The Final Key ： Destiny's Call

"So, where's the key?" Yara raised an eyebrow, staring at the dusty…

...brick?

Her lips twitched. "You're kidding, right? This… this is your grand solution? What, are we demolishing the place now?"

Luke smirked, his expression cryptic. Without a word, he placed the oddly-shaped stone—okay, on closer inspection, it wasn't a brick—into the slot on the stone door.

Click.

A faint sound of gears turning echoed, but the door remained stubbornly shut.

"Uh…" Luke scratched his neck awkwardly. "Guess even the best plans hit a snag sometimes."

What followed was an exhausting series of failed attempts to open the door.

Lock-picking? No dice.

Brute force? The door didn't so much as flinch, mocking their feeble efforts.

Even the high-tech lock-picking gadget Yara pulled from her "multi-verse toolkit" failed miserably. She was beginning to suspect her system was a counterfeit knockoff.

Yara flopped onto the ground, letting out a long, defeated sigh. "Great. Just great. We've gone through hell and high water, only to get stuck at the final hurdle. Classic tragic irony."

The oppressive silence surrounding them amplified her frustration, making her feel like the universe's punchline.

Luke, ever the optimist, patted her on the shoulder. "Don't lose hope. There's always a way."

He rolled up his sleeves, clearly preparing for another round of brute force.

"Wait!" Yara grabbed his arm. "What if there's something fragile behind it? Or worse—booby traps?"

Her teeth worried her bottom lip as she wavered between risk-taking and caution.

At that moment, her eyes inadvertently fell on the peculiar mark on her wrist, something that had been with her since she crossed into this dimension. She'd always assumed it was a birthmark and paid it little mind—until now.

The intricate lines of the mark… they matched the patterns etched onto the stone door.

A bold thought took root.

Heart pounding, she approached the door and hesitated for a moment before tracing her fingers along the door's glyphs, following the lines of her wrist mark.

Hum.

A deep vibration resonated, and the door shuddered. Light spilled through the cracks, warm and inviting rather than harsh.

Luke instinctively reached for Yara's hand, their fingers intertwining. Despite the sweat in his palm, neither of them let go.

Their eyes met, and the unspoken determination between them solidified.

As the door opened, they were greeted not by a treasure trove glittering with riches nor a perilous trap-laden chamber, but a simple, unadorned stone room.

In the center lay an ancient wooden box, radiating an aura of mystique despite its humble appearance.

Yara stepped forward, gingerly lifting the lid.

Inside was a single jade pendant, glowing softly with an otherworldly luminescence.

Their mission seemed complete, but fate, as always, had other plans.

Word of Yara's potential discovery had reached her scheming uncle. Realizing she might acquire a power capable of toppling his rule, he sent an army of mercenaries to intercept her.

This time, they weren't playing around. Heavily armed and cold-blooded, they closed in fast.

"Well, that's one way to scream 'desperation,'" Yara quipped, a defiant smirk masking her unease.

Standing beside her, Luke exuded calm, his presence like a fortress of assurance.

"Whatever they bring, we'll handle it," he said firmly.

"Yara, use your system tools to disorient them. I'll pick them off one by one." His quick thinking steadied her nerves.

Yara nodded, diving into her toolkit and pulling out…

A rubber chicken?

"What on earth is that supposed to do?" Luke's expression was a mix of confusion and amusement.

"Don't underestimate the power of chaos," Yara replied with exaggerated seriousness.

The battle commenced.

Yara hurled smoke bombs and flash grenades, plunging the battlefield into confusion. The chicken—emitting an ear-piercing, maddening screech—drove the mercenaries to the brink of sanity.

Amid the chaos, Luke moved like a shadow, disarming and incapacitating enemies with lethal precision.

But the enemy wasn't without tricks. Poison darts, hidden traps, and sneak attacks kept the duo on high alert.

The commotion drew a curious crowd of onlookers, who watched in awe.

"Damn, this guy moves like a superhero!"

"Is that girl throwing… rubber chickens? And it's working?!"

The battle seemed almost theatrical, a display of wit and skill that left the crowd buzzing with excitement.

Then, out of nowhere, a shadowy figure darted through the chaos, a blade gleaming in their hand.

"Yara, look out!"

Luke lunged, shoving her aside just as the knife sliced across his arm. Blood seeped through his sleeve, painting it crimson.

"Luke!" Yara gasped, her eyes stinging with unshed tears.

He gritted his teeth, delivering a swift counterattack that sent the assailant crumpling to the ground.

"It's just a scratch," he lied, his face pale but resolute. His weak smile tugged at her heartstrings.

The crowd erupted into cheers, some shouting, "Now that's a hero!"

Once the dust settled, they returned to the wise elder who had sent them on this journey.

The old man examined the pendant with reverence before speaking. "Child, this mark on your wrist isn't just a birthmark. It's the key to unlocking a power your family has long sought to exploit."

He paused, his gaze heavy. "With this, you can reclaim your life. Your family's tyranny ends with you."

The truth was like a slap in the face. Yara's suppressed rage erupted, and with newfound evidence and the jade's power, she exposed her uncle's crimes—embezzlement, betrayal, even murder.

Public outcry was swift and unforgiving. Her uncle and his co-conspirators faced justice, their empire crumbling into dust.

When all was said and done, Yara and Luke's contract was fulfilled.

Standing on a bustling city street, neon lights dancing around them, an air of finality hung between them.

"So… the deal's over," Yara murmured, her voice barely audible.

"Yeah." Luke's response was equally subdued, though his eyes betrayed a storm of emotions.

The familiar, glowing portal of light appeared once more.

Yara glanced at it, then back at Luke, her lips parting as if to speak. "I…"