Hours later, Kaelix trudged along the barren grey terrain, his boots kicking up faint wisps of glowing dust with each step. His voice echoed in the empty expanse, animated as he ranted to the XenoArch embedded in his chest.


    "So there I was," he began, waving an arm for dramatic effect, "sitting across the table from that slimy bastard Tyn. He thought he was so clever, slipping a dose of poison into my drink. But what he didn''t know—what nobody expects—is that I had already poisoned him with a hidden dagger. The moment we got paid!" Kaelix let out a self-satisfied laugh. "The look on his face when he started slurring his words and realized he was the one poisoned? Priceless."


    "And that''s how you double-crossed him, took all the money, and left him for dead," the XenoArch interjected, its tone flat. "You''ve told this story four times already. And his name was different the previous times as well."


    "Only three times!" Kaelix shot back, feigning offense. "And besides, it''s a good story and that piece of shit doesn''t need his name remembered."


    "You talk too much," the XenoArch said with exasperation. "Why can''t you focus on the task at hand instead of rambling endlessly?"


    Kaelix gestured grandly at the desolate landscape stretching infinitely in all directions. "Focus on what, exactly? Look around! Grey ground, grey sky, nothing but grey. And guess what I''ll be seeing in a couple more hours? More of the same. Unless I trip over some cosmic miracle, I don''t think it''s going to get any more exciting."


    "That doesn''t mean you have to fill the silence with nonsense," the XenoArch countered.


    Kaelix grinned. "I don''t have to, but I want to. Silence is annoying. I''d rather hear myself talk about dumb shit than be left alone with the sound of...nothing."


    The XenoArch sighed—or at least made a noise approximating one—and went quiet, clearly conceding defeat. It had a feeling that Kaelix wanted it to engage with him and it did not want to fulfil him.


    Satisfied, Kaelix glanced up at the faint grey wall far above him. "Speaking of nothing, why the hell is there nothing to see here? And how long till nightfall?"


    "It will be nightfall in approximately ten hours," the XenoArch replied evenly.


    "Wonderful." Kaelix rolled his eyes, then smirked. "At least you''re good at keeping time. That''s something."


    "I have been in this realm for an exceptionally long time," the XenoArch explained. "Its cycles have etched themselves into the depths of my subconscious."


    Kaelix raised an eyebrow, intrigued for a moment. "Huh. That''s weird. You''ve got a subconscious? How does that even work? You''re...you know, a thing."


    "I am more than a ''thing,''" the XenoArch retorted. "But I suspect you lack the patience or understanding to appreciate the intricacies of my nature."


    "Fair," Kaelix conceded with a shrug. "Not like I care that much anyway. So, back to the whole ''nothing'' thing. Why is it so barren out here?"


    "You are currently in the outermost layer of this realm," the XenoArch began. "This area is inherently barren and unstable. It is the edge of the realm, separated from the Outer Void only by the grey wall above you."


    Kaelix frowned, craning his neck to stare at the dull, dome-like barrier overhead. "Wait. If I''m on the edge, doesn''t that mean I''m close to an exit? Like, couldn''t I just...leave?"


    "No," the XenoArch said sharply. "While it is true that the realm can be entered from this layer, escape is only possible from its center. The outer layer is the farthest point from any exit."


    Kaelix narrowed his eyes, processing this contradiction. "So I came in from here, but I can''t leave from here?"


    "Correct. The realm''s structure allows for entry from the edge but mandates exit through the core," the XenoArch clarified.


    "Well, isn''t that just fantastic."?Kaelix rubbed the back of his neck, the information sinking in. "Thanks for clearing that up, I guess. At least you''re useful for something, even if you don''t know squat about EtherRunes."


    "Why do you keep bringing up EtherRunes?" the XenoArch asked, its tone tinged with curiosity.


    Kaelix smirked. "Because it''s hilarious that something so ancient and wise has no clue about one of the most basic things in the realms."If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "I am ancient and beyond you, yes," the XenoArch replied calmly, "but wisdom is not measured by one''s familiarity with trivialities."


    "Whatever you say," Kaelix said with a chuckle, pushing onward across the endless grey. "Whatever you say."


    Kaelix stopped mid-step, his instincts flaring as something caught his eye far on the horizon. For a moment, he thought he was hallucinating—the flat expanse of grey land had been unchanging for hours, and the mirage-like distortion in the distance seemed like a cruel trick of his fatigued mind. But as he squinted, the shapes grew clearer: three figures. Two small, humanoid shapes, and a third—far larger—moving with a hulking, lumbering gait.


    The larger figure reminded Kaelix of one of those armadillos from the desert lands from its bulk and the way its segmented body moved, thick plates of what looked like stone or hardened flesh glinting faintly under the dull light. It dwarfed the other two, easily twice their size. The humanoids darted around it, their movements quick and precise, as if they were engaged in a life-or-death struggle. From the jerky rhythm of the fight, Kaelix could tell it was reaching its climax.


