We examined beyond the skies and tried to ignore Altandor now being engulfed by trees and potentially, even monsters. The destruction we saw to the Altandor we once knew...

We couldn't stomach it very well.

"Welp, nothing to do other than go down! Let's go down..." Jack said in a wavering tone. He began receding down the hill and almost slipped because of a rock but maintained his balance as he got to the bottom of the hill.

Alice and Peo held onto Fron firmly and walked down together as a group. They had no slip-ups whatsoever and took a solid five minutes to get down, which considering they were towing Fron, was awfully impressive. Meanwhile, Emily and Maurice walked as closely together as they possibly could since they probably didn't want to fall down the hill. They tried to copy Jack's route but failed miserably. Maurice nearly lost her footing and shoes as she got wedged between two rocks. Emily had to pull her out and Maurice limped the whole way to the bottom of the hill.

Angel simply walked down by herself with no complications, though to be fair she just wanted to get to Altandor as soon as possible. Aquafene grabbed a large branch right next to us as a makeshift sled and slid down the hill, narrowly hitting five different rocks and a deer before skirting to a stop right before knocking Jack's shins clean. Robert and Steve slid down the hill together having light conversations here and there about what they would do once they got to Altandor. Although, I couldn't hear them as my heart was thumping. I was the last to walk down and I walked down as steadily as I could.

However, I suddenly fell into a type of dizzy state, like I was drunk from the plant juice I drank earlier, and soon I was walking alongside the hill and not down directly toward the town. I walked and I couldn't... I didn't understand what I was doing and what motivated me to move this way until I passed out and rolled down the hill.

I hit rocks, trees, bugs, and water at the bottom of the hill on the other side of the hill where my friends weren't. I was now neck-deep in water but something kept me afloat, something inexplicable.

I woke up with a fast startle. I patted myself down, seeing if there was anywhere I broke a bone. I swam out of the water and landed directly on the land surrounding it. It looked like I was where the waterfall emptied out its moisture. I had descended from the rim of the hill and breathed a sigh of relief, I had only a few minor scratches on my body.

When I got up slowly from the water, I unexpectedly met face-to-face with the presence I'd been feeling all this time.

This presence in front of me looked like what a ghost would present itself. Transparent, hollowed, and seemingly empty. I said to this presence, scared straight,

"Uhm, hey!? Y-You must've been the spirit that's been haunting everything about my life ever since we got out of the factory h-huh?" I stated in a sarcastic tone. I waved my finger at the spirit as if I saw saying "You scoundrel!" in a playful way.

The spirit didn't respond and instead looked at me with a curious glare as I saw it taking a new shape. A type of solid and human shape as it stared directly into my soul. It changed form and I whispered under my breath,

"W-w-what the hell are you? A curse!? Some kind of ghost that's going to haunt me?!"

"ꀤ'ꂵ ꈤꍟꀤ꓄ꃅꍟꋪ ꍏ ꉓꀎꋪꌗꍟ ꈤꂦꋪ ꍏ ꁅꃅꂦꌗ꓄ ꁅꍟꂦꋪꁅꍟ ꉓꍏꂵꍟꋪꂦꈤ. ꀤ'ꂵ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꌗꉣꀤꋪꀤ꓄ ꌩꂦꀎ ꌗꍟ꓄ ꎇꋪꍟꍟ ꌃꍏꉓꀘ ꀤꈤ ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄ ꉓꍏꉣꌗꀎ꒒ꍟ. ꌩꂦꀎ ꂵꍏꌩ ꉓꍏ꒒꒒ ꂵꍟ ꌃ꒒ꍏꉓꀘ ꌗꉣꀤꋪꀤ꓄." The spirit said in an echoey voice inside my head just like those Junisks. Except this time, his mouth moved.

I was astounded as the figure formed a dark ambiance with curvy, shiny strings illuminating his head. His body was still trying to shape into a form.

