Under the dome, everything is perpetual, unchanging.

  Even the skies were always a bright, sunny blue. Not the kind that would be uncomfortable on the skin, but one where clouds cover most of the sun, a pleasant cool meant to entice the inhabitants to sometimes leave the comfort and idle pleasure of the dome. It was almost rare to feel any heat beyond a gentle warmth unless one deigns to order their living unit to do so, and even then, the temperature would stop far away from even being slightly uncomfortable.

  A cradle, a safe haven, a cage gilded with everything one would want and need, yet a suffocating one all the same.

  Izabel shared the location. Cire, or Barnett, was unable to secure their chance due to the sudden pn, and thus, they had to sit back for the time being. Though she had attempted to cast the [Bud of Reassurance] to Baskerville and Pestilence, the two that agreed to take part, it was a futile effort, the enchantment dispersing as soon as the other two exited the virtual world, leaving Cire the sole holder of the enchantment.

  It seems that, though they were able to use their powers in the virtual world, the effects wouldn’t carry over to the real world.

  Baskerville arrived first at the coordinates Izabel had shared, hiding herself in a shadowed spot while cloaked with a writhing, dark substance that acted simir to a liquid, yet with the toughness of steel. When Izabel walked closer, Baskerville revealed herself, already bearing the signature muzzled half-mask from her Mirror Avatar.

  “That’s definitely not something you see every day,” Baskerville commented. “Stay still, Hunter.”

  Before Izabel could ask what she meant, Baskerville made a gesture with her fingers, and then, the living shadows engulfed Izabel, drowning her for just a moment before her sight and senses cleared up. As its appearance suggested, it clung to her skin, following the contours of her body, and it was cool to the touch, its material thin enough that it wouldn’t be felt unless she wanted to. Though it was easy to move, Baskerville warned her to stay still.

  “Don’t move, it’ll show as a sort of distortion that can be seen by those passing by.”

  In silence, they waited. A quick check revealed that now the pce has become a bit less crowded, likely caused by the fact that the third Primeras was no longer around. Izabel sighed. At least, there wouldn’t be any distractions, and there was less risk of being discovered here. However, the fact that their current location is now unknown was a concern. With her gaze, she attempted to communicate to Baskerville.

  Luckily, the tter noticed, as well.

  “I understand,” Baskerville said in a low whisper. “I’ve already prepared onlookers, so we should know if there is any danger nearby.”

  “Your senses did not pick up anything, Izabel, For now, focus on the current objective,” Hunter reminded her. “Your concern is something worth considering, but you– no, we cannot waste our finite energy on what is currently a hypothetical.”

  As Hunter finished speaking, the air shifted, feeling heavy. Baskerville closed her eyes, and beneath her mask, it looked like the final speck of light has finally been extinguished from the void, leaving an unsettling sight of eyeless sockets from a long-dead creature’s skull.

  “Is there anything, Baskerville?”

  “No, nothing of concern. Rather, our te teammate has arrived.”

  Izabel looked at the direction Baskerville was focusing on, and then, she saw Pestilence had rounded the corner, her body nguage rexed, not even a little tense. A wide smile graced her expression, and to those without a clue, they would believe that everything was fine from her expression alone.

  Now that she was focusing in that direction, Izabel could see a hazy outline of creatures lining the area, each group stationed a few meters away from each other. Each group was in either two or three, all standing in a ready stance.

  Like before, right when Pestilence was out of sight from the main path, living shadows engulfed her, then carried her towards the group.

  “Can you tell me first before using these wriggling things?” Pestilence said to Baskerville, “But hey, what’s with all this hiding?”

  “Once we step in there, we don’t know what to expect,” Baskerville expined, gesturing at the floating hole in the space itself. It flickered at the edges, multicolored lights and fragments phasing in and out of reality in random, indeterminate intervals that would shift when one looked at it from even a slightly different angle. In the middle, there was a crimson mist interspersed with the darkness, a curtain leading to the unknown world.

  “Well, no way to know unless we go there,” Pestilence shrugged. “Don’t worry, I think we can handle anything just fine with our Mirror Avatars.”

  “There is merit to what your comrade said,” Hunter added. “Waiting will not tell us what the other side holds, not to mention, it will only waste valuable time.”

  Izabel nodded. “Right. Baskerville, rather than wait and see, we can just go in. Maybe you can send one of these creatures you have on guard?”

  “They refused. Something big is on the other side.”

  “What if they’re just scared of the Primeras? Staying here will just waste time. I don’t know how long that void will be staying open!”

  Baskerville looked at the hole once again.

  “Hunter is right, you know,” Pestilence added. “You know, the entertainment system they had us py usually has the hardest choice be the right one or the most rewarding one~”

  “There is real risk here, actually, but that’s correct.”

  “I would even argue that by simply waiting here for an indication of what kind of dangers lie ahead is taking a risk in itself. We can either face the threat sooner, while we have the most information, or wait and face the threat ter after we obtain information that may or may not be there in the first pce.” Hunter said. “Your choice, Izabel.”

  “... I see. Let’s go, then. Keep your senses sharp.” Baskerville conceded. “I’ll take the lead.”

