Chapter 123: Preparations
Irwin shot upright in his bed, his mind groggy as he tried to understand what had just woke him up. Ambraz let out a string of curses from the ground, having been thrown off his chest.
What was that?
Someone bonked on his door again, a shout coming from outside.
"Smith Irwin! People are returning through the portal!"
They are back! Irwin shot out of bed, grabbed a thin shirt, and rushed down the stairs.
"Coming!"
He sprinted to the door, yanked it open to find a young Viridian with such pale green hair it almost looked white, standing there jumping up and down in excitement. The boy came to his waist and was one of the few children present in the town, having arrived with the refugees.
"Crithann told me to come get you!"
"That's fantastic! I'll go right now!" Irwin said as he grinned at the young Viridian.
The boy nodded excitedly and followed Irwin to the edge of the town before remaining behind.
It took Irwin a minute to reach the edge of the crevice, though that word didn't really do it justice. A stone railing had been built around it, with simple decorative carvings that resembled plants and vines. The winding staircase on each side wasn't finished yet, but it was wide enough for five or six people to walk down together, and it led all the way to the lake that had formed across the roots and base of the heart tree. All the way at the bottom was a new platform. A group of people stood there, with more pouring through the tunnel that bored into the tree and led to the portal.
"Irwin!"