"ꌩꂦꀎ ꃅꍏꃴꍟ ꌗꀎꂵꂵꂦꈤꍟꀸ ꂵꍟ ꎇꋪꂦꂵ ꂵꌩ ꉓꍏꉣꌗꀎ꒒ꍟ. ꌃꍟꉓꍏꀎꌗꍟ ꂦꎇ ꓄ꃅꀤꌗ ꃅꀎꂵꌃ꒒ꍟ ꁅꍟꌗ꓄ꀎꋪꍟ, ꀤ ꅏꀤ꒒꒒ ꌃꍟ ꌗ꓄ꀎꉓꀘ ꅏꀤ꓄ꃅ ꌩꂦꀎ ꀎꈤ꓄ꀤ꒒ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꍟꈤꀸ ꂦꎇ ꓄ꀤꂵꍟ. ꌩꂦꀎ ꂵꍏꌩ ꍏꀸꀸꋪꍟꌗꌗ ꂵꍟ ꍏꌗ ꌃ꒒ꍏꉓꀘ." Black stated.

"Uh huh, how.. uhm. How many of you are there exactly!??" I exclaimed with a gulp. I thought I was hallucinating because of my fall.

"ꃅꂵꂵ.. ꀤꎇ ꀤ ꋪꍟꂵꍟꂵꌃꍟꋪ ꉓꂦꋪꋪꍟꉓ꓄꒒ꌩ ꀤ꓄ ꅏꍏꌗ ꍏꌃꂦꀎ꓄ ꓄ꅏꍟ꒒ꃴꍟ ꓄ꃅꂦꀎꁅꃅ ꀤ'ꂵ ꈤꂦ꓄ ꌗꀎꋪꍟ ꀤꎇ ꓄ꃅꍟꋪꍟ ꍏꋪꍟ ꍏꈤꌩ ꂵꂦꋪꍟ. ꌩꂦꀎ ꀘꀤꀸꌗ ꃅꍏꃴꍟ ꓄ꍏ꒒ꍟꈤ꓄ ꀤ ꃅꍏꃴꍟ ꓄ꂦ ꍏꀸꂵꀤ꓄ ꓄ꃅꂦꀎꁅꃅ. ꈤꂦ ꂦꈤꍟ ꅏꍏꌗ ꍏꌃ꒒ꍟ ꓄ꂦ ꍟꃴꍟꈤ ꎇꀤꈤꀸ ꀎꌗ ꒒ꍟ꓄ ꍏ꒒ꂦꈤꍟ ꂦꉣꍟꈤ ꀎꌗ. ꍏꈤꀸ ꌩꂦꀎ ꍏ꒒꒒ ꀸꀤꀸ ꀤ꓄ ꀤꈤ ꂦꈤ꒒ꌩ ꍏ ꀸꍏꌩ. ꁅꂦ꓄ ꓄ꂦ ꌗꍏꌩ, ꀤ'ꂵ ꉣꋪꂦꀎꀸ. ꈤꂦ꓄ ꂦꈤ꒒ꌩ ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄, ꌃꀎ꓄ ꌩꂦꀎ'ꃴꍟ ꌗꀎꋪꃴꀤꃴꍟꀸ ꓄ꃅꋪꂦꀎꁅꃅ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꌃꂦꌗꃅꂦꀘꍏ." Black stated. My eyes twitched as I was about to ask yet another question, but Black answered it for me,

