Chapter XV

Had Ilirianna and Nigreos not both been protecting the three of them with wind magic, they almost certainly would have died that night. With over one hundred people having been in the ballroom and handfuls of them violently exploding in intense infernos at the same time, the combination of the fire and the destruction of the room would have certainly been enough to kill them. The marble floor cracked apart and the ceiling came crumbling down in large pieces of stone and rock, crushing the charred corpses that now littered the once beautiful room. Both of the lofts were completely destroyed by the combusting of the people upon them, and the pillars that had stood on either side of the room had collapsed alongside the crystal chandeliers with loud and terrifying crashes.

The temperature was suffocating, the air filled with the sickening scent of burning flesh, each breath searing Ilirianna Iiji’s lungs as she lay on her back, using every ounce of power within her to hold back the chucks of the building floating just above them, resting on the shields she and Nigreos had created. The dark mage had thrown himself over Abigail, who was trembling beneath him, as he used magic to aid the princess, but even with their quick reactions, they still hadn’t been able to completely avoid taking damage. Nigreos’s head was bleeding from a smaller chuck that had struck it and his left arm had been badly burnt by a noble that had exploded just beside him. Ruins of the loft rested around the three mages, with Abi’s arms and face bloody and scraped. Ilirianna couldn’t bring herself to check her own wounds but she could feel intense pain all across her.

Despite all of that, she was immensely grateful that they were alive.

Though it’s not gonna stay that way if we don’t get moving right this second! We need to pursue Vesh! We can't let him get away with this!

However, despite her training and her powerful skill with magic, Ilirianna was weak from the blast and their subsequent fall, and no matter how much she grit her teeth and put all of her power into her hands, she couldn’t manifest enough mana to move the rubble away from them, just barely managing to keep it in midair. If she or Nigreos wavered even slightly, they would be crushed, so Ilirianna’s mind frantically sifted through plans of how they could get out of there.

“Abigail,” she choked through the heat. “I need….you to…help us!”

Wide eyed, Abi slowly turned her fearful features toward the princess. “B-but…I don’t know…wind magic…”

“Then use something else!” Ilirianna sputtered. “Just move…the rubble!”

To Ilirianna’s relief, that command seemed to snap Abi out of her shock as the determined and intelligent demeanor of the young woman returned. Placing her hand against the floor and grimacing from the heat, Abi breathed,

“Vino.”

Pumping mana into the ground, thick green vines suddenly burst through the marble and up towards the rubble above them, wrapping their leafy tendrils around the pieces and, with Ilirianna and Nigreos’s wind magic aiding her, they were able to gradually move the chucks off to the right before allowing them to safely land on the floor. Ilirianna let out a sigh of relief as she canceled her spell, but knowing that they needed to move as fast as they could, she pushed herself onto her side and jumped to her feet, coughing as she accidently inhaled even more of the searing air.

“Move,” she choked, motioning for Abi and Nigreos to follow after her, but before she’d even taken two steps, she raised her head and got a clear and proper view of the horrific scene in front of her.

The ballroom floor was littered with the blackened corpses of the Hiriech nobility, and those who were resting on their backs showed Ilirianna just what that fire magic had done to them. Their faces and the front sides of their torsos were completely gone, giving her a clear and nauseating sight of their insides. Anything that wasn’t bone had been completely turned to ashes, and even their ribs and the front sides of their skulls had been blasted apart, their only remaining bones as black as their bodies. Their arms and legs were still intact, though being so close to the fires had horrifically burnt them. Flames raged all around the ballroom, and despite knowing they had to get out of there, she still knew she needed to verify one thing as she turned her head to gaze in the direction of the destroyed table she had spent most of the night sitting at. She quickly identified the burnt husk of Lord Friez Malloway laying atop the rubble, distinguishable by his ring-covered fingers.

“Princess, come on,” Abi uttered, grabbing Ilirianna’s hand and pulling her toward the doors across the room, Nigreos running unsteadily at their side.

I can’t believe this… she thought. Just like that, nearly every single noble in Hiriech has been killed. Lord Malloway, his brothers, their children, Aeyir, the guild masters and the merchants, the barons of the surrounding territories—all wiped out in one single instant! This isn’t something the city can just recover from! They’re not going to have any leadership! And the guard that was supposed to protect them…

As they sprinted over and around the corpses scattered across the room, Ilirianna’s features turned from shocked to utterly livid as the image of Rotana Vesh came to her mind.

