting.

("Elaborate.") [Felix]

"It's the primordial essence that spills out of the three… huh? I… can't seem to remember…" [Dianoia]

("That's surprising. I didn't know soul weapons can forget things.") [Felix]

"...It's not that. Something must be interfering with my memory- Wait, this energy?!" [Dianoia]

Suddenly, the silver box began to shake.

"Uh… Alex? Is this supposed to happen?" [Adam]

"Let me see- What the-?!" [Alex]

The box shook violently. So much so that cracks began to appear on its frame.

"It's going to blow!" [Krino]

"Get down!" [Adam]

Everyone dove as the silver box burst with vibrant purple flame. It wasn't necessarily hot, but that was the least of their concerns. A strange force began to pull at them, or more specifically, Adam and Felix.

"Uh… Guys?!" [Adam]

He watched as only him and Felix were getting dragged.

"Grab them! Come help us, Sora!" [Alex]

"Okay!" [Sora]

"Duplication!" [Brandon]

Brandon split into three and attempted to pull Adam away from the rift. As for Felix, it was a joint effort of Sora and Alex.

"C'mon Adam, you gotta help me here!" [Brandon]

"You don't think I'm trying?!" [Adam]

He dug his hands into the floor, attempting to crawl away.

"Damn it Felix, can't you think your way out of this one?!" [Alex]

"I can't! My ability isn't working! I can't even use Warp!" [Felix]

It was very rare that Felix felt helpless, but just because something is rare does not mean it won't happen.

"Don't try too hard to resist. Spurning my efforts is heartbreaking." [???]

Then, everything froze. Adam found that the unknown force had halted. However, that was the same for him and his friends.

("This voice…?") [Adam]

He could recognize it. It wasn't until a little girl wearing black lolita clothing appeared that it confirmed it.

("The one that sent me to Askyros' dungeon…!") [Adam]

He had no clue why she kept appearing to him. That time with when he first got his soul weapon, to getting sent to Askyros' dungeon, and even back to his memories. What did she want with him?

"You must have many questions." [???]

She casually walked over to him and began to slowly pry the fingers of Brandon and his clones off Adam. Next, she pulled Adam's arms out of the floor.

("She's keeping me from hanging on to anything!") [Adam]

"All will be answered in due time." [???]

She then went over to Felix and did the same. With a smile followed by a snap of her fingers, everything unfroze.

"Huh?" [Brandon]

"Eh?" [Alex]

The unknown force resumed its pull, snatching Adam and Felix away before their allies could grasp the situation.

"S-Stop them!" [Sora]

Lunging forward, Sora whisked the air he tried to take Felix's hand. Within an instant, Adam and Felix were swallowed up by the dungeon rift.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

As soon as Adam passed through the rift, one feeling arose: Suffocation.

"Ack…!" [Adam]

Clawing at his throat, Adam struggled to breath.

("What's going on!") [Adam]

It felt like he was trying to inhale a solid. Adam fell to his knees as he tried to so slowly adjust. Tears welled up as he coughed, granted there wasn't much air for him to push out left.

"Bear with it! You can do it!" [Krino]

From what Adam could see, Felix was getting the same experience.

("Breathe! Breathe damn it!") [Adam]

It wasn't like anything was blocking him. From his observations, they were outside considering that there was a sky.

"Focus! You'll die if you don't!" [Krino]

Adam closed his eyes to keep his thoughts from straying. All he had to do was one thing. Breathe.

"Breathe slowly, but with strength!" [Krino]

Following his instructions, Adam focused his strength into his chest. It felt like slowly doing bicep curls with his lungs.

("I… I think it's working!") [Adam]

After slowly inhaling and exhaling for the next five minutes, Adam got the hang of it.

"It may take some time for you to be able to breathe normally. Just don't do any physically intense activities." [Krino]

("Alright. You really saved my butt there.") [Adam]

Opening his eyes, Adam could see Felix calmly regulating his own breathing.

("Looks like he's still working on it. For now, I think I'll take a look at this dungeon.") [Adam]

That's when realization struck.

("Wait… a sky?") [Adam]

From his knowledge, dungeons could only be within caves. Why was there a sky?

("What about the dungeon rift?!") [Adam]

Glancing back, there was no rift.

("...Of course. It never is that easy.") [Adam]

Letting out a sigh, it took him a moment to regain his breath through the thick air.

("I should check my surroundings.") [Adam]

Just as he had that thought, the sight of the land left him speechless.

("...Glass?") [Adam]

The land was clear. Or rather, crystallized. There weren't any signs of life. Neither plant nor animal. It was just a neverending plain of glass-like land.

("How did I not notice this scenery? It's… beautiful.") [Adam]

Is what he thought until his eyes wandered downwards.

"Woah!" [Adam]

Adam flinched as he saw strange abominations frozen in the land. Monsters of the unknown, locked in the glass.

("Are they… alive?") [Adam]

Some were humanoid, some were not. Like that chilling giant spider with a man's face on it. Or that eight legged horse with a crocodile's tail. From what Adam could see, they almost looked like they were in pain.

("This doesn't look like a very nice place. Where the hell are we?") [Adam]