From the perspective of Kaizen's friends, the dark water swallowed him up like a portal to another world.
The seconds dragged by like hours for the fellow travelers waiting on the frozen shore of the lake. The biting wind continued to whisper its icy melodies, while the sun cast its last golden rays over the frozen landscape.
Half an hour had passed since Kaizen dived in, and the tension in the air was palpable.
Jayaa, curious and anxious, leaned over to peer into the lake, his pupils dilating in an attempt to see through the darkness. Then a sudden movement made him jump backwards, almost losing his balance.
Kaizen emerged from the lake like a jet, his body covered in droplets of water that sparkled in the light of the setting sun.
"Kaizen! Did you find anything?" asked Jayaa, her voice echoing the mixture of curiosity and concern that everyone shared.
Kaizen shook his head, flicking the water droplets in all directions. His serious, determined look contrasted with the apparent tranquillity of the lake's surface.
Everyone approached, waiting for answers and explanations. Kaizen was just going to take a look, but it took too long.
"I've found something much more valuable than I could have imagined," he replied, his voice filled with restrained emotion.
The others came even closer, eager to hear Kaizen's account of what had happened in the depths of the frozen lake.
"When I dived in, I was greeted by a darkness that seemed to embrace my being," Kaizen began, his words flowing like a tranquil river. "But then, a presence made itself felt. A guardian monster was waiting for me and he didn't want to let me pass, but after a while I managed to defeat him.
Then I was finally able to go to the bottom of the lake, where I found a door and, inside that door, Týr, the god in exile, was there, apparently waiting for me."
The group held their breath, absorbing every word as if they were fragments of an ancient scroll revealing long-forgotten secrets.
"Clearly, Týr is not like the other gods," Kaizen continued, his expression reflecting reverence and respect. "He doesn't desire absolute power. Instead, he seeks redemption and peace for his tormented spirit."
Alina tilted her head, puzzled. "And what did he say to you, Kaizen?"
Kaizen smiled, a smile full of meaning. "He granted me the key to Muspelheim, just as we wanted."
"Guys, what are you doing? Have you forgotten that I have a shortcut?"
Og'tharoz frowned in surprise. "A shortcut? What do you mean?"
Kaizen smiled, revealing a small crystal in his hands. "With this, we can move quickly to the capital of the Kingdom of Tretidian."
The eyes of the others shone with relief. After so many trials and challenges on the way there, the thought of a quicker and more direct journey home was comforting.
Xisrith raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "But do these crystals work between worlds?"
Kaizen nodded. "Yes, distance doesn't matter."
"Then let's use it to get back to Midgard and find the person who can help us plan our assault on Surtr."
Andrew raised his hand, ready to activate his crystal.
Kaizen handed each of them a crystal and they all closed their eyes, concentrating on using it.
A bright flash enveloped the group, and in an instant, they disappeared from the shore of the frozen lake, re-emerging in a completely different place.
When they opened their eyes, they found themselves in the middle of a busy scene. They were in the central square of the Tretidian Capital, surrounded by hundreds of players and locals who stared in amazement at the newly-appeared group.
Kaizen's group was not only dressed differently, but they also exuded power with their mere presence.
Og'tharoz looked around in surprise. "Looks like we're not exactly home."
Alina laughed softly. "At least we're not in the middle of the ice anymore."
Kaizen carefully observed the reaction of the people around them. "Let's go to my store, it's not far from here."
Gradually, the initial agitation and fear gave way to an aura of curiosity mixed with respect from the other players, because many of them recognized Kaizen, so a euphoria formed there and they had to fly away so as not to cause any more confusion.