Chapter 1353 Welcome Back
Chapter 1353 Welcome Back
Once the veil of the island had been torn apart, the ocean's water began pouring into the abyss underneath it. Oren tried to fly straight toward the island, but he realized it was full of figures reeking of danger.
"Let's descend together!" shouted Oren to the rest, and they guided their parachutes to follow him. Rain pulled on her ropes and guided the parachute downward.
The sand thieves and the rest began descending onto solid ground. It was a section in the periphery of the island, just outside the forest. Once everyone landed, Oren descended as well.
Sapphire landed on the ground using her force, softening the fall for Rain, who wore a parachute. Once everyone was ready, Oren explained why they landed there.
"I saw multiple figures moving in the forest. If we'd landed straight into the forest, we would have been ambushed and divided. Let's stick together and tackle this place one monster at a time."
Rain looked around the island and at the abyss beneath it. Then, she stared at the ocean above them. The fissure that Oren created was healing, and the water began rejoining to close the exit. Once it was done, the island disappeared once more.
No one would have been able to find the amplifier without Valeria herself guiding them here. She couldn't understand why this place felt familiar, but it seemed as if she was reliving something from her past.
"Are you alright?" asked Nyx after seeing Rain looking absent-minded while the rest planned their approach and roles in the upcoming battles.
"I am, but..." muttered Rain, unable to vocalize her thoughts. She turned toward the ground and tried to remember. However, she came up blank. "I'm fine," she reassured Nyx with a smile. "Let's join the rest.
To find Valeria and the others faster, they formed three teams. One was led by Oren, another by Nyx, and the third by Rain and Sapphire. Each of these teams would take a different direction on the island and alert the others once Kar and the rest were found.
Rain allowed Sapphire to lead the group of sand thieves, who had grown to respect the Witch of Sourna more after she helped them defend several towns against the Wisemen. During that time, Sapphire also began to see the other side of the story.
The group advanced through the forest, wary of anything that might attack them. Rain touched the strange trees, which looked like giant wildflowers with green stems and colorful petals. Images flashed through her mind, but she was still unable to escape this strange dream.
"There is something ahead," said a tracker with high perception as he took off the scarf on his face. "It seems to be... some type of machinery?"
As they approached with caution, the tracker's words turned out to be true. There was a giant humanoid machine nested within the surrounding trees. This giant mecha seemed similar to what Orlan produced in bulk.
"Be careful," reminded Sapphire as she prepared to use her force. The giant machine lay motionless, looking like a defeated knight of the ages.
As the group felt the tension rise in their bodies like swirling lava, the machine began to move. It creaked awake as the crowd retreated in fear. Two eerie blue lights shone from the helmet of the mecha knight as it rose from the ground.
Rain stared at the rising mecha, preparing herself for battle. The gears moved inside the rusty
machine before it turned toward her. Then, it took a step forward. Sapphire unleashed her force, slamming the machine backward.
The mecha came crashing to the ground, but it tried to stand once more. It reached not toward Sapphire, who attacked it, but toward Rain standing at the back of the crowd. Seeing its strange actions, Rain felt something seize her heart.
"Wait!" she shouted, stopping the group from attacking the machine. Sapphire turned toward her with confusion, another blast of force ready to leave her fingertips. They stared at Rain in confusion. Rain herself couldn't understand what made her shout that command. However, the mecha seemed to recognize her, just as Rain recognized this place. She wanted to understand what was happening. "Let me... approach it,' she heard herself say. Even in her own ears, she sounded like a lunatic. Before the others could object, she marched forward. Of course, Sapphire snatched her arm and yanked her back.
"It'll kill you!" Sapphire said, a little louder than usual. Rain could feel the concern in her voice and understood that the two of them had grown closer over time. Thus, she patted Sapphire's hand with a smile.
"I want you to trust me!"
Sapphire looked confused, but she loosened her grasp on Rain's arm. The latter advanced once again toward the mecha, which began rising from the ground. This time, it did not stand. It began kneeling before Rain.
A strange sight ensued, as the mecha seemed to salute Rain with respect. She approached the knight. and touched its dusted metal, bringing forth strange runes on the machine. The runes began activating, prompting panic from the crowd.
"Welcome..." a strange, hoarse voice leaked out from the machine as it stared at Rain, "...back."
Rain felt her heart beating inside her chest. She thought she was losing her mind for recognizing this place, but this machine confirmed that Rain herself had been here before. She failed to understand what was happening, but she felt that she had indeed returned.
"Who are you?" asked Rain with confusion, her silver eyes seeking the tiniest clue on the machine. "What do you mean by that?"
The machine spoke no more, but it began opening its hand and presenting it to Rain. It placed the giant hand on the ground, as if asking Rain to ascend it.
"It might be a trap," said Sapphire as she appeared next to Rain, looking at her with a frown. "Deluge and Kar might be behind this."
"I know, but I know that something inside me has been yearning to return to this place," said Rain while placing a hand on her chest. 'I feel like I've been here before, and I want to know when and why"