"Indeed, there's proof," Kev said. "I didn't arrive in this place imdiately after disappearing from Earth. I ended up sowhere else first. It was a magical place, difficult to describe, but it was infinitely dangerous. A literal sun appeared above and summoned lightning to vaporize from existence. At that mont, I felt closer to death than ever before."
"But you didn't die," Doctor Bell interjected, his voice laced with curiosity. "How did you survive?"
The sa thought lingered in the minds of everyone present.
"Yeah, I didn't die," Kev replied. "I was saved."
"Who saved you, and what does this have to do with our current situation?" Doctor Bell asked.
"I don't know who saved , I didn't seem his face or what he looks like. I couldn't," Kev said. "But he spoke the sa language as us. I believe he's like us, an Earthling who ended up in the Abyss against his will. However, he arrived in the Abyss many, many years ago. He survived and grew stronger until he was capable of extinguishing a freaking sun. He saved , perhaps out of kinship or pity. But he spoke English, and he felt human."
Kev had other proofs to validate the second possibility ntioned by Agatha.
Firstly, the clues he gathered indicated that his arrival in the Abyssal Burrow wasn't a coincidence. His savior had orchestrated his arrival here, likely to ensure he could receive the inheritance left by the Abyss dweller who spoke and understood Chinese. It has to be noted that this inheritance had sothing to do with the Dark King.
As for why his savior had done this, Kev could only guess. There were two possible reasons.
1: His savior didn't want the inheritance falling into Dakun's hands, so he sent him here after saving him from a powerful entity that tried to kill him for reasons unknown.
2: His savior might have felt a unique kinship with him, as they were both from Earth, and had decided to help him out of that bond.
Now he intentionally kept these details to himself for two reasons.
First, there was no need to ntion them. The tale he had shared already validated the second possibility as factual.
Second, the other proofs were tied to sothing far too significant and dangerous, information that, if revealed, could jeopardize not only his life but the lives of everyone he knows. For their own good, he chose to keep it quiet.
"This complicates a lot of things," Doctor Bell murmured, as he processed the implications of the second possibility being true.
"Why do you say that?" Sidhu asked, confused.
"His concerns are understandable," Lola said quietly.
"If Earthlings who ended up in the Abyss years before us did unforgivable things. ssed up stuff that made them targets of the Abgroinals. Then as fellow Earthlings, we might have to pay for their actions too," Agatha explained, her voice tinged with worry.
"You guys are being too pessimistic," Sidhu said. "The opposite could also be true."
"Hoping for the best in a world subrged in chaos is a fool's errand," Doctor Bell replied bluntly.
Kev suddenly spoke up, "Actually, we don't have to be clueless. There's a way we can find out how the Abgroinals view us Earthlings."
Doctor Bell raised an eyebrow. "There's a way? Why didn't you say this earlier?"
Kev gave him a deadpan look. "Duh, I didn't get the chance."
"Are you planning to contact Natasha?" Agatha asked.
"Who else can answer our doubts?" Kev pointed out, then send out a summon.
A vortex opened before them, and hands carrying a book shot out of it. The survivors stepped back, their eyes wide in shock.
"You woke up in the middle of the night," Natasha's voice ca from the book, sounding irritated. "You better have a good reason!"
Kev didn't waste ti and asked, "Natasha, how are Earthlings viewed in the Abyss?"
"It's a complicated question," Natasha said, her voice cool and asured. "Different forces in the Abyss treat Earthlings in distinct ways. Their treatnt of earthlings is shaped by their political motives, the beliefs they uphold, and the stories their leaders promote. In simple words, it all depends on the political landscape of the force in question."
"My Great Heavenly Moon Empire, for example, views Earthlings as great allies. You see, over a century ago, the Dark King, who helped us in our struggle against the mory Eater, was an earthling. To repay his debt, my empire has opened his doors to earthlings a hundred years ago and they remain open to date. And as you can guess, there are also forces in the abyss who view earthlings as their enemies because of the losses they have suffered at their hands in the past."
