Broken Earth: Unveiling the Secrets of the Worlds

Scouting plan

A few days later and the workshop of Ferdrick is finished. He chose to have his workshop right at the back where the training ground is located. “Now that the workshop is done, the three of us can leave to scout the portal as per our plan.” Xerxes says as he puts the tools that Ferdrick will need on the table. Rupert and Ramirez had already prepared everything they need for the scout when Xerxes and Britt left to hire Ferdrick. “We are ready to leave anytime if you want master. We have already prepared the goods that we are going to offer our friends on the other side.” Rupert reports which greatly impressed Xerxes.

              “We didn’t have much to do anyways so we decided to prepare everything in advance so that we don’t have to panic by the time we depart for the scouting mission.” Ramirez added. Xerxes and the others looks at him with funny expressions. And are all fairly surprised that he decided to say some things  which he seldom does. So it came to everyone as a surprise but Ramirez on the other hand takes their stares as offensive but shakes of the very thought of protesting against them.

              “I did not expect the things that we’ll need to be ready. Are we leaving tomorrow?” both men agree definitely. “With you guys trained to use the weapons, I can not leave this shop in ease. Quite different than the previous commissions.” Xerxes smiles and glance at everyone. ‘If Rupert and Ramirez did prepare everything. Yusaf and the others are in for a treat.’ He thinks to himself as he could not imagine the smiles on the faces of the elves when they see the number of goods that the three of them will bring.

The day went by like any other normal day as they all watch the craftsman do his work and they spend their entire day watching Ferdrick making the prototypes of the blueprints. Fascinated by this, Xerxes tells them to lock the front door if they want to watch Ferdrick work. All of them acknowledge his words and the day ends with everyone but Ferdrick working.

The next day, Xerxes, Rupert, and Ramirez left early so that they can return earlier they planned. With Ferdrick up early and started working right after opening his eyes, eh saw the three left who then walks out and wishes them a safe trip and goes back to work again. “You guys sure have guts huh? While everyone is taking their time to rest and wait for the monsters on the other side to calm down, you guys are even trying to get and survey the area. Do you guys have any fear at all?” Willy says as he admire the three’s courage. “Well, we can’t just stop business because we are afraid right? And first there are people that still needs specimens from inside the portal, not to mention the meat that the other creatures offer are quite the delicacy.” Xerxes responds and Willy completely understands.

              “With that in mind, I wonder how many people attempted to venture inside the portal lately, do you have any idea Willy?” Xerxes turned to another topic and Willy smiles. Hinting him that he knows something. “Now that you mention it, there are people that tried, you guys might be the tenth group that would enter the portal ever since that day. Those nine groups utterly failed, some of them even lost their lives and fortunately enough, their comrades were able to recover their dead bodies and bury them here.” Willy informs the three who then felt sad for their loss.

              “I also find it sad but my feelings about the matter doesn’t completely sympathize with them. Everyone knows that after the incident with the dead men that decided to go after your head, your commissions were put to a hold right? For me, hey are trying to get commissions form the people that usually go for your shop and accepted their commissions in hope that the situation on the other side had calmed down. They were trying to will the commissioners to their favor but failed due to their incompetence and greed.” Willy added. Xerxes had a rough idea why people tried to cross the portal despite what is happening on the other side but kept it to himself.

              They reach the entrance on the portal ad finds that there are only a few people on the sides probably waiting for their loved ones to come back. “People often get lost inside the portal and these people are probably their families waiting for them to return. Most people that got lost are drunkards and most of them are either people with unbearable hardships or just wished to die in such a horrible manner. This news reached the ears of the authorities and they dispatched some people to guard the portal to prevent people from entering the portal easily but I am surprised that none of those said people are here.” Willy then points out and then two people who wore the same outfit as those people with authority that visited his shop more than a week ago.

              “Speak of the devil, they sure like to do that.” Willy said as they approach the cart and stops them from entering the portal. “May we know what your intention of entering the portal?” one of the authorities ask. Willy intends to answer him but Xerxes stops him before he does so. “We plan to survey the area and find a safe place to use and travel inside the portal.” Xerxes said and then greets them with a gentle bow. The authorities also bows gently and warns him that there are numerous people that intends to do the same but failed. “Yes, I was aware of that. Our coacher here told us about it a few seconds ago.” Xerxes reasons and the authorities understands.

              “After hearing what he said, do you still continue to enter?” Xerxes turns to the others and both nod their heads. “I think the three of us are in proper sync. We wish to cross the portal  but we will leave Mr. Willy here on the other side. He knows us quite well so he might just wait for us to return.” One of the authorities then takes out a piece of paper and a pen. “May I take your names? We do this as a procedure so that we can keep track of people that enter the portal. That way, we know who’s who when people come to look for their relatives that enter the portal.”

              Xerxes happily did so and wrote their names on the piece of paper and found that there are already countless names written on the paper. “To think that there are a lot of people that entered the portal. How many survived?” Xerxes ask and the authority bitterly shakes his head. “The ones with the circles on their names are the only ones that survived in their respective groups. Some of them are missing and some are dead.” Xerxes shakes his head after realizing that only a few survives in each group.

              “Can you please do me a favor and stop people from entering the portal while we are inside? We may not look much but we are quite knowledgeable with the portal and the places after exploring it for a while. We plan to share the information that we will be able to gather. So just tell them to wait for our information and until then, please don’t allow people to enter the portal.” Xerxes ask and the authorities are both happy after Xerxes says those words.

              “I don’t think we can do that but we will try our best.” One of the authorities swears to him while the other one reviews their names on the list. “Are you Xerxes?” the other one ask in surprise and Xerxes nod his head nonchalantly to confirm the authorities’ question. Then the two of the authorities lets out a sigh of relief. “I guess we no longer have to worry about your safety. Our heads have already informed about your identity and that you are quite skilled. With you inside, we will not allow other people to enter.” One of the authorities says as he then tells his companion to ask for reinforcements.

              “We will need have more people here to guard if we want everyone to be safe.” The other authority then left to fetch the others. A few moments later and numerous groups of people with authority arrived to guard the entrance of the portal and the three are cleared to leave. “Looks like this land had been a graveyard in the past few days huh?” Rupert says as soon as he sees the sight on the other side.

              “Yeah- and I don’t even want to imagine what happened here. The land says it all on itself.” Xerxes says as they see the countless dismembered limbs around the portal which turned almost into a wasteland. The three hid themselves in the lushes and bushes when they heard some noises around the area and slowly made their way to the place where they built the shelter. Half an hour later and they found themselves near the shelter, they see smoke coming from the shelter and are certain that the elves are still there.

              KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

              The door opens and the elves welcomes them. “Where is Yusaf?” Xerxes ask the other elves who then tells him that he went to hunt for food. “it’s dangerous if we hunt in groups so we decided to do the hunting in turns everyday to lessen the risk of getting into some accidents.” Ysa says after the three entered the shelter and unload their huge bags.  “We bought some food and preserved food so that you guys can eat it in prolonged period of time.” Xerxes says as he shows them the things that they brought this time.

              HRRRRT!

                            A few moments later and they heard Yusaf’s birdcall ad opens the door. Yusaf then storms the shelter with a large fish on his back. “Looks like I’m just in time huh?” Yusaf says with a smile.