Hammya had embraced Hachipusaq before they both entered the house. The air smelled of dried herbs and old wood; it was a small but cozy home, and it always had that warm silence that Hammya liked, or at least, made her feel nostalgic.

  “I’m glad to see you,” Hachipusaq said, a smile evident in her voice behind the mask.

  “Me too,” Hammya replied, “but I don't have time to stay. Did you get what I asked for?”

  Hachipusaq rummaged in her bag until she pulled out a sealed letter.

  “I did. I met with Chronos, just as you wanted.”

  Hammya’s fingers trembled slightly.

  “Did you open it?”

  “No.” Hachipusaq shook her head, almost offended by the idea. “It doesn't interest me. From the way you spoke, it seems important to you, so I just limited myself to being the messenger.”

  “Thank you…” Hammya took the letter with an almost reverential delicacy. “You don't know how much this means to me. What I hold in my hands… is bigger than I thought.”

  She looked at the envelope. The seal was intact, perfect. She was tempted to break it, but she didn’t. Not yet. She took a deep breath and put it away.

  “I’m sure it is,” Hachipusaq continued, picking up the previous thread. “Now, about the next move…”

  A burst of sound cut off the sentence. Not one: several. Gunshots.

  Both froze for a second. Then Hammya quickly tucked the letter away and ran to the window. Hachipusaq followed her.

  “Clementina!?” Hammya exclaimed.

  Outside, in the street, Clementina was fighting Sheldon. Her movements were mechanical but precise; every one of her strikes resonated with a force unthinkable for her small body.

  “What is she doing here?” Hachipusaq said, dismayed.

  But Hammya was no longer listening; she opened the door and bolted out towards the fight.

  “STOP!” she yelled with the full force of her voice.

  And then, everything went white in her memory.

  She came to, looking at the same letter, now between her fingers, in the present. The same one she hadn't dared to open. Candado continued talking to his companions; they all listened attentively, absorbing every word of his speech. Hammya, for her part, felt the weight of the envelope as if it were burning. With no other choice, she sighed and put it away again.

  At that moment, Sara stepped out into the crowd, gently nudged by Eva. This time, Sara was shown in her true form: some were shocked, others already knew her and were not surprised, and several newcomers simply didn't know what to think.

  “Thank you all for being present,” Sara said, her voice serene but charged with tension. “The situation may become a little complicated, but I sincerely thank you for being here with me.”

  Candado nodded, serious.

  “Please, follow me,” she added.

  Eva turned the wheelchair, and they began heading towards an open area, surrounded by high walls. In the center, two trees grew in perfect synchronization, intertwining their branches to form a natural opening, almost a living door. There, the eight luminaries were already waiting: Koric, Yisira, Anen, Amjasta, Florenfinziari, Wilzan, Yetorixuanamkari, and Rucciménkagri… the great Rucciménkagri Gabriel Teacher, whose names she had adopted as surnames because she liked them.

  The group watched in awe, except for Hammya and Candado, who had seen too many wonders to be easily impressed.

  Sara spoke in Ikmo, her sweet voice transforming into a solemn chant. The luminaries obeyed, positioning themselves around the arboreal door.

  Then Sara raised her arm. Simultaneously, the luminaries raised their hands towards the door. Their eyes glowed with such intense gold that the air trembled; the light was so strong that everyone was temporarily blinded. Everyone except Candado, who shrouded his eyes in violet flames. Hammya simply covered herself with her hands, although she kept a small gap between her fingers to observe.

  Minutes later, the light ceased. The door began to glow in gold and silver, like a mirror without a reflection. The luminaries collapsed, exhausted; the younger ones could barely stand. Anen and Koric needed support from Camila and Aurelio. The others panted, sweating. Only Rucciménkagri and Wilzan remained steady, almost unscathed.

  Candado approached Sara.

  “And now what?” he asked, unperturbed.

  “Now… we have to wait.”

  “Wait for what?”

  “For them to accept us.”

  The answer hung in the air.

  Only a few seconds passed, but they felt like hours. Then, something emerged from the door.

  A shiver ran through everyone.

  A skeletal being, dressed with unnatural elegance, crossed the threshold. Its red eyes glowed like embers, and its presence exuded a mix of sophistication and ancestral terror.

  As soon as it appeared, Candado’s friends reacted instantly.

  Anzor and Declan rested their hands on their swords; Liv mirrored the gesture. Matltosky raised his hammer. Pak prepared his weapon. The twins trembled, and Lucas shielded them with his body, determined. Kevin and Martina readied themselves to attack. German smiled, intrigued, crossing his arms. Pucheta cracked his knuckles. Viki stepped forward protectively toward Héctor, who touched his cards. Natalia brought her hand to her tie, a tic to stay calm. Andersson tensed his fists. Walsh, restless, rubbed his thumbs together.

  Hammya showed no surprise; she remained serene. Clementina adopted a firm stance, analyzing the creature with her mechanical eyes.

  And Candado… advanced slowly until he stood in front of Sara, covering her with silent determination.

  The skeleton observed them one by one. Then it pulled a handkerchief from its pocket and, in an absurd and unsettling manner, wiped its nonexistent forehead.

