Paultin felt like his lungs were on fire as he ran through the portal. Whatever was on the other side had to be better than the sure death that was on his heels. If there was one thing he'd learned about his magic, it was that it took him where he was supposed to be, even if he didn't like it. By the time the portal closed, he was shaking. Not out of fear of those after him so much, as the energy expended from opening the portal in the first place. It was exhausting. Especially to do it so quickly.
Looking around, he tried to stay in the shadows of crumbling buildings, out of sight. He needed to get a feel for here, and maybe even when, he was. He would need to lay low if he wanted to build up the energy to get back home, but at least by then, the other Vistani would likely be searching another plane, knowing he'd left the one he called home.
Something within his magic tugged at him, gaining his attention as his eyes scanned the people here and there. They looked to be workers cleaning up rubble. His dark gaze landed on an all too familiar face.
"Huh....Well fuck," he mumbled, drinking in the doppleganger before him. This wasn't his first experience with one by any means. His papa was even one..... Sort of.
It seemed the universes really likes to reuse faces.
"Hey.... Excuse me, I really don't wanna freak you out, but I uh....can you maybe tell me where I am?" He asked quietly as he approached, wondering whether or not this one could be trusted.
Niel paused and looked up at the sky. At least it wasn't raining, not yet. The area showed signs of the relentless rain showers that had been rolling through the area for the last three days and though it had done wonders to knock down the dust, it hadn't made their jobs any easier as they continued to move the rubble. But the pay was decent… full hours for work. It was no wonder that so many people were onsite, but unfortunately for them, the work was grueling so many did not last the first day and there were at least three people who had died on the third day.
Niel wondered if he might be one of them soon. Like a few of the others, Niel had slept onsite, taking only an hour or so for sleep before resuming work. Even eating had been done while working except for the few times he couldn't and the more he did that, the more his hours were spent.
The question caught him off guard more than seeing someone who looked like him. He drew in a breath as he glanced Paultin over.
"You're at the future location of Glamora Casino. It'll host one of the larger casinos in the area and a reasonably affordable but very nice hotel. These buildings are in the process of being demolished for construction. If you've come off-world seeking it, it's going to be another four months before it's fully operational."
Niel moved back to his rubble that he was moving, trying very hard to ignore the injury on his arm as it protested the continuous move. He absolutely deserved to be here. Niel had betrayed the COI by not helping them get to Simon's beautiful planet of Subnautica. While most had fled this hell hole, Niel had been held here by the one faction that remained and here he was going to die.
"I know you're an off-worlder and I, I just think if you don't want to get trapped here… run. Get out of here. You look just like me and I don't want you to end up stuck here."
