PICK ME UP, ANOTHER LOBBY!

"I don't need those great mages you talked about. I have you, Serafina. You are enough for me, if not more. Plentiful more."

Jonah's words lingered in my mind long after he left me after our dinner.

My thoughts raced with how true or false that statement was.

Was I enough?

Had I been stronger, I could had held the gate and got the ogre out of our way inside the garrison in the fifth floor.

Cecily and Gerson did not have to die back then.

Was I enough?

I greatly endangered Jonah's and Shanny's lives as I was trying to cast a Fifth Circle spell in our first Quintal Trial.

They would have not gone through that much danger had I never stopped practicing my fire magic when I was younger.

Was I enough?

Whether everything I had done after the first Quintal Trial would bring everyone in Party 1, 2, and 3 back to the lobby safely after we cleared the tenth floor…

Whether we would clear the second Quintal Trial at all…

Those thoughts occupied my mind the days that followed.

They remained in my mind as I clothed myself with my black and white magic dress, equipped two vials of mana potion and one vial of advanced health potion, belted a pouch of five golem cores, along some other enchantment stones, and marched down to the first floor square.

They remained in my mind as I walked through the rows of people from Party 1, 2, and 3, standing in front of the rift of space time. All were suited with their armors, geared with their enchanted weapons, and supplied with the best health potions we could make.

They remained in my mind as I stared at the small army I would bring with me to our second Quintal Trial.

They remained in my mind as I stole a glance toward the empty checkroom standing ominously by the square.

The fairy had summoned all three parties to gather in front of the rift.

It was time for us to climb the tenth floor.

Everyone in the lobby had gathered around the square to send us off. They formed a sea of crowd shaped in a semi-circle.

With our population numbering almost to 100, the lobby had seemed more like a village now, ignoring the grand brick constructs strewn around.

From the kitchen staffs to the crafters, the gatherers, and to the lobby's first floor combatant trainees.

They all gathered to watch us enter the rift. Knowing very well the kind of battle that the three parties would face inside.

[You're all here? Great! Let's start!]

The fairy appeared and flew over the large stone gate adorned with a magnificent carving of two winged-maidens embracing each other.

She assumed her exaggerated pose and shouted with resonating voice.

[Open the rift of space and time!]

The center of the large stone gate in the square suddenly shined with the familiar bluish-white light.

The light formed this rifting pattern as if the gate was ripping apart.

As the rift was forming, I turned my gaze to Zecht and Jyrgil beside me.

"The field of the Quintal Trial is possibly vast considering the fifth floor. Should we be separated inside, we'll communicate between ourselves and set up a gathering point. Our first priority is to reunite our parties."

I said to them.

"What if we can't communicate with one another?"

Zecht asked.

"Aim for the center of the land. Find a landmark and observe the situation from there. We'll do the same."

I replied. I shifted my gaze to Jyrgil.

"Are you listening?"

Jyrgil was still indifferent toward me. But he nodded at least.

The three of us then made our way into the rift. Our comrades followed closely behind us.

All fifteen people poured into the mirrored chamber.

With our weapons and fighting stances ready, we all looked to the shining mirror on the furthest left.

[Climb the tower and save the world!]

[Main Dungeon]

[Floor conquered - 9 -]

Here we were again.

Moments before another Quintal Trial.

This time we were aware how big of a challenge we would take on compared to how we entered the fifth floor.

Or so we thought.

The mirror shined brighter and bluish-white light began to envelop each of us.

I spoke for one last time to everyone in the room before the light transported us from the mirrored chamber.

"Remember! No matter what happens, do not be afraid! Stay calm and keep your focus! You'll eventually figure out a way to survive!"

The light rapidly hazed my vision.

One by one my comrades' faces were swallowed within the glimmering haze until I was trapped inside the white dimension.

The environment started to shift.

I sensed air slightly brushing against me every now and then. As if something was passing me by back and forth.

The light finally dimmed, restoring my vision.

I found my comrades in Party 1 standing near me. No sign of Party 2 and 3.

But each and every one of my comrades were frowning with confusion as to what was around us.

We were standing in the middle of a paved street surrounded by two and three-storied wooden and bricked buildings.

Huge mass of people carrying bundles of belongings were streaming around us. All heading westward.

The size of their bundles and, more often, carriages which carried their items made it seem like they were not just travelling.

They were moving away. Uprooting themselves from their homes and heading somewhere with whatever they could bring, light enough to make sure they could still travel in haste.

All of their faces were plagued with worry and terror.

The mental disease on some were too dire that I heard people wailing here and there.

Some even laid motionless on the ground, terrified and petrified like a doe a hair's breadth away from a lion's jaw.

"What's going on here?"

Trudy was the first to speak up among us.

"These fleeing people. Refugees. They're scared of something."

Jonah said.

A travelling man bumped straight into Shanny as if he did not see her standing in the middle of his path.

The man was suddenly puzzled.

He searched through what laid ahead of him. But none of his gaze was ever fixed on Shanny.

"What just happened? It's as if I just hit a wall."

The man muttered.

Shanny deepened her frown.

"Can't this man see me?"

A few more people bumped into Trudy and Darius. They acted the same way as the confused man.

"Apparently. They don't seem able to hear us either."

I said while waving my hand across a lady's face. She did not react at all except staring into the distant west, through my hand.

"Where exactly are we, though?"

Darius asked.

We began observing our surrounding.

"It seems like a city."

Shanny said.

Two and three-storied wooden and bricked buildings scattered all over, surrounded by tall walls and watchtowers at the border, forming a large rectangle.

Only two gates on the walls, east and west.

Beyond the walls I could spy more buildings peering out.

Even far more beyond, I could see mountain ranges extending east and west from the northern and southern side of the city.

The way of the buildings and paths were arranged reminded me of something.

A certain sketch I had been studying many times for the past week.

"This is the city of Loro."

I proclaimed.