"꓄ꃅꍟ ꌃꂦꌗꃅꂦꀘꍏ ꀤꌗ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꀭꀎꈤꁅ꒒ꍟ ꌩꂦꀎ ꀭꀎꌗ꓄ ꅏꍟꈤ꓄ ꓄ꃅꋪꂦꀎꁅꃅ. ꀤ꓄ ꃅꍏꌗ ꍏ꒒꒒ ꓄ꌩꉣꍟꌗ ꂦꎇ ꓄ꅏꀤꌗ꓄ꌗ, ꓄ꀎꋪꈤꌗ, ꍏꈤꀸ ꓄ꋪꀤꉓꀘꌗ ꀎꉣ ꀤ꓄ꌗ ꌗ꒒ꍟꍟꃴꍟꌗ. ꍏꁅꍏꀤꈤ, ꀤ'ꂵ ꌗꀎꋪꉣꋪꀤꌗꍟꀸ ꌩꂦꀎ ꍟꃴꍟꈤ ꌗꀎꋪꃴꀤꃴꍟꀸ ꍏ꓄ ꍏ꒒꒒. ꅏꃅꍏ꓄ ꌩꂦꀎ ꀸꀤꀸ ꅏꀤ꓄ꃅ ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄ ꌃꀎꌗꃅ, ꀤꌗ ꃴꍟꋪꌩ ꀤꂵꉣꋪꍟꌗꌗꀤꃴꍟ. ꈤꂦ꓄ ꓄ꂦ ꂵꍟꈤ꓄ꀤꂦꈤ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꀭꀎꈤꀤꌗꀘꌗ! ꀤ ꅏꀤꌗꃅ ꀤ ꃅꍏꀸ ꓄ꃅꂦꀎꁅꃅ꓄ ꂦꎇ ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄ ꅏꃅꍟꈤ ꀤ ꅏꍏꌗ ꍏ꒒ꀤꃴꍟ ꀤꈤ ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄ ꅏꂦꋪ꒒ꀸ."

"I-I-I-In that world?!" I had a massive stutter. What did he mean 'in that world'?!

"ꍏꃅꃅꃅ... ꋪꀤꁅꃅ꓄. ꌩꂦꀎ ꉣꋪꂦꌃꍏꌃ꒒ꌩ ꀸꂦꈤ'꓄ ꀘꈤꂦꅏ ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄ ꉣ꒒ꍏꉓꍟ, ꌩꂦꀎ ꃅꍏꃴꍟꈤ'꓄ ꀸꀤꍟꀸ." I... that was fair. I almost died though, so surely that kind of counted!?

"ꀤ ꅏꂦꀎ꒒ꀸ ꓄ꍟ꒒꒒ ꌩꂦꀎ ꍏ꒒꒒ ꍏꌃꂦꀎ꓄ ꂵꌩ ꒒ꀤꎇꍟ ꍏꎇ꓄ꍟꋪ ꀤ ꃅꍏꀸ ꀸꀤꍟꀸ ꌃꀎ꓄ ꋪꀤꁅꃅ꓄ ꈤꂦꅏ ꀤ꓄ ꌗꍟꍟꂵꌗ ꒒ꀤꀘꍟ ꌩꂦꀎ ꈤꍟꍟꀸ ꓄ꂦ ꁅꂦ ꃅꂦꂵꍟ ꍏꈤꀸ—" He sniffed around my body.

"ꉣꍟꍟ-ꌩꍟꅏ! ꂵꍏꌩꌃꍟ ꍏ ꌗꃅꂦꅏꍟꋪ ꓄ꂦꂦ!" I looked at him in distress, picking myself up from the water, and faced him head-on.

"What do you want from me then?" I asked him.

"ꁅꍟꂦꋪꁅꍟ, ꀤ ꋪꍟꍏ꒒꒒ꌩ ꌗꃅꂦꀎ꒒ꀸ ꌃꍟ ꍏꌗꀘꀤꈤꁅ ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄ ꆰꀎꍟꌗ꓄ꀤꂦꈤ ꓄ꂦ ꌩꂦꀎ. ꅏꃅꌩ ꀸꀤꀸ ꌩꂦꀎ ꎇꋪꍟꍟ ꂵꍟ ꍏꈤꀸ ꂵꌩ ꎇꋪꀤꍟꈤꀸꌗ ꎇꋪꂦꂵ ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄ ꎇꍏꉓ꓄ꂦꋪꌩ? ꅏꃅꍏ꓄ ꀸꀤꀸ ꌩꂦꀎ ꓄ꃅꀤꈤꀘ ꌩꂦꀎ ꅏꂦꀎ꒒ꀸ ꁅꍏꀤꈤ ꎇꋪꂦꂵ ꀤ꓄?" I had forgotten the whole reason to release these spirits. Maybe it was because of what Aquafene said—

