Venturing: Port Fol

“So portals are about
huh." I heard Zander spoke suddenly, shifting his attention towards me while I
nodded silently. Staring up ahead into the horizon beyond upon the silence that
had fallen upon us. “Interesting. Wonder what kind of things would come from
them." “Do not get your hopes up, Zander." Kyro butted in suddenly, earning a
growl from the black dragon while Natty laughed suddenly. Ozkun and Takaki
rolled their eyes and said nothing in response while the rest of the way had
became silent for the time being however. I take in the fresh cold air that
rose into the skies and shivered from the bitter coldness that had came from
it. That my eyes were closed, wings shifted a bit before I opened my eyes once
more and stared to the horizon as we approached our destination at hand.

Our destination was
farther than we had realized. All the way to the upper north of Order. Straight
into an abandoned factory or building that was closed down mysteriously.
Something that had peaked my interest suddenly. Despite Zander wanted to tease
me about investigating an abandoned building, I was curious about these portals
and their link towards the building that we were heading into. For tons of
ideas and thoughts popped onto my head just as I snapped my head back onto the
reality of things and glanced down. Motioning my claw towards the others while
everyone else dived. Landing perfectly upon the ground as wings were folded
behind me. They had scattered amongst themselves, each heading into their own
direction as if they had knew where to look however.

I was the last to land.
Though it was not perfect however. My wings had not accustomed to the large
fields of rocks that surrounded me. All of them were a various of sizes however
that nearly make it impossible to land anywhere. In front of me was the building.
Our target. Our goal was to enter in and investigate the link with these
portals that kept appearing all over town. But somehow I had thought of Kyro's
idea however. Shaking my head to rid of that thought in mind, I returned my
sights back towards the building in front of me and started to move. Heeding
straight towards the building's entrance where I take a closer look upon it. A
silver metal door stands in front of me. No knob appeared upon its side which
indicates that there is a switch somewhere within the rock fields here. A pair
of windows appeared on either side of the door. Neither of them provides a way
to see what contains inside as if the culprit wanted to keep it safe from harm.
All the while making things interesting for us however.

I turned around and
stepped back onto the rock fields. Heading right to check what Zander and Kyro
were doing at the time being. Farther off towards the right was when I had
noticed them. Gathered around a large brown pole that struck the ground
tightly. Cracked from the fields emerged upon the surface. Though it was light
according to their conversation so far. But it was so worth checking out. As I
had approached their position, the two turned their heads over to me. Zander
and Kyro waved off; but said nothing in silence while I joined them at their
gathering. Hanging my head and gaze at the grounds below, I questioned them
“What about the cracks guys?" “These seem do not go anyway it had seemed."
Responded Zander while he tapped his paw against the cracks suddenly, “They are
always stay in place. Here upon where the pole had struck." “Then it is not
important then," Kyro commented while I nodded my head. “We should head further
right and find something there." I offered, raising my head and pointed further
ahead with both dragons on either side of me nodding their heads, following me
down.

We walked a bit further.
Rocks crunching underneath our feet while our eyes were raised towards the
skies above me, stayed silent momentarily. We only listened to the crushing.
Nothing else as we shifted our heads and glanced around our surroundings. Looking
for anything that seemed out of place however. But it had seemed that the
fields held nothing except for rocks. I growled, stopping the two suddenly as
their heads were turned towards me. I nudged my head back, noting them to
return towards that crack and the post that we had found earlier. They had
nodded later on, perhaps in response or approval I would not know. But they
went through with it however. They had departed from my sides, disappearing in
the distance while I turned my head back around and gaze back towards the
horizon where nothing was there. 'Or so what they think…' I thought to myself
while I urged myself forward. Grabbing my pistol from my waste and held it
tightly while I maneuvered further. Pondering and thinking about what lies further
ahead.

