Silent contemplation

     After leaving the base, we headed around the cliff wall back to the beach where we had left the boat. It was still there, undisturbed beneath the pile of leaves, twigs and small branches. Clearing it away, we easily dragged it back into the water; the rest may not have allowed us to get any sleep, but our muscles were recharged at least... UOPETA settled into the rowing seat, facing backwards, whilst myself and THEROS balanced on either side. As usual, THEROS took control of the map, leaving me to use the telescope to see if there was any danger ahead of us, or in case I spotted something that would intrigue us. UOPETA knew where he was going, and immediately set off towards the South. Navigating on a large body of water was much easier now that it was daytime. Although it also made it easier for others to see us. Luckily, the coastline along the left-hand side was mostly lined with trees which made it difficult for anyone to see us without us seeing them as well. It wasn't long before we reached the small island crossing, and once more, we were forced to get out and push. The bottom of the small water passage had a grove running along it where we had dragged it through on both occasions, and we used that to guide the boat, and to make it easier. In a short time, we were out on the other side, with me rowing this time.

"Just head South East now, towards the centre of this lake."

THEROS pointed ahead and to the left of where we were, and I slowly steered us in that direction. After after about twenty five minutes or so, UOPETA pointed in the direction I was heading. He had spotted the island through the telescope, and was guiding me in. Within a few more strokes, I could see the island come into view, the lone tree standing to one side of the mass of grass and dirt, with the weak torch burning beneath it. Odd that below such a tranquil spot, an evil place is hidden...

     After beaching the boat on the island, and putting it beside the tree, we headed down the stairs again; the winding staircase was slightly dizzying, but stopped shortly before making you nauseous. At the bottom, we entered into the corridor, and began to head to the far end. When we got to the first lever, I stopped, whilst THEROS and UOPETA continued to the next one. Once there, UOPETA threw the lever; a small click was audible, and I pulled my lever, and we were rewarded with the the iron bars before us retreating into the walls. They waited at the far end as I caught up, and the last of the bars clicked into place as I came alongside them. Taking out our blowpipes, we descended to the bottom of the first set of stairs, and looked over the chamber. Looking at it again, a cold shiver went down my spine... This place had that effect, and judging from the looks on UOPETA's and THEROS' face, it had happened to them too! We watched as the same two guards continued to patrol below, walking around the two main columns housing more portals. They had recovered and were back to the same pattern.

"Same as before. I take the one on the left, THEROS takes the one on the right. You remain here until we've dispatched them. Let's go..."

THEROS and UOPETA crept closer until their respective guards was in the right position. Then they followed them, and once again, two high pitched whistles signalled the end of that worry. I began to walk down the stairs and join the other two.

"Right then. Take out your stones and get to work. OROTHO said it should take about half an hour if we utilise both stones at once. I'll start on the left, Syeonyx, you take the back wall, and THEROS, you take the right. Then head back towards the front."

We each split off and headed to our designated walls. Taking the two stones in each hand, I placed one on the first portal, and the second on the one beside it.

     For a long time it seemed, we waited in a room, full of intense noise and flashing, destroying each portal in six's. After placing a stone on the portal and waiting for it to activate, the echoey dripping sounds changed to that of crumbling rock, as the obsidian cracked and was sucked into the centre of the unstable rift. The colours thrown out from the rifts changed from stable purple to sickly green, casting odd shadows around corners. It seemed that we had all taken our own approach to dealing with the portals on our own wall. As each wall was packed with portals, one on top of another, myself and THEROS destroyed the portals on the bottom level first. Then we destroyed the ones on the top. However, UOPETA opted for the reverse, by destroying the portal above the first at the same time. As I had been given the back wall though, THEROS and UOPETA finished ahead of me, and started on the ones in the two central columns. By the time I had finished, they were on the last two portals. Going around to the front, I saw where they were; they were waiting for the second to last portal to be destroyed before activating the last one.

"This, is a milestone for the progress we have made so far. This will show HoN Co. we're willing to go to any lengths to stop them. Let's just hope we can find out where the obsidian originated from so we can put a stop to it from the source!"

UOPETA stepped forward and placed a stone on the portal. Stepping back, we watched as the last portal in the chamber collapsed into the rift.

After the last portal was gone, and UOPETA had retrieved the stone, we turned and headed back out of the chamber. Flicking the lever, we headed back to the surface, all the while, remaining silent. As we pushed the boat back into the water, and climbed aboard, UOPETA spoke only a few words, and then we were silent again.

"Back to base..."

We couldn't explain why we were silent. We had removed a huge threat which would have remained concealed unless we had found the portal data room. A decisive blow against HoN Co. had been made today, and despite the result, no-one was cheering or celebrating... Perhaps it was because we knew we had a long way to go...

Syeonyx signing off