Chapter 182: A Portal Gallery back alley?
Irwin spread his senses, focusing on his heartcard's resonance, which had turned as still as a lake. Time slipped by almost unnoticeably. It seemed to do so whenever he tried to locate another portal. After a long time, when he was certain he sensed nothing, he released his focus and opened his eyes.
He gazed over the railing at the wall that ended the narrow corridor they had been following.
"Nothing," he whispered, turning to Greldo, who had been attempting the same but waiting for him to validate that there really was nothing then. "Another dead end."
"You sense anything?" Greldo asked as he turned to Rindiri, who stood at the steering wheel.
"No, it's another dead end. I'll get us back, and we can try the final branch," she shouted. "Captain?"
"Go for it," Irwin said as he leaned on the railing. Ever since he'd returned from the portal, Rindiri had started asking his approval occasionally, something he wasn't sure what to think of just yet.
"One more," Greldo muttered beside him. "If it's also a dud, we will have to double back two full days and take another path."
Irwin nodded, staring across the listless landscape below him. He was starting to get more than a bit weary and tired of it and couldn't wait to finally find another portal- hopefully a safer one.
"Let's go and tell Daubutim," he said.
Greldo grunted, and a minute later, they knocked on Daubutim's cabin door.
"Enter."
Irwin pushed the door open, not in the least surprised to see Daubutim stand in front of the massive map he'd drawn on the long cabin wall. It combined all his maps, including the seven deadend leaves and thin branches they had discovered in the last three days.