Those fucking traitors! How could they do this?! I understand that the nobility was flawed, but to slaughter them like this, and in the name of peace?! Give me a break! I swear on the name of the Iijis, Rotana Vesh, that you are going to pay for what you’ve done here tonight!

Finally emerging through the doors of the ballroom, which had been blasted apart by the nobles who had been in close proximity to it, Ilirianna, Nigreos, and Abi stumbled out into the corridor. The princess had been more than prepared to have to face the guards, for there had been no sign of any of them back in the room, indicating that they had all fled, but the hallway was devoid of the blue and black armored men.

The city… Abi had said that the city guard was in league with Vesh, too, so what’s going on down there? And for that matter…? She shook her head. Where’s Nakoma? What happened to him? And Caeli and Album were pursuing Mallicent! Did they catch up to him? Are they alive?

After rounding a corner and putting the ballroom far behind them, the three finally came to a stop once they were certain that there weren't any guards around. However, Ilirianna didn’t want to waste any time, knowing how crucial it would be to track down and kill Vesh before he got away. Yet the logical part of her told her that taking a moment to gather their bearings and allow Abigail to heal them was necessary, so despite her rage and frustration, Ilirianna collapsed to one knee and gratefully tried to catch her breath.

“Benedio,” Abi chanted, placing a hand on Ilirianna’s head while simultaneously placing her other against Nigreos’s, who had dropped down to kneel beside Ilirianna.

As the warmth of her healing magic began to flow through the princess, she felt her mind beginning to clear just a little bit, and when she glanced to her left, she was relieved to see the wounds and burns on Nigreos’s body beginning to close and heal.

“What do we do, Princess?” the dark mage breathed, his jaw tightened in what could only be an intense mix of emotions. “I just… I don’t know what to think… How? What just happened in there?”

Ilirianna closed her eyes and took another deep breath, grateful to have air that wasn’t burning her lungs. “I don’t know, Nigreos, but once we’re healed, we have to move. Not only do we need to take Vesh down, but we have to find Caeli and Album and make sure they’re safe.”

“And Master Taurus?” Abi inquired between castings of Benedio.

“He can handle himself,” the princess assured her. “Master Taurus has been through a lot and made it back alive, so I trust him to do so tonight. Whatever these combustions were caused by, there’s no way he wouldn’t have sensed it interacting with his body, so there’s no chance he’s dead. On that same line of thought, we’ll trust Master Rana to deal with whatever might happen in the city itself. We have to prioritize the team.”

Nigreos furrowed his brow in confusion. “But I don’t understand. If Vesh was trying to wipe out nobility, why are you and I alive? I’m of no different status than Aeyir was, and you’re the princess—the future queen. I just don't get it! Not that I’m complaining, of course.”

Feeling far better now that Abi had healed her, Ilirianna rose back to her feet and clenched her fists in determination. “Without knowing how they’re caused in the first place, I couldn’t even begin to take a guess. For the moment, let’s just be grateful we survived and get moving.”

“But…” Abi protested. “We don’t even know where Ryokumo and Album are! They could have followed Mallicent anywhere!”

Ilirianna nodded. “True, but I have a hunch. If I had to guess, Mallicent probably left in the first place to get away before Vesh activated the combustions. He’s probably hiding, and while it’s possible that he’s taken refuge up in his room, I would believe that the basement would be the safer option, especially because it has an escape route from the castle.”

Nigreos frowned. “So you think Mallicent tried to flee Aquesen?”

“That’s my best guess,” she confirmed. “And I think it's possible that Vesh may try to use that same route, so if the two of you are on board, let’s go to the basement and see what we can find. And if we can’t track any of them down…” Ilirianna then turned a furious gaze toward her teammates. “Then I’m going to smash my way into that damn laboratory and see what these traitors have been up to. I won't force you to join me. If you think Caeli and Album are somewhere else, by all means, go check. But I’m heading to the basement.”

Abi and Nigreos exchanged concerned glances, but as Ilirianna had hoped they would, both turned back and gave her the affirmative. With the two of them at her back, Ilirianna turned and began sprinting in the direction she knew the basement stairs to be. Expecting to encounter some sort of resistance, she wished she had her swords on her, but she had been forced to leave them in her quarters, and she wasn’t about to rush up to the fourth floor to retrieve them. Normal magic would have to do for the moment. To her utter confusion, the halls remained empty, without so much as a glimpse of the guards, and Ilirianna could only wonder if they had all fled the castle.

