Episode 45: The gate to planet Earth

The team spent their days in the town, helping with reconstructions, patrols, and quests. The season of the pasar was over, giving way to the season of the bruo. As soon as the earthquakes started coming in, they knew it was time. They put on their graduate uniform, their adventurer gear on top, prepared their bags with supplies, and headed for the dungeon containing the gate. It was between the towns of Aremi and Siremi, hidden among the tall grass, still guarded from afar by adventurers

Ari: so this is the famous dungeon where the old man lost his hand, and everything

Taro: (I can't believe it, our new adventure really involves exploring a dungeon, I'm sorry for ever doubting you, videogames and anime!) I’m nervous, first time in dungeon

Shizuka: me too, what if we find skeletons or -goblins-?

Sidra: skeletons as in the remains of dead people? I would not be surprised to find some

Ari: what’s a -goblens-?

Shizuka: I meant like, skeletons walking with swords, and a -goblin- is a short ugly green monster that will grab you and do this!

Nagye: hyah!

Shizuka: don’t worry m’lady, I heard that if you massage them, they grow faste—ow!

Sidra: I did warn you I would spank you before

Shizuka: hehehehe!

Ari: (they grow if I…? i gotta try that out later)

Taro: (I don’t think I could be any happier, they have really awakened something in me)

they entered the dungeon, a dark facility no longer maintained, they had to cast their own mana light to traverse it. the hallways connected with each other, creating a squared labyrinth easy to get lost in. The walls, once decorated with patterns, had faded into a state of oblivion and loss of identity, the sound of footsteps echoed in the corners, besides that, no other sound could be heard, making the dungeon both eerie and oddly peaceful

Taro: this dungeon, I wonder if created by legend mages

Ari: now that you mention it, I would also like to keep my gate protected if I were a mage of legend, it makes sense

Nagye: th-then this dungeon is not just a maze, I-it probably has things like rooms and things, I-I mean, maybe traveling was tiring and they needed a place to rest as soon as possible

Sidra: and assuming the gate was often used, the little checkpoint would have quickly expanded, to become a town…

Shizuka: So this gigantic place is actually a town? that is so so cool!, but it's an ugly town though, did the ancient mages have no taste?

Ari: I guess it had seen better days. I wonder if my father saw it in better conditions. he really explored the dungeon all the way to the gate, I wonder what awaits us

Shizuka: treasures? hehe

Taro: ghosts and skeleton?

Nagye: gh-ghosts…

Shizuka: don’t jinx it!

They followed the instructions on their map until they reached a long stone bridge over a dark abyss. They were surprised at the contrast between the previous, almost cramped hallways and the huge spacious area in which they were now. A faint breeze could be heard whistling, along creeping noises

Sidra: Am I hearing monsters or am I just hearing things?

Ari: wait, don't worry, according to the map notes, those are dungeon moles, they feed on the moss that grows in the dungeon, they don't attack unless cornered

Shizuka: where? I don't see them

Ari: they’re hiding right now, but here’s the picture of them

Nagye: th-they’re so …ugly, I feel bad for them

Sidra: poor little creatures, may they be blessed with the tastiest moss

The team continued their descent from spiraling stairs, ample underground halls, and tunnels. the concept of time started to blur, and they took various rest stops, even camping while deep in the dungeon.

Sidra: oh, this place has been used before. I wonder what these people died of. may your souls be guided by the goddess to the peaceful rest you deserve

Taro: you good priestess, despite not priestess

Sidra: hehehe, I guess I can leave the robe behind, but the robe will never leave me

Ari: they probably died of hunger, without knowing where to go, it's easy to get lost, and there’s nothing to eat but moss and moles

Nagye: I’d rather not think about it; I want to sleep without n-nightmares

After everyone had rested, they continued their journey, grateful to have food and a clear idea of where to go. The further they went, the better preserved the engravings on the walls were, they resembled silhouettes of people dancing, created with an artstyle not seen before. the decorations became bigger, more detailed, until they arrived to a big hall with giant damaged statues, the place seemed to have been witness to battles before, and in the center, an entrance to an empty square room, with 2 solemn pillars and unknown symbols all over

Shizuka: this must be it

Taro: the gate

Sidra: In order to activate it, we should find the hole on a stone slab over… there it is, and then…

In one of their backpacks was a giant artifact, gilded and made of stone, it was given to them by sister Sunny with the instructions to open the gate; one of the church’s best kept secrets; the fact that the gates were still functional despite the hundreds of years since they were sealed

Nagye: th-the key… Can we umm, do it all together? I'm a little nervous, what if I drop it and it breaks?, we’d have to go to another church and ask for their key, and p-perhaps they won’t want to help

Ari: Don't worry, let’s do it, together

They all took part in holding the big stone and gem key and inserting it into the hole. it fell into place, then spun on its own, and the hall rumbled with all sorts of noises from structures shifting, the stone door between the gate pillars began to open, the carved circuits on the walls filled with bright mana, wind and light emanated from within the gate, it had been activated. The once empty little room now contained a view to another hall, the air smelled different, it was indubitably the other world on the other side

Nagye: there it is! It's the other world!!, we did it!

Shizuka: We can travel, it is possible!, mom, dad, Minori, wait for me

Taro: no evil monster on other side!

Sidra: we have confirmed that the gate works, now to the next step we promised to sister Sunny

Ari: close the gate again, return to the town, tell my father and the church, and get ready for the real adventure

The team removed the key, closing the gate shut again. They returned back to the town as fast as possible now that the way back was familiar, by the time they were out of the dungeon, 2 days had passed.

the next morning, the guild master was in the church, ready to send the team of adventurers off on their journey to the unknown

guild master: stay safe, don't get into trouble, always remember the protocols, I don’t know what else can I tell you, you’re all full-blown professional adventurers. I wish you all a safe trip

bald priest: may the goddess bless your every step, goddess I beg you listen to my prayer, keep your warriors safe and well fed

sister Sunny: take care my dear children, we will be waiting for you, don’t make this old lady worry, I better see you back on the next bruo season, or I might go through that gate and find you myself

Taro: we promise, I never break promise, never forget

Shizuka: we will be back, with presents hehe

Nagye: do tell my parents about my this, if-if its ok, I think they’d want to know

Ari: Father, we will be back, wait for us. If there's nothing else left to pack, let's go, to the other world!

The team traversed the dungeon once again, this time more loaded, but also with a quick and excited step.

they inserted the key, the hall rumbled, the gate opened, and the air from the other world came through, it was time to step into planet Earth