The Dawn of the New World

Max smiled, "I don't think it's entirely up to you," and turned towards Baba Jezda, "The old guy said he will agree to your demands if you bring me along."

Her eyes immediately widened, "I-Is that the truth?" she stuttered which was a first for her.

"Of course, I swear on my mark!"

"Alright."

"WHAT?!"

Hao Xuan couldn't believe what he was seeing, "He threatened me in front of everyone! Do you really think he won't go through with it? He's the CHAMPION of Madness and Insanity!"

Baba Jezda shook her head once, "He won't, he can't. His master has already agreed to my demands and as such, no harm can come to you until we are finished with our business."

'Right, and it doesn't matter what happens after that, huh?'

Hao Xuan ground his teeth indignantly. Whatever 'deal' she had made with the Red King tumped her need for him, which was saying a lot considering how much depended on his success.

Baba Jezda signaled for Elder Taisi to open the portal while they got in position.

Elder Taisi would be the vanguard followed by Baba Jezda, Hao Xuan, Claudia, Lord Yami, Max, and finally Elder Illya in that order.

The old roots came out of the ground and connected together to make a gateway. But he couldn't do it alone this time so Baba Jezda came forward to help, handing him a small splinter taken from the coffin hanging from Claudia's back.

He received the splinter with both hands as if it were a holy object before gently placing it on his tongue. He then closed his eyes and began to focus, turning the tree roots into the same dark color as the coffin.

Meanwhile, Baba Jezda raised her hands into the air and began orating an unknown passage in three different voices simultaneously.

It sounded normal at first but the voices began to get progressively louder until everyone behind her was forced to raise a barrier around each other to defend against the thunderous sound waves that were created as a result.

Hao Xuan couldn't understand any of it nor did he have the opportunity to since the sky began to crack open like a broken mirror just as the gateway came to life.

Cascading blue lights rose up into the air from behind the mass of roots and fell into the darkness of the shattered sky.

Elder Taisi raised his hands in prayer bowing three times to stabilize the portal. He looked back at Baba Jezda and upon receiving her permission jumped inside.

Baba Jezda watched with bated breath as his figure turned into a two-dimensional image before sliding up the light stream into the ether.

"It worked!" she murmured in surprise which did not fill the ones behind her with confidence.

"Quickly now," she motioned towards them before jumping in herself.

Hao Xuan was next. He took in a deep breath and leaped in headfirst.

For a moment all of his senses vanished. He couldn't feel anything, see anything, or BE anything. It felt like he was just a small piece of a gigantic puzzle lost in shuffle trying to find his place...only it was an entirely different puzzle than the one he had started out with.

It was strangely peaceful. He had no worries or concerns, no fear for what lay ahead and certainly no guilt. For this brief moment he was just himself, existing in a small bubble without affecting anything or anyone else.

But then he felt pressure on his chest and came to on the other side.

"MASTER! ARE YOU OKAY?!" Claudia was screaming at him while a deafening storm raged around them.

"I'm okay...I said I'M OKAY!" Hao Xuan waved at her while getting up to his feet.

It was just the two of them on a floating piece of some bricked wall, surrounded by countless other pieces swirling around the air while slowly being pulled toward the center of a vortex of lethal energies. (Reference Image posted in discord)

"Where- WHERE ARE THE OTHERS??"

"I DON'T KNOW," she shook her head while looking around, "IT WAS JUST THE TWO OF US WHEN I WOKE UP!"

The small piece they were on shook and almost flipped over while getting closer to the vortex.

"WE NEED TO MOVE!" he yelled while looking around for a stable enough object that could support both of their weights but before he could do so, a shadow slipped in from the corner of his line of sight and landed directly in front of them blocking their path.

"THERE YOU ARE! I WAS WORRIED SICK YOU GUYS!" Max opened his arms as if welcoming them.

"Motherf-"

Hao Xuan prepared himself for a rough battle but Max looked over his shoulder to yell, "I FOUND THEM!"

The very next moment Lord Yami appeared beside them. He created a barrier that held both Claudia and Hao Xuan before swiftly jumping down into the green clouds.

It happened too fast for any of the younger generation to register the whole process but by the end Max, Claudia, and Hao Xuan were standing on the bridge surrounded by the elders and Baba Jezda.

"That was my mistake, my lady. I could not contain his consciousness during the jump. It was...unlike anything I have ever witnessed," Elder Taisi said with a deep bow, stealing a glance from Hao Xuan.