Chapter 8: Remorse
Isaac and Elias emerged from the portal into a chaos of light and cold air. The stark contrast between the suffocating atmosphere of the dungeon and the outside took their breath away. Isaac staggered, his legs wobbling, his body numb with exhaustion and pain. Elias, exhausted, collapsed to his knees, panting loudly.
Ahead of them, a single figure awaited them.
A lone man in a long black cloak stood a few yards from the dying gate. He watched them in silence, his hands deep in his pockets. His face was partly hidden by the half-light.
Isaac immediately recognized the emblem sewn on his shoulder: the symbol of the Hunter's Bureau.
The portal behind them shook one last time, then collapsed on itself in a flash of violet. A thud echoed through the air, and silence fell immediately, heavy, irrevocable.
They were outside. Alone.
- There were six of you, where are the others?
The man's interrogative voice crackled in the icy air.
Isaac felt his stomach twist. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
Elias, still kneeling, clenched his fists.
- The others couldn't get out.