About some time, I had
stopped once more. A machine was at the distance from where I was. Drugged upon
the grounds whereas a bunch of rocks was settled upon the machine's claws. It
had appeared to be not functioning due to the lack of someone controlling it
however. I stared at the machine for a moment. Hesitate to walk up towards it.
But did so anyway after a few seconds. Just as I had closed in onto the
machine, I had stopped and lowered my eyes upon the fields of rocks that was
gathered inside. Something shined upon the depths to which I had concentrated
my vision upon it. I extended my claws outwards, grabbing onto rock after rock
in hopes of finding out whatever was inside. Listening while it popped upon the
grounds beside me, lessening the pile therefor. Till I reached it however was
when I stopped for there in front of me stood a golden crystal. It glowed
brightly then dimly afterwards as if reacting to my presence already. While I
hovered my claw just above it however, unsure whether or not to take it, the
walkie on my chest popped up. Upon which, Natty's voice came from the speakers
announcing about the opening of the building. Cheers came from Zander and Kyro
while the line had fell silent following it however. My eyes remained upon the
crystal; I pulled back my claw and shook my head. Spreading my wings as I flew
off, retracing my steps to return to the building's entrance where everyone
else was gathered awaiting for me or already inside waiting.

For by the time I had
reemerged from the horizon behind me was the time that Natty held her claw high
into the air, waving to me. Responding back towards her, I dived adjacently to
where she was standing. Landing with rocks piercing against the surface of my
feet, I turned towards her just as she ran towards me. “What you find?" SHe
questioned, “A crystal. Golden one too it had seemed. Never knew what it had
meant however nor its purpose." “Perhaps the culprit needed that crystal for
something." “Powering up the machine?" Suggested Zander while there was a large
sound erupting from inside and something started humming loudly in response.
This sound had snapped both me and Natty's attention as we turned our heads
towards it; then met our eyes before Natty started shrugging. She led the way
inside and reappeared back upon the building's interior where I had noted how
pitch dark the place was however.

In front of us was that
large humming machine; Zander and Kyro were adjacent to it. Ozkun and Takakri
held their eyes upon the machine, muttering something to one another while
their arms were crossed. Silence loomed over them so it had seemed. I kept my
eye upon the machine, then called over to Zander and Kyro. Both of which walked
away and returned to my side. With their salutes, I had pointed them on either
side of the darkness' atmosphere wanting them to scout around the place for a
bit hoping that there be no surprises waiting for us. The two dragons nodded
their heads, split apart from me and headed their own directions. In the
meanwhile, Natty stepped towards Ozkun and Takakri and held her eye towards the
machine as I joined them there too. The machine was huge, but nothing compare
to how large the room was. It also looked old too. Due to the patches of
blackness and something else upon the surface of the building. Ozkun walked up
to the machine, raising his claw high leveled with his head. He knocked onto
the surface of it and nodded his head towards Natty, acknowledging it
afterwards while her arms were crossed however.

I took my own
investigation upon the machine by walking down the other length of it whereas I
reached towards its edges was when I stopped and turned my sights towards it. A
brown wheel appeared before me, tight when I tried to turn it however. For red
arrows appeared behind the wheel. Turning this way and that in simple
directions. I find myself staring at the wheel at least for a moment. Before
shortly long,  I find myself calling out
towards the three other dragons whom their turned their heads to me as I waved
them down. They walked up. I pointed to the wheel in front of me to which Ozkun
grinned confidently and stepped up. I towards the side. He grabbed tightly the
wheel and turned. Yet the wheel itself refuse to even move at the time. He
continued to try again; time after time so it had seem. Little by little the
wheel would squeak and turn. Creating noises that only we would hear however.
As the wheel was turning to the side after a while of struggling however, we
heard hissing. It had came from the surface of the machine. Puffs of smoke came
from the cracks of the machine just as it had started up however. A loud
humming submerged, we three stepped away from it. Watching for a moment while
the machine continued with its process.