  “Very well,” it finally said in an elegant, almost courtly voice.

  Its eyes rested on the woman seated in the wheelchair.

  “I suppose we meet again, Vanaccia.”

  A murmur rippled through the group. Everyone looked at each other, confused, except for Hammya and Candado, who seemed to have been expecting this encounter for much longer.

  Sara smiled slightly.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “I’m surprised you remember my name, Hero Mikos.”

  The skeleton—Mikos—put away its handkerchief with a delicacy improper for someone without flesh, and stepped back a few paces, maintaining a prudent distance.

  “It’s hard to forget someone who was quite a big headache,” it murmured, with a certain dry nostalgia.

  Lucas wasted no time.

  “How many years passed since my departure?”

  “Twenty years,” Mikos replied without hesitation.

  Sara's eyes widened.

  “That long?”

  “That’s right,” Lucas said, turning towards her. “Here, only six years passed.”

  “Oh,” Mikos intervened, tilting its skull to the side. “That is interesting. It’s a good thing I insisted they keep the door open.”

  Lucas blinked, stunned. Then, as if a spring was activated in his brain, he began to calculate mentally.

  “Incredible… the difference is three point thirty-three times faster…” he whispered, almost to himself, as he made his way through his friends.

  Candado scoffed.

  “Lucas. Come here. Now.”

  But Lucas wasn’t listening to anyone anymore. His mind was elsewhere. He advanced toward Mikos, pulling out a crumpled notebook and a pen.

  “Excuse me, spooky skeleton gentleman, where do you come from?” he blurted out, overflowing with excitement. “I need to confirm something.”

  Mikos widened its eye sockets, surprised by the young man's audacity, but its tone remained impeccably polite.

  “Behind that door is my home. Eurania.”

  Lucas instantly jotted that down. Then he looked up.

  “Perfect. I need you to tell me the exact time in Eurania. The time there, right now.”

  “The bells of the great hall have just chimed thirteen twenty,” Mikos replied.

  Lucas looked at his own watch. 13:15 on Earth.

  His face lit up.

  “Five minutes difference!” he exclaimed, fascinated. “That means that when the door is open, both universes synchronize their temporal flows almost completely! Almost…” he raised a finger, euphoric, “because this minimal deviation indicates a natural oscillation in Eurania’s base temporal frequency. The portal works as an isotemporal stabilizer, forcing both worlds to align, but it cannot entirely eliminate the quantum variation between the two. That is why the difference is reduced to an insignificant margin!”

  Mikos observed him, impressed.

  “That is… incredible,” it admitted.

  Candado brought a hand to his face.

  “Lucas… can you come back?”

  Lucas lowered the notebook slightly, without losing his smile.

  “It’s just fascinating. With the door closed, each universe returns to its natural rhythm. That’s why six years here equal twenty there. But with the door open, there’s only a five-minute gap! It’s like…” he paused in thought, searching for a metaphor, “like two very different clocks are forced to walk almost at the same pace, even though they can never be identical.”

  Sara smiled; she was calmer. Compared to the previous situation.

  “I've never seen your friend so excited.”

  “It’s not weird,” Lucas said, almost offended. “It’s beautiful!”

  The twins ran toward him and, despite their visible fear, took him by both arms to drag him back to the group. Lucas did not resist; he was too delighted with his finding to protest.

  “Please excuse my friend,” Candado said, with a slight bow of his head.

  “No need. I like that boy,” Mikos replied, letting out a slight smile before regaining its composure. “But in any case, Vanaccia… whatever the situation, my lady sent me because you managed to communicate with her. And she believes you have something that belongs to her, or at least something that interests her deeply.”

  Sara nodded slowly. She raised a white handkerchief in the center of which rested a clear green crystal, polished and delicate. Mikos let out a soft sound of approval.

  “Well… I suppose it wasn’t false after all.”

  “Eva, please,” Sara requested.

  Eva nodded. She began pushing the wheelchair toward him. As they approached, Eva let her scorpion tail slowly emerge, like a silent warning.

  “Eva…” Sara murmured.

  “I won’t do anything if he doesn’t do anything,” she replied with a wry smile.

  Mikos let out a polite chuckle.

  “Don’t worry. I have no intention of attacking. You have my word.”

  When they met face to face, Sara raised her hand with extreme care. Mikos took the handkerchief with the same delicacy, retrieved the crystal, and stored it in a small black box it took from its uniform. Once the object was secured, it returned the handkerchief to Sara.

  “Thank you very much, Miss Vanaccia. Now, if you wish, you may step through to meet my lady.”

  “I appreciate the opportunity,” she replied.

  Mikos raised a finger.

  “However… you can only choose five companions.”

  Hammya’s reaction was immediate. She took a step forward before thinking, but Candado gripped her wrist firmly.

  “What are you doing?” he whispered.

  “Trust me, please,” she pleaded, almost begging.

  Candado hesitated. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath… and let her go.

  Hammya ran toward Sara and Mikos. The two observed her with some confusion. Hammya took out a letter and handed it to the skeleton. Mikos raised an eyebrow, extended its bony hand, and took the paper. Then it leaned toward Sara and whispered something in her ear, words only she could hear.

