The Shadow Man

TwentyThree

"Keepers sent men in there back in the early days of the SCO. Tied ropes to them and gave them guns. None of them ever came back out. Just bloody tattered clothes and a torn line."
Explains Larson.
"Why are you telling me this?"
I ask.
He looks me in the eye.
"So that you know about the savagery we are dealing with here."
He replies.
He turns back to the rest of the group.
"So, these are the coordinates of all the known Crucibles. As you can see, they're spread out. It's safe to assume they don't all lead to the same place. But it's impossible to know where they all lead. Our best bet is to get inside a single portal, and establish communications, from there we can then start out with our objective."
He says.
"So, who's going in first?"
I ask.
They all look at me.
They know I possess no powers like they do, no special fighting skills, nothing that can make me particularly deadly against one of them.
But they know not to mess with me.
"What's the plan for extraction if things go sideways?"
Finley asks.
He hesitates.
"Frankly, there is none. Should the mission fail, we will not be able to save you. Our best bet is to destabilize that portal, and seal the gate behind you."
I feel a rush of cold as my body shivers a bit.
"Well...thanks for your honesty."
He nods at me with a smile.
"So, let's talk about what happens when you find them. Seeing as though the Shift was taken, and the others were taken in similar fashion, it's safe to assume they're kept separately.
Now, I've never been in this dimension, but, be as it may, those Creatures have been living there for centuries. Which means there must be a food supply, as well as water. If they are able to aid you in the escape, extraction should be seamless.
Should they be unfit for duty, I will have reinforcements on standby awaiting orders. This is where things get a bit tricky. Time, works differently, through that portal. I don't know how, or why, but time moves slower in there. One day to them, could be years out here. Time is of the essence in this case.
The moment you step through that portal, you'd better prepare yourselves for the world you will return to. It will be vary different. I may not even be alive then. The lives you have now, will be gone. Everything you know, will no longer be the same. There is no coming back from this. So, I want you to think about this. Make sure you've considered all your options.
Ask yourselves, 'Are these men, worth the sacrifice?'."
The four of us stand there, silently thinking hard about what we are about to do.
"You have until tomorrow to get me your answer. Dismissed."

I lay awake in bed, thinking about everything I would leave behind.
My family.
My friends.
My life is here and now, but my Love is through that door.
I sit up and stare at the walls that aren't my own.
Cement blocks make them up.
I wonder if he thinks about me while he's in there.
Does he miss me?
For a moment I consider reaching out to him, but then I remember that Monster's threats.
What can I do?

We ran through the night.
The entire time that darkness had fallen, we continued hearing the screams from metallic beasts, and gunshots chasing us.
Kaleo's village sits deep inside an extensive cave system.
The walls emanate a blueish green glow as veins of Pure Nolite power flow through them.
I feel no fear.
I feel no sadness.
I feel no anger.
I feel only belonging,
Like my presence here is to be expected.
After a mile of walking through an empty tunnel, we find his village.
A hundred Nolites stand in anticipation of their Son's arrival.
The three of us stand at the mouth of the cave, being watched on all sides as the vast majority of my people stares up at us.
I hear some of them whisper and speak amongst one another.
"Who is he?"
"Is he one of us?"
"Has Darkness consumed him?"
I take a step forward, and remove my weapon from my back.
They fall silent and my glowing staff spears the ground in front of me.
The veins of green burst with luminous Blue.
I feel the connection made for the first time.
This is where I am supposed to be.
This is my Destiny.
I see Kaleo walk out into the crowd, touching his shards against the other staffs as he passes.
"Rise."
I hear someone call.
I open my eyes, severing the connection.
I stand.
The crowd parts, making a isle for Rone and I to walk through.
A man in golden armor stands there, at the end.
I take my first step, and I hear tribal drums beginning to beat.
I turn to Rone, and walk forwards.
The drumming grows more intense as I approach the man in the golden armor.
I feel the drumming in my bones as I wade through the crowd.
He pulls his staff, and stretches it out to me.
His weapon glows and sparks with gleaming white energy.
I defensively extend my blade, taking a step back to gain distance.
All at once, a hundred swords are drawn on me.
I return my blade to its original form, and do as he does.
Stretching out my staff, I allow my weapon to contact his.
The world falls silent all around me.
I hear Nothing.
I see Nothing.
I feel Nothing.