"ꀤ'ꂵ ꌃꍟ꓄꓄ꀤꈤꁅ ꌩꂦꀎ'ꋪꍟ ꓄ꃅꀤꈤꀘꀤꈤꁅ ꍏꌃꂦꀎ꓄ ꅏꃅꍏ꓄ ꍏꆰꀎꍏꎇꍟꈤꍟ ꌗꍏꀤꀸ ꍏꌃꂦꀎ꓄ ꀤꈤꉓꀤ꓄ꀤꈤꁅ ꀤꈤ꓄ꍟ꒒꒒ꀤꁅꍟꈤꉓꍟ ꍏꈤꀸ ꅏꀤꌗꀸꂦꂵ. ꓄ꋪꀎꌗ꓄ ꂵꍟ, ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄ ꀤꌗ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꍟꊼꍏꉓ꓄ ꂦꉣꉣꂦꌗꀤ꓄ꍟ ꂦꎇ ꅏꃅꍏ꓄ ꂵꍟ ꍏꈤꀸ ꂵꌩ ꎇꋪꀤꍟꈤꀸꌗ ꅏꍟꋪꍟ." He stated, sitting down right next to a tree. I scratched my head, how did he know what I thought—

"ꋪꍟ꒒ꍏꊼ. ꀤ'ꃴꍟ ꌃꍟꍟꈤ ꀤꈤ ꌩꂦꀎꋪ ꌃꋪꍏꀤꈤ ꎇꂦꋪ ꓄ꃅꀤꌗ ꉣꍏꌗ꓄... ꍏꃅ ꃅꂦꅏ ꒒ꂦꈤꁅ ꃅꍏꌗ ꀤ꓄ ꌃꍟꍟꈤ ꌗꀤꈤꉓꍟ ꌩꂦꀎ'ꃴꍟ ꁅꀎꌩꌗ ꉣꍏꌗꌗꍟꀸ ꂦꀎ꓄?" He counted in his head and came up with an answer that made my skin crawl.

"ꈤꍟꍏꋪ꒒ꌩ ꓄ꃅꋪꍟꍟ ꅏꍟꍟꀘꌗ ꀤ ꌃꍟ꒒ꀤꍟꃴꍟ! ꌗꂦ ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄ ꅏꂦꀎ꒒ꀸ ꂵꍏꀘꍟ ꓄ꃅꀤꌗ ꀸꍏꌩ ꅏꃅꍏ꓄... ꌩꂦꀎ ꋪꍟ꒒ꍟꍏꌗꍟꀸ ꀎꌗ ꂦꈤ ꓄ꃅꍟ 2ꈤꀸ, ꂦꈤ ꍏ ꌗꀎꈤꀸꍏꌩ, ꌗꂦ ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄ ꅏꂦꀎ꒒ꀸ ꂵꍟꍏꈤ ꓄ꃅꍏ꓄ ꓄ꃅꀤꌗ ꀸꍏꌩ ꅏꂦꀎ꒒ꀸ ꌃꍟ ꃅꂵꂵ..." He counted his fingers like this was a game.

"ꍏꃅ, ꓄ꃅꍟ 23ꋪꀸ! ꓄ꂦꂦ ꌃꍏꀸ ꌩꂦꀎ ꀸꀤꀸꈤ'꓄ ꋪꍟ꒒ꍟꍏꌗꍟ ꀎꌗ ꒒ꍏ꓄ꍟꋪ, ꀤ ꅏꂦꀎ꒒ꀸ'ꃴꍟ ꅏꂦꋪꈤ ꂵꌩ ꃅꍏ꒒꒒ꂦꅏꍟꍟꈤ ꉓꂦꌗ꓄ꀎꂵꍟ!" He exclaimed. I was peeved off at him for no particular reason I could think of, I was just mad. But I tried to play it off,

"Wow uh, thanks! I'm just, surprised I guess? I mean, it's not every day you meet a whole spirit! I don't know if that's the right word but I'm amazed by your..."

