Chapter 24: Selina [Origin]

Taking shelter in one of the fissure present in the vast desert, she sat and laid herself on the ground using her hands as pillow for herself. The harrowing sound of the battle of deads could be heard however she was drowned in her own thoughts how she had entered this world, the world of Shadow Slave.

"I... still can't believe that I have entered the world of my most favourite novel."

Sighing she closed her eyes, wandering off to her sleep.

'If only I had not repeated those words.... I would still had been with my friends.'

Back in her world, Selina and her group were a team of explorers that study and discover ancient history hidden in ruins of past. Her group was worldwide famous for the artifacts they had discovered and treasure of ancient empire they had found.

It was normal day like usual for Selina, waking up doing her morning routine, have a good meal and scroll through her phone reading Shadow Slave. But that day something unusual happened, a notification ringed in her smartphone, it was a notification from web novel about a new chapter release of Shadow Slave.

"Looks like G3 have released a new chapter."

Smiling she opened the app, she went to the library and clicked on the interface of Shadow Slave however when she read 'Notice' instead the name of a new chapter, her smile faltered a little and was soon replaced with a face of horror when she read the content of the chapter:

"Greetings,

 I am a relative of your author go by the name of "Guiltythree", I am not going to disclose what my relation is with him, however this is to tell you that the story "Shadow Slave" will be stopped due to the sudden disappearance of your author. He has left a note for the readers, here read his."

Selina eyes trailed off to the next paragraph, reading it line by line although after reading it she had a confused expression on her face as she couldn't really understand what the message really meant.

"Keeping my introductions aside, this my last message to you readers. I am sure my relative have already informed my sudden disappearance to you guys, it saddens me that I have to stop writing Shadow Slave but it has to be done as it is a order from my higher up, although I cannot give information about them all I can disclose is that they go by the name of "Abyss God". We will reunite someday."

The message ended Selina mind was clouded with questions, thinking about this new information she gained. Her thoughts were broken by a sudden call, seeing it was her team captain she picked it up, bringing the phone near her left ear.

"Hello?"

 Selina was silent for a moment then answered.

"Hello, Captain. Anything you need from me?"

An answer soon came from the other line.

"Hello Selina. Yes, I have called you and other team members for some work."

Selina waited for him to continue.

"The government today morning called me, they have found an ancient ruin however there is something absurd about it."

Selina frowned.

"Absurd? What do you mean by absurd?"

Her captain said in a serious voice.

"You see Sel, the carbon dating was runned through on it the result however were what changed our perspectives. That ruin is even older than human civilization."

Selina eyes widened in surprise.

"A civilization older than ours? Then you called me and the team for..."

"Yes, the government has asked us to explore the ruins."

Her captain voice was filled with excitement and most importantly with a little greed for the money they would receive after finishing their expedition.

"I see then count me in, when do we start then?"

Her captain replied.

"I knew you would agree, as for your question tomorrow morning we will come and pick you up."

"I see, then let's meet tomorrow."

With giving her final answer the call was ended, sighing she laid down on her soft bed. Thinking about all the things happened to her, the disappearance of Guiltythree, the mysterious higher up, the ancient ruins. Her head ached from all the thoughts she was having, getting up from the bed she went to the bathroom planning to take a bath to cool her down.

After an hour she came out of the bathroom, a black bathrobe wrapped around her body hiding most of her porcelain skin, her white hair damped with water making them shine. She moved towards the kitchen brewing some tea for herself. Walking out to the balcony of her mansion with a cup filled with tea in her hand, taking in the beautiful scenery of the small lustrous forest surrounding the residence.

"I guess this is it, Shadow Slave may have been stopped but it will continue to blaze in every reader's heart including mine."

***

Selina changed into long black shirt and shorts, tying her hairs she went down to her basement. The basement was huge enough to house 50 peoples, the metallic door opened after verifying her fingerprints and scanning her retina. The door opened vertically revealing ancient relics, scripts and tools encased in glass preserving them. 

Walking over to them, Selina studied them one by one until her eyes fall on a broken stone tablet, the writings on other except this one was translated or had mention in history records.

'Since the ruins we are going to explore are of a civilization older than human civilization if our speculation is correct then this might be some help.'

Opening up the glass case she carefully picked up the stone tablet, and put it in a black briefcase. She picked up the briefcase and moved further down the basement she reached to the area where she kept weapons provided by the government for safety.

Picking up a machete, few firearms and their ammos she loaded a different carry bag. She needed them after all what more dangerous than a wild animal is a human or a group of humans. Treasure

hoarders well not the one who just explore to find treasure but the ones who even take life to steal invaluable treasure for their greed.

'Just this time I don't want any disturbance with my work, or else I would drive this machete straight into their skulls.'

