Chapter 10 : The mysterious ally

Austin's POV

As I gazed at glanced at the dense jungle ahead. My heart sank.

This was going to be a nightmare, but we had no choice.

Vanessa nodded firmly, her determination unshaken.

She slung her backpack over her shoulder and glanced at me. “Let’s go.”

We pushed into the jungle, leaving the locals behind.

We moved deeper and deeper.

The part where people had never stepped their foot on.

“Austin, look,” Vanessa called, stopping suddenly. She pointed at a peculiar symbol etched into the bark of a tree.

I moved closer, frowning. The intricate markings tugged at something in my memory.

Then it clicked.

“This symbol,” I said, running my fingers over it. “It’s in my dad’s journal. He never figured out what it meant.”

“It could be a clue,” Vanessa replied, her voice tinged with hope. “Maybe we’re getting close to the portal.”

Before I could respond, the sound of deliberate footsteps shattered the stillness. My blood ran cold.

Armed soldiers emerged from the foliage, their uniforms stark against the jungle’s greens and browns. Their rifles were raised, their expressions cold and unyielding.

“You’re in a restricted territory,” their leader barked. “Drop everything and come with us.”

“Run!” I shouted, grabbing Vanessa’s arm and bolting into the jungle.

Gunfire erupted behind us, bullets splintering trees and thudding into the earth as we weaved through the dense foliage. Adrenaline coursed through me, fueling every desperate step.

“This way!” I yelled, spotting a narrow path partially hidden by thick underbrush. We stumbled through it, branches clawing at our clothes and skin.

Finally, we found cover behind a jagged cluster of rocks.

I breathed hard as Vanessa peered through the edge of the rock.

“They are still coming.” She whispered.

Suddenly a figure emerged from the foliage. He moved with smartness and caution, his lean, muscular frame blending almost seamlessly with the jungle shadows.

He was holding a rifle and with deadly accuracy, he began firing at the pursuing soldiers. Two of them dropped instantly, while the rest scattered, retreating into the underbrush.

I tightened my grip on the knife in my hand. My gun long lost in the chaos.

“Who the hell are you?” I demanded. Waiting to see if he is some soilder in disguise.

The man didn’t answer immediately. He reloaded his rifle with practiced ease, his sharp eyes scanning the jungle for any remaining threats.

“Keep moving,” he said gruffly, jerking his head toward another hidden path. “They’ll regroup soon.”

I exchanged a wary glance with Vanessa before we followed him deeper into the jungle.

My heart raced.

Who is this man? And is he someone to be trusted?

I watched him carefully but his calm confidence suggested he wasn’t here to kill us yet.

As we trudged through the dense foliage, the man finally broke the silence.

“You’re not the only outsiders to come looking for the portal,” he said, his voice low and gravelly. “ I'm here for the same reason.”

I stopped.

“Who are you again?” I demanded.

He looked at me, but his expression unreadable.

“ I'm Kyle Veyrin.” He replied “And if you want to survive this jungle, you will need me”

Soon, the sun dipped below the horizon as we set up camp, its last rays swallowed by the encroaching night.

The fire crackled, sending flickers of orange light across the trees.

The forest stretched dark and endless beyond our small camp.

I poked at the flames with a stick, watching embers rise into the evening air.

The heat didn’t do much to ease me.

Across from me, Kyle sat.

He looked too damn comfortable for someone who had just barged into our business.

I didn’t like it.

"Alright, Kyle," I said, narrowing my eyes. "You're tagging along, but why should we trust you? People don’t just offer help for nothing."

Vanessa leaned back against a log, arms crossed.

Her eyes sharp from the firelight reflection.

“That's true.” she said

“Tell us why you’re also after the portal."

Kyle hesitated.

He looked away, staring into the fire.

Leaving us in suspense.

“My wife, Laura.” He finally said, his throat bobbed as he swallowed. “She’s sick. It’s bad. We’ve tried everything, every doctor, every treatment. Nothing works. And now… I’m running out of time.”

The fire crackled in the silence.

I glanced at Vanessa. She was listening, but I wasn't sure if I could buy this lie anyway.

Kyle let out a breath, rubbing a hand over his face before continuing. “Then I heard about this portal. About the things that lie beyond it. The relics, magic, and something powerful enough to heal anything.” His voice broke slightly, “I have to find it. If there's even the slightest chance that something beyond that portal can save her, I have to try.”

Vanessa’s eyes softened for just a second. “I’m so sorry,” she said quietly.

Kyle’s jaw tightened. He shook his head. “I don’t need sympathy. I need results.”

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “Since you’re desperate for the portal, what’s stopping you from turning on us the second we get there?”

"I get it. Trust doesn’t come easy.” He said“But I’m after the same portal as you. If I wanted to harm you guys, I wouldn’t be sitting here calmly. Plus, I just saved your lives back there. If I wanted you dead, I could’ve let them get you."

He had a point.

Back in then, when the ambush happened, without his help, we might not have made it.

“And you expect us to just take your word for it?” I asked.

Kyle sighed. “No. I don’t. That’s why I brought this.”

He reached for his bag, unzipping it in one smooth motion. He pulled out weapons. Guns. Knives. Ammo. Even a few things I didn’t recognize.

“You’re not armed well enough for what’s out here,” Kyle said. “Stick with me, and you’ll be ready for anything.”

I exhaled slowly.

He wasn’t wrong.

If we were going to survive whatever came next, we needed every advantage we could get.

Vanessa reached out, picking up one of the blades, testing its weight in her palm. “High-grade steel,” she murmured, running a thumb along the edge. “You don’t get these at just any black-market dealer.”

Kyle smirked. “No, you don’t.”

I leaned back. “So what’s in this for you?”

Kyle met my gaze without hesitation. “Your help. I can’t do this alone, and neither can you. You watch my back, I’ll watch yours. That’s the deal.”

"Fine. But one wrong move, and you’ll regret it." I said with authority.

Kyle gave a small nod, his expression unreadable. "Fair enough. Let’s just make it to the portal first."