"ꉣꋪꍟꌗꍟꈤꉓꍟ?" Black asked, finishing off my sentence. He seemed to buy me playing off the fact that it had been a whole three weeks since I'd last seen my family off. How had we survived for this long?! Especially with us passed out too.

"Yeah. So, let me get this straight. You're the black capsule spirit that I saw at the factory?"

Black nodded his head as he floated around the water.

"And because I was the closest person nearest to you that means I now have you as like a.. host!?" I asked. I tried to contain my absolute anxiety but it still slipped through the cracks. He noticed my fear and frowned.

"ꌩꍟꌗ ꍟꌗꌗꍟꈤ꓄ꀤꍏ꒒꒒ꌩ. ꍟꃴꍟꈤ꓄ꀎꍏ꒒꒒ꌩ, ꌩꂦꀎ'꒒꒒ ꅏꀤꍟ꒒ꀸ ꂵꌩ ꉣꂦꅏꍟꋪꌗ ꍏꈤꀸ ꀎꌗꍟ ꓄ꃅꍟꂵ ꓄ꂦ ꎇꀤꁅꃅ꓄ ꍟꃴꀤ꒒. ꀤ꓄ ꀭꀎꌗ꓄ ꂵꍏ꓄꓄ꍟꋪꌗ ꂦꈤ ꅏꃅꍏ꓄ ꌩꂦꀎ ꉣꍟꋪꉓꍟꀤꃴꍟ ꍏꌗ ꍟꃴꀤ꒒." Black responded. I was understandably now ecstatic for the potential of power and asked,

"Holy crap! That's amazing! How can I learn these powers!? I need to know now!" I exclaimed with an avid expression. Again I tried to contain my numbing fear with a faked expression, but he still noticed it.

"ꈤꂦꅏ ꈤꂦꅏ, ꈤꂦ꓄ ꌩꍟ꓄ ꉓꍏꈤ ꌩꂦꀎ ꒒ꍟꍏꋪꈤ ꓄ꃅꍟꌗꍟ ꉣꂦꅏꍟꋪꌗ. ꀤ ꎇꀤꋪꌗ꓄ ꃅꍏꃴꍟ ꓄ꂦ ꌃꍟ ꍏ ꉣꍏꋪ꓄ ꂦꎇ ꌩꂦꀎꋪ ꌃꂦꀸꌩ. ꍏꌗ ꂦꎇ ꈤꂦꅏ, ꀤ'ꂵ ꃅꍏ꒒ꎇꅏꍏꌩ ꓄ꃅꍟꋪꍟ, ꒒ꀤ꓄ꍟꋪꍏ꒒꒒ꌩ." He stated, pointing towards the bottom half of his body which was still luminescent.

"ꌃꀎ꓄ ꀤ ꉣꋪꂦꂵꀤꌗꍟ ꌩꂦꀎ ꂦꈤꉓꍟ ꀤ ꉓꍏꈤ ꎇꀎ꒒꒒ꌩ ꀤꈤꃅꍏꌃꀤ꓄ ꌩꂦꀎꋪ ꌃꂦꀸꌩ, ꓄ꃅꍟꈤ ꌩꂦꀎ ꌗꃅꍏ꒒꒒ ꒒ꍟꍏꋪꈤ," Black said.

"T-That's great! Sigh..." I couldn't contain my fear anymore, I heaved uncontrollably and I leaned toward the ground. The spirit went over to me and laid a hand on my forehead.

