All I can do is look in shock as everyone looks in shock at me. As I see that the people who caused me to nearly get stuck here are about to leave. I mutter out something but it seems I overexerted myself to even make it audible to myself. I get why the people who attempted to leave me behind in that portal would look shocked since I doubt that they expected me to make it out. I don't like getting mad, I just hate it. But in this situation, I think it's warranted for me to do so. I take a few seconds to catch my breath and try to repeat myself again. "Why did you two knock me out." I shout out as I really don't want them to go unpunished. And if I don't say it now, I know I will never say it. However when I say what happens people seem confused which isn't surprising. If you knock someone out and leave them to get trapped, you wouldn't tell anyone. But how would they explain having my rope and me not being with them? How did they explain all that away? Even if they found me knocked out somewhere and don't know why. They could've carried me out without trouble since I don't weigh all that much. They must already have told a lie about what happened to why they didn't do that. I have a feeling lying about how I acted would be hard considering Emily is here, and she does know me.
"Azure, try to remain calm. You got out of there, look." Emily says to me to make sure that I know that I got outside in time. I knew that though, I ran like hell to make sure that I managed to get through there. This shouldn't have been such a close call, to begin with. I should've been able to get out of there with plenty of time left. Also, am I supposed to stay calm with 2 people who wanted to get me trapped there? Or did they think that they had killed me or something? Because that would be worse and then they would've done their job terribly. I only have a few scratches on me and a bump on my head. I think it was a good decision on my part to put points in health.
"I know, I got through. It's hard not to feel it when I walk through one of those things. Also, is everyone just going to ignore what I just said?" I ask as I see more and more people leave already. I don't see any civilians here already but the other delvers should realise how dangerous this situation was. Do they just not care because I managed to get out of it. Now that I think about it. It never got really seen as a lot of trouble for other delvers when they got lost inside a portal. It's just a danger of the job. "Why did you knock me out? Or whoever was behind me."
The person who made me stop is clearly avoiding looking at me right now. And by the fact that the person next to him is avoiding looking at me too. I have to assume that he was the person behind me who knocked me out. And honestly, I already regret shouting like that. The adrenaline I had earlier was going away by now. I had a lot of emotions boil up today by the stupid decisions that I saw people make today. I still don't get why someone would ever bring kids inside here. And who then gets mad when someone calls them out for bringing kids here. Like how did he not see that coming? How was that his best idea? How was attempting to leave me behind in a portal a good way to hide the fact that he brought kids here. people already knew that Russel brought kids here in the first place. Other people would question it later too.
"I don't even get why you did that. Was it because I confronted Russel about the fact that he brought his little brother here?" I ask as I truly don't get it. And then I notice that the leader of that pack is already missing. Russel was already gone. How was he even allowed to leave? Wouldn't there have been questions about how his little brother was also in that portal? I even told the others what he told me. Olive heard him explaining it too, so did they go after her too? There's seems no way to be able to get out of here. You would be in trouble no matter what. I have to be honest, I can't even look at the people who were there that locked me out. "He didn't just bring his brother in there. He brought multiple kids there who better got out of there too. I only knew that because he told me."
"You probably have a concussion after the fall you had. They did say that you managed to stumble into a hole that was in there. You must have fallen on your head since you didn't see it. It's honestly already quite a feat that you managed to climb out of there. Since it was apparently quite a deep hole. You can give your statement about today tomorrow if your story is still the same." The administrator says as she seemingly rolls her eyes at me. It seems that was the story they had spun. Being able to do so because the others never finished that hallway. I can't help but be annoyed at all of this since I don't get why they believed it.
"I will come by tomorrow then. But where do I have to be exactly?" I ask as it seems I was too late to ask already. She was already walking away probably to hand in the report that this portal was closed. Since she seems less than interested about fully reporting everything. Well, I would put it in a report that someone nearly got trapped inside a portal. However, she might be glad that no one died again. Or got stuck inside a portal. I honestly didn't mind giving an explanation about what happened but it seems she was rather uninterested in that. I will just have to find where I need to be tomorrow myself.