Then maybe retaining control over Aquesen isn’t the goal? Were they just trying to wipe out the nobility and nothing else? Vesh spoke of a blank slate, so maybe they really did intend to abandon the castle once they had made their move! If that's the case, then the basement really is the best option, but… She scoffed bitterly. This isn’t going to be an isolated act. This was carefully manipulated and calculated, with the guard completely compromised by these Kosah-Rei, all behind Lord Malloway’s back. And if he plans to wipe the slate clean, he won’t stop at Hiriech. Krato, Noctalus, Stellareid, Harunhein, and Erika will all have to be alerted! We can’t let this happen a second time!

She desperately wanted to pump wind magic into her feet and increase her speed, but given that Abi wouldn’t be able to keep up with her and Nigreos if she did, Ilirianna refrained. Eventually, they arrived at the dark stairwell leading down underground. She didn't break stride, jumping down the steps two at a time and taking off towards the lab.

***

Ryokumo had no idea what he was supposed to make of the sight of the subject bursting through the glass of the container that had been trapping it, but given that Album had been the one to set it free, he decided he had no choice but to trust the judgment of his teammate. If she had chosen to release it then she must have believed it was beneficial for them to do so, therefore it must not be a danger to them. That was why he turned his focus completely towards Mallicent, but unfortunately, Ryokumo’s few seconds of being distracted gave the boy the opening he needed to escape.

“Infernus!” he snarled, sending fire bruising from his hands and towards where Ryokumo had been standing.

He only barely managed to throw up a shield of wind to protect himself, but the impact still sent him flying backwards into the wall, shattering his concentration and releasing Mallicent from the ropes of wind that had been keeping him bound. Ryokumo had been expecting the young lord to either attempt to take a shot at him or to defend himself from whatever the subject was about to do, so he was surprised when Mallicent did neither, instead darting towards the open door of the laboratory and shouting out, “Correio”

It was a summoning charm that Ryokumo knew moderately well, but whatever Mallicent had had attempted to get ahold of must have been in the other room, for Ryokumo didn’t see anything move in the Subject Room. He scrambled back to his feet and sent magic surging into his legs as he propelled himself in pursuit of Mallicent. Loath as he was to leave Album behind with that mysterious and potentially dangerous being, her silence during his interrogation of Mallicent indicated to him that they must have been speaking to one another, and after conversing with it, Album released it.

Which means that you know something about it I don’t, so I’ll leave that thing to you, Album! As for me, I’m going to take Mallicent Malloway down—and even kill him if he forces me to!

However, as much as Ryokumo had Mallicent outmatched in terms of skill, he still couldn’t ignore the fact that he was the son of a Great City Lord, so he knew he couldn't allow himself to underestimate him. Lord Malloway made it clear that he wanted his sons to be mages, and Aeyir had told Ryokumo numerous times that his father had begun their magic training from the moment they were old enough to learn. Mallicent would have honed his fire abilities for his entire life, under the tutelage of Rotana Vesh, so while he may have been two years younger than Ryokumo, he was still going to be threatening.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

Propelling himself into the adjacent room and through the opposite door leading back out into the basement corridor, Ryokumo turned his head just in time to see Mallicent round the corner in the direction he and Album had arrived from. The boy was using the explosions from his fire to propel himself forward with more precision than Ryokumo had expected of him, an immediate bit of proof to back up his belief that underestimating the boy would not end well for him.

“Proto!” he snarled once more, bursting off of the ground and soaring through the air in Mallicent’s direction, bringing magic to his hands as well in preparation to both strike Mallicent out of the air or to take on any backup that may be somewhere else in those halls.

He’s heading back in the direction of the castle! Ryokumo internally noted. Which means rather than trying to escape to the city, he’s got to be seeking out help. He doesn’t think he can beat me one-on-one, so he’s probably going to try and get Captain Vesh or the red knight to back him up! I have to prevent that! I don’t know how powerful Vesh is, but there’s no doubt in my mind I couldn’t beat the red knight if Mallicent was with him.

Doing everything he could to increase his speed, Ryokumo found himself frustrated by the fact that Mallicent was still keeping a safe distance between them, fire exploding from his feet in controlled yet powerful bursts that allowed him to move great distances with each step he took. Therefore, deciding that he couldn’t close the gap by merely using Proto, Ryokumo launched multiple blades of wind straight for his back, blunting them enough that they wouldn’t kill him but still giving them enough power to knock him off his feet. The hallways were never long enough, for each time a blade of wind almost reached the boy, he darted around a corner and narrowly avoided it. Using Condite was another option, but when Ryokumo attempted to once again bind the boy with his magic, Mallicent waved his hand in midair, sending fire bursting out of it and blasting apart any rope that dared to go near him.