The mont Natasha spoke, any last traces of skepticism toward Agatha's theory were crushed. It beca clear that Earthlings were scattered through ti across the Abyss after being picked up from Earth.
"Miss, where exactly are we?" Doctor Bell asked as he tried to wrap his head around how a book could float, much less speak.
"You're in an Abyssal Burrow," Natasha replied calmly.
"I already know that much from Kev," he said, trying to keep his patience. "I ant the actual location. Is this burrow near the empire you're from? Or are we buried beneath the territory of a hostile force?"
"I can't say for sure," Natasha answered. "You'll need to make it to the surface and show your surroundings. Then... maybe I'll be able to tell you where you are."
Doctor Bell's face twisted in helplessness. "So we might escape this place, only to find ourselves smack in the middle of enemy territory? Great. Just great."
The man looked like he wanted to cry but had no tears left to give.
Kev gave him a firm pat on the back. "Hey, don't give up on life just yet. Hope for the best, man. Hope for the damn best. Besides, any place is better than this hellhole, where monsters think of us as a free buffet."
"Natasha, there's sothing else I want to ask."
"What is it?"
"It's about a strange door," Kev said. "It has no lock, and you can't push it open. If you try to force it, it sends you flying. Do you know what it is?"
"I do," Natasha replied. "But knowing won't help you. Just leave it be. It's not sothing you can handle at your current level. Focus on getting out of the Abyssal Burrow first. Okay, Kev?"
"...Okay."
She clearly didn't want to say more, and honestly, Kev wasn't curious enough to push the matter. So he let it be.
He turned back to the group. "Alright, I'm going to start looking for the exit. I think I've got a good idea where it might be. If you're interested, tag along."
"Why wouldn't we?"
Except for one, all the survivors were eager to co along.
"Why aren't you coming along?" Kev glanced at the person sitting silently inside the hall.
It was a young teenager who wore a white T-shirt with a faded blue dolphin printed on the front, black jeans, and there was a cap pulled low over his face.
At Kev's question, he looked up with a tired smile and slowly removed his cap.
Everyone froze.
His head was completely bald. The skin on his scalp was blotchy and pale. His eyes were dim and carried a quiet, weary acceptance.
"I have leukemia," he said plainly. "Back on Earth, I had hope of recovery. But here... it doesn't seem likely. I'm going to die soon anyway, so I don't see the point of struggling."
Silence settled over the group like a heavy fog.
It was broken by Kev, who walked up to him, crouched to his eye level, and placed a firm, encouraging hand on his shoulder, speaking powerful words softly.
"You know... reality is cruel. Nothing cos easy. You have to fight for everything—because when has anything in this world ever changed without struggle? To create change, you struggle. To survive, you struggle. To grow, to move forward, to protect the things that matter. you struggle. It's exhausting. It's painful. Sotis, it feels like too much. But if you don't struggle... if you just give up... you'll never know what could've been."
"I get it. Sotis, it feels hopeless. Like no matter what you do, it won't make a damn difference. That your fight is pointless. That the end's already written. But in those monts... you have to rember. It's better to go out roaring than to fade away in silence. This damned world might want to crush your voice, break your spirit, snuff you out. Don't let it."
"Besides, this is the Abyss. As far as I know, the impossible becos possible in the abyss. Humans beco superhumans here. So who's to say there isn't a way to cure your cancer? Who's to say hope isn't waiting just around the next bend? Don't give up on yourself. Not yet. Struggle. Because maybe just maybe if you keep pushing forward relentlessly, you'll find a way to change your fate. For the better."
The young teenager looked down at his cap for a mont, then slowly, silently, he put it back on before grabbing Kev's outstretched hand. "I guess I will struggle to stay alive for the ti being."
"You made the right choice," Kev smiled and pulled him up to his feet.
This act of kindness was no different than dragging a person out of a very dark place.
So eyes teared. So curled into a smile.
At this mont, no one knew this was going to mark the start of a very twisted friendship with no precedent.
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