Awakening of the Shadows [COMPLETE]

Labyrinth

Eldernova

Per my expectations (And Alaspakta's minor hacking), as soon as the fireteam began to warp down to the planet, I pressed the button in my hand, and Alaspakta's voice resonated in my mind. Here we go. I still think this is hilariously idiotic.

So, a vote of confidence. I wouldn't have expected anything less.

The world phased around me as the Aether claimed my form. Every cell in my body shifted dimensions twice in rapid succession, and then I faded into the Material Plane.

In front of me stood the forms of Eternity, Rynn, Antares, and Seraph, who were all staring at me, mouths agape.

"What?" I said, mostly to Eternity, and smiled. "You didn't expect to leave me behind, did you?"

Eternity actually snarled, killing any joviality I'd had. "Eldernova, why are you here? You can't leave without the Key now; you could be killed!"

"I could have been killed on the Enclave," I reminded her. "But you trusted me. And I survived. Eternity, I trust you. I know I'm not going to die if you have anything to say about it."

"Also, don't forget, sharpest sword in the Multiverse over here," commented Alaspakta.

Eternity let our a rumble of irritation. "I don't agree with this," she said. "I can't justify this. But I accept it."

"Thank you!" I exclaimed. I nearly rushed forward to embrace her before Alaspakta thought not the time at me, stopping my legs in their tracks.

"Where are we?" asked Antares, looking around and pulling out his aetherpistol. I followed his gaze, seeing only dense jungle cover. Green foliage covered every inch of my vision. Were we in a rainforest? Where had this been in orbital view?

"This... this isn't the Vault," said Eternity. "Dammit, what the hell is this?" she tapped her earpiece, and through rapid-fire static bursts, Nocta's voice echoed through the trees.

"I'm having trouble keeping your signal," she said. "I might not be able to communicate with you. It's taking all Arcturus has to hold onto you guys. Also, mind telling us where the fuck Eldernova went?"

"He's here," said Eternity. "Beamed down with us, somehow."

"Ooh, that's clever," Nocta said appreciatively. "I wonder how he did that."

"Nothing amazing," I said. "Alaspakta basically hacked into the teleporters a bit. I didn't even do anything."

"The sword," said Nocta. "Hacked our ship. What."

"I have a name," commented Alaspakta wearily.

"Yes, sorry," Nocta said, just as snidely. "Didn't mean to offend the sharp piece of metal with some carvings on it."

Alaspakta's runes pulsed angrily, but she didn't say anything. I thought those were some amazing levels of restraint she was showing.

"Nocta, we're not in the Vault," Eternity said.

"WHAT?" Nocta hissed.

"We're... we're in a jungle," Eternity went on. "We don't know where."

"God dammit," Nocta cursed through a heavy load of static. "Listen, wherever you are, the static is heavier than Plasmatian static. I don't understand this at all. You need to-" the static got so loud her words were completely incomprehensible. A moment later, the communicator began smoking, and Eternity shrieked, ripping the earpiece out and throwing it to the ground. It exploded in a small pulse of blue light the instant it hit the jungle floor.