You little bastard!

From their distance roughly fifty yards apart, he couldn't completely make out the item grasped in Mallicent’s left hand, but whatever it was, he made sure he didn’t leave the lab without it, so it was almost certainly important.

Clenching his teeth, Ryokumo planted his feet against the wall and launched himself around the corner, only to immediately drop down and slide along the ground as three thin flaming bolts nearly punctured his chest, and as he gazed up ahead, he saw that Mallicent’s hand was glowing red in preparation of launching more attacks at him, his first attempt at offense since the pursuit began. They were thin and narrow, resembling arrows, and though they were small, they were still just as destructive as all other fire magic, for as the bolts that had initially missed him slammed into the wall behind him, he heard them explode with far more power than he had been ready for.

The explosion just barely threw off his momentum, and though he still successfully dodged around the next three arrows, it distracted him long enough to not realize his error in time. Mallicent wasn’t aiming his next few shots at Ryokumo, rather he had turned his free hand to send them violently smashing into the ceiling.

He’s trying to cave the damn hallway in!

The logical and safer options would have been to either throw up a shield to protect himself, or to fall back and avoid the crumbling ceiling altogether, but given Mallicent’s rather impressive speed with fire magic, Ryokumo knew that in those complex basement corridors, if he lost sight of the boy at all, he would almost certainly lose him, and he didn’t have the time to stop and try to magically locate him. That was why he made the riskier choice, blasting himself towards the crumbling ceiling and sliding beneath it, just barely managing to avoid getting crushed, and he took smug satisfaction in the shocked expression on Mallicent’s face—shock left him wide open for Ryokumo to slam into his body and send them both tumbling to the ground.

Reaching down, Ryokumo grappled with Mallicent in the hopes of pinning him, but the boy was bold, swinging what he only just noticed was a knife straight for Ryokumo’s neck. Cursing himself, he barely managed to lurch backwards and avoid having his throat sliced open. To his surprise, the blade had been glowing yellow with a mana output intense enough that Ryokumo’s survival instincts kicked in, and he frantically dodged backwards to put distance between himself and Mallicent, wary of any more surprises.

What the living hell is that thing?!

He could only frown with confusion as he gazed at the space where Mallicent had swung the blade, for there looked like there was a cut in the air itself, and before Ryokumo could even begin to wonder what happened, the cut abruptly burst into a circular mass of swirling yellow mana, partially concealing Mallicent from his view. That was when it dawned on Ryokumo exactly what it was that the boy had been holding.

The dagger… Could it be…? No!

He saw Mallicent lurch forward and dive into the swirling mass and, knowing he couldn’t allow Mallicent to escape him under any circumstances, Ryokumo threw all caution to the wind, chanted Proto, and launched himself directly into the realm portal.

***

Nigreos Noctis came to an abrupt stop alongside Ilirianna and Abigail as they watched who they quickly realized was Mallicent Malloway darting down an adjacent corridor with Ryokumo right on his heels, neither seming to even partially notice their presence due to the long hallway between them.

“Ryokumo!” Abi cried out, but given his speed, the wind mage was already long gone and wouldn’t have heard her call out to him. “What on earth is going on?! Where’s Album?! Why has he engaged Mallicent?”

Nigreos’s body went cold, knowing that Ryokumo wouldn’t have left Album behind unless he was certain she would be safe or if something had already happened to her.

No… Album couldn’t be… She can’t be dead!

Knowing that he needed to quickly determine what had happened to Album, a girl who had always been like another sister to him, Nigreos came to a swift and certain decision, putting as much conviction into his voice as he could in the hopes that Ilirianna and Abi would trust him.

“Go help Ryokumo!” he told them. “I'll find Album! I promise!”

Both young women glanced back at him in surprise, but even if they wondered how he planned to locate the light mage, neither of them questioned him. They simply nodded firmly before turning and sprinting off in the direction that Ryokumo and Mallicent had gone. Leaving that matter in their hands, Nigreos didn’t hesitate to get to work, kneeling down and tapping into an art that he had learned not from his father, who taught him almost everything else he knew about magic, but from his mother, allowing her words to return to him.

