CHAPTER 8(Ahhh..! just my luck!)

It's been a week since I started staying here. I explored a bit in the wasteland to find clues of any human civilization or something, but I found nothing.

"Now that I think about it, who lives in a wasteland anyway? It was stupid of me to think there might be someone here in the first place."

Right now, I plan to find and use a Rift a wild rift, to be exact.

Rifts can be created either artificially or by nature. The ones created by nature are called wild rifts, while those created artificially are simply called rifts. Nowadays, people tend to use artificial rifts because they are safer and take you to specific destinations. It has become convenient for people to go to their nearest rift stations and travel wherever they want.

As for wild rifts, as you might guess, they are anything but safe. Some people even say their family members or relatives vanished into the void of nothingness after entering a wild rift!

Wild rifts randomly appear, so they are harder to find, and they don't even send you where you want to go. They just send you to some random place!

But given my situation, the only way I can escape this wasteland is to find a wild rift and pray to God it sends me to the Celestial Harmony Plain.

I searched the entire mansion for any clues about a Rift Station but judging by the mansion and the letter I read, I don't think Rift Stations existed back then.

I looked for any clues about how I could get out of this stupid wasteland but found nothing. The only notable thing this mansion has is the Door of Kafkan. This mansion is filled with this nonsense, from documentaries to theories to even fantasy novels. Like, what the hell!

"Haaaaa….." Alan sighs in a tone of frustration and exhaustion. "I thought I would at least find a teleportation spell or something, but this mansion has everything except useful things!"

Though people tend to use artificially created rifts, those who know the teleportation spell obviously use them because it's convenient and easier. However, not everybody can use it since it requires a lot of mana. People who use it tend to have an abundance of mana. Though anyone can learn this skill because it's a non-chronic ability, it is extremely hard to master and dangerous. You need a certified instructor to learn that kind of skill.

"Hmmmm… though I do wonder why it's classified as a non-chronic ability. It's quite a useful ability. Maybe because anyone can learn it? I don't know. I don't have time to ponder useless theories right now. I need to plan how the hell I'm going to escape here."

As Alan went into deep thought, he made his way into the mansion's backyard and saw something. "Huh?! What is that?" As Alan approached the shining object, he exclaimed, "What the... what is... huh?! A compass?!"

Alan began to examine the compass, brushing off the dirt, and discovered it still worked! "Huh, is it a... no way!" Alan couldn't believe his eyes; it was a rift compass! "Looks like God finally took some pity on me!"

A rift compass, as the name implies, is a tool to find wild rifts. Though people don't use these nowadays and Alan doesn't know what it's doing in the backyard, he doesn't care about that now.

"Though it is basically an antique, it is a miracle it still works!"

Alan held the rift compass tightly, a glimmer of hope igniting within him. With renewed determination, he decided to test the compass immediately. He went to the mansion and took any necessities he may need on this journey he didn't know how long the road was so he took food and some important looking books and glanced at the mansion one last time and bid his farewell "Thank you for letting me stay all these time, I will never forget my time here and I hope I never see you again!"Alan remarked sarcastically

The compass began to glow faintly, the needle spinning erratically before settling in a direction. Alan's heart pounded as he followed the compass's guidance, weaving through the barren landscape. He could feel the desolation of the wasteland pressing in on him, but the compass was his beacon of hope.

After what felt like days of trudging through the unforgiving terrain, Alan noticed a strange distortion in the air ahead. It shimmered and twisted, an ethereal tear in reality. He approached cautiously, the compass glowing brighter with each step.

"This must be it," he whispered to himself, staring at the wild rift. It was larger and more chaotic than he had imagined. The swirling vortex seemed to pulse with a malevolent energy, but it was his only way out.

Taking a deep breath, Alan steeled himself. "Here goes nothing." He stepped into the rift, feeling a disorienting pull as the world around him blurred and twisted. Colors and shapes melded together in a dizzying array, and for a moment, he felt as if he were being torn apart.

Then, with a sudden jolt, Alan was thrown out of the rift, landing hard on the ground. He groaned, disoriented and aching. As he slowly got to his feet, he looked around, trying to get his bearings.

"What the hell! h-huh?! w-where am I?"

He found himself in a dense, dark forest. The trees loomed high above, their twisted branches blocking out the sky. The air was thick with an eerie silence, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves. Alan felt a chill run down his spine. This was not the Celestial Harmony he had hoped for.

"What is this place?" he muttered, clutching the compass tightly. The needle was spinning wildly again, offering no clear direction.

Suddenly, a distant howl echoed through the forest, sending a shiver of fear through Alan. He knew he had to move, but the forest was a maze of shadows and unknown dangers. He had no idea what lay ahead, but he had to keep going.

Alan pushed forward, every sense on high alert. The forest seemed to close in around him, the darkness becoming almost suffocating. He stumbled over roots and ducked under low branches, the howls growing louder and more frequent.

Just as he began to think he might be lost forever, he saw a faint light in the distance. Hope surged within him, and he quickened his pace, heading towards the light. As he drew closer, he realized it was a small clearing with a peculiar, ancient-looking stone structure in the center.

Alan approached cautiously, noticing strange symbols carved into the stones. They glowed faintly, illuminating the clearing with an otherworldly light. He reached out to touch one of the stones, feeling a strange energy pulsating through it.

Before he could ponder the significance of the structure, the ground beneath him began to tremble. The symbols glowed brighter, and the air filled with a low, ominous hum. Alan stepped back, eyes wide with fear and confusion.

Suddenly, the center of the stone structure began to crack open, revealing a dark, swirling vortex similar to the wild rift he had just escaped. But this one felt different—more controlled, yet filled with an overwhelming sense of dread.

Alan's heart raced as he realized he was standing at the edge of something far more dangerous than he had anticipated. The forest around him seemed to hold its breath, the howls silencing as if in reverence to the opening vortex.

The dark portal beckoned him, promising escape but also something far more sinister. Alan knew he had a choice: to enter the unknown once more or to remain in the eerie forest with whatever dangers lurked within.

He took a deep breath, stepping closer to the vortex, the hum growing louder and more insistent. With a final, resolute glance at the mysterious stone structure, Alan made his decision.

As he stepped into the dark portal, a chilling voice echoed in his mind, "Welcome to the Abyss."