Summoned with an SSS-Rank Portal Skill

William couldn't hear anything. His entire world had been consumed by pain—overwhelming, all-encompassing pain.

Even Asura tried to reach him mentally, but it was useless. It wasn't that William wasn't listening—no, something was blocking the connection entirely. A barrier had formed in his mind, shutting him off from everyone.

"What's happening to him?" Sarah asked, crouching beside William and gripping his shoulders.

She turned to Victoria, hoping for an answer. After all, Victoria had been traveling with William for longer. Maybe she knew what was going on.

But Victoria's face was just as confused as hers.

"I have no idea," she admitted, her voice tense. "What should we do?"

Sarah's grip on William tightened. "Let's hold him steady so he doesn't hurt himself."

She knew screaming his name or shaking him wouldn't wake him. Whatever this was, it had to run its course.

Outwardly, she remained composed, but deep down, her mind raced.

"Why did this happen the moment we got closer to this place?"

As one of the summoned heroes, Sarah wasn't naïve. There was a connection here—she was sure of it. But at this point, all she had were guesses.

"Come to me… Come to me…"

A voice echoed in William's mind, cutting through the pain like a whisper in the dark. It was distant yet insistent, drawing him in. But who was calling him? And why?

The agony continued, unbearable and relentless—until suddenly, it stopped.

William's body tensed as his senses returned. He opened his eyes, blinking against the light, the world around him slowly coming back into focus. The weight of the moment still lingered in his chest, heavy and unsettling.

Sarah's face hovered above him, concerned.

"Are you alright?" she asked, then, unable to hold back her curiosity, added, "What the hell was that?"

"I-I don't know," William muttered, pushing himself up. His body still ached from the lingering remnants of the pain. "The pain just... hit me, and I couldn't hear anything you were saying. All I could do was scream and endure it."

His mind, though hazy, couldn't shake the voice—Come to me... Come to me... What did it mean? Who had called him?

Victoria's eyes locked onto him, concern furrowing her brow. "Are you sure you're okay?" She leaned in, checking him over. "We need to be certain. This place is dangerous, and we can't protect you all the time."

"I'm fine," William said, his voice steadier than he felt. He noticed Sarah's gaze, sharp and filled with suspicion. But she didn't press him, which he appreciated. He wasn't in the mood for questions he couldn't answer.

Then, another screech tore through the air—the lich. They weren't usually afraid of it. Stuart had camouflaged them enough times, and it worked. But this time, something felt different.

Stuart emerged from William's pocket, his fur bristling with unease. "There's a strange barrier here," he said, his voice tense. "I can't use my magic. You'll need to hide, as I can't camouflage any of you."

The little rat scurried back into William's pocket, leaving the group frozen in sudden panic.

"We can't hide, there are no trees here!" Sarah said, her voice tight with anxiety.

William's mind raced. They needed a plan, and fast. "How strong is your body?" he asked Victoria, his eyes sharp.

"Decent, but not as strong as yours," she replied, brows furrowing. "Why?"

"Hold tight, then," William said without hesitation.

In a single motion, he grabbed Victoria with one arm, Sarah with the other, and launched himself into the air. The ground dropped away beneath them as he twisted mid-fall, positioning the two girls above him to cushion their descent. He braced himself, using his body like a bed to absorb the impact.

The fissure was deeper than he'd expected, and the wind howled as they fell. His muscles strained, his blood pounding in his ears. His feet hit the ground with a sickening crack. He heard the snap of his ribs, but his body took the brunt of the damage, and the two girls—thankfully—landed unharmed.

"Are you okay?" Sarah gasped, looking at William, worry flashing in her eyes.

William coughed, a sharp pain shooting through his chest. "I'm fine," he managed to say, though his body protested the lie. "Let's keep moving."

Despite saying he was fine, William knew his body was far from it. The sharp pain in his ribs gnawed at him, but he trusted in his accelerated healing ability. He could feel his bones slowly knitting back together, but it would take time.

Asura's voice echoed in his mind, filled with concern. "That was crazy. And what was that pain you felt? I tried to reach you, but it didn't work."

William gritted his teeth. "I don't know. A voice... It kept saying, 'come to me, come to me.' It's got to be linked to my demonic bloodline somehow."

"Certainly. You need to be careful in this place, William."

"I will," he replied, his voice steadier than he felt.

