Ships Passing in the Night (1)

After the sweltering heat, Cody felt like he was stepping into a walk-in freezer as he exited the Breach. It took time for his eyes to adjust back to the near blackness in the basement of the old, industrial building, but even the smell of musty air was vaguely reassuring. He fished the headlamp out of his pack, and as the room was illuminated, he saw that the Breach had already shrunk significantly. No one waited outside the Breach this time, no armed soldier's or government agents. {They must be stretched pretty thin by all the new Breaches.}

He ascended back up to the main level, pushing past the creaky door, and tossed everything back into his car. He powered on his phone, and found that he had managed to clear the desert spires in a little over a day, and it was getting on to early evening. {I need to push right on to the next one.}

With a sense of purpose, Cody checked his internal compass, feeling the subtle tug indicating the direction of the next dungeon. The coordinates aligned in his mind, and he set out once more, only pausing his quest for a detour to a fast food drive-thru on his way to the next Breach. With bacon-cheeseburger in hand, he navigated only a short distance and parked on the edge of an enormous public park. He could feel that the Breach was only a short walk from where he parked, so he sat for a moment basking in the greasy pleasure of a cheeseburger, fries, and chocolate milk shake.

The city park was cloaked in the soft hues of twilight, its paths illuminated by the glow of streetlights. Cody, following the instinctive pull toward the next dungeon location, made his way through the winding trails on foot. As he approached the designated spot, his gaze was drawn to a figure standing in front of the inky-blackness of the Breach.

The woman stood unmoving, her silhouette outlined against the black of the portal. She was facing the interdimensional gateway with one hand outstretched as if to touch the surface.He approached her cautiously, not wanting to startle her. "Excuse me…" Cody began.

She turned to face him, a sly grin playing on her lips. "Are you here for the portal too?" she asked, her eyes assessing Cody with a calculating glint.

Cody hesitated, sensing an air of deception. "Yeah, I've seen one before, explored a little." {Probably best to play it safe until I learn a bit more.}

The woman chuckled darkly. "Explored, huh? I'm more interested in the things these places hold. But it seems like this portal is already in use. Someone beat us to it."

Cody furrowed his brow, a mixture of disappointment and curiosity clouding his expression. "Already in use? How do you know?"

Her eyes gleamed with a knowing confidence. "I've encountered situations like this before, and trust me, it's an opportunity if you play it right."

Cody's instincts sent a warning signal, but a part of him couldn't resist the allure of the mysterious woman's confidence. "What kind of opportunities are you talking about?" he asked cautiously.

The woman leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "There are artifacts hidden in these dungeons—objects of immense power that can reshape reality itself. We're not just exploring; We're hunting."

Cody felt a chill run down his spine, but tried to keep his tone as casual as he could, "We? You… uh… have a partner?"

She looked at Cody pityingly, and her tone changed to that of an adult trying to simplify ideas for a child. "I have a party, yes. It's a requirement if you want to do more than just… explore."

She pulled her phone out and after swiping a few times, she sighed and tucked it back into her pocket. "Well, I'm not going to stick around and waste my time on a pond that is already fished out," the woman continued, "looks like we've found our own doorway nearby."

As she turned to walk away, Cody hesitated, torn between the caution echoing in his mind and the thrill of knowledge. "Hey what's your name?," he called out, wary, but desperate to know more and establish connections with other Enabled. "My name's Cody." {Olive branch extended.}

The woman paused, turning back to face him with a raised eyebrow. She studied him for a moment, her expression unreadable in the light of the streetlamp.

After a beat, she offered a cryptic smile. "Maya," she replied, not divulging any more details.

Cody nodded, feeling slightly relieved that the known world had grown slightly bigger. "Well, Maya, maybe our paths will cross again," he said, unsure of whether this encounter would lead to a future alliance or a rivalry.

Maya turned away once more, resuming her departure. "I doubt it, loners don't seem to last long," she echoed, and with that, she disappeared into the shadows of the trees, leaving Cody with a lingering sense of uncertainty.

The locked portal stood as a silent observer, and as Cody contemplated the enigmatic woman he had just met, he couldn't help but wonder how many others there might be.

He walked over near the Breach, reaching out with his hand, intending to interact with the surface as he had each time before. Instead of the usual sensation of passing through air, Cody's hand encountered resistance, as though he had submerged it into a non-Newtonian liquid. The surface yielded to his touch but with a unique consistency. The more he pressed, the more it resisted. As he tested it a few times, suddenly it gave way and his hand and forearm sank into the portal as easily as just falling through empty air.

WHOOOOSH!

Cody stood there, frozen by the sudden release of pressure and the audible sigh emanating from the locked portal. The air rushed past him, carrying a mix of anticipation and uncertainty, signaling that something significant had occurred beyond the dark threshold.

Cody faced a crucial decision. The unlocking of the portal could mean one of two outcomes—the person inside had either succeeded in conquering the dungeon or they were no longer alive. The weight of the unknown pressed upon him, and he found himself at a crossroads.

A sense of curiosity tugged at Cody, urging him to step into the mysterious realm. The allure of discovery and the potential rewards within the dungeon tempted him, but he could also be walking into a group of Enabled people, on their way out from a successful dungeon clear. {Would they assume the best or worst of him to be skulking around in the dungeon after them?}

Waiting outside could be the safer choice, allowing him to assess the situation before venturing into the unknown. {What if the person inside is like me? They could be wounded inside and struggling to make it out.}

Cody took a deep breath, weighing the risks and rewards. The unlocked portal beckoned him, its black maw seemingly both inviting and foreboding. In that decisive moment, he had to decide whether to embrace the intrigue and step into the unseen depths or exercise caution and remain outside, allowing the echoes of the unlocked portal to linger in the quiet night air.

Cody stepped forward.