Apotheosis

With the sudden appearance of three mysterious wooden huts in the Dark Region, many great races in the Source World itched to explore them.

While, up to this point, they had different theories as to what the huts hid. Zen and his group stood apprehensively before the huts now.

Everyone held their breath in excitement. Finally, the huts were but a stone's throw away!

However, considering the dangers they had just faced prior to getting here, no one dared approach the huts. Instead, they all looked towards Zen for guidance.

It seemed everything was up to him now.

"Everyone, follow me," Zen ordered as he cautiously stepped off the wooden bridge.

The candles in front of the huts lit the bridge and the forks only.

It meant there was no other way to go but straight towards the wooden huts.

Without hesitating, Zen set foot on the narrow road at the foot of the bridge. Slowly but steadily, he approached the nearest hut.

At first glance, the hut looked quite ordinary. People wouldn't have paid it any heed if it were in any other place, but they were in the Dark Region, a forbidden place.

Zen gently knocked on the door.

Knock, knock.

Unsurprisingly, there was no response.

"This hut seems to be unoccupied," Elvinia said, breaking the silence. "We don't know what creatures are living in the Dark Region."

Chaim nodded. "Open the door," he urged.

If ever there was a creature within, there was no telling they'd be able to understand what it was.

Zen hesitated. But, they had come all this way to find out what was in the huts.

Pressing his hand against the door, he pushed it open.

"Wow!" Sally, who was standing behind them, gasped. "It's so beautiful!"

A light had suddenly burst forth from the doorway once Zen pushed the door open. When their eyes finally adjusted, they were at a loss for words at what lay before them.

Elvinia and Dorothy both dropped their jaws, unable to conceal their awe.

On a massive shelf standing against the wall of the hut were some strange crystals. Each one seemed to emit different colored lights that danced off the wall, creating a stunning effect.

Zen reached out and took one of the crystals, inspec

naught.

Seeing how everyone wouldn't budge on the crystals, Zen shook his head in frustration. "Fine. But we have to leave now. Let's go back to the wooden bridge."

Zen was worried about their safety.

He had experienced a lot in his life, so he knew he could take care of himself. But he could only hope to protect the others.

Survival was the only thing that mattered in places like the Dark Region. It wasn't worth it to lose a life over some shiny, new objects.

Despite him not gaining anything new from this journey, he wasn't frustrated. More than anything right now, he just wanted to get out of here before the owner of the three wooden huts came back.

With Zen's strained tone, it finally dawned on the others that danger was heading their way. They quickly followed Zen out of the wooden hut and headed down the road.

The road wasn't long, and they should've reached the foot of the bridge in no time.

However, once they reached the intersection of the three roads, to their surprise, the door to the wooden hut stood before them.

"What happened?" Chaim frowned.

The others looked at each other, confused.

"Keep going!"

Zen also frowned. No. 9527 was right. The creature that dared to make candles here was by no means ordinary.

The group dashed towards the road again under the guidance of Zen. However, just as Zen stepped on the intersection, they somehow kept ending up at the entrance to the wooden hut again and again.