Edge led them through the castle at lightning speed, only the shadows urging her on. Everyone else was out of breath behind her, calling to her to wait or take a second to breathe. She did none of those things, however. She couldn’t.

The castle was a maze, full of twists and turns, multiple flights of stairs, and an endless number of rooms. The whole place was covered in gold furnishings, priceless paintings, and a beautiful, shiny finish. There was no time to enjoy it, though.

She brought them through a couple more rooms, then down another flight of stairs. The pulling sensation grew stronger, consuming her entire body, until it just…vanished. Completely.

Skidding to a halt, she stared blankly at the door in front of her. The whispers in her mind faded, and her body was once again hers to control.The others almost ran into the back of her, a few jumbled words muttered in surprise.

Edge’s shoulders trembled with exhaustion, and she stumbled backwards, landing straight into Kalmar’s arms. He almost toppled over with the weight, and it took both Kilah and Elias to haul them both straight again.

“Edge…” Kalmar started, getting a familiar worried look in his eyes. Everyone else looked concerned too, even Liora.

She swatted a bit of sweat from her forehead, refusing to look at anyone. Without saying another word, she pushed open the door and stumbled inside. Part of her was relieved when it was indeed the dining hall. Maybe she was crazy, but at least she was right.

The others flooded in behind her, taking in the sheer beauty of the room. The ceilings were at least twenty feet high, with diamond chandeliers hanging in beautiful rows. The floors were polished oak, with rich red carpets thrown out onto the floor. In the middle was a rectangular dining table, about 29 feet long, with white table cloths and crystal glasses and cutlery. It smelled largely of roasted turkey, but the faint smell of smoke from the outside was still evident.

Rose smiled up at them, pushing her chair aside and standing up. Today, she was wearing a dark purple gown, with printed daisy designs along the waist. Her hair was neatly curled, adorned with a small tiara glistening atop her head.

She nodded towards each person, but noticeably turned away before she caught Edge’s eye. “Sit, children, we have much to discuss.”

They all shuffled towards the table, unsure of where to sit at the massive expanse. Kalmar sat beside Edge, and Kilah, Elias, and Liora took the other side. Rose sat at the head, overlooking everything.

As Liora took her seat, she immediately asked, “How come you didn’t show us where the room was?”

Rose took a second to answer, watching carefully as everybody took their seats and some food. Kalmar seemed to be in heaven, immediately grabbing a plate and stuffing it full of meat and pastries. The others took a less gluttonous approach, but Edge didn’t touch anything. Despite not having eaten for a couple days, she had absolutely no desire to.

Rose eventually smiled and patted Liora’s hand, “I wanted to see if something I thought was true. Evidently, it was.”

Edge’s fists clenched, and she had a hard time controlling her tongue.

“You were testing me.” She stated bluntly, shoving all emotion out of her voice.

“I promised to be honest with you all today, so, indeed, Edge. I was.” Rose held no remorse in her voice. “It is important you all know that I will continue to test all of you. The hope of our world is on the table,” she knocked on the hard wood of the dining table. “I need to get this right.”

“So, you think we’re not good enough?” Liora immediately shot back at her behind a bite of food.

“I think you have too much to learn, dear Liora,” Rose corrected. “I believe you, all of you, are more than capable. I just fear it will be too late by the time you are.”

“I don’t feel ready…” Elias muttered under his breath. “We don’t even know what we’re doing.”

Rose crossed her arms. “Which is precisely why we are having this discussion, is it not?”

“Okay, then,” Kilah whipped out her notebook and pushed her plate to the side, wielding her pen like a sword on a battlefield. “How about you tell us where we are and what’s happening?”

Rose chewed on her lip and sighed. “It’s not simple to explain.”

“Try.” Kilah challenged.

“Indeed. Well, as to where you are, that is simple, at least. You are in the world named Paz. It is not of your world, Earth, or any worlds of your limited knowledge.”

“Limited knowledge?” Kalmar interrupted, taking a much needed break from the food he was shoveling into his mouth. “What do you mean by that? Up until now, us humans were the only intelligent species who existed.”

“Percisly what I mean. Your kind limit themselves. This is why–” Rose stopped herself. “Now that is truly a matter for another time. Now, anyway, if you would require a specific point in Paz, you are in Aldaya, the centermost point in our world. It used to be a bustling kingdom, until it became only a ruin.”

“And as to what is happening, that is more complex. The most I will share with you is that we are in the middle of a war. Not with any sector or tribe known, but rather, an invisible demon trying to claim the world as his own. Our side is not winning. We have already lost much of Aldaya, and I fear the castle is next.”

“How come the castle is safe now, though?” Kilah puzzled. “You would think that’s where the monsters would attack and claim first.”

“There is a force field, set by the ancients. It has held strong for centuries. Though, I’ll admit, never against this strength of an army.”

“Hold up. There are monsters trying to get in here?” Elias asked, swallowing hard.

“Unfortunatley, yes.”

“But it will hold strong, yeah?” Kalmar asked. When Rose didn’t answer, his face fell slightly and he asked again, “Will it hold strong?”

“Only time will tell, Kalmar. That’s the only answer I can give.”

“You mean monsters could just come in here whenever the force field breaks?” Liora’s voice was lined with skepticism. “Wow. I feel so safe.”

It was almost impossible for Edge to bite back the similar retort lying on her tongue.

Rose stared at the table, refusing to meet anyone’s eyes. “Try not to panic; I doubt it will fail. And if it does, there are always backup plans.”

“Like?” Kalmar prompted.