After a while, everything
died just as it had began. The loud humming faded in the silence. Only the
ringing echoed in our ears. While Ozkun tilted his head and Takaki banged his
paw against the surface of the machine, Natty find herself staring at it for ar
moment before responding to me “I think it opened something." “Outside?" I
suggested, clearly thinking the same thing. She nodded afterwards and we turned
around, returning ourselves back towards the outside environment. But before we
had even stepped outside, my walkie started buzzing and Kyro spoke out from the
blue “We had found a forklift here. There is a portal hiding behind it. No one
could enter or exit it anyway however." “That should be good." I concluded with
Natty nodding her head at me. I acknowledged it with another nod shortly after
speaking back towards Kyro. For we flew Eastward again. A short distance away
from the building itself where we found ourselves in front of the machine that
I had saw earlier on within the story.

We landed after the short
flight. Folding our wings, we turned our attention towards the machine in front
of us. The rocks upon its claws were gone, perhaps fallen to the ground as we
had speak. Natty stepped forth towards the machine then raised her foot towards
its stepping plate at the side. Hoisting herself up where she had saw onto the
machine's seat itself. I called out towards her, hoping that she would be
careful. As she nodded her head again, she lowered her head and gaze at the
controls in front of her. Operating as if she was an construction worker. She
raised the claw and lowered it afterwards. Then drive the machine forward and
backwards too. Finally, she turned the machine to the left and right after
making full circles with the machine. But just as the machine turned off,
something appeared below it which glowed brightly. Sparks came from its surface
while Natty gasped suddenly. She climbed out of the machine and spread her
wings. Jumped into the air and hovered before repositioning herself towards the
side, adjacent to the portal itself.

She landed upon the
ground, I walked to her side and lowered my eyes towards the glowy thing below
us. “Is this the portal?" Natty questioned me, I nodded acknowledging it before
frowning as I spoke “We should not head inside. Who knows what awaits us on the
other world however." “And how are we going to get home too?" She frowned,
turning her head to me while I nodded before shortly long we had kept our eyes
upon the portal below it. It was a perfect circle; brightly glowing with sparks
flying or hovering above it. Within the circle was a clash of brightly pink
aqua and yellow colors that somehow it had looked like acid for some strange
reason. While within the silence, my ears flicked upon the walkie's static
flickering which caught the ear of Natty. For she turned her head down and
grabbed onto the walkie's, pulling it from her chest and held it into the air.
Pressing the button befores peaking.

At the time of the
release, we heard Kyro's voice from the other line. “Jump into the portal. It
would lead us straight into an answer." “Have you?" I questioned him, pipping
into the conversation while Natty shifted her eyes towards me. No answer had came
afterwards for the walkie had died after that. While I raised my head, meeting
Natty once more, she nodded her head slightly. Frowning following it before
turning her head back towards the portal and exhaled a breath. For she suddenly
jumped into the portal just as he had done so. I followed after her, not
wanting her to be left alone when everyone else already had a partner by now.
The winds below and above us pushed and pull tightly and hard that we were
struggling to get ourselves straighten out. I hanged my head and gaze towards
the ground below us. Noting solid grounds coming fast upon our arrival. I
gasped in shocked, yelling out towards Natty who nodded her head. For we had
quicken our pace into straightening ourselves and flapped furiously once we had
achieved so, gradually slowing our descent upon the grounds. We had landed
perfectly upon the grounds below us.

We scanned the area
surrounding us. Noting a large wall on either side of us. Two smaller walls
were in front; parted split in the center with two red arrows pointing towards
the gap inbetween. Pitch darkness was found upon the atmosphere between them so
it had seemed. Natty stepped to the entrance of the pitch darkness in front of
us; tilting her head this way and that as silence was held upon her head. I
walked towards her side in silence too, wings shuffling behind me in curiosity
as I had pondered about what had lies inside. I grabbed onto my walkie from my
chest, held it high towards my head before pressing the button. I tried to
radio call the other officers in hopes of finding out where they were. But
nothing responded back. Silence was my answer instead as I find myself frowning
for a while. I shifted my attention towards Natty who just nodded back towards
me. SIlence was held upon her lips just as she had entered inside. Disappearing
before my eyes, I exhaled a breath before walking in following her in.

