"We're all here and accounted for, yes?" Scar asked, addressing the handful of Hermits gathered outside of Area 77.

"I think so." Ren answered glancing around. All five members of the team were present, as well as Doc , Stress, and Joe.

"Great. False, would you do the honors?"

False quickly opened her shulker box and passed out the new armour and weapons. "We put as many enchantments on these as possible, minus mending. Careful with the swords, they've got sweeping edge. Made sure you don't hit your teammates." She warned.

The five adventures slipped on the armour quickly, save for Grian, who had to thread his wings through the jagged slits on the back, and his horns through the tight holes on the helmet. It certainly wasn't comfortable, and normally he wouldn't bother, but they were going into a hardcore world. Every bit of protection was important.

Stress then began distributing potions. She gave everyone except Grian an invis potion, and then evenly handed out the health and regens, before handing the shulker of the more dangerous potions to Mumbo, who gingerly placed it in his inventory.

"Is everyone ready?" Doc asked. When he was met with nods, he opened the gate into Area 77 and led everyone inside.

They passed the security and all the hangars and stopped at the crowning jewel itself: The Infinity Portal.

"Before you guys embark on this journey, I would like to say a few words of encouragement for your quest." Joe said calmly. "A wise man once said, 'Falling down isn't failing. Failing is staying where you have fallen.' So even if you get hurt, or the outcomes seems bleak, continue to try. If Socrates believed that, then we all should as well."

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the group as Doc calibrated the portal. "Okay everybody. Grian will have to walk through first, so that the portal stays calibrated to where he wishes to go."

"Good luck loves! Come back safe!" Stress called out as Grian stepped up to the portal, Scar just behind him.

He took a deep breath, stared straight at the portal, and stepped through.

________________________

Xisuma wondered if he was dead. He couldn't see anything, nor sense in any way. He could move, but he was fully numb. He could see himself, but everything else was just inky blackness.

He tried to call out, but his vocal cords didn't seem to work. Oh, and his helmet was missing, so the illusion of thin air plagued him, though he knew he was breathing fine. 

The only thing that told him he wasn't dead was the fact he could see his communicator messages, though he could never reply.

Sam and T̓͌͟Ᏼ̟᷁ᚨỤ̥̃̌r̩̄͢tަ͏᷉i̧̥̍s̩ͫ͡ had occasionally sent messages to each other, which Xisuma had been following along with. But a newer message had peaked his interest and filled him with hope.

Grian has joined the game

And then a few seconds later:

GoodTimesWithScar has joined the game

Mumbo Jumbo has joined the game

ReNDoG has joined the game

Falsesymmetry has joined the game

GoodTimesWithScar: We're coming for you Xisuma!

They were coming to rescue him. He was alive.

And he had no clue how this would play out.

______________________

"Falling is not failing. Failing is staying where you have fallen." - Socrates