Mullock I

A month passed as Gibson made his way through the forest, stopping only to rest and eat. The journey was grueling, but he pushed on, determined to reach Mullock and seek out Isaac Darkbane.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he reached the gates of Mullock. The air was thick with despair, and a high security building that looked like a laboratory stood guard at the gates. Gibson took a deep breath as he approached the guard standing there.

"I'm looking for Isaac Darkbane," he said, his voice steady despite his exhaustion. "I have something for him, something that Joust wanted me to give him as soon as I arrived."

The guard looked at Gibson skeptically. "Who are you?" he asked.

Gibson reached into his pocket and pulled out a badge of Holden. "I'm Gibson Payne," he said, holding out the badge. "I'm a trusted guard of the prince of Holden. Joust sent me here with something important. Please, I need to see Isaac Darkbane as soon as possible."

The guard examined the badge closely, then nodded. "Very well," he said. "I'll take you to him. But if you're lying, you'll be exiled to the depths of Mullock, where you'll rot until the end of time."

Gibson nodded, his heart racing. He knew that he had to be careful. Joust's fate was in his hands. He followed the guard through the gates of Mullock and hoped that Isaac Darkbane would be able to help him.

Gibson followed the guard through the gates of Mullock and down a series of winding corridors. The air was heavy and humid, the walls slick with moisture. Gibson's heart raced as he wondered what he would find at the end of this journey.

Finally, they reached a door at the end of a long hallway. The guard knocked twice and waited for a response.

"Come in," a voice called from the other side.

The guard opened the door and gestured for Gibson to enter. Gibson took a deep breath and stepped into the room.

It was a small, cluttered office with books and papers scattered everywhere. Behind a desk at the far end of the room sat a man with salt and pepper hair and a thick beard. He looked up as Gibson entered the room, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Who are you?" he asked gruffly.

"I'm Gibson Payne," Gibson replied, approaching the desk. "I'm a trusted guard of the prince of Holden. Joust sent me here with something important."

Gibson reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, intricately carved box. He placed it on the desk in front of the man and opened it to reveal a letter from Joust and a small, glowing crystal.

The man, Isaac Darkbane, picked up the letter and began to read. A smile spread across his face as he reached the end of the letter.

"Well, well," he said, looking up at Gibson. "It seems that Joust is in need of my help. But this crystal... it's exactly what I've been looking for! I've been searching for one of these for years, but they're incredibly rare and expensive. Where did you get this?"

"Joust gave it to me," Gibson replied. "He said it would help us."

Isaac chuckled and stood up from his desk. "He was right," he said. "This crystal is exactly what I need for my project. I'll do what I can to help you. But you'll have to be careful. Mullock is a dangerous place, and you never know what you'll find lurking in the shadows."

Gibson nodded, his heart racing with excitement and fear. He knew that he was taking a great risk by coming to Mullock, but he was willing to do whatever it took to help Joust and save his son. He just hoped that he would be able to make it out alive.

Isaac led Gibson and Janks through a series of winding corridors and down a flight of stairs. They passed through several doors and into a large, open room filled with hundreds of runologists working at desks and tables scattered throughout the space.

Janks watched in fascination as the runologists worked, their hands glowing with magic as they manipulated the runes inscribed on the black sphere. He had never seen anything like it before.

Gibson couldn't help but be awestruck by the black sphere glass in the center of the room.

Isaac noticed Gibson's curiosity and chuckled. "We've still got a long way to go, but we're making progress every day. The item that Joust gave us will be a great help in making this project a success."

Gibson turned to Isaac, confused. "What project is that?"

Isaac gestured towards the black sphere. "This is the world we are working on. It's a place where we exile everything society doesn't want or need. Our goal is to figure out a way to pull out what we've put inside, even though we don't know exactly what's in there."

Gibson's eyes widened as he realized the true scale of the project. "So this is where all the prisoners and monsters are sent?"

Isaac nodded. "Yes, and no one ever comes back from this place. Are you sure you want to stay here with Janks?"

Gibson didn't hesitate for a moment. He had made his decision the moment he agreed to help Joust. "I'm sure. I'll do whatever it takes to protect Janks and make sure he has a safe place to live."

Isaac smiled and placed a hand on Gibson's shoulder. "I'm glad to have you on board. Let's get to work."

Isaac led Janks and Gibson down a long, dimly lit corridor, their footsteps echoing off the walls. "We're almost there," he said, his voice low and hushed. "This is a highly classified facility, so you'll need to keep your voices down and stay close to me."

As they turned a corner, the faint glow of blue light became visible. Isaac gestured for them to follow him into the room, which was filled with energy tubes that seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy.

Janks, stared around the room in fascination, taking in the glowing energy tubes and the intricate carved rune on the floor. He seemed to be in awe of the technology around him, his eyes wide with wonder.

"What is this place?" Gibson asked, eyeing the energy tubes warily.

Isaac smiled. "This is where we're going to transfer you inside the big black sphere," he said. "All you need to do is step onto the rune, and you'll be transported inside. It's completely safe, I promise."

Gibson looked skeptical. "Are you sure about this?" he asked.

Isaac chuckled. "Absolutely," he said. "I've done this a million times. Trust me, you'll be fine."

Janks continued to observe his surroundings, seeming to be lost in thought.

Gibson hesitated for a moment, but eventually stepped onto the rune, disappearing into the sphere alongside Janks.

Isaac watched as they vanished, a mix of sadness and determination on his face. He knew that the big black sphere held incredible secrets, but he also knew that it was a dangerous place. He just hoped that Janks and Gibson would be able to handle whatever lay ahead.