Vol 2 Chapter 4: A Silent World
“Just come inside, it won’t be uncomfortable, really. I swear, if I’m lying, you can hit me all you want!”
“I’m not going in!” Leona said, her voice firm.
“Flora, talk to her.”
“Leona, come with me. Abyss won’t lie to us. You know he cares about us.”
“I refuse to crawl into that giant catfish’s belly!”
Abyss’s method for transporting Leona and Flora was, of course, to have his magical catfish swallow them. The catfish’s internal storage space was vast, and it wasn’t limited to its usual size. It could grow larger, or simply expand its mouth, to accommodate larger objects. But Abyss, not wanting to frighten the girls, had opted for a full-body enlargement.
Even then, Leona was reluctant to enter the catfish’s belly, even though its open mouth revealed a shimmering portal of magical light.
Abyss, determined to overcome her resistance, made several promises involving delicious food, exciting adventures, and luxurious accommodations. Finally, with Flora’s encouragement, Leona reluctantly stepped into the catfish’s mouth. The giant catfish closed its mouth, its body shrinking rapidly before vanishing. Abyss had also stored Lannis’s potentially useful equipment inside the catfish’s belly.
Lannis’s devotion to Rebecca was truly remarkable. When she learned about the magical catfish’s storage capacity, she had fed it almost everything from her laboratory. If not for the catfish’s size limit, she would have asked it to swallow her entire lab.
Abyss, unsure about the effects of the catfish consuming living creatures, had declined Lannis’s offer to activate her home’s automated defenses and join them inside the catfish’s belly.
“Alright, we’re ready,” Abyss said, holding a gas mask, nodding. “Rebecca successfully activated the World Conduit after entering the portal, suggesting there weren’t any immediate threats to her survival. I don’t think we need to worry too much. Lannis, I’m ready to go.”
“Sigh, I’m entrusting such a dangerous task to you,” Lannis said, staring at Abyss. “Hey, listen, gray-haired boy, you know this is practically suicide, right? Miss Rebecca at least had three magic crystals for her return trip. You have nothing. You still have a chance to back out.”
“There’s no turning back,” Abyss said, smiling. “Both my long-term plans and my current goals hinge on successfully resurrecting Rebecca. I have to go.”
“Ha! Then go! I’ll handle things here!” Lannis said, laughing, waving her hand dismissively, then turned and headed towards the basement exit.
The explosives enthusiast was already preparing a grand fireworks display for any unwelcome visitors. Abyss smiled, turned, and stepped into the portal.
Arcs of magical energy crackled around him as he entered, the portal shaking violently from the unstable magic. The last remaining magic crystal embedded in the archway shattered with a snap, and the portal flickered, then vanished. The only connection to the world Rebecca had entered was severed.
…
As Abyss stepped through the portal, he felt an immense force pulling him forward, like falling face-first from the sky. He was surrounded by darkness, unable to see or hear anything. Only the constant pulling sensation reassured him.
The journey felt both brief and eternal, his perception of time and space distorted by the portal.
Then, he felt a rush of air, wind swirling around him.
The next moment, his feet touched solid ground, and the darkness before him vanished, replaced by blinding light.
Cool, fresh air filled his lungs as he looked around, taking in his surroundings.
“This world… It seems it was once prosperous,” Abyss muttered to himself, observing the landscape.
He stood on a hilltop, the view unobstructed, allowing him to see for miles. About five or six kilometers away, a town with silver-roofed buildings, their architecture unlike anything he had seen in Hai-Teweru, stood beside a winding river. The water flowing through the river was bright yellow, clearly not potable. The sky was a brilliant blue, dotted with a few green clouds.
A wide road led from the town towards a larger settlement in the distance, where several towering structures, likely towers, pierced the sky.
He had never seen anything like this. This place had buildings, suggesting the presence of inhabitants.
Abyss was curious. What did the people of this world look like? Were they friendly? Did they resemble humans? Could they be resurrected as undead? What were the differences between their internal organs and those of humans?
He rubbed one of his rings, attempting to summon his undead steed, but as expected, it didn’t appear.
“Well, I guess I’ll walk,” he said, chanting a spell. Fortunately, magic still functioned in this world. A gust of wind lifted him off the ground, propelling him towards the nearest town.
He put on the gas mask Lannis had given him. Although the air was breathable, he sensed the presence of unknown toxins. Prolonged exposure might have unforeseen consequences.
What had happened to this world? The further he traveled, the less likely it seemed that any living beings remained.
There wasn’t a single tree or blade of grass on the ground, not even moss or lichen. The only sound he heard was the wind whistling past him.
Silence. A desolate, lifeless silence.
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