  Baskerville stepped into the hole first, followed by Izabel, and Pestilence just behind. A thrill accompanied their first step into the unknown behind the hole, into the gate leading to the outside of the domes.

  A sight that no human has been privy to in their entire lifetime.

  –

  When their vision focused, the first thing they saw was the skies.

  In a contrast to the skies within the dome, the skies outside could be described as an embracing darkness, interspersed with twinkling dots of light so far yet looked like they were within reach. Clusters of tiny lights formed a multicolored path on the skies above, a beautiful sight that contrasted with the perpetual blue sky and temperate weather within. Beneath their feet, the nd felt rough, uneven stones and clumps of dirt disturbed with each step they made, a subtle reminder, an arm that their presence was not expected - perhaps, welcomed - in this new nd.

  A quick look back revealed that just like back in the dome, the void in reality hung in the air, seemingly without any connection to a physical space one could consider the dome. Just what are the domes, really–

  Her thoughts were interrupted as a suffocating feeling pressed on her body. From a quick gnce to her teammates, Izabel saw the same discomfort happening to them.

  Reddish miasma wafted in the air, and then, the device strapped to their wrists were activated. A message was projected in front of them.

  [Dangerous environment detected]

  [Performing calcution…]

  [Threat level within expected range of the Heart Mirror and CORDIS]

  [Deploying countermeasures…]

  A thin, circur yer surrounded the three of them. It looked simir to a bubble.

  Pestilence acted first, and waved her hand, forming small, bck cubes no bigger than one fingertip with white dots. The dark parts of the cubes reflect almost no light, making the white dots on its surface appear all that much more stark.

  With her command, the spilling clusters of bck cubes turned into a sword and a shield. She gave the sword an experimental ssh,

  “No interference here,” Pestilence said. “Pretty handy.”

  “So it’s just the air that is a concern,” Baskerville nodded. “My hounds aren’t affected, luckily, as they have no need to breathe.”

  “Okay, I feel bad for pointing out the obvious, but we really don’t know where to start.” Izabel commented. Seeing that her teammates had summoned their weapons, she decided to follow suit, feeling the familiar weight of Hunter’s gun on her hand.

  Now that they were focusing on it, the pce was quiet, not the sort of quiet with a background noise that one would experience while alone in their living unit, but a sort of quiet that seemed to overpower everything else. swallowing all noises and making their conversation sound much more vivid and loud. Spires of nd could be seen reaching high to the skies, while in the distance, just at the horizon line, the remains of a withered tree could be seen, its branches curved in a wicked, skeletal edge. It looked like it was the arm of a twisted creature, attempting to cw a hole on the sky where it stood.

  “That… should be a good start, I think?” Pestilence commented. “It looked significant.”

  “I can feel something from that direction, yeah,” Izabel nodded. “Hunter?”

  “I feel the same. If I can make a theory… I do not know the equivalent word you would recognize, but I can only refer to it as the remnants of a Pilr, something that supports a realm,” Hunter expined. “I cannot prove this, though, take this with a grain of salt for the time being.”

  Something dashed past Izabel, running towards Baskerville, and from the dip at the corner of her lips, it was clear that the scouting animal brought bad news. Pestilence, too, realized this, as she readied her sword and shield, while more of Baskerville’s skeletal animals rose from the ground in tune with her commands.

  “Two-thousand meters, to my twelve. On your guard!”

  “Izabel, get ready.”

  “Understood,” Izabel answered.

  Hunter was a reassuring presence, a rock, her Mirror Avatar who would stop at nothing to keep her safe. Though their time together was still short, the effect of Hunter’s presence was already palpable, her companionship much more preferable to the static, unchanging, and nauseating effect of the Primeras’ stewardship, one that they now share the vision to change by any means possible,

  Bck cubes surrounded Pestilence’s feet and followed her every movement, adding an aura of power to her steps. Meanwhile, Baskerville clung to one of her skeletal hounds, and as she tightened her grip, the hound dashed in accordance to her orders. Izabel followed Hunter’s instructions, and as the feeling of power surrounded her with each tick of the Integrity Number, she felt an odd satisfaction, a sense of power and confidence that allowed her to take on anything that dares to bar her way.

  As she ran following the other two, she did not stop adjusting the numbers until she was satisfied.

  [Mental Integrity Number Distribution]

  [80 - 20 (Host)]

  Beneath her skin, heated power was swirling. The roots of Izabel’s bck hair was stained with red, and when one looked closely at her, there were traces of Hunter imposed over her appearance. They were joined, united under one desire.

  So euphoric was the feeling of power, that Izabel nearly didn’t realize that the other two had stopped.

  “What the actual–”

  Pestilence spoke first, but her words died in her throat.

  It was a sight that none of them had seen before. A crimson, towering spear stood upon the ground, gleaming in a color so stark against its surroundings. Underneath the pointed end of the spear, there were spshes of green, a pile of something unrecognizable for a few seconds. Lying underneath the cruel point of the spear, a hole carved into it, was one of the Primeras, a humanoid cluster of pnts that has lost its human resembnce, turned into a pile of something stuck between liquid and solid phase. Right in the center of the pile, where the spear had struck true, was a gss-like orb, its insides shattered, the only thing keeping it spherical was the intact outer yer.

  For the first time, they had witnessed death.