Chapter 95: The Land of the End

The vastness of the plain was overwhelming. Rodrigo, Sebastião, Olavo and the soldiers found themselves in a desolate, lifeless terrain, where the ground was hard as stone and the sky was eternally tinted with a menacing red. The wind howled in the distance, raising clouds of dust that obscured the horizon. It was as if they had been transported to the threshold between the world of the living and the world of the dead.

Sebastião looked around, trying to understand what had happened. "Where are we? This place... it's like a nightmare."

Rodrigo, still trying to catch his breath after the intense transition, nodded. "We are in a different dimension, a kind of purgatory. The guardian warned us, but this is the price we must pay to find the answers we seek."

Olavo, more practical, began to examine the terrain. "We cannot stay here still. We need to find shelter, or at least some sign of life. We don't know how much longer we have in this place."

The soldiers, although visibly shaken, remained alert, ready for any danger that might arise. They knew that survival depended on the ability to react quickly to the unknown threats of this strange land.

As they advanced, the plain began to reveal its secrets. Ancient structures, ruins of a long-lost civilization, appeared along the way. Crumbled walls and broken obelisks were scattered across the ground like the last vestiges of a people who once inhabited this world.

"These ruins... they seem older than anything we've ever seen," Olavo commented, examining a pillar covered in worn inscriptions. "If we can decipher them, perhaps we can understand what happened here and how to get out."

Rodrigo looked at the symbols carved into the stone, feeling a disturbing familiarity. "These inscriptions are similar to the ones we saw in the cave. This place is connected to that ancient magic, but in a way we don't yet understand."

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed in the distance, interrupting their thoughts. Everyone turned quickly, weapons drawn, prepared to face whatever was approaching. From the red mist that enveloped the plain, a lone figure emerged, walking with firm and deliberate steps. He was a tall man, with a long cloak that fluttered in the wind. His face was partially covered by a hood, but the dim light allowed his bright, determined eyes to be glimpsed. He carried a spear, which he used as a support as he walked towards the group. "You should not be here," the figure said in a firm but unfriendly tone. "This is a place of curse and pain, where few survive for long." Rodrigo stepped forward, maintaining a defensive posture. "We are searching for answers. We were brought here by a force beyond our control, but we must continue. Who are you?" The man lifted his hood, revealing a face marked by time and battle, but also by deep wisdom. "My name is Alfonso. I was a guardian of this place... but that was a long time ago. If you want to survive here, you will need my help."

Rodrigo eyed the man suspiciously, but realized that he could be the key to navigating this dangerous world. "We need answers. And if you can guide us, then we will be by your side."

Alfonso nodded. "The answers you seek lie deep within this world, beyond the ruins. But be careful: the deeper you go, the closer you will be to death. Come on, there is no time to waste."

With Alfonso at the helm, the group began to move forward, heading into the unknown. Their journey through the Land of the End was just beginning, and the trials they would face would test not only their skills, but their sanity as well.