The journey across the temporal rift lasted nothing more than the blink of an eye. An instant earlier, Shirei, Ada, and Havel had been surrounded by the ruins of the abandoned hospital, with the demigods of the Daffodil Academy waiting. The next moment, the three demigods found themselves catapulted into an empty and silent room. They were still in the hospital, that was for sure, but something was unusual.

The place where they had reappeared was bare and austere, with faded white walls that seemed to absorb the light rather than reflect it. A single wrought-iron bed, stripped of sheets, occupied one corner, while a worn-looking wardrobe stood against the opposite wall. A tall, narrow window let in a ray of dusty sunlight, illuminating the particles suspended in the still air. The smell of disinfectant and medicine permeated the room, mixing with an undercurrent of mold.

Shirei was the first to move, his bright purple eyes scanning his surroundings carefully, looking for possible threats. His black hair swayed slightly as he turned to check on his companions. Ada was already in a defensive position, her hands ready to draw the twin swords from her belt. Havel ran a hand over the scar along his cheekbone, a gesture that had become habitual in recent years.

"Are you okay?" Shirei asked, his voice low and calm as always.

Ada nodded, relaxing her posture. “Yes, everything seems to have gone well. What about you, Havel?”

The blonde demigod rolled his shoulders, testing his movements. “Everything's fine, but less turbulent than the spectral travel through the Interworld.”

Shirei approached the window, cautiously observing the outside. The view was that of a early twentieth-century hospital courtyard, with bare trees and a peaceful atmosphere.

“We're inside the temporal rift, there's no doubt about it,” he murmured.

Ada joined him, her keen gaze analyzing the details of the landscape. “This is the past, this must be the day the rift was created.”

Havel, impatient as ever, walked to the closet and opened it with a creak. "Well, now that we know where we are, we need to come up with a plan. Purple, we're in your hands."

Shirei turned to his companions.

“Our goal has not changed. Reno explained that in order to destroy the rift, we must find the magical object that serves as an anchor for this place. Once we find it, we'll steal it and make the fault collapse on itself."

Ada crossed her arms, her mind already working on strategies. “The idea seems easy, but how are we going to get out of here?”

“Not to mention that we have no idea what we're looking for,” Havel added.

Shirei closed his eyes for a moment, concentrating. He could feel Reno's presence. His tenebrae was sending him the necessary information.

“The anchor could be anything,” he said finally. “An object or even a person. We need to explore this hospital and gather as much information as possible.”

Ada nodded. “We'll have to blend in. We can't go around dressed like that, we would attract too much attention.”

After a few seconds, Cragar's son added, “Reno says the entrance to the rift should be somewhere in this room.”

Havel grinned, pointing to the open closet. “Well, it seems that Fate is on our side today. Look what I found."

Inside the closet, hanging neatly, were several patient gowns from the time. Ada and Shirei approached, then Rutia's daughter moved the clothing to the side and revealed a blue light.

“And not only…”

It was the portal that led to the other side of the rift, into the mortal world. Ada swallowed, “We're in our own Narnia, it seems.”

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The three demigods exchanged a knowing look.

Shirei touched his pale hands to the hanging gowns. With a nod of his head, he indicated his companions to come closer.

"These should be enough, you can hide your weapons underneath," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Ada took one of the gowns, examining it carefully. The fabric was rough and worn, but it looked clean. "It's not exactly the latest fashion," she commented with a slight smile.

Havel grabbed his, grimacing. “I just hope it didn't belong to a wrinkled old man.”

Shirei gave his companion a warning look.

“What is it?”

The blond demigod rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes, I know. You think I'm going to cause some trouble, don't you?"

“Can you blame us?” Ada asked.

“I won't jeopardize our mission, don't worry.”

Shirei didn't seem very convinced, but didn't continue the conversation. As the two boys began to change, Ada stopped, suddenly realizing the situation.

Havel turned to look at her, “Hurry up, better than risk getting caught.”

