CORE

Chapter 14 - Misconception

Within Area 3, and this time, after all its secondary dimensions have been destroyed, there alone it would stand...

And there on the Entrance Rift Platform of Area 3, laid down two magic users, Hero, and Justice, as they were both taking a rest for a moment after nearly all their magic had been diminished.

"I sense you've awakened it? Your Inborn Magic?" Justice spoke in a casual tone.

"Yes... From what I know right now, it revolves around Ice, which should be versatile enough..." Hero replied as silence filled the void for a moment.

"I didn't think you would be teleported on here too," Hero remarked, breaking the silence as they both looked up to the sky, full of endless buildings and many a tower.

"I did not either but here we are," Justice responded as he raised his hand, waving his head from side to side.

"So, when do you think we should make our move?" Justice then sat up before stretching his arms and rolling his shoulders.

"When it finds us again, like I said there shouldn't be any innocents here given its current state, so I suppose we could rest as much as we need," Hero replied, sighing as he too got up.

"A rather wise decision, I suppose that's fair, perhaps I've gotten a bit too... Eccentric," Justice exhaled while he then laid back down on his back on the platform as Hero peered over at him, looking rather concerned and suspicious.

"What happened while you were fighting in your 'realm'?" Hero asked in a curious tone Justice was silent for just a moment as his face clearly looked unamused.

"...Things just got a bit too personal," Justice replied as he sighed.

"It's about that Area 0, right?" Hero knocked on the platform beneath, passing the time while Justice snickered as a grin grew on his face.

"Despite our short time together you know me quite well already," Justice commented.

"Perhaps I just have a knack when it comes to seeing weakness in people," Hero responded in a sarcastic tone.

"Don't even try, you are not at that level yet," Justice spoke, smugly as he got up and looked around his surroundings, trying to see if there was anything out of the ordinary.

"See anything?" Hero spoke, getting up as well as he stretched his knuckles.

"Not yet, fortunately," Justice responded as he smirked, his hand above his eyes as if he was looking for something that was several mountains away.

"You know, now that I remember, we should most likely get going, we have not searched the Rift Platform out of this place yet, we could be trapped here for an eternity for all we know," Hero said in a slightly worried yet serious tone.

"We don't have to, because it's coming right for us," Justice replied casually, as Hero's face turned into one of surprise at Justice's response.

"...Are you implying The Entity is the Rift Platform itself?" Hero said, his eyes narrowing as he could not believe it just yet.

"It's merely a hypothesis, but Inborn Magic will always mimic whatever special property or trait a user has, and since it supposedly sent us to different dimensions, and the fact we were sent back after killing it specifically, gives me quite the hunch, but, considering it's not here yet, most likely it is not aware of where it's prey may go if they somehow break out," Justice said as he made a thinking gesture while he turned over to look at Hero.

He, while still in slight disbelief of this, nevertheless, agreed to Justice's guess as it seemed most likely, and given the infinite expanse of Area 3, it would most likely be a pain to find the Rift Platform if it were to truly be there, meaning this would be their best bet, Hero thought.