The Tethered Mind: Skyratchet

Chapter 3: The Hidden Entrance

The desert stretched out in front of us, hot as hell, with nothing but sand and rock as far as the eye could see. I could feel the heat through the shuttle's plating—it was the kind of relentless, bone-drying heat that made you wish you were anywhere else. We were supposed to be heading back to Sefia, but as usual, something caught my eye.

A shimmer on the horizon, faint but there.

"You see that?" I asked, squinting.

Iggy, sitting next to me with his arms crossed, didn't even bother to look up. "See what?"

"Over there. Something flickered." I gestured toward the distance.

He finally glanced up, shrugged, then looked back at the controls. "Probably heat waves, Pipsqueak. You know, like what happens when you fly through a damn desert?"

I shook my head, ignoring the nickname. "No, it's different."

With a sigh that sounded like I was pulling him into another one of my hare-brained schemes, Iggy slowed the shuttle and hovered just above the dunes. We both stepped out, the dry air hitting like a punch in the face. I squinted toward the shimmer, still there barely visible.

Iggy finally looked and frowned. "Okay... I see it now. But it's not showing up on any scans. No heat signatures, no map markers. It's like it doesn't exist. It might be a glitch in harmony, although extremely rare they are reports"

"That's why we need to check it out," I said, starting to walk toward it.

"Of course we do," Iggy muttered, following. "Why wouldn't we? It's not like I had any plans involving staying alive today."

The closer we got, the more the shimmer came into focus. It wasn't just a mirage, or glitch; it was an entrance—a narrow crack in the ground leading into the earth. A gold sand dusted metallic ramp heading... well heading somewhere. Dark, foreboding, and definitely not on any of the maps I had.

"This place isn't marked," I said, crouching down to peer into the darkness. "The system doesn't even register it."

"Which is exactly why we should leave it alone, Pipsqueak" Iggy shot back. "You're looking at a death trap."

Before I could respond, Dave interrupted. "I hate to admit it, but Iggy makes a valid point, Gaines. This place is off the grid—and let me remind you, now that the administrator buff is gone, you can very much die."

I groaned internally. "Thanks for the reminder, Dave. Really helpful."

"Just looking out for your best interests, old boy," Dave replied smoothly. "And might I suggest something important? Like a Rebirth Stone, perhaps. If you die here, you're not getting back up."

I clenched my jaw. "And where exactly do you expect me to find a Rebirth Stone in the middle of a desert?"

Old Wrig had a rebirth stone, I pilfered and gave it to Iggy. Which was good because he was killed not long after. But I hadn't been unable to find anywhere to buy one, or in fact anyone that knew where to get one.

Dave's tone remained irritatingly calm. "Details, Gaines. But rushing headfirst into an unmarked black abyss with no safety net... let's just say it's not your smartest move."

I rolled my eyes, though Iggy took it as irritation toward him. "What? You getting cold feet?"

"Nah," I muttered. "Just talking to Dave."

Iggy raised an eyebrow. "Great. Because the last time you were having a conversation with that AI, we nearly got ourselves blown up. What's he saying now?"

I smirked. "He's suggesting that you may be right and reminding me that I can die now. Says we should think about getting a Rebirth Stone."

Iggy's face went pale. "I am right. Wait. You can die now? Like, for real?"