The Antarctic Expedition

The decision wasn't easy. Alex sat in silence as Ryan, Emily, Kenji, and mia made their case to the rest of the group. Zara's group, they argued, felt off. Their constant questions, their unspoken tension—it wasn't safe to stay. Alex, still weak from his injuries, listened intently. Despite his physical state, his instincts screamed at him that they were right. Something about Zara's group made his skin crawl.

"I agree," Alex finally said, breaking the tension. "If we stay, we're just putting ourselves in more danger."

With that, the group decided to use the naga's artifact and step through the shimmering portal, leaving the smoke and Zara's group behind.

The portal deposited them into a massive white room. Its walls seemed endless, stretching into infinity, illuminated by a soft, ambient light with no visible source. Around them, dozens of people stood in clusters or alone, all wearing various outfits from Earth. Some clutched makeshift weapons, others whispered anxiously to one another, but most wore the same expression—fear.

Alex steadied himself, leaning slightly on mia for support. Though he could now walk, his strength hadn't fully returned.

"What is this place?" Emily muttered, her voice barely audible over the murmurs of the crowd.

Alex didn't answer. Instead, he scanned the room, noting the nervous energy hanging in the air like a storm cloud. His curiosity drove him to move, and despite Emily's protest, he wandered toward one of the clusters of people.

"Hey," he said, approaching a young woman who looked like she was in her twenties. "Do you know what's going on?"

The woman flinched, barely acknowledging him. He tried another group.

"Excuse me—"

They shuffled away, muttering amongst themselves. Alex frowned.

"Why won't anyone talk?" he murmured to himself, his frustration mounting.

"Because they're scared," a cheerful voice interrupted.

Alex turned to see a tall man with a wide smile approaching him. The man was dressed casually, like he had just walked off the streets of Earth—a hoodie, jeans, and sneakers. His relaxed demeanor was a stark contrast to everyone else in the room.

"Hi," the man said, extending a hand. "I saw you trying to talk to people. Figured you might be as curious as I am."

Alex hesitated for a moment before shaking his hand. "Yeah, I've been trying, but nobody's responding. What's your name?"

"Call me Vincent," the man said, his grin never faltering. "And you?"

"Alex."

"Well, Alex, I thought we could put our heads together and figure out what's going on. Nobody here seems to have a clue, but maybe—"

A sudden boom echoed through the room, cutting Vincent off mid-sentence. Smoke exploded into the air near the center of the room, thick and swirling, as though conjured by some unseen force. The panicked murmurs turned to gasps and shrieks as people scrambled away from the source.

From within the smoke, a figure emerged, floating effortlessly above the ground. He was tall and sharply dressed in a tailored suit, his features sharp and almost unnervingly perfect. His eyes glinted with a mischievous light as he surveyed the room.