"ꌩꂦꀎꋪ ꎇꍏꂵꀤ꒒ꌩ ꀤꌗ ꌗꍏꎇꍟ. ꅏꃅꍟꈤ ꀤ ꎇꀤꋪꌗ꓄ ꁅꂦ꓄ ꂵꌩ ꉣꂦꅏꍟꋪꌗ ꀤ, ꓄ꂦꂦ, ꅏꍏꌗ ꈤꍟꋪꃴꂦꀎꌗ ꎇꂦꋪ ꂵꌩ ꎇꍏꂵꀤ꒒ꌩ ꍏꈤꀸ ꎇꋪꀤꍟꈤꀸꌗ. ꃅꂦꅏꍟꃴꍟꋪ, ꓄ꃅꍟꌩ'꒒꒒ ꍏ꒒ꅏꍏꌩꌗ ꌃꍟ ꌗꍏꎇꍟ ꀤꈤ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꃅꍏꈤꀸꌗ ꂦꎇ ꓄ꃅꍟꂵꌗꍟ꒒ꃴꍟꌗ. ꌩꂦꀎ'ꋪꍟ ꍏ ꃴꍟꋪꌩ ꌃꋪꍏꃴꍟ ꌗꂦꀎ꒒ ꎇꂦꋪ ꀸꂦꀤꈤꁅ ꂵꍟ ꓄ꃅꀤꌗ ꎇꍏꃴꂦꋪ ꂦꎇ ꎇꋪꍟꍟꀤꈤꁅ ꂵꍟ, ꓄ꃅꍏꈤꀘ ꌩꂦꀎ. ꎇꋪꂦꂵ ꓄ꃅꍟ ꌃꂦ꓄꓄ꂦꂵ ꂦꎇ ꂵꌩ ꃅꍟꍏꋪ꓄." Black stated calmly.

As soon as he appeared though, he disappeared and I was left standing alone in a swampy region. I still had so many questions in my mind. If this still wasn't my world, what was it!? What did he mean by him dying, he went to a new world?!

What if he was wrong about my family?

I looked at my surroundings and saw the murky waters and trees. The air was thick with the damp atmosphere and I couldn't bear it any longer, even with a quarter of my body in the water.

I soon left the swamp in a hurry and, as I remembered the general direction Altandor was located on that hill, I embarked on a journey on my own to the entrance. I left the waterfall and went through weaving trees and bushes. I avoided plants as much as humanly possible before I wounded up on a road. I recognized this road as being the entrance to the pond so I followed it and that's where I caught sight of the ruined pond.

Water overflowed from its rims as a massive tree had toppled down right on top of it. Where my bike and the hoverboards were, they were now simple scraps that had rusted over three weeks. Three fucking weeks.

I wondered what my family was thinking. Their whole life turned upside down and my mother missing her child, me. I couldn't imagine it and I couldn't bear to think about it. I picked up a scrap of my bike I recognized off of a massive leaf and inspected at the scrap. It was the GPS that was on my bike. I guess it got ripped off after the jungle exploded across the pond.

I smacked the GPS with my hand until it turned on and realized I could still input my home and any other location. Thank god for that, I put it in my pocket. It would be put to good use in case any of my friends or even if I got myself lost, which knowing myself, would probably happen.

I exited out of the pond for the final time in silence as there was only an empty parking lot there by that point. I continued down the road and remembered where I had gone from my house to the pond. It was around a few miles but if it led to my home, I'd take it.

I soon got to a sign that read in large bolded letters,

"Welcome to the Altandor Province. Home of—"

It cut off there since a bird had been massacred at the last word, I gulped and continued into Altandor. I breathed in and out in a deep manner, trying to remain calm. But how could I remain calm when monsters that I didn't even know anything about and the Redwood Federation trying to capture me and my friends were after us?

I couldn't contain my bitterness, my sorrow. I wanted to curl up into a ball and just rot at the side of the road, maybe then I'd understand whatever my spirit was saying. Nonetheless, I knew I had to continue though, so I trudged on.

"Steve!? Jack?! Angel!?!" I called for them, maybe they were near the entrance. As I called for them though, I hadn't noticed the enormous mud pit that cut through the road. I stepped on the edge of the mud and it sunk into my foot. The mud rolled around my ankle and tried to pull me in.

