I am a Collector
The man said these words while taking off his hood and revealing his face.
He looked like a man carved by secrets.
He had long jet black hair,streaked with white strands.
His eyes were a strange mettalic grey but glowed with warmth in them.
His face was sharp and calm .
But he looked wise beyond his years.
"What's a collector?"Viritius asked.
"You boys know what a Luminox is?"the man replied.
"Yeah i know, its a strange device which glows,luminating under a human's touch before dissolving into their bodies and giving them strange powers, but its dangerous as they materialize anywhere,rigging the area with traps to ward off anyone who dares to approach"Viritius answered.
"Correct and we Collector's collect these luminox by overcoming their challenges to get their powers"the man replied.
"So the attack you used earlier,was it the power of a luminox?"Arynx asked.
"Thats right it is the power of the Razorwind Luminox ".
"So what is a collector doing here hunting a Mordgris?"Viritius asked.
"You see when a mordgris is killed it leaves behind its essence which is required to overcome some traps laid by a Luminox"the man answered.
That's when Arynx noticed that the corpse of the Mordgris was dissolving,evaporating into nothing and in its place a purple luminating flame stood flickering like a living omen.
The man went closer to the flame ,took out a glass container and carefully put the flame in the container and closed it.
"So now , do you mind telling me what you two boys are doing in a jungle as dangerous as this one? Where are your parents?"
"My mom and dad died a year ago in an accident. I was beaten by my uncle everyday who I was sent to live with.So I ran away from him towards this jungle where i stumbled upon the Mordgris eating another animal"Arynx spoke in a somber tone.
"I have no idea about my parents,I was orphaned when i was young ,i had been living with an old woman who took me in her care but after she died I was on the streets where i learned how to survive by stealing bread and fighting, I was escaping after being caught by a guard when i saw Arynx here being chased by that monster so i came here to help him"Virtius replied.
The man after listening, stared at them for sometime as if confused,then after making up his mind he said
" Ok then , I know the perfect place for both of you but you will have to do whatever i ask of you , would you like to come with me?"he asked.
"Yes, of course" Arynx and Viritius replied in unison.After all, the man had saved their life.
"But first i have to finish my work here so, both of you follow me"The man started walking in the direction Arynx came from while being chased.
After some time of them following the man Viritius asked " Where are we going?"
"It is said in the ancient texts that Mordgris used to guard high level luminox so i am looking for it.Arynx is this the place where you first saw the Mordgris?"The man said seeing blood and bones on the ground.
"Yeah, he was eating this animal here" Arynx said looking at the surrounding, trying to remember.
The man put his hand in front of his face and yelled "Unbounded gaze"
"I see it, its here." He said grinning now.
"Cool!! lets go in". Viritius said unable to hold back his excitement.
"No, I am gonna go in you both are to stay out here until i come out.Its too dangerous for you kids."
"But.." Virtius started to arguing put stopped after seeing the look on the man's face.
"Ok me and him will stay here"Arynx said thinking better to stay here and be safe then to go in that helllhole.
He had enough near death encounter's for a day.
"All right".The man said and disappeared in an instant.
After a while Viritius said " I think its been long enough let's look for it too."
"But didn't he say it would be dangerous?"
"Oh come on , how many times do you think we would get to hunt for a Luminox?".Viritus replied grabbing and pulling his hand.
Arynx agreed and both of them started searching in all directions but with not result at all.
Virtius still not losing hope tried one last thing
"Unbounded gaze"
He yelled
"I see it!!, follow me"He rejoiced.
Arynx followed him and he saw something so marvelous he couldn't believe his eyes.
He say an arch. Not built — appeared. A gateway crowned by the jungle itself. In its heart hovered a portal of shifting blue light, a window to somewhere else, somewhere unreal. The sun found a single opening in the leaves, gifting the structure a celestial glow, as though guiding him toward a truth .
Virtius pulled Arynx hand and they both stepped into it.
But there was no ground to step upon,no mercy beneath their feet.
They both dropped into an endless that carried no echo,no end.
Then - a rupture.A sudden jerk tore through Arynx core yanking at his very being .
Galaxies wheeled before him — burning spirals of stars, ancient and wild, infinite and watching.
The void did not fall anymore… it transformed
In a blink,they re-formed on a stone path carved through the dark, surfaces cold and firm under their bodies once again.
"Congratulations, you passed the test"