LONE: The Journey Beyond

This trip was a very relaxing and satisfying venture for Vera.

To her the last few days had been full of fun. It had really been a long time since she last enjoyed something.

Maybe the trips with Aimee and Reven a few years before Reven joined the academy were the last mind-freshening thing she did.

After that it was only work. And her relationship was also getting worse to the point sometimes she questioned why the hell was she still trying to continue this relationship.

But…

She didn't have any answers or maybe she had but didn't want to see it.

Coming back to the trip.

Even though the last few days had been good. She could feel there was a layer of tension around Reven and Cale.

At first she tried to ignore it but it was apparent to her very clearly. She could also see Reven was frustrated, she even asked Aimee about it to confirm.

And indeed he was frustrated.

She wanted to directly ask him but Aimee said to give him time. And that he would share it with them if it was serious.

So she decided to just ignore it.

Tonight, during the fireworks show when Cale called her she could feel there was a tension in his voice. She could feel there was definitely something big going on.

She also had a bad feeling about it but she still agreed and went with him.

After they were all alone she finally asked him to tell her.

"…say… that… I..."

"!!!"

Just as Cale was about to speak, she saw Reven running towards them while shouting her name.

Before she could realize what happened.

[Alert-!]

[Detected dangerous fluctuations near you.]

'Empress' also started warning about something dangerous.

Then…

In the blink of an eye, without her understanding, suddenly she felt that the ground below her vanished.

She tried to jump with her reflexes but nothing happened and she was pulled into a portal.

A few minutes back.

Reven picked up the President's call.

'… the details. Sir.'

'The scientists have discovered some unnatural changes in the surface level up to 100m above the surface.

Spatial energy is totally in chaos across the world. Portals like things are opening across the globe.'

Reven's eyes widened as he heard that.

'What about the locations? Sir.'

'I am sending you the locations. One of them is near your place. Greh please stay safe and protect everyone there including my daughter.'

'Yes sir.'

Then he swiftly ordered Empress in his mind to cover everyone's Wrist-Bands and collect data.

"Guys! It is an emergency."

He then said taking everyone out of their reverie.

"What happened?" Aimee asked with confusion.

Reven then proceeded to tell everyone about the incident. As the others heard that, they became flabbergasted.

"Alright now the plan of action. You all keep the people safe. I will investigate where it has opened."

Aimee used [Mist Control] to totally block the view. Taking everyone by surprise as they looked towards her.

"Everyone it is an emergency. You are requested to keep calm and cooperate. We are from the Special Forces.

And it is some undetected threat we are dealing with so I hope you all cooperated with us for now." Aimee announced.

The crowd realised that something was wrong here and hastily followed the orders. The others helped them to clear a secure route and formed a line of defence.

At the same time. Reven used-

[Transmutation]

To cover as much area as possible to see if there was any change in energy signature.

[Abnormal activity detected.]

[Looking for the neared Wrist-Band user.]

[Pin-pointing the location.]

[Energy fluctuation are getting clearer.]

[Location identified.]

[The location is below the users 'Vera Marlene' and 'Cale Coburn'.]

"Fu*k!"

As 'Empress' spoke, Reven couldn't help but curse out loud and start to run towards that direction.

"Send her signals immediately!"

[She is already getting that through her Wrist-Band.]

Soon he could see Vera and Cale and he shouted-

"VERA!!!"

"!!!"

But…

.

.

.

In front of his very eyes Vera and Cale were pulled into that portal below.

He failed to stop them. He looked blankly at the portal like thing below. His eyes were filled with rage and confusion.

!!!

Huff-! Huff-!

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT-!" He cursed out loud.

Intense amount of Ardor was released from his body, exciting the atmospheric Ardor.

Silence ensued in his surroundings.

"Fu*k! This son of a bit*h. If only this bastard had used his pus*y brain.

I really wish I had killed this motherfu*ker that day. Damn it-!"

'Should I jump into it too?

No! That will not be practical.

But…

Vera is in there. If have to go in there ASAP. I need a plan.

C'mon think… Something… Anything… Think. Damn it!'

Reven raced his mind hundreds of times per second.

'Maybe…'

Suddenly an idea came to his mind as his eyes lit up.

'C'mon Vera I know you. There is no way you don't have way. Let's just hope my guess is right.'

Reven swiftly touched the border of the portal as he witnessed a pulling force on him. With his one hand he touched the border while he transmuted his other hand into the concrete.

With his free hand he simultaneously used-

[Transmutation] and [Covenant]

What he tried to do was sense energy signals in the portal's entrance.

'C'mon… please… please…"

Reven bit his lips as he continued to activate his abilities for more than 20 minutes. Now even his body was starting to take the toll of using two abilities at the same time.

'Please… C'mon… Vera please prove me right. Please…'

Aimee also arrived by this time and looking at Reven she realised that something was definitely wrong here.

Seeing his desperation, she concluded that Vera was most likely pulled into it.

She clenched her fists hard.

Reven's eyes started bleeding due to overdrive.

What he was trying to find was atoms or to be more specific atoms with a certain pattern of vibrations.

These vibrations were actually the result of Vera's ability [Sound Mastery] and [Atomification].

She used certain vibrations and stuffed them into the air atoms via her ability. That was what Reven had guessed.

And that was what he was desperately looking for.

Soon his Ardor pool also started to finish up.

"Damn it-! Vera I know there is no way you haven't left something.

C'mon work. Damn it-!

I am running out of Ardor c'mon, please." He started shouting.

Reven was really desperate after a very long time.

"Aimee help me. I need more Ardor. Cough-! Cough-!" Reven said again to Aimee as he coughed out blood.

The backlash was hitting him hard.

Aimee gently put her hand behind his back and activated her third ability [Energy Transfer] and transferred all her Ardor into him.

This didn't have a side effect due to her ability. Or else due to the sentient nature of Ardor Reven would have suffered backlash again like he got in Africa.

Soon Reven's Ardor pool started to recover at a high pace.

"C'mon… C'mon… C'mon… C'mon… C'MON!!!" Reven shouted in frustration.

His body was not allowing himself to continue to use his abilities anymore.

Any more than this and his body would break.

Just as he was losing hope.

EUREKA!!!

He could sense some atoms at the deep end of the passage way of the portal vibrating at a totally different frequency.

His [Transmutation] touched it and changed the atomic energy to sound energy.

A piano piece played inside his mind.

It was the same one that he played all those years ago.

At the same time his [Covenant] started to bind itself with this energy or rather the source of this energy signature i.e. Vera's ability.

This would allow Reven to monitor whether Vera was alive or not and her conditions.

As the [Covenant] will decrease if she becomes heavily injured and completely stop if she dies.

And for now the [Covenant] was strong as ever.

PHEW-!

HAAH-! HAAH-! HAAH-!

He stopped his abilities and he adjusted his breath.

Then he looked at Aimee who was silently and worriedly looking at him.

"It's a success. She is fine for now."

Reven said with relief in his voice.

Fuuuh-!

Aimee too relaxed her breath and hugged him.

"Don't worry we will bring her back." She said.

Hmm-!

…..