“Mind magic is a dangerous affinity, and one a Noctis has no business dabbling in, but that’s not to say it can’t have its uses, especially in moderation. This particular spell will allow you to mentally reach out to other people and communicate with them over large distances. It’s good when you need to make emergency contact with someone, but be warned, when doing so, both your body and theirs will be undefended, for you will enter your own mind to do this. Only attempt this spell when you are safe, and never force yourself into another’s mind unless you don’t care about their safety. Understood?”

Nigreos opened his mind, tapping into that spell and attempting to search for Album’s familiar mana signature. He wouldn’t be able to locate her with the spell, but if he could sense her mana, he would know she wasn’t dead, and if she answered his call, she could give him her location.

Album will recognize the sensation of me trying to contact her. If she’s alive and safe, she'll answer me.

To his relief, despite the dozens upon dozens of other mana signatures in and around the castle, he was able to feel Album, so he reached out to her, praying that she would reach back.

But it was not Album that answered.

He was never able to connect with her mind before something else reached out and connected with him instead. Nigreos exhaled sharply as the basement corridors around him vanished, being replaced by a formless world where there was only darkness. Normally he wouldn’t have panicked, for this was simply his mental realm that always formed whenever he made telepathic communication with another. Yet, he was terrified, because whatever had connected with him was not a mere human.

Well, well, well… What do we have here? So the dark mage himself is nearby, too? Perfect. Come to me, Son of Darkness.

Panic set in and he was only barely able to keep his composure, his concern for Album overcoming his terror. What the hell are you?! Where’s Album! Why did you interfere with my communications?

Calm yourself. Album Luz is safe here in the lab with me. She is not dead, as I’m sure you were able to sense with this mental magic or yours. I do not intend to kill her, so why don’t you come pick her up. I’ll make sure you can sense me so that you can find us.

Wait, hold on just a damn second!

I’ll be waiting.

With that, their connection was cut, and Nigreos abruptly found himself back in the basement corridor, breathing heavily as he did his best to compose himself. As terrified and overwhelmed as he was by everything that had happened in the last half hour, Nigreos was still in a strong enough mindset to quickly deduce what had just happened.

Album’s in the lab with that thing and it communicated with me telepathically. There’s no doubt in my damn mind! Mallicent’s subject has Album!

Jumping to his feet, Nigreos dashed off in the direction Ryokumo and Mallicent had appeared from, and as the subject had promised, he could sense a distinct and powerful source somewhere up ahead. Magic went into his feet, increasing his strides and allowing him to run as fast as he could as he darted down various hallways toward his destination—a wide open door from which an intense reading of mana was emerging. The dim lighting of the hallway meant that he was surrounded by darkness, so he pulled those shadows around his body and cautiously moved into the room, ready to strike at the first thing that moved. But the second he entered, he gazed through another doorway ahead where Album was laying on the ground, her eyes closed.

Album!

Darting forward and desperately trying to feel for the subject, Nigreos lunged into the second room and frantically scanned his surroundings. But the subject didn’t even attempt to hide, for the moment he turned his back to Album and stared over his shoulder, he found a giant humanoid mass of blackness towering over him.

Worry not. She’s alive.

That message went through his head immediately before the subject lunged forward, its form splitting apart into tendrils of black that dodged around his shadows and consumed him.

He never even stood a chance against it.

Meet me at the hot spring on the mountaintop. There we shall talk, young mage of the shadows.

Those cryptic words were the last thing that went through the mind of Nigreos Noctis before he suddenly fell unconscious.

***

As reluctant as Abi was to leave Nigreos behind, Ilirianna hadn’t hesitated, and since she could see the conviction in her friend’s eyes, Abi swallowed back her concern and took off alongside the princess as they pursued Ryokumo and Mallicent. She didn’t know what to do or think, for the scene in the ballroom had been one of the most horrific things she had ever witnessed in her life. So many people were killed right before her eyes, and she had been powerless to stop it.

I’m so sorry, Aeyir! I’m sorry, Lord Malloway! And I’m sorry to every person in that room who I couldn’t save! How could they have done that?! How…?

Knowing that if she took even a second to think about it that she would burst into tears, Abi shoved her intrusive thoughts deep down inside of her, wanting to focus only on the task at hand. They might have lost track of Vesh, but they knew where Mallicent was, and if they could provide Ryokumo help in apprehending him, then they could potentially learn just what had been done to cause the combustions.