The pitch darkness held
overhead us. We could not see anything at all. Only that was closer to
ourselves however. I frowned, fear crepting up upon me as I shivered. Yet Natty
does not seem to mind the darkness at all however. We continued walking for a while;
feet banging against some sort of hard grounds underneath our feet. Finding a
pair of flashlight a few steps ahead of us, I started to run. Natty stopped me
by my tail. I turned towards her, she shook her head and raised her claw
towards the darkness surrounding us. For some strange reason, we noted the
green sign above us. 'Warning: No noise' “Where did that get here?" I
whispered, questioning her and she shrugged, shaking her head suddenly. For no
answer had came from her. I groaned just as she walked by me. Heed forth
towards the flashlights ahead while I glanced around. Staring down onto the
white walls that now surrounded us. I later found out that we were in a
hallway, not anymore upon a strange place with two broken walls at a gap upon
the center.

There were doors on the
side; brown and pale as they were. Locked which prevented us from further
investigating what lies beyond these doors. Even the windows were blurred to
prevent us also, further discouraging us while I pondered about the why. Yet Natty
snatched me and pulled me away from the windows and doors. For later on, we had
gathered upon the pair of flashlights ahead of us upon the other end of the
hallway. I bent down to snatch the two from the ground. Tossing one over to the
dragoness adjacent to me, we switched them on and turned our attention towards
the newer hallway instead. A green sign appeared to our side; pointing with its
white arrow towards the left. We turned to follow it; gazing down the length of
the hallway where another huge window stands before our eyes.

“This place is eerie."
Started Natty as I nodded to agree with her. We eventually reached the end of
the halls. A brown door stands towards my left, something that I grabbed before
pulling the door backwards as it had moaned suddenly. Hitting the glass of the
window, it shattered suddenly. Yet the pieces upon the ground reflected
something from above which we take into consideration as we raised our heads
high and looked towards the ceiling above us. Yet nothing was there. Natty
stepped forth towards the glass window, not minding about the pieces piercing
through her feet and held her head high. Whereas she widened her eyes in
shocked and stepped back immediately; I held her wings as she knocked onto me.
We fell onto the ground, her on top while she turned around and pushed me off
from her. “What you see?" “Nothing." She responded, though it was clear as day
of what she had saw however.

Though I was unable to
get any sort of information from her, we returned our attention back towards
the main goal of our investigation. We walked through the door that was already
opened thanks to me. Reappearing upon another hallway with another brown door
on the other side of it now. That same glass window was in front of us. In tact
it had seem now while we repeated the cycle and heed towards the door without
any sort of hesitation from either of us now. The cycle repeated from one same
hallway towards the next. The air above us gone thicker. The walls on our sides
grew whiter and brighter if that ever make any sort of sense however. The
following below us became darker. Even the atmosphere was becoming dimmer upon
every cycle of hallway that we had entered and exited from. To the point that
we were perhaps deep within the building that Natty stopped immediately and
shook her head. I gaze towards her, frowning while she was panting faintly.

Her breath seemed to be
winded. Chest rising and lowering at quicken pace. Her eyes staggered, gazing
at the flooring below us while her wings weakly folded and spread behind her. I
tilted my head to the side, pondering why she was acting this way. But that
thought was shattered when a voice called out from the walkie “Ling, Natty. Are
you at the center already?" “Indeed we are." “Great. So is everyone else.
Quick, pull the level adjacent to you and get out of there." A pause following
it came while my head was turned towards the lever that I had not seen before.
Dimly red and thin; supported by two silver or gray poles attached to the wall
itself. I stared at the lever for a moment before grabbing it tightly. Pulling
it down. Quick as it had came, both me and Natty faded from existence.
Returning to our home realm however.

Everyone was gathered
here. Kyro, Zander, Ozkun and Takaki. Just as we had arrived, Kyro and Ozkun
turned towards us and smiled, only faintly however. I felt dizzy by the time I
came back into the realm as a ping of a headache had came merging upon my head
suddenly. Kyro stepped forth towards me; catching me in time as I had passed
out. For upon that duration, I had think we had reported back towards Yang and
headed back towards our own respective homes. Resting as the evening had
settled upon the reptilian realm.