I stop and turn, my gaze locked on the portal Vermidia disappeared through.

"We could go back," I say quietly, the words heavy in the air. "Right here, right now. That portal... it leads home."

Alyse steps closer, her voice filled with cautious hope. "We could?"

Keegan shakes his head, his expression resolute. "What about us? Come on, you all said it yourselves—you're here for a reason. And we were born here for a reason." He motions to Dylan and Kat, his voice unwavering.

Hail crosses his arms, his tone sharp but understanding. "He's right. Red, we can't just leave Earth. Vermidia escaped back here through the other portal—you saw it. If we leave now, we're giving her free reign to destroy this world."

"But..." I start, my voice faltering as the weight of it all crashes down.

"I want to go back too, Red," Alyse says, her tone soft yet firm. "But we can't abandon Earth. Naurus... it's a gamble. It might already be gone. But Earth? Earth is still here, and it's in danger now."

Her words hit me like a punch to the chest, but I know she's right. I nod slowly, forcing myself to step away from the portal.

The others gather around me, placing their hands on my shoulders in quiet solidarity. I feel their support, their willingness to share the burden I carry.

Dylan, as usual, breaks the silence. "Alright, let's go. I need a nap."

Keegan groans. "Seriously? Time and place, dude."

Laughter bubbles up despite the tension, a moment of levity in the chaos. Together, we turn and head toward the other portal, the one Vermidia escaped through.

Somewhere in this world, she's out there, and we're going to find her.

As we step through the swirling light, we reappear in the Bridge Lab. The portal behind us flickers and shuts down, its broken frame glowing and then fading until it's lifeless once more.

"I'll keep working on it," Kylen says, stepping forward with determination. "I promise, once we've dealt with this, we'll find a way back to Naurus."

I nod, offering a faint smile. "Thanks, Kylen."

He gives me a reassuring look before walking off with the others, leaving Hail and I alone in the dim lab.

Hail stands in front of the dormant portal, his eyes fixed on its dark frame. "You knew it was her, didn't you? Vermidia. Just from her voice."

I take a breath, the memory surfacing like a storm. "She was in my head once. The day I went to save Alyse from Udis."

He nods, his gaze still distant. "So you know what we're up against. The kind of power she wields."

I nod. "Domnik talked about her a lot. And he told me what she did to you."

Hail turns to face me, his expression unreadable behind his mask, but his eyes betray the pain. "She took my sister's life." His voice is quiet, but the words cut deep.

"And you destroyed Zenot," I say gently. "That's why you don't think you can lead us."

His shoulders tense, and he looks away. "I can't lead. But I've seen what you can do, Red. They fear you—Vermidia, the Daem, all of them. They'll keep coming for you, no matter what. And I'll be there to protect you, with everything I have."

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His voice hardens, the anger and grief bubbling to the surface. "But when the day comes, when we face Vermidia... promise me we do it together, no matter what. And promise me, you'll let me have the final blow."

I meet his gaze, unwavering. "I promise."

"Good." He nods, his voice steady but laced with a deep, unshakable resolve.

———Keegan———

Red and Hail step out of the lab into the open field where the rest of us are waiting, the tension still thick in the air.

I speak first, unable to hold back my curiosity. "So, who was the other Daem? The one with Ogre and Vermidia?"

Hail glances at me, his tone clipped but calm. "Ogre called him Mathias."

I nod, the name rolling over in my mind.

"Mathias?" Kylen steps forward, his brow furrowed. "Have you heard that name before?"

Hail shakes his head. "Never. But we know he's been stealing tech from Smith Inc. and passing it along to Vermidia. Red thinks he might be M.V."

Kat exhales sharply and runs a hand over her forehead. "Phew, at least that mystery's solved."

"Is it?" Dylan asks. "What happened to him after their little chat?"

"Vanished," Hail replies. "into thin air. Guess it's a story for another day."

I frown. "Wrapped up a little too neatly, if you ask me."

"Exactly," Hail says, his voice laced with caution. "Which means we can't let our guard down."

Red steps forward, his gaze scanning the group. "Vermidia is still out there. She's not like the other Daem. She's calculating, always ten steps ahead. And after today, I know you three—" he looks to Dylan, Kat, and I— "have gotten tangled up in this mess. If you want out, no one will blame you. But I'll say this—we need all the help we can get."

Dylan grins, his hands on his hips. "Out? Nah, I'm here for it."

Kat smirks. "Well, what the hell, might as well stick around."

I chuckle, crossing my arms. "If it means I don't have to go back to school, count me in."

"School?" Dylan suddenly shouts, his eyes wide. "Oh fuck! I forgot about that! Wait, I need to call my mom. She probably thinks I'm dead!"

I laugh and give him a nudge. "Yeah, might be a good idea."

Alyse steps forward, her smile warm and welcoming. "Then it's settled. Welcome to the team."

Unknown Space

———Vermidia———

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Jean?"

I recline on my throne in the great hall, the dim light casting elongated shadows across the obsidian walls of my realm.

Jean's smile is polite, though her eyes gleam with something sharper as she surveys the room. "I must say, Vermidia, I love what you've done with the place. Building a pocket dimension outside of your universe, though? The old me would've had to punish you for such insolence."

"And yet here you are, seeking my help," I reply, my tone icy.

She inclines her head slightly. "The Smith boy. He's more dangerous than I anticipated. He killed one of my own and nearly wiped out the rest." Her gaze drifts again, trailing over the dark, vaulted ceilings. "I've come with an offer."

I arch a brow, feigning interest. "And what would that be?"

"Kill the boy. Put an end to this uprising, and I will ensure the Court remains... uninvolved in your future endeavors."

I rise from my throne slowly, savoring the weight of the moment as my boots echo against the stone floor. "Deal. But heed my words, Jean—if you ever step foot in these halls again, it will be your last."

Her smile doesn't falter, though I catch the faintest flicker of tension in her eyes. "Very well."

As she turns to leave, I raise a hand, summoning an item from the shadows. "Oh, one more thing. I believe you've been searching for this."

I hold up the Navigating the Nexus, its dark cover gleaming faintly in the ambient light.

Jean's eyes widen in shock, her composure slipping for the first time. "Where did you find that?"

A smirk tugs at my lips. "It was left at the convergence point. Hail Magnus had it, but it seems he dropped it when he fled through the portal—your portal, if I'm not mistaken."

She takes the book gingerly, her fingers tightening around it as though she fears it might vanish. "Then I suggest you act quickly. It seems they're on your trail."

"Perhaps," I say, my voice dripping with disdain. "And no thanks to you."

Jean chuckles softly, stepping back into the shadows. "Have fun with those kids, Vermidia."

With a whisper of displaced air, she vanishes, leaving me alone in the echoing silence of my great hall.

I roll my eyes. "What an ass."

Turning toward the corridor on my right, I stride into the adjacent chamber. The room hums with energy, its centerpiece dominated by a massive tube filled with a viscous, glowing fluid. Inside, Domnik's suspended form lies still, his features sharp even in his unnatural state.

With a wave of my hand, the fluid drains away, hissing as it disappears into hidden channels. The chamber door hisses open, and Domnik collapses to his knees, his body trembling as he draws in his first breath in what must feel like eternity.

I step closer, my voice low but commanding. "Arise, my champion. We have work to do."

His eyes snap open, swirling with the dark purple energy of my power. His trembling stops, replaced by an unnatural stillness as he rises to his feet, his presence sharp and lethal.

A cruel smile spreads across my face. "It's time we reminded the Scarlet Phoenix why he should fear the dark."