Chapter 565: Convictions (1/2)

There was no time to lose now that everything was dealt with. They were already running behind the others who had spent weeks, even months inside the Mystic Realm already, and they needed to catch up.

Kenzie immediately started drawing the final inscriptions that would complete the outer array since Zac had given the go-ahead. The assistants had already moved away just in case, with only Kenzie staying next to the array. The final touches only took a few minutes, and Zac saw the air all around them shudder for a few seconds before it returned to normal.

”It worked!” Kenzie exclaimed a few seconds later as the inner array lit up as well.

“Uh, it did?” Zac asked, feeling there was some lack of payoff.

He had almost expected a massive tear in space to appear, only for Kenzie's array to beat it back after a herculean effort. Zac obviously wasn’t the only one feeling this way either. Ogras looked at the array with a visible disappointment, and Thea was looking at Kenzie with confusion.

“That’s it,” Kenzie snorted, clearly a bit miffed about everyone’s reactions. “I can add some fireworks to the next array if you want.”

“Just thought there would be some spatial rifts or something,” Zac sheepishly smiled before he refocused. “I’ll go first to make sure it’s safe.”

“I’m coming with, I know the place best after all,” Ogras said. “I’ve also been inside enough to be able to tell if the array works as intended.”

“What? In your condition?” Zac frowned as he asked with a low voice. ”What's your goal? Last time we almost had to drag you through the teleporter.”

“I figure I’m better off on the other side in case this thing breaks down after one use,” Ogras shrugged with a grin. ”I'll just hide in your shadows and reap the rewards.”

“Well, fine,” Zac said as he turned to Thea and the other leaders. “I’ll send a message back through the portal in a minute at most. You can begin the transfer as soon as I’ve done so, provided Kenzie gives the go-ahead.”

Thea looked reluctant at being left behind, but Billy didn’t care in the slightest. Nigel on the other hand looked like he was praying for the thing to fail so that he could stay behind. As for the Zhix, they stoically stood in vigil, their facial expressions unreadable.

“What should we do if this thing breaks after you enter, Warmaster?” Rhubat eventually rumbled. “The enemies of the Zhix are on the other side.”

“If this thing really breaks down after we go through, have Kenzie fix it. If she’s unable to… Enter through the New World Government’s tunnel. Thea can show you the way,” Zac said without hesitation.

This was something he had about before, and he eventually decided to sacrifice the New World Government if it came to that. The survival of Earth was more important than anything else, and they simply didn't have any other options. He had sent out dozens of squads in search of other tunnels, including to the uncharted continent. But they hadn't found anything, meaning the New World Government tunnel was the only other one remaining.

Of course, following the Dominators through their own tunnel would have been the best option, but no one had been able to figure out where it was. Void's Disciple must have tracked down a pathway as secluded as the one on Mystic Island.

“Be careful around the New World Government though. The tunnel would be filled with traps. And be careful as to not let anything dangerous reach Earth.”

“You won’t mind if we oust your kind?” Rhubat asked curiously.

“They’re not my kind,” Zac shrugged. “But try a non-violent approach if possible, no matter if we meet them inside or outside. We’re all part of this planet after all.”

The Anointed nodded in agreement, and Zac stepped onto the array with the demon following close behind. The darkness lasted just an instant until he appeared in a familiar room, a wave of relief washing over him when he could confirm that the array worked just fine. He didn’t even realize that he had been holding his breath as he stepped through, and his hands were clammy as well.

Getting almost killed while teleporting once had undeniably left a shadow in his mind.

“Ah!” a scream echoed out the second Zac appeared, and he spotted a young woman grasping for a spear that stood balanced against the wall. “Intruders! Wait, Lord Atwood?”

“It’s me. Tina, right?” Zac smiled as he recognized the Valkyrie. “I’m sorry it took so long to reopen the entrance. Is everyone okay here?”

Ogras appeared before Tina had a chance to answer, glancing around the building before walking up next to Zac.

“The array seems stable enough,” Ogras muttered after he threw the Valkyrie a glance. “I didn’t notice any differences compared to the last times. Should be fine I think?”

“Good,” Zac nodded as he sent back an information crystal to the other side, telling the others that it worked.

“More people are coming soon, so let’s get out of the way,” Zac said as he led the two out of the Teleportation Building.

The base camp outside looked pretty much the same as the last time Zac visited, except for a couple of new buildings having been added to the mix. The odd lines covered the sky, and the trees created a perimeter around the fields far off in the distance. Finally, there was the barely discernable wall, and Zac's heartbeat sped up at the thought of what awaited inside.

“Everything seems fine here. Have there been any problems?” Zac said as soon as he could confirm that there were no immediate threats.

“Nothing much has happened here apart from us going a bit stir-crazy,” Tina said as she waved at the other castaways who looked at Zac with relief in their eyes. “We have just explored the vicinity and cultivated. Those worm-things don’t attack as long as five of us travel together. We have encountered something odd though.”

“Odd? What’s going on?” Zac asked as he looked around again, properly this time.

Only then did he realize that Ogras had stopped in his tracks after stepping outside the teleportation building, a deep frown adorning his face. Zac had only been here for a few short visits when he needed to talk with his sister, but he hadn’t actually left the immediate vicinity of the entrance. However, it appeared as though the demon had figured something out.

“This world is growing,” the demon finally blurted out, his eyes wide with shock.

“They are here,” Leviala said, her milky-white eyes opening for the first time in weeks. ”The door has been reopened.”

“Sorry for having you do this, child,” Uvek sighed as he hurriedly handed his granddaughter the extract before the backlash kicked in.

She drank the murky texture down with a slight frown, but she didn’t complain about the astringent taste. She never did.

“It’s not more horned beings,” Leviala said. “Well, there are, but there are other races as well. Some I have never seen before.”