Chapter 9: School of pain and misery
Irwin exited the portal and stepped sideways, holding his breath as he looked around while raising his club. There were no signs of the Imps they had killed or of their own bodies. The cave was its previously dusty self, while the same cackling laughter came from the end of the tunnel.
It's back to how it was before? Irwin thought, struggling to believe Jonathan had been telling the truth.
He kept scanning the room and the hallway, still half expecting to get jumped. He didn't know what he'd thought would happen, but this wasn't it. Perhaps another place? Or with the imps feasting on their remains… wait, do we even leave those?
A soft scuffle came from behind as Greldo appeared, quickly moving to the other side of the entrance. They shared a look of resolve as they waited for the others. The cackling came from down the tunnel, and while Irwin didn't dare move, he readied himself to jump Twintin if she did come through and started crying. Not that he thought she would. It seemed unlikely anyone would make a sound again this time.
Perhaps we can hide from them, he thought, looking around. Just hide till the time played out.
Where are the others? he thought.
Seconds ticked by, and his worry grew with it. Were they even all supposed to come to the same portal world? Finally, after two minutes, he licked his lips and looked helplessly at Greldo, who snuck towards him.
"I think Jonathan might be… trying to prove a point?" Greldo whispered, his voice shaky. "Either that or they arrived somewhere else?"
"Would he be that petty?" Irwin whispered. He'd not even thought about that option.
"Did you see him?" Greldo hissed. "The way he looked at Taselina?"
Irwin shivered as he recalled. What was wrong with these sorcerers? Had they all lost their mind by going into this place from a young age?
"Great, so it's just us two now," he whispered, unable to keep the jitter from his voice.