The mental conversation was brief, a fleeting moment of connection before William shut it out. He needed to focus. Survival was the priority, especially in the thick, oppressive air of the fissure.

The good news was that the lich had flown overhead on its skeletal bird, but it hadn't spotted them. The dense vegetation below them provided a much-needed cover, unlike the barren, lifeless trees that had surrounded them above ground. The rich greenery here felt like a sanctuary—at least for the moment.

Sarah, still looking around, broke the silence. "Why don't the skeletons come down here? This place looks perfect for setting up a base, especially since they seem intent on turning this whole area into their kingdom."

William glanced around, his senses still alert, though his body still hurt. The thick underbrush offered protection, but there was something unsettling about the stillness. It almost felt like they were being watched. He couldn't shake the feeling that the fissure, with its strange mix of life and decay, was far more than just a refuge from the lich.

"Maybe they haven't noticed it yet," William said, scanning their surroundings. "Or maybe there's something here that keeps them away. Either way, it's safer for now."

There was no doubt in William's mind that the skeletons must have seen the massive fissure, but he knew there had to be something within it keeping them away. The question was, what was it? And why hadn't they ventured deeper?

They pressed on, making their way through the dark, winding fissure. Victoria kept her eyes darting from one shadowed corner to the next, constantly on guard for any sign of movement from the thick, overgrown vegetation. The atmosphere was suffocatingly tense.

"I don't like this place," Victoria muttered, her voice laced with unease.

None of them did. But it was far better than facing the Lich above. It wasn't just the Lich that posed a danger, but the other creatures that lurked in the area. If they fought it, an army of skeletons would surely descend upon them, attracted by the noise. For now, it was safer to risk whatever dangers the fissure held.

As they continued, the sight of houses carved into the walls of the fissure piqued their curiosity. There was something deeply strange about it. Those structures looked ancient, yet remarkably well-preserved, defying time itself. The silence around them only deepened the sense of mystery.

Then, just as they passed an overgrown path, a flicker of light caught Sarah's attention. It came from one of the houses. How could that be? It was nearly impossible that anyone could have survived in this forsaken place. Sarah had done her research on the forbidden zone—there were no known inhabitants, no signs of life in the fissure. Yet here they were, seeing a light where there should have been only darkness.

"Should we check it out?" Sarah whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of their footsteps.

William's eyes narrowed, his curiosity piqued. "Hell yeah," he replied, his tone steady, though his mind raced. What could it be?

They approached the stone staircase leading up to the house, the steps weathered but still sturdy, showing signs of having been well-crafted centuries ago. A few steps had crumbled, and moss clung to the sides of the stairs, making the climb slippery, but it was still passable.

With careful, deliberate steps, they reached the door of the house. It was made of stone as well, but much to their surprise, it wasn't locked. William pushed it open cautiously, his senses alert to any sound.

Inside, they were met with the sight of a man sitting near a glowing hearth, his long brown hair and beard framing his face. He appeared as though he had been there for a while, and he wasn't alone. A few others sat around him, looking equally weary, and in total, there were four of them. The flickering light that had caught their attention came from the fire within.

The moment the man saw William, his eyes widened in alarm. He quickly grabbed a magical scepter from the table, pointing it in their direction with practiced precision. "Don't move, or I'll attack," he warned, his voice firm, but not without fear.

William raised both hands in a placating gesture. "Don't be afraid. We're just travelers exploring this area. It should be empty, but we're not here to cause any harm. Who are you?"

As his gaze shifted from the scepter to the man's attire, William noted the robes—distinctly magical in nature. His suspicions were confirmed. The professor's clothes were from a magic academy.

The man relaxed slightly, his grip on the scepter loosening. "Thank God you're not enemies," he said with a sigh of relief. "My name is Asir. I'm a professor at a magic academy. I came here with some senior students on an excursion, and we got lost." He looked down at the others with him, who were equally exhausted, their faces gaunt from days of worry and searching. "No one's died... yet. But some of my students are still missing. I've been trying to find them for days."

William exchanged glances with Sarah and Victoria. There was a lot more to this situation than they had anticipated. The man's story made sense, but it also raised more questions.

"Why did you come here in the first place?" William asked, pressing for more details.

"As part of an academic excursion," Asir explained, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "We were hoping to learn more about the magic that permeates this place. It's unlike anything we've studied before. But once we entered, we became disoriented. It's as if the very air here twists your perception."

Things were not looking good.