Saeldir nodded at Erend's words and turned toward Commander Varok.
"We need to locate a rift that may lead us to where Eccar has gone. Spread the word, commander. Leave no room unchecked," Saeldir said.
Varok's nodded with hardened expresssion. Then he barked orders to his troops. "Search every corner! Find anything that looks out of place like a rift, artifacts, technology, anything! Move out!"
The Resistance soldiers saluted and fanned out, their determination unshaken despite their exhaustion from the recent battle.
Erend stepped into the metallic fortress, his human form still radiating the heat and energy of his Dragon transformation. As he crossed the door, a thunderous cheer erupted from the gathered Resistance fighters. Their voices echoed through the halls as a sounds of triumph and gratitude.
"Because of you, we achieved this, my Lord!" one soldier shouted.
Another added, "The beast of flames fights for us!"
Erend smiled. Then raised a hand to silence them.
"Thankyou. This victory is yours as much as it is mine, but don't let your guard down. This might be only one of their headquarters and it's only a small step in a much larger war. This world is vast and their stronger forces will be coming in no time."
His voice carried a weight of experience, his gaze sweeping across the soldiers.
"We need to find something that can weaken their defenses across this entire world. Saeldir will assist you in identifying what's useful."
The soldiers nodded. Their cheer faded, replaced by a determined focus. Groups quickly resumed their search, combing through the structure with renewed urgency.
Minutes passed as the Resistance scoured the fortress. Suddenly, Kael sprinted toward Erend with calm expression.
"Lord Erend!" he called out. "We found something. It was a chamber. There are chains and blood there. I also see something like a rift in the air. But it's almost closing."
Erend's eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening. Without a word, he turned to Saeldir who was already stepping forward.
"Let's go," Erend said.
The pair moved quickly, their footsteps echoing through the metallic corridors. Kael led them deeper into the building past twisted remains of machine.
When they reached the chamber, Erend and Saeldir stopped at the door. The sight before them was grim. It was a circular room bathed in a faint, sickly light. The walls were lined with intricate carvings that pulsating with faint energy.
In the center there was a swirling rift hovered in the air. But now its edges are flickering and look unstable, as though it were barely holding itself open.
Around it, there are chains embedded into the floor that crackling with faint energy. Dried blood stained the ground.
"This must be the portal," Saeldir murmured. He stepped forward cautiously, his hand glowing with a faint Magic light as he began to analyze the rift.
"What were they doing here?" Erend asked.
Saeldir's expression darkened as he examined the runes. "This is some kind of dark Magic. Sacrifices of blood were made to open this rift. They must be using Eccar's blood. It's barely stable but it's strong enough to hold for now. But we don't have much time."
Erend stepped closer, the flickering light of the rift casting ominous shadows on his face. "Then we should use it before it closes." He turned to Saeldir. "Can you stabilize it long enough for me to cross?"
Saeldir nodded but his expression grim. "I'll do what I can, but this kind of Magic is dangerous. If you step through, I won't be able to follow."
Erend nodded. "Its alright."
Saeldir began his incantation toward the rift. The rift's unstable edges seemed to calm, the swirling energy slowing as if drawn into a controlled current. However, the energy flaring as they seems to resisting Saeldir's Magic.
With that, Erend stepped forward, his silhouette framed by the pulsing glow of the rift as he enter the unknown.
When he stepped toward the rift, its unstable edges crackling chaoticly and lashed out. He felt a strange resistance as soon as he approached as if the rift itself unwilling to let him through. But he leaned forward, his muscles tensed, and pushed into the swirling vortex.
The sensation was strange. It was as if he were squeezing through a space far too tight for his body, even though he knew that logically he fit within the rift. The air around him pressed in from all sides while the energy from the rift seemed to coil around him like serpents, trying to repel him.
Gritting his teeth, Erend growled low in his throat, forcing his body forward inch by inch. His breath came in sharp gasps as he summoned his Magic and wrapping it tightly around himself like a protective shell.
Then, an unsettling sensation crept into his mind. It was a strange nostalgia for a place he was certain he had never visited. Shadows of forgotten memories teased at the edges of his consciousness and whispering incoherent fragments that made his head pound.
With a fierce mental push, he shoved the whispers aside, focusing every ounce of his will on moving forward.
After a long effort, he tumbled forward and landed with a heavy thud on solid ground. For a moment, Erend stayed still and catching his breath. The air here was strange. Thick and humming with energy. Slowly, he rose to his feet and looked around.
The ground beneath him was black as obsidian, yet it shimmered with streaks of colorful light that seemed to pulse in rhythm with his heartbeat. Above him, the sky was an endless expanse of shifting hues of an aurora-like display. The atmosphere was charged with Magic energy and he could feel Magic flowing freely in a way that was both exhilarating and unsettling.
[Main Quest Completed!]
Erend blinked as the notification faded, its words hanging heavy in his mind. Sulaeran Dragnar… the name resonated with him in a way he couldn't explain. This place felt strangely significant as though it were tied to his soul.
Straightening, Erend clenched his fists. He need to find Eccar and uncover the secrets this strange realm held.