Thinking about blood spilling out from their head made a shiver ran down her spine, she waved a hand over head to wave off her imagination. She collected rest of her exploring equipment and put it in special bag made to carry them.

"With this everything is ready, it is late also guess I should go to sleep."

Leaving the basement with her equipment, she placed her material into their place and went straight to her bed. Jumping on the soft bed, that squeezed around her body due to pressure of her bodyweight, it embrace was soft and pleasant making Selina doze off to sleep easily.

It was two in the morning, the sound of alarm woke Selina awake. Standing up from her bed, she straightened her back and started to proceed with her routine. Taking her peaceful two hours to finish her routine and what left was what to wear today, and Selina knew it would take her another two hours to decide, that's why she woke this early in the morning.

"What should I wear for today? This or this? maybe this.... ah darn it I have already said this over 10 times."

And she did that for twenty times more, until she reached to the conclusion. She wore a tight fitted black pant and white t-shirt, and finally wore a black leather jacket on top of it. She waited for a few moments before the sound of horn of her ride came from outside, picking her equipments hurriedly, she left her mansion.

Two black jeeps were standing in front of her house, walking towards them she was greeted by the driver of the first jeep, giving her equipments and other things to him, she bowed and moved towards the second jeep's backseat door. 

Opening it, revealed her friends. Sitting inside she was hugged by a young woman with blonde hair and green eyes, Annie was the archaeo metallurgist of her group. As she was released from the grasp of Annie, she had a quick handshake with a busy man named Shawn. His messy black hair covered his blue eyes, the man was busy in playing games in his smartphone, he was the cartographer of the group.

In the front two seats of the jeep were a young woman and a middle aged man. They were Alia and Captain Austin, Alia was a geologist and Captain Austin was a man well conversed in history various periods in human civilization. Greeting both of them, Selina took her seat beside Annie the blonde haired young lady was busy listening to music, everyone were busy in something except Selina.

The only way she used to pass her time was reading Shadow Slave, and now she can't even read that. Sighing she rested her head on the seat, planning to sleep as there was lot of work to do and it would take five hours to reach their destination.

***

Reaching the ruins took more time than expected but it was worth it, standing in front of them was a withered structure of past however, this was not the main structure of the civilization because the real civilization resides inside the underground.

The structure outside was also interesting to study, it could tell them about what type of material they used to build, and even the weather they used to live around that time if the structures are not weathered much.

Selina looked around her surroundings, all she could see was an expanse of lush forest. The ruin was huge actually, but it was still a mystery why the government took so much time to find it now maybe it was due to the forest obscuring it or maybe another reason.

'These structures are marvelous, this civilization if it is older than ours then this might open a new point of view in our history.'

Selina thought as she marveled the remaining black pillars and the lying debris. But they need to set their camp before they can continue their research. Captain Austin and Andrew the driver of the first jeep started to set up the camp, meanwhile the others took out their equipments, noticing the firearms Selina had brought Alia questioned her with little concern.

"Selina, don't you think you have brought too much firearms?"

Selina looked at her with a face of sadness and anger it was not directed towards her but on something else.

"You think this too much, Did you forget how those treasure hoarders mercilessly killed my parents?"

Alia didn't said anything, Captain Austin heard their conversation and walked towards them. He patted Alia shoulder and told her that Shawn need her help. As Alia left, Austin turned his gaze towards Selina he sighed and said:

"Listen Sel, your parents wouldn't want you to be like this. They were also my best friends, I also get angry with these hoarders but there is no need to vent your anger on Alia she also knew your parents and grieved their death as much as you and me."

After finishing his words, Austin patted Selina's head and walked away. Selina mentally sighed as she realised how she messed up.

Making her mind, she went towards the camp taking some of her equipment well a walkie talkie, a brush, a pen and a notepad. Taking them she went to the ruins, planning to studied them. Using the what supposed to be stairs she climbed up, looking around the desolate place she studied it's structure and the rocks it was made up of.

"All of these are made from this black stone, I could have said obsidian but that is not the case and this thing isn't a black spinel either so what these black stones are really?"

She took a small piece of black stone with her, moving up to the pillars made from the similar stone. She went near one of the eight pillars well towards the one that was still somehow standing unlike the one's that have broke down.

Standing in front of it, she looked all over the pillar surface aiming to find something useful and she did some scribbles were present on the pillar, they were runes of an unknown language staring at them made her feel a little peace for some reason.

"Hmm aren't they quite familiar? Where did I saw them... ah yes that broken stone tablet one of two runes of this pillar matches it maybe I can find something about it this time."

Before she could continue to study them further, Captain Austin voice was calling for her through the walkie talkie and it meant only one thing, that everything was ready Selina smirked.

"It's time to venture the unknown."