THE REALMGATE AGAIN
Sparrow leaned against the cool plaster wall of the living room. The quiet ticking of the grandfather clock in the hallway was the only sound besides the distant chirping of birds.
The morning sun streamed through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. He was ready, his worn leather jacket feeling familiar and comforting.
Canary, however, was still upstairs, probably fussing over her hair. He sighed inwardly. He loved his sister, but her meticulousness could be trying, especially when they had a realmgate to dive into.
They had planned this adventure quite seriously. First of all, they knew exactly which realmgate, among the many saved inside the MIST Union Warehouse, they wanted to dive in. Elder Grey Demon's Encyclopedia of Surreal Realmgates in the Secret Library had been a game-changer for this.
It pointed them towards the 'Pirates and Treasures' realmgate, the world setting both Canary and he were immediately attracted to.
Sparrow grinned. He was so interested to this particular Realmgate Yellow that he know exactly what it looked like and where it was placed within the Realmgate Warehouse: the old adventure book in the left-most shelf of the third row.
Sparrow's mind drifted back to the week's events, specifically the… acquisitions… for their Secret Library.
He and Canary needed knowledge, specific knowledge, if they were to survive in that realmgate, a world of treacherous seas, dangerous islands, cutlass-wielding pirates, and buried treasures.
Hence, they specifically decided to invite two specialists to contribute their knowledge in the Secret Library. They invited the two whose knowledge would be extremely useful for that setting.
Captain Phil Magellan, the legendary explorer whose sloop had once charted courses across the globe, was their first target. Now residing in the Apharhome Nursing Home in the Republic of Aphardea's capital, he was a shadow of his former self. Time had weathered him, leaving him frail and seemingly adrift in a sea of senility.
Yet, during his time in the Secret Library, the fragmented memories of Magellan somehow coalesced with startling precision. The blurred figure of the aged explorer revealed his knowledge with unexpected clarity, contributing three meticulously detailed books filled with the echoes of his remarkable voyages. The spark of the adventurer, though dimmed, still flickered beneath the surface.
The first, Sailing Ship Mastery and Sea Navigation, was a revelation. It wasn't just about steering a ship; it was about understanding the language of the sea. Magellan described the subtle shifts in the wind, the telltale signs of approaching storms, the complex currents that could either propel a ship forward or drag it to its doom.
He detailed the intricate workings of a sailing ship, from the ratlines climbing high into the rigging to the dark, cramped hold where cargo and, sometimes... other things were stored. He even included a chapter on celestial navigation, explaining how to use the stars to chart a course across vast, uncharted oceans.
One passage, detailing how to repair a damaged mast using only rope, canvas, and ingenuity, particularly caught Sparrow's attention. He imagined himself, high above the deck in a raging storm, frantically working to keep their ship afloat.
The other two books were also amazing. They focused more on mapmaking and naval warfare tactics. Sparrow didn't study them as deep as the first book, but he remembered most important points in those books.
The second guest, Dr. Adolph Willode, had been a different beast altogether. A recluse who lived as the sole physician on a remote island, he became a highly praised doctor because of a pretty controversial documentary movie. His devotion to his medical craft, alone taking care of the health of the whole population in a wild island was revealed in that documentary.
When he was summoned to the Secret Library, Dr. Willode's face was etched with the lines of hardship and experience, and his eyes held a deep, unsettling knowledge. The information he provided was definitely invaluable.
The series of four books he contributed, collectively titled Wilderness Medical Survival Techniques, were a grim but essential guide to survival.
The books covered everything from treating gunshot wounds with rudimentary tools to identifying edible plants in unfamiliar environments.
One volume detailed how to set broken bones using splints fashioned from tree branches and bandages woven from scavenged cloth. Another focused on preventing and treating tropical diseases, using folk remedies and improvised sanitation techniques.
A particularly chilling chapter described how to perform emergency surgery, using only a sharpened knife and a steady hand. Sparrow shuddered, imagining himself having to cauterize a wound with a burning brand, but he knew that in the 'Pirates and Treasures' realmgate, such knowledge might be the difference between life and death.
Dr. Willode also included some essential knowledge in basic pharmacology and botany, explaining the characteristics of some herbs that could be found commonly and used to treat fever, stop bleeding, or even act as sleeping pills.
Sparrow and Canary had spent countless hours poring over these books, absorbing every detail, memorizing every diagram. Canary had even started practicing some of the medical surgery techniques on specially purchased mannequin.
