Signals drifted along Sasha’s frame, her fur standing up as she felt them all flowing past. Like stepping into a veil of water but without being drenched. A sensation that felt odd at first, but that she wasn’t sure she could call unpleasant.

“Sasha?”

Her whiskers twitched, Sasha taking in everything around her. The moment they’d stepped through that non-legionmade portal, she knew they’d left any semblance of the reality she’d known for so long. And the world around her reflected as much. She marveled at the bright scenery in front of them.

Clouds of white stretched out over their heads, the vast expanse a hazy pink to look at. Before them were steps of fragmented stone creating floating paths that extended who knew where. But what really caught her attention were the whisps of translucent shapes she saw floating all over the place. Like formless blobs of water. Gabriella nudged her with her head.

“You okay?” she asked.

The panther nodded, her eyes closing as she observed it all. The signals which seemed to drift seamlessly in and out her body.

“Just…processing, I guess.”

Her eyes opened, Sasha spotting one of the whisps floating dangerously close.

But she didn’t sense any hostility from it. Or fear on her part. In fact, she reached out a hand to the shape.

A vision assaulted her within seconds.

The floating whisp took form, the blob becoming tall and growing limbs. It became what looked to be an elderly athian. How old she couldn’t quite say, but he was raising his hands through the air like a child playing bird. Or airplane as she’d found humans liked to call it.

Huh.

His eyes met hers for a second or two before the vision faded away, becoming a whisp once again. Sasha smiled, watching as the shape flew to who knew where.

These things. They’re…

Seeing so many others like it, it was finally starting to dawn on her where the portal had taken them.

“What is all this?” Gabriella asked.

Sasha reached out again, a second whisp turning into a much more youthful-looking human. Another became a child. Another, a woman with a scowl permanently across her face.

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Spirits. They’re all spirits, aren’t they? The memories of people who…

She found the smile falter a bit, the realization bringing one equally as depressing. But she didn’t let herself dwell on it for too long as she saw Gabriella looking at her with concern.

“Sasha?” she asked. “You okay?”

The panther put on a reassuring smile. Even if she was right, that didn’t mean all hope was lost. Not if her hunch was right on who’d brought them here in the first place. She used GT as a crutch to balance herself, a bit of strength returning so she could walk again.

“Sorry,” she said. “But to answer your question, I’m pretty sure we’re in that Spirit World place. Y’know, where all the dead go when they pass.”

Gabriella’s eyes widened.

“You mean…the Realm of the Gods?”

“Or spirits, I guess.”

She could just hear Cici’s voice in the back of her mind. A point which made her a little more concerned than she expected. What’s with this bad feeling? Cici. She came out of her thoughts to see Gabriella holding her hand.

“You don’t mind if I stay close, right?” she asked. “Papa and I don’t have the…best relationship with the dead.”

Sasha couldn’t help but smirk at that. Like she was any better. Half the monsters she’d kill would be gunning for her head assuming legionnaires got into the afterlife. Which she had no way of confirming or not. Sasha squeezed her friend’s hand.

“C’mon,” she said. “I should be strong enough to travel, but if we gotta fight spirits, let me borrow your blaster.”

“Like that’d work on something already dead.”

She could only shrug at that, leading the way ahead.

Though she had no idea what part of the Realm of the Gods she’d been brought to or even how they’d get out, her smile remained as they plunged ahead. Taking the floating steps before them. Moving past the spirits. Lingering close in the off-chance anything turned hostile.

Not that she felt like anything would.

In this place where everyone and everything was dead, she felt a sense of calm wash over her. Or maybe that was from all the signals coursing through her veins. Like she’d been bathed in them through some sacred ritual. But this was something she’d felt the minute she stepped through the portal.

It took her a few moments, but she finally managed to put a name to the feeling she had. The sensations flowing through her. Through GT. She’d never been to it physically, but it felt like she’d experienced it all before. Like she wasn’t just an unwelcome guest here. But someone coming home.

“You don’t think spirits hold grudges, do you?” Gabriella asked. “Feels like this place really wants me dead.”

“Really?” Sasha tilted her head at the human. “Is it that bad?”

Gabriella shivered. “It’s like a thousand eyes are watching us. I’m surprised you're so calm.”

Sasha shrugged. So it was just her that felt it, then? Sasha looked on ahead, trying not to let her mind wander too much.

“C’mon,” she said, picking up the pace. The floating stone trail looked to be leading further up into a longer floating trail that had more of the appearance of an island in the sky. Gabriella fell in step behind her as they climbed one stone at a time up to it.

“Any clue where this all leads, Sasha?”

The panther shook her head.

“Just got a feeling is all.”

She flexed her hand, the signals running through it. Even if her body still felt frail, the air seemed clearer to breathe in. Less constricting. And given the giant expanse ahead, she could almost feel the guiding hand of the one who’d brought them here.

Whatever her reasons for doing so were.