A shrug was his only answer. “Hopefully, those methods will not have to be used.”

Liora threw her hands up in the air with defeat. “I can’t believe this. I actually can’t believe this. You said we were safe here! You said you could get us home!”

“Do not raise your voice at me!” Rose’s voice rose, and she had to take a steadying breath before continuing. Edge noticed her guard has suddenly dropped, and all of her thoughts abruptly flooded into Edge’s mind, causing a blistering headache. There were too many to focus on at once, and Rose immediately put her guard back up.

“You don’t think I know the danger we are in?” She whispered, voice trembling. “There is nowhere you are safe, children. This is the best I could ever do for you.This is why time is of the essence. You need to be prepared, and quickly.”

“But what about our home?” Elias said.

Rose sighed heavily, refusing to meet anyone’s eyes. “I could bring you home, young ones. But you should know this. Those who came after you, Semposo, that imposter in the truck, the fire, they are not going to stop until you’re dead. Your whole life will be lived on the run, and they will still find you. Now, obviously, I desperately want you to stay for the sake of my world. But for the sake of yours, I implore you to seek reason.”

“How do you know about those things?” Liora snapped, defenses already raised.

“Because your fate, all of yours, never truly belonged to your world,” Rose answered vaguely.

“You lost control,” Edge decided to finally input her thoughts into the conversation. “That doesn’t happen when you have nothing to hide.”

Rose blinked, eyes flashing in anger. Unlike last time, she managed to control it, and said in a steady voice, “You know nothing of what I have been through, or of what I have hid for the sake of my world. I have not lied to your group, Edge. You are safe, are you not? Nothing has harmed you since you have come here. I am on your side. Truly.”

A beat passed between the table.

“Are you willing to trust me?”

The invitation hung in the air, desperately searching for someone to reach out and grasp it. Kilah did first, responding with a confident yes. The others soon followed suit, automatically giving their complete trust to a stranger they had just met.

But Edge?

How could she take it? Just because Rose hadn’t directly harmed any of the group, aside from causing them all to pass out and bringing them to the castle, didn’t mean she was safe. After all, Aldric didn’t even touch Edge. Along those lines, he would be way more trustworthy than she was. And the amount of things Edge knew Rose was hiding was just too much to ignore.

“No.”

The word pierced through the room; the walls practically shuddered with the foul intent of the words. But Edge didn’t care.

“No…?” Rose stuttered, obviously taken by surprise.

“I don’t, Rose. And you can’t give me a good reason why I should.”

Rose stood up, her chair sliding backwards with a hard screech. Edge wasn’t afraid. She simply leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, letting the shadows draw near. Her eyes were hard and set, daring Rose to challenge her.

Edge didn’t fear her power anymore.

“Then you might as well go,” Rose said, voice soft yet deadly. Kalmar was about to stand up and defend Edge’s honour, but Kilah yanked him back down. It wasn’t his battle to fight.

“I don’t trust you. But that doesn’t mean I’m not willing to listen. Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it. In my self-interest.” Edge responded, sounding much more reasonable than she felt.

Rose opened her mouth to retort, then closed it just as quickly. She stared unblinkingly at Edge, and she felt a jumble of Rose’s thoughts enter her mind, uninvited. Edge didn’t flinch at the harsh tone.

If I had any other choice, Edge, you wouldn’t be here right now. As it is, I don’t, and circumstances implore me to both trust and depend on you. If I can’t trust you, nor you me, could you at least give me reason so that I can depend on you?

Edge met her eyeline, and without a single reaction, said outloud, “Yes.”

They all sat in uncomfortable silence. Even the boys stopped their gluttonous eating.

Finally, Rose let her shoulders relax and crumpled down to her seat, looking much more weary than before. Her voice was tired, but not defeated.

“Children, I must ask something of you that pains me. My wish would not be to put any of you in danger. But I’ve looked at every other possibility. I cannot find another one where we win.”

She met eyes with everyone around the table before continuing.

“The task is this. Each leader of each tribe, sector if you would so call it, of our world has been given a key. Not normal keys, but keys given to them by the ancestors, and before them, the founders of our world. Inside this castle is a door, fabled to hold the power able to save, or destroy, worlds. But it only opens to those who have mastered every skill and rallied every tribe. The keys. We need each one to open the door. And that is your task. Set out to each sector, obtain the key for it, and bring it back.”

“That’s it?” Kalmar smirked. “Easy enough.”

“I’m not so sure…” Elias sighed, fidgeting with the table cloth. “Wars? Tribes? Fate? I mean, it seems kind of serious.”

“Indeed, Elias,” Rose confirmed. “The leaders of each tribe will not part with their trophies easily, especially for those from the mortal world. It will require immense…” she scrambled for the right word. “ingenuity.”

“Well, we’re smart,” Kilah said. “We’ll figure it out easily enough I’m sure.”

“Why can’t you just do it, if you really cared that much? Wouldn’t they listen to a princess better than us anyway?” Liora crossed her arms.

Rose shook her head sadly. “Do not think that the thought of it has not crossed my mind. But this is time sensitive; I could not possibly get every key in the time that we need them. And I assure you, the royal family is not popular among those in the outer tribes. And it will be dangerous, children. You have no idea the horrors that have happened.”

“I’m in,” Kalmar said immediately, a look of defiance crossing his face.

She laughed softly. “I’m not going to let you make this decision today. Minds change in the face of death. Explore the castle, do some of your own thinking and research, and come tomorrow you can make your choice.”

Edge stood up, giving one nod to acknowledge the room. Then, spinning on her heel, she walked out.

This was going to be interesting.