Sparrow, meanwhile, focused on the nautical knowledge, visualizing himself commanding a ship, navigating treacherous waters, and outmaneuvering enemy vessels.
The clatter of footsteps on the stairs broke Sparrow's train of thought. Canary bounded into the living room, her black braids bouncing, a bright smile on her face.
She wore a practical outfit of sturdy trousers, a comfortable shirt, and a light jacket.
"Ready to go, Birdbro!" she announced cheerfully.
Sparrow sighed. "Took you long enough, Tweety."
"It's just half an hour," replied Canary. "Compared to other girls, I'm pretty fast you know?"
"How would I know that?"
"That's why I'm telling you."
As they bantered and walked out of the house, Sparrow checked the time on his wristwatch. It was almost nine o'clock. Time to head to the MIST Union headquarters.
Outside, Sparrow glanced at the clear, cloudless sky, taking it as a good omen for their upcoming adventure.
He adjusted the eyepatch over his artificial left eye, determined to gain every advantage possible in the 'Pirates and Treasures' realmgate. He needed it to protect Canary, to survive, and to unravel the mysteries that awaited them in the real world.
He straddled his ADV motorbike, waiting for Canary, who suddenly darted back inside.
"Wait, Birdbro! I forgot my mistlink!"
Sparrow sighed, glancing at the speedometer. It reminded him of his newly completed soultool card, the Arcane Geared Wishcompass, a creation born from his Eldritch Mechworld.
His Mechworld had been instrumental in bringing his ideas to life. The Wishcompass originated from a frustrating search for an arcane coil amongst a pile of scrap.
In his frustration, he wished for a device to locate the object he sought, and the Mechworld delivered a blueprint directly into his mind. He'd then spent countless hours scavenging parts, welding, and fine-tuning the intricate gears.
He'd finally made it functional, at least in theory. Tests in the real world, searching for missing items, had proven its worth, albeit with a frustrating five-minute limit and an hour-long cooldown. He hoped it would work in the realmgate and lead them to something truly valuable.
Meanwhile, in her Arcane Spriteworld, Canary had achieved her goal of befriending Splash, the water surfer sprite, though he hadn't yet seen the creature. From Canary's descriptions, Splash was a mischievous sprite with an azure glow, possessing the incredibly useful ability to grant underwater breathing.
Canary also mentioned Splash's limited water manipulation abilities. While she couldn't create a storm, enabling someone to surf without a board should be no problem. The image of Canary surfing, her braids flowing in the wind, brought a smile to Sparrow's face.
"Let's go, Birdbro!"
Sparrow turned to see Canary, having locked the door, sprinting towards him. She expertly hopped onto the back of his motorbike.
He put on his helmet, handed her the second, and revved the engine. The motorbike sped down the asphalt road towards their destination: the MIST Union Headquarters.
---ooo---ooo---ooo---
Sparrow and Canary stood before the imposing doors of the Soragant MIST Union HQ, its façade a convincing electrical and engineering company. Today, their aunt Autumn was absent, involved in a romantic pursuit she kept shrouded in mystery.
Sparrow had attempted to recruit Glaive for the dive, but the Monster Squad member was still in cooldown from a recent realmgate dive. Moreover, Glaive had hit a wall in his progression, unable to ascend to the golden card class, a problem realmgates couldn't solve.
As they entered the HQ, Sunwitch, Autumn's teammate, breezed past, seemingly oblivious to their presence. The siblings exchanged a glance, deciding not to interrupt her obvious haste.
They navigated the labyrinthine corridors, passing through security checkpoints until they reached the underground Realmgate Warehouse. The air grew colder, heavier, as they approached their destination.
Elder Grey Demon, the perpetually unsettling guardian of the warehouse, sat hunched behind his desk. They offered a polite greeting and paid the required mistpoints, the currency of the MIST Union, before being granted access to the vault of surreal portals.
Inside, amidst shelves stacked with reality-bending artifacts, they found an unexpected figure: Caith Rhymer.
Both siblings were very familiar to the girl. It was not surprising, as she was their next-door neighbor and childhood friend. They hadn't seen her much recently as she was usually very busy with practice and shows. After all, Caith, to the world, was 'Red Sky', the radiant star of the wildly popular girl-band, 'Twilight Memory'.
Canary was somehow directly connected to the girl-band, as she was the secret songwriter behind the band's success. The world knew the songwriter only by her pen-name, Nightingale, but the band members knew exactly who Canary was. However, while Canary was close to Caith, she had little relationship with the other members. Sparrow was barely acquainted with them.
