Ryu opened the passenger door and felt deja vu as he was nearly tempted to kiss the ground. Kai was driving this time with everyone in the back seats but his driving was almost as chaotic as Zion’s.  Maybe even worse.

His legs were still shaking as the rest of the team hopped out of the car and stretched.  Just when he thought maybe he could volunteer to drive next time, Zion clapped an arm around his shoulders.

“The air here is amazing!  So refreshing!”  His voice boomed, as the rest of the group glanced around to admire the surroundings.  There were endless greenery and the air was cool as it brushed by them.

Ryu recovered enough to enjoy the view before glancing away, trying to fight the memories that came with the area.  His family used to visit on a regular basis when he was young and his mother was still healthy.  He remembered climbing those steps all the way up the mountain, his dad holding his hand while his mom helped his sister.

He swallowed, willing himself to focus on the present.  The past is the past.  The priority is to get to Rika before He finds her. 

Ryu’s expression darkened at the thought of that ominous being but fought to remind himself she was more than capable of defending herself and knew how to conceal herself from His view.

“So the tower should show up somewhere around here?”  Zariah asked, snapping Ryu out of his thoughts. The two little ones were running around, with Po carrying a stick too big for him to carry while Mu was enjoying kicking up fallen leaves.

Kai checked the panel on his arm while Zion stretched his legs and Gia adjusted her equipment.

“It should actually be up ahead already.”  He confirmed, glancing around with a surprised expression on his normally calm face.

Ryu glanced around while the others did the same.

“Um, the sun is setting and all but I don’t see any signs of a large structure popping up anywhere close.”  Zariah shielded her eyes with her hand, peering every direction.

“Maybe it’s closer to the peak?” Ryu suggested, while he checked his own stat screen.

Kai slowly shook his head.  “No, it should be right around the corner.” He murmured, still confused.

Ryu moved in the direction that his screen was pointing to and ended up in front of a couple of trees.  He skidded to a stop and tried to figure out if his screen was acting up again when Mu flew by him followed by Po leisurely floating, with the stick still in his mouth.

“Hey, be careful-”  His voice trailed off as he watched the two disappear through the trees. 

“Whoa, trippy. Where’d the little ones go?”  Zion exclaimed, catching up to Ryu.

Ryu pointed to the thick trunks blocking his path.  “Through there.  Just now.”

Zion scratched his head.  “As in through the spaces or actually in the tree?”  

“In the tree. As if the trees aren’t even really there.”  Ryu confirmed, still staring ahead.

“Well, one way to find out.”  Zariah cheerfully exclaimed, already walking ahead and promptly disappearing.

Zion jumped back with a cry.  “This is insane!  I’m in!” He exclaimed, jumping through like his sibling.

Ryu shook his head, getting used to the siblings’ carefree ways.  Kai glanced wryly at him with Gia walking ahead.  “Guess we’re walking through trees.”

They were the last to step through and sure enough, a tower appeared before them.  The landscape looked like Mt. Fuji but for some reason the color of everything felt muted, like some barrier.

“Arf!”  Ryu looked down to see Po’s head tilted to the side and glancing up at him.  He kneeled down, taking the offered stick.  “Did you have something to do with those trees?”  He asked, still holding the stick.

Po barked again, his golden eyes shining as he patiently waited for Ryu to throw the stick.

Then a thought struck him.

“Guess we solved the mystery of the other tree back at the base.  Po must have used that to get through to our world somehow.”  Kai piped up, throwing a smaller stick for the wolf cub to chase instead.

Po looked back as if to agree before cheerfully chasing the stick. Mu hovered near him, whipping up the leaves from the force of her wings.

“Unbelievable.”  Ryu watched the two in amazement. “Maybe Po can help us open portals to other towers.”

Before Kai could respond, Gia gestured for them to catch up as the siblings were already observing the closed door.  As Ryu approached the tower, he peered up to see it tower up into the sky.  He noted it was a darker color this time, not quite the obsidian hue of the tower Rika is in but it wasn’t the other colors of the towers he’s seen so far.  The closest thing he could describe it was as if it seemed like almost a dull hue of midnight.  

By the time he reached the door, the siblings were arguing, each holding a weapon.

“I say we break the door down.”

“I disagree, brother.  We should at least try to solve the riddle.”  Zariah insisted, gesturing to the script inscribed in vertical lines on the stone door.

Gia raised her hands.  “Guys, team effort okay.  Let’s see what the script says then go from there.”  She compromised.

Zion sighed while Zariah pumped a fist in the air in triumph.

Kai scanned the script while Ryu did the same with his screen.

Notice.

The script on the door reads:

Roots grow deep but not a tree, wisdom and might granted to me.

“Interesting, a riddle right off the bat and we haven’t even entered the tower.”  Kai mused, completing his scan.

Gia scanned the lines.  “That refers to the God of craft, Ptah.”  She murmured, touching the script.  

“He was known for metalwork, cause of earthquakes and patron of artisans.”  Ryu helpfully added, scanning his stat screen.

Zion scratched his chin before his face brightened and he pulled his axe back.  Before anyone could stop him, he struck the door.  

“Brother, you need to use your other muscle sometimes.”  Zariah muttered, uncovering her ears as the sound died down.

Zion grinned, balancing the axe on his shoulder.  “Oh but I am, dear sister.  Watch.”  He promised.

Everyone turned to the door, waiting, and a few moments later, there was a rumbling and the door groaned open.  A gust of wind passed through, causing everyone to cough before the dust settled and the door stopped moving and there was a wide entryway before them.

“I got the idea from Ryu.  He mentioned metalwork.”  Zion explained, pointing to his axe.  “I figured Ptah would appreciate this handiwork from Anubis.”

Everyone just shook their heads and entered the tower.  Ryu turned back to see the little ones stay at the doorway.

“Are you coming?”

Po covered his face with his paw while Mu barked. She sat beside her brother and glanced at him with an expectant look.

“I guess this is as far as you guys can go.  It’s another God’s domain after all.”  Ryu came back out and removed a tracker from one of his pockets.  

“I’ll leave this with you guys.  We’ll be back.”  He promised.

Mu nudged him with her nose while Po licked at his fingers.  He patted each of them.  “We’ll be alright.  You stay safe, okay?”

Without another word, he walked back through the door and it shut behind him.

When Ryu left, Po and Mu looked at each other with a small whine and stared back at the door.

Once he caught up with the others, Ryu stopped and glanced at what everyone else was looking at.  Instead of the usual main chamber with the stone that hinted at the path, Ryu saw nothing but endless desert and a large pyramid up ahead.

“Well, here goes nothing.”  Kai murmured, gesturing for everyone to ready themselves.

Zion tightened the axe he re-attached to his back while Zariah touched her bow.

Only a few minutes into their trek towards the pyramid, the ground began to shake.  

“Everyone make a run for it!”  Kai shouted, already running towards the pyramid.  The others picked up their pace, feeling the ground tremble even more.

Ryu looked quickly over his shoulder and saw that the ground was beginning to separate, as if there was an earthquake.  He pushed himself to catch up to the others, narrowly avoiding a sudden crack that opened up in front of him.

With a last push, the group just made it in time within the front area of the pyramid before the ground completely collapsed and it was nothing but an abyss before them.

“Well, that’s concerning.”  Kai mused, helping Ryu up while the others brushed the sand off of them.

“Let’s just keep going and hope there’s a way back somewhere in the pyramid.”  Gia added, with the siblings already walking ahead and checking the fallen pillars and crumbling statues.

Ryu was the last in the group but he froze when he a breeze suddenly picked up and called out his name.

Ryu, save us.