    His first instinct was to hide, but a glance around at the barren ground dashed that thought immediately. There wasn''t a single rock or depression to take cover in. With a grimace, he dropped flat onto the ground, pressing himself against the cool, glowing surface, keeping his eyes locked on the distant battle.


    The humanoids fought with desperate intensity, using coordinated attacks to exploit openings in the creature''s heavy armor. Finally, one of them landed a decisive blow—Kaelix couldn''t quite make out what it was, but the massive creature staggered, letting out a guttural, desperate cry before collapsing in a heap. One of the humanoid figures dropped to their knees, clearly exhausted, while the other stood over the carcass, weapon—or was it a tool?—in hand.


    Kaelix watched them converse for a moment, their movements animated but their words lost to the distance. Then, to his surprise, one of them bent down and, with considerable effort, hefted the armadillo-like beast onto their shoulders. They wavered for a moment under the weight before steadying themselves, and the two began walking away.


    Kaelix''s curiosity burned, but he kept his distance, tracking them with sharp eyes. "What''s their deal?" he muttered under his breath.


    "They must be from the inner layers," the XenoArch replied. "Most creatures cannot survive long in the outer layer due to the environmental shifts. They would need either shelter or a way to navigate safely between cycles or else they would fall to their deaths."


    Kaelix''s mind sparked with an idea. "If they''re out here now, right after nighttime, then they''ve got to have a way to survive the shift—or they know how to get deeper. Either way, they''re my ticket out of this death trap."


    Without hesitation, he began following them, crouching low and keeping his profile as small as possible. He inwardly thanked the faint, glowing floor for its camouflage, blending his silhouette into the endless grey. The figures moved at a steady pace, and Kaelix trailed them carefully, freezing whenever they showed the slightest sign of turning around.


    After a while, the pair stopped abruptly. Kaelix halted too, lying flat on the ground as he watched. The smaller, more animated figure crouched and placed their hand on the ground, then began hammering it with their fist. Kaelix raised an eyebrow. "What the hell are they doing? That ground''s tougher than anything I''ve ever seen."


    As expected, their efforts yielded no results. The second figure—the one carrying the beast—snapped at the first, shoving their companion aside before stomping forcefully on a different spot. To Kaelix''s astonishment, the ground began to ripple and shift, collapsing inward like a sinkhole. The hole grew wider until it was large enough to accommodate the carcass. The more serious figure tossed the monster into the pit and then signaled to their companion. Without hesitation, both figures jumped in, one after the other. The ground closed behind them as if it had never been disturbed.


    Kaelix waited, his eyes ready to spot any changes. After several long minutes of silence, he crept toward the spot, studying it closely. There was no visible trace of the entrance. He straightened, glancing down at the XenoArch embedded in his chest. "What''s the deal with this entrance? You know about it?"


    "No," the XenoArch admitted. "I am only aware of a much larger, main entrance to the inner layers. This one must be unique to them."


    Kaelix scowled. "How far to the main entrance?"


    "Three days."


    "Three days?" he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, no thanks." He eyed the sealed sinkhole again, weighing his options. "This has got to be something exclusive. Maybe a shortcut, maybe a hideout."


    "Cautious, aren''t you? For someone who never shuts up, you''re surprisingly hesitant," the XenoArch teased.


    "Quiet, you," Kaelix shot back. Then, after a moment''s thought: "How long till you can enhance me again?"


    "Already can," the XenoArch said. "It''s strange—it''s recharged much faster than expected."


    Kaelix cursed. "And you didn''t tell me?"


    "I was surprised," it replied evenly. "It is... unusual."


    "Yeah, yeah." Kaelix rolled his eyes, brushing it off. "Whatever. Enhance me."


    The familiar heat surged through him as the XenoArch''s power flooded his body. Testing his strength, Kaelix punched the ground where the sinkhole had formed. On the third strike, the surface cracked and began to open again. A grin spread across his face as he stared into the dark void below. "Well, here goes nothing," he said with a laugh, stepping to the edge. "Better to jump than sit out here and rot."


    "Aren''t you worried about an ambush or the chance there is a group of them down there?" the XenoArch asked, questioning if its host was finally letting their stupidity get to him.


    "Not really," Kaelix shrugged. "I could tell that the monster they fought and had a hard time with was definitely less dangerous than Mr.Spiky from earlier. If they had that much trouble with it, then I should be fine against them."


    Looking down the edge he continued, "Plus, even if there are more of them down there, what''s the problem? Danger never really hurt nobody, aye X."


    And without a second thought, Kaelix leaped into the hole.