And if we can learn how it’s done, we can stop it from ever happening again! That was our initial goal upon coming to Hiriech. Stopping another tragedy like this one is the only way I can make up for failing the Malloways. Mallicent… He…

The thought of that angry and bitter boy made her stomach churn with a hatred she had never felt in her life, one so intense that it made her disgusted that she could ever feel such a rotten emotion.

How could he do this?! How could he turn his back on his family?! How could he allow them all to die in such a horrific manner?! His own brother and father and his… Abi frowned. His mother? Was Yoral Malloway in the room? I…don’t remember seeing her return. Could she be…?

But her thoughts were quickly cut off by Ilirianna’s voice.

“I sense an odd collection of mana just past that rubble, Abi! Be ready for anything!”

The nature mage turned and gazed up ahead where it seemed like the ceiling had fallen down, creating a hole leading back up to the first floor and blocking the pathway with a pile of debris. Given how talented Ilirianna was, she didn’t even hesitate before using wind magic to propel herself upwards and over the five foot pile, but Abi only knew nature magic, so she wasn’t sure how she was going to get over it. Yet, she didn’t even have time to think before Ilirianna waved her hand and she muttered something Abi couldn’t hear. Soon after, she felt her body pulled into the air and over the rubble as she and Ilirianna both dropped down to the other side.

They could only gape at the swirling mass of yellow mana floating in midair, almost certainly the source of what Ilirianna had been sensing seconds ago. There was no sign of Ryokumo or Mallicent, and when Abi turned to ask the princess what they were looking at, her voice caught in her throat due to the stunned expression on her face.

“It can’t be? How…?”

“P-Princess?” Abi stuttered. “What is that?”

Ilirianna seemed unable to initially process Abi’s question, her mind clearly spinning in all different directions. “I-it’s…a portal to another realm.”

“Another realm?!” Abi exclaimed. “But I thought you needed a realm dagger to open one?!”

“You do!” the princess spat furiously. “But how did Mallicent ever get a hold of one?! The Citadel has every realm dagger left in Ijiria!”

A terrifying thought came to Abi’s mind as she listened to Ilirianna speak, and despite not wanting to put her theory to words, she knew she didn't have a choice. “Do you think Mallicent and Ryokumo went through that portal? Have they left Ijiria?”

“I…don’t know. It’s possible. I mean, I don’t sense them nearby.”

“Then we have to go after them!” Abi insisted.

But Ilirianna swiftly shook her head. “We can’t! It’s illegal!”

“My Princess, with all due respect, we cannot let Mallicent get away, nor can we abandon Ryokumo if he just got stuck in some other realm!” she protested vehemently, knowing that the princess knew that what she was saying was true. “If that realm is magicless, then who knows what Mallicent might do to the people living there! Like you said earlier, Masters Taurus and Rana will handle things here, as will Nigreos and Album! But we—”

Without a word, Ilirianna sprinted towards the portal, and when Abi turned to look, she soon realized why the princess had suddenly made her choice without any further argument.

It’s closing!

Ilirianna Iiji had come to her decision, and so she knew she couldn’t remain behind either. Darting after the Princess of Ijiria, Abi caught up to her just as the two of them jumped into the yellow mass together.

She hadn’t known what to expect, but for a handful of seconds, Abigail was submerged in whatever existed between realms, a sensation similar to being underwater, before she was suddenly and abruptly tumbling forward, her feet getting caught on uneven ground before she lost her balance and fell into a grainy substance with a grunt.

Abi grimaced and blinked a few times, only to frown as she realized that she was laying in sand. There was a soft breeze blowing against her skin and the air was no longer stuffy like it had been back in the basement. The sound of waves crashing against the shore came to her from behind, and as Abi slowly got to her feet and brushed the sand off of her torn and ruined dress, she found herself gazing ahead toward what looked to be a natural stone stairway leading upwards and towards a path. To her left was the opening of a cave, and as she turned around and tried to get her bearings, she could only exhale softly at the massive expanse of ocean stretching off toward the horizon far in the distance, the sun already halfway below it.

Beside her, Ilirianna Iiji’s jaw was drawn tight, and the realization of the consequences of their impulsive decision dawned on Abigail. The portal had closed just after they arrived in this new realm and there was currently no sign of Ryokumo or Mallicent there on that beach.

Unless they tracked Mallicent Malloway down and recovered his realm dagger, they were now stuck in an unfamiliar realm, without any means of returning to Ijiria.