Infinite Grief [INFINITE SERIES BOOK 2]

S5 Ch10: Staring at a Gate

 The problem with your grandfather's tomb being underwater was that you could not swim. Thankfully, Kai couldn't swim either. That made you feel less alone on the ship. The screen's arrow was getting closer to the red dot. While that happened, a familiar weight made itself known in your heart, grief. It was Tohru's. You knew that. She had a way of melancholically waiting for it to subside, yet it wouldn't go away.

Your father was on a different monitor, keeping in touch while they headed toward your location. Misako was behind him, sorting a few papers. It was evident that Morro was ahead. Wu kept saying it was up to the five of you to find the realm crystal before he did. You kept hearing that over and over again. It became a constant reminder that your brother wanted to end lives because destiny denied him.

The ship dipped underwater. Fish swam around the headlights and bright red paint. They had never seen such colors in the endless sea before. The sub avoided them the best it could.

"We're almost to the tomb," Zane inspected the map.

"I can't believe it. After all that we've been through–" Cole said.

"I can't believe that I'm underwater," Kai shivered.

"You? What about me? Just how thick is this glass?"

"Wonderful, Cole's a ghost. Kai and [Name] can't swim. We don't have a magical sword. What could go wrong?" Jay chuckled lightly to hide his fear.

Misako got closer to the camera, unraveling a scroll at her desk. "I may not have found what the tree tests were, but I have a riddle," she said. "A spinjitzu master can. A spinjitzu master cannot. To move forward, don't look ahead to find his resting spot."

'He always enjoyed annoying me with riddles,' Tohru said.

The ship ascended through a rock, peaking up from the water. Outside the glass was a statue of your grandfather. Stone hands failed to keep the candles lit.

The doors opened with a whistle. You jumped across a small puddle of water. A ripped piece of green cloth settled on a stray rock. Jay held the cloth in his hands, frowning.

"Just as I thought Morro couldn't find this place," he grumbled.

"Hey, stay positive," Kai said. "We're about to risk our lives going through a bunch of traps. All we have to rely on is each other. At least feel lucky we got this far."

"Oh, sorry. Great, Morro found the tomb. We're not alone!" fake happiness laced Jay's voice. "Now we get to fight him again and get our asses kicked. Better?"

"I'll take it."

"Look," Zane pointed to the First Spinjitzu Master's statue.

"Woah, it's the FSM," Cole said.

You stepped toward the statue wearily. Your grandfather had a long beard. It was as if your father was his clone. Your younger self would've climbed onto your grandfather's stone lap. You'd ask him all of the questions you had for him. You wrote them down before the monastery burned. Morro said he would take you there to meet him at his tomb. Then, he died.

Now, you did not need to ask your grandfather anything. You weren't a curious child anymore.

"Destination reached. Beginning auto-return," the ship descended into the water again. You jumped out of your childhood dreams to chase after it.

"No, no, no!" Jay said.

"Our aeroblades were in there," Zane said.

"Not to mention our only way out," Kai said.

"Might as well move forward," you said.

"Right, no sword, no powers, no problem. We can do this."

The hall ahead of you was lit by small, blue lights. They shined like gemstones in a dark mine. They beckoned you to come closer. Over here, they said. You approached a door that took you to many more. They circled the room, becoming the border. Above them were symbols drawn in white.