"Do not look through your visor until you detect breathable air." One of the two humorists in charge of sustaining the otherworld pool had warned him. "Do not even open your eyes. We cannot afford to risk losing a vitalist of your quality, Opirogius."

Then, the two of them had extended their soul-dew as one. It was mirror-shining all throughout, but as the pool-keepers harmonized their dew and bent it towards the the alien magic of the otherworld serpent, the reflection in its surface subtly deranged. Opero couldn't pinpoint any particular difference in the image, but taken as a whole, the reflection seemed somehow darker, as if the world it showed lacked some essential brightness that did not come from any particular source. There was something frightful about it, but he had faced much greater fear before, and it did not shake him.

After some hours, the pool is ready for submersion. Opero gets into position, darkens the visor of his dew-armor, closes his eyes, and takes the plunge. Given the warnings, he expects some sensation, as though there should be something which he is choosing not to see, or at least that there is some time passing between his submersion and his arrival in the otherworldly destination. There is not. One moment, he is plummeting downwards through the pool's surface, and the next he lands deftly on solid ground. A soft wind caresses his armor, and he can taste the vitality of the air. He is safely on the other side. He is not sure what to expect to see, but he will soon find out, as he lightens his visor and assesses his landing.