Elemental Magnetic Star

Chapter 183 Stranded in the Abyss

On the other side of the canyon, as Flame Wave had described, it was indeed the abyss as they knew it, which boosted their confidence in returning to the Surface Domain. However, finding a way out would still require effort.

"Flicker Shadow, do you remember the way you came?" When it came to the interior of the abyss, he should be the most familiar.

However, Flicker Shadow was distracted, and it took several calls from Raina Grace for him to respond.

"What's wrong?" Raina Grace asked worriedly, "Were you injured while crossing the canyon?"

Flicker Shadow shook his head, his expression struggling, and finally from hesitation to determination: "I'm sorry, Raina Grace, I can't leave with you. Both of you are very skilled, and with WeeStick, you can make it through the abyss back to the surface without me."

"What are you talking about?" Flame Wave frowned, "If there's a problem, let's solve it together. Do you think Raina Grace would leave you behind and go first?"

Raina Grace was also puzzled: "Flicker Shadow, what did you find? Let's solve it together. You risked danger to find me; of course, we should go back together."

"No, it's not about me, it's..." Flicker Shadow hesitated, "I just don't want you to risk it when you're finally about to leave the abyss." If his issues caused everyone to be stranded in the abyss again, he would never forgive himself.

"Just tell me the situation, and let me decide whether to take the risk," Raina Grace said, "Without any reason, how could we possibly just leave?"

"Alright, listen, I need to go to a very dangerous place, but I don't want you to get involved. It was so hard to find you; I just want all this to end quickly. As long as you are safe, I have no worries, as I was meant to adventure around anyway."

Flame Wave realized: "You want to go find that mysterious person who guided you?"

Flicker Shadow nodded: "Passing through the canyon, I finally remembered, I indeed reached the Eye of the Abyss through the Ice-Fire Canyon, and also recalled the location and environment of that mysterious person. There seems to be some unsettling elements lurking around him, I don't know what it is, but it's definitely not good, so I don't want you to take the risk."

"Is that location very far and dangerous?" Flame Wave asked.

"The danger is certain," Flicker Shadow replied, "but the location is not far."

"Flicker Shadow, you're wrong. This is not just your matter, but ours too. If it weren't for the mysterious person, Flame Wave and I might still be trapped in an alternate space. And how do you know we don't want to take the risk?"

Indeed, Raina Grace never minded taking risks, even enjoyed it. Back in Verdant Thistle Forest...

Seeing those two forming a tacit agreement and even beginning to "fondly reminisce," Flame Wave quickly made a decision: "At least he showed us goodwill, and there might be other purposes, but we might as well meet him."

Moreover, with so many mysteries in the abyss, since they had come once and been tricked by Willow Wood, leaving without evening the score was not in Flame Wave's nature.

Hearing them talk like this, Flicker Shadow breathed a sigh of relief. Being alone for so long, meeting companions with whom to share the journey and mutual warmth, was not something he could just let go of.

The next issue was how to find the mysterious person. According to Flicker Shadow's description, it should be a reasonably spacious area, dark and silent, fitting the setting of abyssal caves, and not far, which should make it easy to find. However, after searching, apart from a path extending into the depths of the abyss, no potential hidden spaces were discovered nearby.

"We must have missed something." But they had checked very carefully, even disregarding the filth and potential toxins on the surrounding rock walls, having searched every possible place.

"I can only feel it's nearby, but can't see its exact location," Flicker Shadow lamented.

Their current location, the connection between the end of the canyon and the abyss, was like a porch. On one side was the cruelty and desolation of the Ice-Fire Canyon, and on the other, the mystery and danger of the abyssal caves. It was also like a boundary line, not between life and death, but a past one dares not look back at and a future of endless uncertainty.

Reflecting the light from the Ice-Fire Canyon's entrance, shadows flickered faintly on the abyss side, vague and distorted shapes cast by weak light beams on the surrounding rock walls, accompanied by various eerie sounds echoing in the deep passages.

Despite the constantly flickering and changing light and shadows, Raina Grace noticed the shadow of one wall was oddly shaped, like a light spot refracted by a pool of water, but its color and brightness were slightly different from the surrounding light and shadows, more stable, not like the refraction of water waves, but rather like the projection of natural sunlight. Slightly blocking the light coming from the direction of the canyon, indeed, this light spot did not change at all, indicating a different light source. Could there be another opening besides the Ice-Fire Canyon?

Raina Grace looked around, including the cave ceiling, but found nothing unusual. She expanded her search area, heading deeper into the abyss. Flame Wave and Flicker Shadow, though puzzled, noticed she seemed to have discovered something and didn't interrupt, just silently protecting her.

Finally, after changing angles and positions, they found the light source - coming from an exceptionally concealed spot on the cave ceiling. In the dim environment of the abyss, that location was almost imperceptible. First, it was on the ceiling, not easily noticed because people's gaze is usually more focused on the ground. Second, the spot was cleverly hidden, visible only when specifically looking closely and moving to a certain position near the entrance. Whether this ingenious concealment was a natural formation of the abyss's unique terrain or structure, or deliberately set up by someone, was hard to judge. Regardless, this discovery gave them new hope and a difficult choice.

"That might be the exit!" Flicker Shadow spoke first, "An exit that leads directly to the Surface Domain." He was still inclined to let Raina Grace go first.

Flame Wave also speculated this, but considerations had to be made in the face of unknowns: "Even if it's an exit, it won't be easily accessible, there must be some obstacle. I think it doesn't look like an open entrance but is covered by something."

"Are you saying it's inconvenient to enter because of its height? I'll climb up and check!" Flicker Shadow was confident; although high, it was within his capabilities to reach.

"No need, I'll send WeeStick. It's faster. And we still need to discuss what to do next." As Raina Grace spoke, she communicated with WeeStick, which then flew upwards.

Flicker Shadow understood what Raina Grace meant by "discuss." Flame Wave directly asked the question on Raina Grace's mind: "If it really is an exit, what should we do?"

The discovery of this apparent exit was like a lure; if the goal wasn't very clear, one could be distracted by unusual scenery along the way and veer off course. After a brief hesitation, they unanimously agreed that even if the exit was right in front of them, they couldn't abandon their previously agreed-upon plan to find the mysterious person halfway.