I panicked and tried to kick it, but more mud captured my right leg. I tried to pull it off with my left foot. Obviously, that was a huge mistake.

My left foot had now been fully entangled with the mud as it crept up to my left leg. I acknowledged that this mudpit was trying to suck me in! Half of my body was quickly covered in mud and I was sinking into the ground. I needed to act quickly to even survive so I latched onto the cement and tried to pick myself up. I spat instinctively at the mud so it wouldn't go into my eyes and the mud retreated. That gave me an idea.

I built up all of my saliva and started to rapidly spit at the mud. It let go of my waist and retreated down to my ankles where I continued to spit. I pulled myself up from the mud pit until I finally got back to the cement road I had stepped off of.

GAAASP!

WHEEZE!

I gasped for air and lay down on the hard ground. The air was getting cooler since I was getting farther away from the main part of the jungle. I skimmed around to see if there was anything I could do to swing over the mud pit.

I sought out a vine sticking out of an overhanging tree above the mud pit.

"Oh come on," I stated. I had horrible upper body strength and I wasn't sure I was going to get to the other side, but I had to try. Even with half of my body still wreaking with dried mud.

I grasped the vine and tugged it, making sure it wasn't loose. Then I grabbed a firm hold of it with both hands, swung back, took a deep breath, and ran as fast as I could and jumped.

I held onto the vine for dear life as I swung over the mud pit and onto the other side, I successfully made it!

"AHA! In your face mud—"

The road split off additionally, resulting in a minor earthquake effect. This resulted in cracks being formed directly at me as mud seeped through them and tried to grab at my shoes. It did so successfully and since I had no saliva left in my mouth, I removed my shoes quickly and ran off through the road with only my socks. The hard cemented road felt even harsher and rougher with only socks on.

When I finally got to the entrance after having an incredible amount of bad luck with mud where half of my body was covered in it now. I didn't even celebrate. I had bags under my eyes as it was still night time and my vision was blurred. I entered Altandor with no hesitation and called once more,

"Emily! Maurice! Robert! Anyone!!?"

"What are you calling about?" A mysterious voice asked just beneath a pile of trees. The voice seemed like it was dipped in ash and boiled over a harsh barbecue.

"Oh! I'm looking for my friends. Have you seen any of them? They're about the same height as me and look like they got attacked by a pack of wolves—" I stopped and looked at the man dead in the eyes.

It was Mr. Foyager. Yeah, that Mr. Foyager. I must've looked unrecognizable with my black eyes and with my body half covered in mud because he didn't pay attention to me at all. Instead, he simply stated,

"Over there friend, just over yonder the road. However, be careful of the one who can see all." The man said in a heartbreaking voice as he scattered out of the pile of trees and into the forest.

"Alright... that was weird," I said as I hurried through the streets and into Altandor. I wondered why he had scurried so fast down the trees, but I guess with his life also turned upside down, he didn't know who to trust. I wondered where his wife was though.

As I entered Altandor, I immediately got my answer.

Standing right next to one of the houses—well I should say placed instead of standing—was a woman. Mrs. Foyager. But she wasn't alive, not one bit. Her chest had been completely ripped apart with her rib cage poking out of her chest like toothpicks. Her intestines were ripped to shreds and most of her internal organs were splattered onto the ground in a pool of blood.

I almost vomited at the sight, she might've deserved this for everything she had done. But seeing her like this, it reminded me of the danger me and my friends were in. I didn't want to get reminded of that right now, so I trekked onward.

I spotted multiple houses along the road were destroyed by tall and monumental trees covering the sky. It was almost as if I was in a dream, or a nightmare, or a mixture of both. I saw numerous creatures along the way from the miniature snail that looked oddly familiar to the one that I had freed all those now weeks ago. To the humongous which included a massive furball in the middle of a house, the house acted like it was a nest as it slept. I didn't want to disturb its peace, so I continued through the now abandoned roads.

