The Sisterhood of Ravendrift resided in a spindly edifice that seemed to challenge the skies with its lone, piercing tower. Its circular windows stared out like an unblinking row of eyes, giving the impression that the building itself was sentient. Its courtyard was a stark anomaly—a barren stretch of pebbles, void of any flora. For a coven of witches, the absence of nature struck Nord as odd.

The gate squealed its protest as she nudged it open and stepped onto the property. Her boots crunched over the pebbles, each step announcing her approach before she rapped sharply on the door.

It swung open, revealing a young woman whose eyes widened at the sight of Nord. The air thrummed with the weight of surprise, unspoken yet deeply felt.

"Your sisters around?" Nord cut to the chase, skipping any social niceties.

"Um, yes, please, come in," the youngest stammered, stepping aside to let her enter.

No sooner had Nord crossed the threshold than the rest of the sisters materialized from various nooks and crannies of the labyrinthine house. Each face registered varying degrees of surprise and deep concern.

She could almost hear the wheels turning in their heads, the assumptions clicking into place. They must've thought she was here to reclaim the painting and, in the process, reclaim their magic. They couldn't be more wrong. And that realization seemed to dawn on them, one by one, as they looked at her—not with fear, but with a newfound curiosity.

"So, what brings you here, Nord?" asked the eldest, breaking the silence.

"I assume it's the painting."

Nord smiled. "You'd be wrong, very wrong. I've got something else in mind. Something that might interest you all."

And just like that, the atmosphere shifted. The Sisterhood of Ravendrift suddenly seemed less like an impenetrable fortress and more like a place of potent possibilities.

"What else could you want from us?" asked another Ashley.

Nord let her gaze drift across each sister, letting the weight of her words settle in the room like a spell. "What would you say if I could teach you girls how to travel the stars?"

The eldest sister raised an eyebrow and motioned to one of her siblings. "Ashley, get the tea ready. Cupcakes too. Anything else you'd fancy, Nord, I mean, Miss Morningstar?"

"We'll we go with her?" the youngest Ashley piped up.

"Of course not!" Another Ashley shot back, almost reflexively, as if the idea were preposterous.

"Why would you even consider going to an unknown world?" the eldest Ashley questioned, her tone bordering on accusatory.

The youngest Ashley met her sister's gaze undeterred. "Well, if this person is sick and needs medical care, she might also need emotional support. Someone to vouch for her. If Miss Morningstar is sending her away because our world isn't equipped to handle her situation, it's likely that she won't be in any condition to advocate for herself."

The room fell silent for a moment as everyone considered her words. Of all the sisters, the youngest Ashley, had consistently shown the most wisdom and empathy. And now, in her earnest expression, Nord could see that indomitable thirst for adventure, something that was conspicuously absent in her siblings.

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Nord leaned back in her chair, locking eyes with the youngest. "That's a very thoughtful point, Ashley. However, it's not just about medical facilities. There are things that are completely different, laws and cultural norms in my world that can be... difficult to navigate. And given the circumstances, I can't guarantee your safety or even your happiness."

The eldest Ashley looked at her youngest sister, as if silently asking her to reconsider. But the look in the young Ashley's eyes remained unchanged, yet touched by a sliver of youthful naiveté.

"Then teach me," the youngest said resolutely. "Teach me how to navigate your world, how to deal with its rules and things I don't know. Teach me so that I can be of help."

Nord felt a smile tugging at her lips. She was reminded of herself at that age—the same burning desire to step beyond the familiar, to face the unknown regardless of the risks involved. The same passion when she summoned a demon with the promise to destroy the Hollow no matter what.

"If you're willing to learn, I'm willing to teach," she said softly, "but you should know that this won't be a journey for the faint of heart."

The youngest Ashley looked at her sisters, who were wearing expressions that hovered between doubt and reluctant acceptance, before turning back to Nord. "I understand the risks. And I'm still willing to go."

Nord's eyes narrowed, her mind racing as she weighed the unforeseen complication. "If time weren't an issue, I'd be more than willing to guide you through this... but as it stands, time is precisely what we don't have. I don't have."

She could see the youngest Ashley's spirit wane, the fervour in her eyes dimming like a star eclipsed by an unforeseen body.

"My world operates on different principles," Nord continued. "It runs on complicated laws and technology, not magic. You'd have to understand various religions' beliefs and navigate and understand ongoing unreasonable wars. Earth is a colossal maze, ten times more complex and vast than Nyu. And the divisions between humans are... stupidly disturbing, to say the least."

The youngest Ashley looked at Nord, her eyes alight with a glimmer of hope. "I can learn," she insisted.

"Listen, Ashley," Nord said, her voice softer now. "You're brave and eager, qualities I admire. But bravery and eagerness are sometimes not enough. What you'll encounter on Earth will require more than just a quick primer. It would be reckless for me to put you in that position, especially when I can't be there to guide you."

A heavy silence enveloped the room, each sister absorbing the gravity of Nord's words.

"I won't forget this, though," Nord finally added, "and who knows, maybe someday conditions will be right for you to venture beyond Nyu. But for now, our focus must remain on the task at hand."

The youngest Ashley nodded, "But you would know people who could guide me... wouldn't you?"

The tension in the room rose to a palpable level as the eldest Ashley nearly shouted, her face flushed with anger. "Will you stop! And make this about you! Miss Morningstar is here to teach us the ritual, and all you're thinking about is a new adventure: abandoning your sisters! How selfish can you be?"

Another sister chimed in, her voice tinged with betrayal. "You'd leave us behind?"

The youngest Ashley visibly shrank into herself, stung by her sisters' accusations. Her shoulders slumped, and for a fleeting moment, she looked incredibly small and vulnerable on the couch.

Nord sensed the awkward heaviness in the room, the uncomfortable weight of boiling feelings that suddenly clouded the air. Quietly, almost as if trying to imprint the action with a sense of intimacy, she placed her hand over the youngest Ashley's hand.

"We'll talk about this later," she whispered, offering the young witch a look that mingled sympathy with an assurance of future possibilities.

The youngest Ashley looked up, meeting Nord's gaze. Though her eyes still held a flicker of disappointment, they also revealed a newfound sense of understanding, perhaps even maturity. In that brief exchange, a silent pact was made, leaving the promise of future discussions—and maybe even adventures—hanging in the air like the faint aroma of the herbal tea that still lingered in the room.

For now, however, it was clear that the priority lay in the task at hand, the delicate, time-sensitive mission that had initially brought Nord to the Sisters of Ravendrift. There is a spell to be taught, plans to be set in motion, and a Hollow to destroy.