Ada glared at him, “Don't you dare look in my direction.”

Shirei, ever respectful, immediately turned towards the wall. Havel, however, hesitated for a moment, his brown eyes lingering on Rutia's daughter. It was only when he noticed the girl's sharp gaze that he quickly turned around, a light blush on his cheeks.

Ada sighed, starting to peel off her light armor. The metal clinked as she carefully placed it back in the closet.

“Just for the record, I was referring to you, Havel,” she warned in a menacing voice.

Shirei remained still, respecting her partner's privacy, although she didn't fully understand what the problem was. Havel, on the other hand, couldn't resist the temptation. With an almost imperceptible movement, he turned his head, trying to capture an image of his companion.

It was a mistake.

The girl's fist hit him with the force of a mallet, making him slam against the wall and causing a dull thud. The noise echoed in the empty room, making Shirei jump.

“I warned you,” Ada hissed, gray eyes flashing with anger as she hurriedly put on her dress.

Havel rubbed his jaw and smiled. “You can look at me and I can't? I thought we were equals here.”

The demigoddess closed her eyes, “No. We're not. Don't ever dare again."

Shirei turned, observing the scene in an attempt to identify with the story. “I told you not to attract attention,” he said in a low voice, “We need to be more careful.”

Havel approached, "Do you think the hospital is so full of monsters?"

Ada, now completely dressed in her patient gown, nodded. “You're right, Shirei.”

The leader of the Equinox Flowers adjusted his gown with a smile. “I apologize too.”

“You're lying.”

Havel didn't answer, but he implied that Ada was right. The girl, however, was unaware of why Sidal's son had acted in this way. The anger of the moment was distracting her from any worries she might have about where they were.

Havel glanced at her, “Then don't tell me I'm not a good leader.”

Shirei looked at her companions, assessing the situation. Despite the accident, they seemed ready for the mission.

Ada approached the door and leaned close to hear the noises outside.

“Good, now that we're all…presentable, we can go gather information.”

Havel joined her, “We should split up. Ada, I'm coming with you, Shirei, search the ground floor. Observe, listen, but don't attract attention."

Cragar's son nodded, "I will send you a message through my tenebrae if anything happens."

The three demigods looked at each other, then Havel concluded, "We will meet again here as soon as the Sun has set."

With a deep breath, Ada opened the door, and the three demigods immersed themselves in the semi-unknown and potentially dangerous place of the psychiatric hospital, unaware of the dark secret that was kept in that place.

The three demigods separated as soon as they crossed the threshold of the room, taking a different direction through the hospital corridors. Havel immediately approached Ada, who hid her hands so as not to show their trembling. The air was thick with unpleasant odors: a mixture of disinfectant, stench and ointment that seemed to permeate the walls.

Shirei moved silently, like a ghost among men. His violet eyes scrutinized every corner, every crack in the yellowed walls. He watched the staff move hastily, noting their shifty glances and tense expressions. There was something unsaid, hidden, meandering beneath the surface of that apparent normality.

Cragar's son did as he was told, going down to the base floor. In a secluded corridor, he noticed a group of nurses chatting among themselves, casting glances around to ensure they weren't overheard. He approached cautiously, pretending to be interested in a painting hanging on the wall.

The workers looked at him, but seemed to ignore him in the end,

"...tonight, in the basement," one of them whispered, his voice full of nervousness.

“Shh! Not here!” another hushed him, looking at the demigod with a certain paranoia.

Shirei memorized their faces, deciding to follow them later.

There's something in the basement, then.

Meanwhile, Ada and Havel had made their way to the more populated area of the hospital. Rutia's daughter moved among patients and staff, listening to snippets of conversations and observing interactions. As soon as they walked through the door of that room, Ada had changed dramatically. Her pace had slowed, her gaze lost in memories. She noticed how some patients seemed strangely docile, almost in a trance, while others showed signs of increasing agitation. She breathed to calm herself.

It’s the same as…