It doesn't take too long for everything to disperse after the observer left. As I have to stop myself from pacing around this small hallway. At least there are no more portals in this place. I just can't believe still how something so simple couldn't have been done here. Well considering the fact they claimed I fell in a hole. They might really think that I have a concussion. I might have one because I got hit with a baseball bat on the head. I quickly make my way up the stairs as I feel my phone buzz. I'm unable to look yet but it reminds me that I have no idea how late it even is right now.
I honestly find it quite annoying that people think this is fake. Simply because they think I have a concussion or something. I'm not even sure if I display any of the signs of having a concussion. I honestly don't know what signs there are of having a concussion. I don't remember the first aid classes I had in high school all that well anymore. I was telling the truth supported by truth too. But that doesn't seem enough. Probably because I was still lower ranked than the people who did it. I think the look of disappointment was written all over my face. Since Emily suddenly asks me something. "Azure, how did you get nearly stuck inside that portal."
"One of those two guys knocked me out. They worked together to knock since one badly attempted to knock me out by holding their arm out. I know weak but I'm not that weak. Also, that plan could've resulted in him getting hurt. Did they just not think this through I think that could've broken an arm if things went really wrong for them. Yet somehow it worked." I start to complain as I'm more than frustrated by this. The more I think about the more I feel that the observer might've been bribed. Because this all can't be because they think I have a concussion or am of a lower rank than them. But being lower ranked is simply by the minus. But I just can't but be mad at this entire situation. I don't know if I'm mad about the fact I was trapped there. Or if I'm mad at myself because I probably won't go to retell my story tomorrow. All my adrenaline will be gone and having to search where it is doesn't help.
"Azure, you don't have to convince me, you know. I don't believe that you would fall into a random hole. A hole that suddenly appeared who would actually believe that. But considering that Russel went through the portal first together with the observer. Makes me believe something else was going on. Because you might be weak but you're not stupid. You're going to report it right?" Emily asks as she also relays that information to me. Did Russel really do all that because I spoke back to him? But to be honest, the observer already wrote her report. And if I did report it, it would be a me versus them debate. And sadly enough, all of them are stronger than me. It doesn't mean that I accept it or that it doesn't piss me off.
"Well, your story sounds more believable. There should've been more holes inside the labyrinth for a story like that to fit." Jeon says as he walks past Emily and me. I'm still surprised he did this delve with all of us. It's also weird to realise that I now have met an A ranked delver. Not a lot of people who are F ranked have been able to even meet a B rank let alone an A rank.
"I have to go right now. Someone keeps on texting me and I think it might be my siblings. And I don't want them to worry like yesterday again." I say quickly walking back towards my apartment. I also don't mind the quiet around my head again. As I go to check my phone I notice that I actually have some time left. However, considering the fact that it is Friday today. Makes it so rush hour already started giving the illusion of it being later in the day already. I hope that everything I did today gave me some points. Since today proved that I had to invest in some stats today. I don't want to enter another portal tomorrow since I really need to make sure that the portal isn't with people like Russel. Also, portals that make me do things that I don't get a few points for would be good. But joining higher-ranking portals wouldn't be logical for me. But I can't skip out on all portals. Since I still need to make enough money to survive with my siblings.
As I take a look at my phone, I realise that I don't recognise the number. As I open the message I notice that it is from Lake. He and I never texted or even called before so this is quite a surprise. I doubt that it's a message to apologise for how he treated me all these years. Honestly, if it was that I would be pleasantly surprised. There can only be one thing that he could have messaged me about. And my suspicions are nearly confirmed by the fact that he wants to meet up with me and Kiara. He wants to meet the both of us at some sort of coffee place in the city. I can only assume now that it's about what happened in yesterday's portal.
A plan - Part 1
Complete
You got an ability card:
Class: Healer
Known users: Emily Novek
Rank required: E rank
Most common rank: E rank