"Leon, where are you going!?"
Rose's voice rang out, laced with urgency and fear. Before I could take another step, her fingers latched onto my arm, gripping it with desperate strength.
I could feel the slight tremble in her hands. She was trying to stop me, trying to keep me from walking further into the unknown.
"I'm going deeper," I said, my voice steady, unwavering.
"Why? Didn't you see how dangerous this thing is!?"
I turned my gaze to her, meeting her worried expression with firm resolve.
"That's exactly why," I replied. "I want to see what lies ahead… what she was trying to protect."
The automata had spoken of guarding a portal.
If my assumption was correct—if this really was a gateway to another world—then turning back wasn't an option. There was no telling if it would remain here, if it would still exist by the time I returned. I had to confirm it with my own eyes, no matter the risk.
