Entering The Rift Portal

With one foot already inside the rift portal, Thomas closed his eyes. However nothing happened, it was almost as if he was expected to be sucked in or grabbed by something on the other side.

"What is the hold up, are you alright Thomas?" Corbin asked.

"Do you mind…?" Emily frowned.

"Sorry…" Thomas laughed and headed first inside.

The party followed and soon everyone got inside, one by one at a time. Once inside they noticed how dark it was. It was almost pitch black and they had a hard time navigating their surroundings. Thomas crouched down and searched through his backpack to grab his pouch containing his vials and some other things.

"Here!" Thomas tossed everyone a unique vial which glowed in the dark.

"Fairy-light? I did know you had some on you," Emily immediately recognized it and was surprised.

It was something Thomas thought could be helpful if they were trapped in a dark place or found a cave to take shelter in or something. He found it while studying his alchemy book and the system guided him to craft it.

[Fairy-light]

[Traps the essence of moonlight into a vial and resembles a fairy]

Thomas found the mechanism siphoning moonlight particles during Wednesday and created five vials of fairy-light for each of them during Thursday, right before heading back to the classroom.

"Alright what is the plan here, party leader?" Corbin smiled.

"Set up a mini camp with our current supplies and count our rations here by the exit, then scout this first layer, room or whatever it is," Thomas informed them.

"Roger," Corbin military saluted him to tease.

Thomas and Corbin dropped their bags and let the other three set up camp while they explored side by side the area. It was some sort of a cave with strange dark liquid pulsating through the walls.

"Disgusting, the walls look like they are alive or something!" Corbin attempted to touch it.

In response Thomas instantly grabbed his hand and shook his head.

"We do not know what it is, I say we remain cautious and distance ourselves," Thomas stopped Corbin.

Thomas hovered with his vial to both sides then straight above him. The walls appeared to be the same everywhere with dark liquid filling them.

The sound the walls were making were quite unsettling and had everyone on their toes. Each time they pulsated, it sounded similar to a heartbeat and a couple dark veins formed then disappeared alongside the walls, deeper within the lair itself.

After they finished packing things, the party briefed each other. A few medicinal herbs were prepared and if they rationed their food it would last for roughly two days.

"What about the first layer or room?" Ashley asked.

"Let's call it room, it does not appear to be a labyrinth or on different floors just yet," Thomas decided.

Thomas then went on to explain that him and Corbin found four separate paths that split further down the room. They had an important decision to make, stick together or split up. If they chose to split, they would have to cautiously scout each path with four people while one remained in the first area.

"Well… what is it going to be?" Thomas posed the question.

No one was really fond of the idea of splitting, but it remained the best option and a vote took place after a slight argument. The decision was split between the girls voting no while Corbin and Thomas voted yes. In the end Tim agreed with the guys and apologized to Ashley immediately.

The argument was that if they all grouped up together, they would become vulnerable to being flanked or having the exit possibly blocked or sealed off. Ashley and Emily came around to agree on the idea right before they split.

Tim volunteered to remain behind, and that was an immediate five to zero vote. He was the only one with medical experience and healing properties to his earth magic. Also Thomas and Corbin thought he appeared the weakest one amongst the five of them, although they did not want to argue that point to hurt Tim's feelings.

"Are you guys ready?" Thomas asked and received one thumbs up, a nod and two people shaking their heads.

At least Tim nodded and Corbin faked his enthusiasm with the girls remaining a bit reluctant still to the idea of splitting.

"Remember, call for backup the second you guys hear or see anything, do not engage at any cost," Thomas instructed and received four nods.

Everyone seemed a tad nervous and shook a little for what lied ahead of them to explore in the darkness.

"Tim, you stay here and hold down the fort for us. We will be back before you know it," Thomas smiled to encourage Tim and himself since he was slightly trembling as well.

Corbin made a joke before he headed off to Thomas, and Ashley bid farewell and told Tim to be careful. Emily stayed quiet with the exception of one nod upon calling backup if she encountered something.

Shortly after, their party split ways, each holding a vial of fairy-light in front of them to illuminate and navigate through the pitch-black corridors that began separating them.

"One step at a time, and before you know it, we will all be back together," Thomas uttered to himself.

Thomas held the vial of fairy-light in his right hand and held tight his sword with the left one. Slowly navigating through what seemed like an endless corridor. The pulsating sound coming from the walls got louder the further in he walked.

Minutes passed and it was all too quiet. Not a single sound except from the walls were heard. Thomas could not even hear his own shaky breath nor footsteps. Trembling the entire way, Thomas gulped as he came to a corner and carefully turned his head to peak.

It was a dead end.

"Well time to head back?" Thomas sighed with relief.

But as Thomas turned around he heard a muffled scream coming all the way back from where he had left off.

"Ashley? Tim? Corbin? Emily?" Thomas could not make out whose voice the scream belonged to.

Thomas rushed back as fast as he could, and upon his return he fell flat on his behind at a gruesome scene he wished he could have unseen.