I avoided any types of creatures as I went deeper into the town, hoping I didn't see whatever Mr. Foyager was talking about. The one who can see all? I could think of only one creature that saw into my soul, and I didn't want to see it again.

As I ventured through the torn streets of Altandor, I saw the Waterway again in the distance that we went to right before the factory explosion. Now on the ground, I saw how completely demolished it was by a gigantic branch falling from another overhanging tree. Trees upon trees were everywhere, encircling the air like it was making another bush dome. I also saw the parks along the way turning into waving messes that no one could fix.

I was having an extraordinarily hard time finding my house. And yes, I could've used the GPS but since I felt so close to my home, I didn't bother using it at all. I winded up following a street and turning a corner, staring in amazement at a building I knew all too well.

I saw the high school where I could've lived a normal life and decided to go inside since I thought the possibility of my friends going there before me was high. Anyways, the school itself seemed like the most structurally profound building in the town. In other words, the most secure building as no tree had damaged it. Just some branches and bushes had broken the windows and a massive crack in the wall appeared from a vine growing there.

Once I walked towards the A building, I glanced behind me and beyond the horizon once more where I saw apartments, small hospitals, police, and fire stations having been destroyed by the ever-growing jungle. While I was walking through the abandoned streets to the school, taking in the destruction around me, I heard voices to the right of my ear. Those voices sounded familiar, but not in a good way.

I crouched down and slowly walked to a nearby concrete wall that stood still through sheer hope and determination. I heard voices beyond the wall, these voices seemed like they came from one of the abandoned buildings. I took a quick peek.

I spotted Ethan and Veronica walking together through the abandoned building, holding what looked to be two of the capsules from the factory that Aquafene lost during the explosion.

"Again Ethan, why the fuck are we here? I didn't want to come back ever since that explosion from that stupid factory that I led them to. I mean, we got the capsules already after that stupid girl dropped them so we might as well just leave the town and go somewhere else in the world." Veronica said.

"Hah, no! My father said I had to look for the two other capsules those little dumbasses had stolen. And I'm damn sure I'm going to find them! No matter the cost." Ethan said.

"I don't give a shit about your father, your so-called 'Emperor'. I just wanted one of these capsules and to be on my way, but you dragged me here for what!? Two other capsules we can't even use? Just leave them, my god."

"Well, my father also said that I needed to find those kids."

"Do you seriously think that they would come back here at all?! They're probably thousands of miles away! It's been three weeks since the factory exploded and we still haven't seen a single sign of them or the factory at all! Let's also consider the monsters that are likely lurking around here, I'm not going to get eaten by any of them!" She exclaimed.

I noticed what seemed like a butler was with both of them and he said,

"What Ethan is saying is right Veronica, we must continue through these abandoned streets until we find those two capsules."

"UGH! Fine! But don't expect me to be happy throughout the whole ass block!" Veronica whined.

"I wasn't planning on it." The butler said, pulling both of them through the abandoned buildings.

I stood still at the concrete wall, contemplating if Ethan and Veronica had gotten to my friends yet when I saw a flashing light at the top of the school building. Once I saw this light, my mind went numb and I sprinted toward it.

"What was that?!" I heard Veronica say far behind me.

"Veronica stop being so stupid! It was nothing! Come on." Ethan exclaimed. They went through the street I had right before gone through and searched for the capsules once again. I saw that they had massive dogs with them that didn't make any noises and were camouflaged with the destroyed buildings. They stared and sniffed at the wall for a long time which made Ethan become eager, only to be disappointed again when the dogs stopped sniffing,

"God damn it! Stupid dogs!" He was about to kick one of them but the butler stopped him and shook his head.

"That wouldn't be wise sir. These dogs can massacre you in an instant and they won't hesitate to do so."

"Yeah, but I have the capsule with me! One sip and I'll be the strongest being in the world!" He exclaimed. Veronica scoffed while she pulled a white scarf around her neck and walked over to one of the abandoned buildings. This prompted the rest of them to go into the building. I sighed in relief near a bush I was hiding in and got out.

I walked over to the high school.