  Then Mikos examined the letter. It slid its skeletal finger and opened the envelope. Its red eyes silently scanned the lines.

  In the group, Candado watched seriously. Héctor frowned suspiciously, while German smiled as if the whole thing were a fascinating spectacle.

  “This couldn't be more interesting,” German scoffed under his breath.

  “What are you talking about?” Liv asked.

  “Nothing, just my thoughts,” German replied, shrugging.

  Mikos finished reading and looked up directly at Candado.

  “Boy in the blue beret…” it whispered. “So this is the young man.”

  Hammya slowly returned to the formation, positioning herself next to Candado. Sara rested her elbow on the armrest, reflecting. Mikos put the letter behind its back.

  “I am waiting,” the skeleton said with patient courtesy.

  “Yes… just give me a moment,” Sara requested.

  Hammya approached Candado again, now with evident urgency.

  “Listen closely to me,” she said in a low voice. “Call Clementina, Declan, and Héctor. They… will go with Sara. And you and I will too.”

  Candado looked at her as if he were hearing a delusion.

  “What? This doesn’t concern us.”

  “If you don't go, this fails. Sara fails. And everything collapses. Natalia is the first to die.”

  Those words paralyzed him. He immediately looked back. Natalia was watching Mikos with visible discomfort, unaware of the danger. Candado looked back at Hammya.

  “Why them? Why me?”

  “Because they are the only ones who can prevent it. And because you can fix what’s coming. Please… do it.”

  Candado closed his eyes. His voice trembled slightly.

  “If I do this… Is she going to be okay?” he asked. “I want to know, Hammya… Will she be okay?”

  “Yes. I promise you. I made sure it would be. Believe me.”

  He opened his eyes.

  “Alright… I trust you.”

  He turned towards the group.

  “Declan! Héctor! Clementina! Step forward!” then he pointed to another. “Anzor! You too!”

  Hammya blinked, surprised.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Security reinforcement. Don’t worry, I’m following your plan.”

  The group approached. Candado pointed to the chosen ones.

  “You five… are coming with me to Narnia,” then he pointed to Anzor. “And you: I want you to watch over Natalia.”

  “From what?”

  “She is in danger. Stay alert. Focus your senses. Tell Liv and Pak the same. And tell the rest we're traveling.”

  Anzor saw the seriousness in Candado’s eyes and dropped his entire carefree attitude.

  “At your command.”

  Once Anzor returned to the others, Héctor asked:

  “Are we going in there?”

  “That’s right,” Candado replied.

  “With you, even to hell,” Declan said solemnly.

  “Don’t exaggerate,” Candado grumbled.

  “May I know why we’re going?” Clementina asked.

  Candado looked at Hammya. Héctor noticed.

  “Because I say so,” he replied, marking the final point.

  “As you command, young master,” Clementina responded sweetly.

  Candado gave her a gentle tap on the forehead.

  “Stop.”

  Héctor looked at Hammya with suspicion again.

  Meanwhile, Sara finished deciding. She raised her head.

  “I have chosen my companions,” she announced.

  “I’m listening,” Mikos said.

  She whispered the names and then repeated clearly:

  “I choose Candado, Hammya, Declan, Héctor, and Clementina.”

  “Perfect. Get your affairs in order and cross over. I will wait for you on the other side.”

  With that, Mikos walked through the luminous door.

  Eva went to fetch the five companions.

  Sara still remembered what Hammya had whispered to her:

  “This will fail if you don’t bring Candado, Héctor, Declan, and Clementina. I must go too. You don’t want to fail, you don’t want to endanger those who trust you. If you care about the success of this, take us.”

  When the group returned, Sara saw Hammya looking at her with determination. The young orc nodded. Sara let out a sigh and looked at the golden door.

  “What are you planning, Hammya?”

  “To save my friends. For that… this has to work.”

  Héctor and Candado watched her, confused.

  Sara prepared herself. Candado positioned himself behind the wheelchair.

  “Together,” he whispered.

  “Thank you,” she said, before looking at the door. “I am returning to my old home. I hope I’m not making a mistake.”

  “You won’t. Not with me,” Candado said.

  Sara didn’t look at him, but she smiled.

  “Of course… I have my blue beret.”

  Candado rolled his eyes and pushed the chair toward the door. One by one, they crossed the threshold. Hammya was the last; she paused for a second and looked back. She raised her hand with a radiant smile.

  “We’ll be fine!”

  Her friends responded by raising their arms.

  Hammya inhaled, held her breath for an instant… and crossed.

  Immediately after, she stepped through the door and arrived at a unique panorama. Everyone was visibly surprised, including Candado. They found themselves in a completely fantastical valley, with trees of diverse colors and unique shapes, as well as some fairies fluttering around. In front of them stood a large structure similar to a house. The door they had exited, unlike the previous one, actually had the shape of a door and displayed much more elegant architecture than the place they came from.

  At a distance, facing the group, a mansion with a large garden stretched out. From their location, it seemed they had exited into the back part of the property, somewhat removed from the main residence.

  “Welcome to Eurania,” Mikos announced with elegance.