With a simple nod, Michael let Sir Edward know he was ready.
"Perfect," Sir Edward said. "Then you and Alice will leave immediately. The place you're headed to is called The Wound Between Realms, and, conveniently, it lies right beneath us, in the orphanage catacombs."
Daniel blinked. "Wait, seriously? It's here? I thought it'd be… I don't know, more mystic. Hidden. Secured."
Sir Edward let out a booming laugh. "It isn't in another world. It's right beneath our feet, behind sealed veils, buried in folds of the world most never learn to see. Only a few can access the path. Alice is one of them. That's why it's secure."
Alice crossed her arms, clearly pleased with herself.
"It's more of an entrance than a gate," she added. "Once we cross over, we'll appear near the end of the dungeon, right by the 'Boss Room'. That's why I'm here. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve, and I can handle whatever's waiting."
"Boss room?" Michael asked, intrigued. "And… monsters?"
Sir Edward gave Alice a weary look, then nodded. "Yes. The other realm has its own ecosystem. The energy there is raw, chaotic and can mutates things. Animals change. New species are born. Most aren't friendly."
"So… like in fantasy books?" Mia chimed in. "Dragons, phoenixes, unicorns?"
Alice chuckled. Sir Edward coughed.
"Well… yes. But those are very rare. We're talking more goblins, hobgoblins, chimeras… the nastier things. Things with too many teeth and not enough fear."
Michael glanced at Alice again, eyes steady.
"Well then," he said. "I'm ready. We can leave whenever you are."
Alice smirked, slinging a pack over her shoulder.
"That's what I like to hear. But first…" she tilted her head playfully, "I'd like to spar. Just to see where you're at and whether I need to double my fee to the old ma—"
She didn't finish.
In a blink, a hand pressed lightly to her neck. A gust of wind followed, whipping her hair and cloak. Mana shimmered faintly in the air, crackling like charged dust.
Alice froze.
Mia gasped sharply. Daniel's eyes went wide.
"Holy sh—" he whispered, trailing off as he instinctively took a step closer to Mia, half-protective, half-stunned.
The three of them had seen Michael move before, but this was different. Faster. Colder. Controlled.
Alice turned her head slowly, not toward Michael, but toward Sir Edward. Then she laughed, short and sharp.
"Well," she said, grinning, "I really didn't see that coming."
She pivoted to face Michael, her eyes narrowing, gaze sharpening like a blade honed midair.
Michael held her gaze for a beat longer than he should have. Then something in her look shifted with feral, focused. He shuddered, his spine tightening. Reflexively, he stepped back.
She is not simple at all, he thought.
Alice's grin widened.
"That's better," she said. "You pass. You really surprised me."
Her eyes narrowed again, reassessing him with new found clarity.
Mia, still tense, let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"Did… anyone else just feel really cold for a second?" she whispered.
Daniel didn't respond. His jaw was slack, but his eyes were locked on Michael.
"That wasn't sparring," he muttered. "That was a statement."
From the side of the room, Sir Edward chuckled softly.
"Careful, Alice," he said dryly. "You asked for a peek, not a demonstration."
Alice's grin didn't fade. She leaned in just a touch and murmured, barely audible,
"How sad…"
Then, louder—turning to face the trio—she added with mock cheer,
"But hold on, Edward. You told me there'd be one miraculous boy. I see three. That's a lot of miracle for one huntress. If you expect me to babysit all of them, I might need a little bonus."
She rubbed her fingers together in a universal money gesture.
Sir Edward's voice was steady. "I know what I said. Only Michael is going this time. The other two will join him eventually—once they're ready."
"You mean if they survive the training," Alice muttered with a sigh, then under her breath:
'Poor kids… They don't even know he's the devil wrapped in tweed.'
She glanced at Edward—and instantly regretted it. His stare hit like a memory. Her body stiffened, a flicker of old reflex and forgotten bruises flashing across her spine.
PTSD unlocked, she thought grimly.
Michael shifted his pack onto his shoulder and turned to Daniel and Mia.
"Well… catch you guys later. Try not to miss me too much while I'm gone."
Daniel gave a snort and waved him off.
"Yeah, I liked you better when you were mute."
He smirked and walked away, but not without a glance back, longer than it needed to be.
Mia stayed behind, fidgeting with her hands. Then, with a sudden burst of courage, she stepped forward, gave Michael a quick hug, and whispered,
"I'll meet you there, Michael. Be careful."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and bolted after Daniel, her face pink.
Michael watched them disappear down the hall.
Then he turned to Alice, voice calm and steady:
"Whenever you're ready."
As Sir Edward prepared to lead them downstairs toward the catacombs, a small crystal in his desk began to vibrate, its faint hum unnoticed by anyone in the room.
The three of them moved through the orphanage in silence. Workers paused to watch them pass, and children peeked out from corners and stairwells, eyes glassy with unshed tears. Whispers followed their footsteps, soft and heavy, like prayers.
No one spoke.
They continued on until they reached the storage warehouse at the edge of the propertydusty, dimly lit, and echoing with old air. At the far wall, Sir Edward stopped.
He reached into his coat and retrieved a smooth, colorless orb, faintly translucent, like a pearl trapped in glass. Without a word, he pressed it against the center of the wall.
The orb pulsed once… then dimmed, its glow extinguished.
A low rumble vibrated through the floor.
The wall groaned, stone grinding against stone, as a hidden seam cracked open. Dust spilled like smoke from the edges as the passage revealed itself, stairs spiraling downward into shadow.
Sir Edward turned to them, his expression somber now, gaze steady.
"This is where I leave you," he said. "Alice, take care of Michael."
She gave a casual salute, but her eyes were sharp.
Edward turned to Michael, his voice lowering.
"Michael, listen to her. Don't argue. This path is dangerous, and far less forgiving than anything you've faced before."
He paused, a flicker of something almost paternal in his expression.
"I wish you a safe trip."
Then, without another word, he stepped back, leaving the portal open behind them, and the weight of the journey ahead pressing into the silence.