Aldin stepped out of the portal, the Inferno house standing tall and familiar before him. Yet, the scene was starkly different from the desolation he had left behind. The yard, once silent and empty, buzzed with life—children’s laughter filled the air as they played, and gardeners tended to the lush greenery. It was late in the day, but the sunlight still flitted around playfully on the face of the house. This can’t be right. Aldin’s mind reeled. The quiet void had transformed into a vibrant tableau, a surreal shift that set his nerves on edge.

He hurried up the porch steps and through the front door, propelled by a mix of confusion and urgency. The kitchen was alive with the mundane—Luna stood there, washing dishes, her hands covered in soap bubbles. Delphine and Melissa, however, were conspicuously absent.

“Aldin! You just disappeared on us. You’ve missed Delphine’s famous apple pie,” Luna said, her tone light and carefree, unaware of the storm brewing in Aldin’s head.

“Disappeared? But I’ve been… Where was everyone?” The words tumbled out of him, laced with a barely contained panic.

“We’ve been here. Where else would we go?” Luna replied, pausing mid-scrub to give him a puzzled look.

“Are you okay? You’re pale as a ghost,” she added, concern creeping into her voice.

Aldin locked eyes with her, his brow furrowed, the weight of his recent experiences etched into his face.

“What happened?” Luna asked, sensing the gravity of the situation.

Aldin spilled his story, his voice a mix of bewilderment and fear. Luna listened intently, her expression growing more worried with each word.

“Does my mom know any of this?” she inquired after he finished.

“No, you’re the first person I’ve talked to.”

“Then we need to hit the books. The library might have some clues on how Corthus pulled that off. I’ve got a theory, but let’s get some proof.”

“Don’t we need to tell Melissa and Delphine? They ought to know what’s going on,” Aldin argued.

“We’ll tell them, sure. But first, don’t you want to get to the bottom of this?”

He nodded, the thirst for understanding pushing aside his reservations.

“Alright, let’s go,” she said with a decisive nod, leading the way.

In the library, Aldin watched Luna disappear between rows of ancient books. He sat down at a table in the center, surrounded by volumes that held secrets of magic beyond his wildest dreams.

While waiting, a woman in a deep red robe passed by, herding a group of children. Her face was half-hidden, but their eyes met for a fleeting moment—a silent acknowledgment passed between them. She offered a small smile, then turned away, herding the children through a door on the far side of the room.

Luna returned, her face bright with an epiphany.

“It’s got to be a pocket dimension. That’s the only thing that makes sense,” she exclaimed, her voice resonating in the quiet of the library.

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Aldin’s question lingered, tinged with confusion and an unsettling sense of familiarity with the woman he had glimpsed.

“Pocket dimensions,” Luna explained with a somber edge to her voice, “are hidden slices of space, stitched into the very fabric of our world yet separate from it. They’re refuges for secrets, traps for foes, existing in the liminal spaces between here and nowhere. They’re places out of sync with time and reality, usually filled with puzzles meant to bewilder.”

Aldin recalled the stillness he’d experienced. “It felt like time had stopped. And the silence outside… it was as if the whole world was holding its breath.”

“That’s exactly what it’s meant to do,” Luna said softly. “It’s a magician’s ruse, meant to lead you off course, a shadowy figure pulling the strings from afar.”

“From what I’ve learned so far, that’s exactly what Corthus does. Damn it! Why does it feel like I’m just following along with his plan?”

Just then, the library doors flew open with a crash. Delphine stormed in, her anger radiating off her like heat. “Where are they?” she demanded.

Aldin, taken aback, responded, “Who are you talking about?”

“The children!” Delphine’s face was flushed with fury.

“Why would I know where they are? They just walked through here with one of your witches,” Aldin replied, his voice steady despite the accusation.

Delphine’s suspicion was relentless. “How convenient that you show up just as they disappear!”

Melissa stepped in, her voice a soothing balm. “That’s enough, Delphine. Aldin’s presence doesn’t imply guilt.”

Delphine, still seething, demanded the direction the children had gone. Aldin pointed them to the hallway, and the two women rushed off, with Aldin and Luna close behind.

The hallway stretched ahead, its walls adorned with faded tapestries and flickering sconces. But as they advanced, it seemed to defy logic. The corridor elongated, twisting like a serpent, and the air grew colder, laden with an otherworldly chill. No doors interrupted its monotony, no windows offered glimpses of the outside world. It was as if they traversed a corridor within a corridor, a labyrinth of uncertainty.

Melissa, her brow furrowed, scanned the walls. Her fingers brushed against ancient runes etched into the stone. “This isn’t natural,” she murmured. “It’s a construct—a...”

“…Pocket dimension?” Luna finished.

“Yes. I believe it is.” Melissa stated. She gave Luna a look of pride.

“They went this way? Are you sure?” Delphine pressed, her eyes still narrowed in suspicion.

“Yes, I’m sure,” Aldin replied, his hands up in a gesture of innocence. “Why would I take the children?”

Delphine’s anger began to wane, especially as Melissa pointed out the runes, their silent words confirming Aldin’s innocence. “There’s a message here in the scrit.” She spoke. The tension in the room dissipated, but the mystery of the missing children loomed larger, casting a long shadow over them all.

Delphine’s hands shook as she touched the cryptic message, her voice barely above a murmur:

Attention,

The children will be given back on one condition. The sorcerer is to meet me alone at the foot of Copper Mountain when the hour arrives. Bring others, and the children will pay the price. Do not be late.

C

“Who’s ‘C’?” Delphine muttered, swiping her hand down the wall in frustration.

“Corthus, I knew I should just go at him alone. I’m sorry this is happening, but I’ll fix it.” He turned to leave, and Luna grabbed him by the shoulder. “You’re not going by yourself, Aldin,” Luna said, her concern evident in the soft glow of the hall light.

“He’s not. We…” Melissa started to protest.

“This isn’t up to you,” Aldin replied, his tone leaving no room for argument.

“You can’t go alone.” Luna said.

“The note says otherwise.”

“You’re actually considering it?”

“It’s clear Corthus is threatening their lives. Is it worth the risk to ignore that?” he asked.

“I understand, Aldin, but we can’t let you do this. Not alone at least. We have more experience in magic than you. You don’t think we’d let you go off on your own, do you?”

“I… Fine.” He relented.

“We’ll use Luna’s illusion magic to hide ourselves. Corthus won’t detect us. Once we spot the children, we’ll come up with a strategy to overpower this adversary and take him to the Magic Council.”

“It’s not a bad idea,” Delphine admitted.

Luna looked at her mother, surprised.

“What’s wrong?” asked Melissa.

“You’ve always kept me away from danger. What’s different now?”

Melissa sighed. “Nothing’s different. The children are in danger, and I believe in your ability to help.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“Of course, dear.” Melissa glanced at Aldin, giving a silent nod of approval before hugging Luna.