"Big Spark, Li'l Cana! What are you doing here?" Caith exclaimed, her usual bubbly demeanor tinged with distress.
Sparrow raised a questioning eyebrow. "A realmgate dive, obviously. What about you, Syrup?"
"That's right Red Sis. Why are you here?" Canary added. "Have you finished your scheduled concerts? And how in the world did you become an awakened user of mystery power too? You didn't seem to believe me when I told you Birdbro lost his eye in supernatural incident. Come on! Spill the tea!"
"Ah, well... it's a bit of a story," Caith began, fidgeting slightly. "After our last show in Gyoya Town, things got… weird."
She paused, gathering her thoughts. "Like, super weird. Turns out, the hotel we were staying in was, uh, haunted. People died. A manager, a crew member… it was awful! We were this close to death. We could only escape because a team of mystery agents showed up and saved us."
"That incident made you an awakened, didn't it?" Canary guessed. "It was pretty similar to what happened to Birdbro and me."
"Yeah. That's right. It made all the five of us in Twilight Memory awakened! We suddenly had mystery talents and mystery classes!"
Sparrow blinked. "Five? All of you? That's… unusual. So, a haunted hotel turned you all into mystery users? And that's why you're here?"
Caith nodded, looking sheepish. "Yeah. This should be our first realmgate dive. An agent called Sunwitch was supposed to guide us, but she just gave us some vague instructions and then bailed! That jerk!"
"That doesn't sound like Sunwitch," Canary commented.
Sparrow disagreed. "That does sound like her."
"Come on, Birdbro. You're just still angry because she didn't let you drive." Canary turned back to Caith. "What happened then?"
"Well, we decided to start easy. That Sunwitch said that the 'Prosperous Kingdom Painting' should be the easiest beginner-level gate. We all went in, but then… well, I was last, and when I tried to enter, poof! I got ejected! Seems like the realmgate only allows four people." She threw her hands up in exasperation. "So now I'm stuck here wondering what to do!"
Canary giggled at Caith's misfortune. "Red Sis, why don't you join us?" She immediately offered a solution. "We're planning to dive into the 'Pirates and Treasures Adventure Book.' It's not a problem, is it, Birdbro?"
Sparrow remained impassive, though he didn't object. "For me? No problem. It might be a problem for her, though."
"Why would it be a problem for me?" Caith asked, baffled.
"The 'Pirates and Treasures' realmgate isn't beginner-level. It's quite challenging for a first-timer." Sparrow explained.
He paused, then continued, "The 'Prosperous Kingdom' only lasts for twenty-one days inside, while 'Pirates and Treasures' takes ninety-one. While the real-world time is approximately the same, three hours, the experience will be... very different."
Hearing that, Caith wasn't discouraged. In fact, she became super excited. "Ninety-one days? Three months? In the world of pirates and treasures? That's amazing!"
Sparrow looked at Canary and sighed. "I gave the wrong example, didn't I?"
Canary giggled. "Come on, Birdbro. You won't be able to discourage her. Ever."
Sparrow sighed again and took out a pen and a notebook from his messenger bag. He tore a piece of paper from the notebook and handed it, along with his pen, to Caith.
"What's this for?"
"Leave a message for your friends. Don't want them thinking you've been kidnapped, do you?"
"Ow. My Big Spark is so very understanding." Caith feigned a flirty expression.
Sparrow returned a similarly fake flirty expression. "Anything for my dear Syrup."
Canary observed them and commented dryly, "You know... I wouldn't be shocked if you two became an item one day."
"What do you think, Big Spark Darling?" Caith, still maintaining her playful, flirty attitude, finished writing her message and placed it on the rack beside the 'Prosperous Kingdom' painting.
"Whatever you want, oh Sweet Syrup," Sparrow replied in similar way as he guided the two girls toward the Pirates and Treasures Adventure Book.
It was a thick, leather-bound tome, its pages worn with age and crackling with latent energy. The cover depicted a galleon sailing through a stormy sea, chests overflowing with gold glinting on its deck.
As they stood before the book, Sparrow looked at the two girls. "Ready?" he asked, his voice calm and steady.
Canary, her eyes sparkling with anticipation, grabbed Caith's hand. "Let's go find some treasure!"
Caith squeezed Canary's hand, a thrill of adventure coursing through her veins. "Lead the way, Big Spark Darling! Let's go!"
With a shared breath, they all touched the leather-bound book that exuded a faint yellow mist and... disappeared, leaving the Realmgate Warehouse behind and plunging into the unknown depths of the 'Pirates and Treasures' realmgate.