Lune walked through the stone corridors, his steps echoing softly. His form flickered as he moved — shifting between his normal body and his more Eidra-like form. The air around him shimmered faintly as his split predator eyes flashed silver and his wolf-like ears twitched slightly.
"Hold it together, Lune," he muttered.
The flickering stopped. He exhaled and kept walking.
He reached the group's quarters and saw the others — Rhoj, Oravi, and Emby — gathered around Master Aro. They were talking about something, their expressions tense.
Lune approached. Master Aro noticed him first.
"Good thing you're here," Master Aro said. "Did you see Dominic? I've been looking for him."
Lune scratched the back of his head. "Uh… about that."
Everyone looked at him.
"We found a portal," Lune said slowly. "A rift. And Dominic…jumped inside."
The room went silent. Rhoj blinked. Emby's mouth fell open. Even Master Aro froze.
"He did what—" Master Aro started, but the scene cut sharply—
***
Back on Earth.
Osita sat on a wooden chair, tapping his foot. His knife rested on his lap. Ugo paced around the camp, mumbling under his breath.
It hadn't been long since Dominic fell off the cliff.
"You should make sure you get that body first thing when the sun goes up," Osita said.
Ugo frowned. "If you don't stop reminding me, it's not only that boy's body I'll be packing this morning."
Osita squinted. "You say what?"
They both paused when they heard a rustling in the bushes. Their hands went to their weapons.
Osita moved closer, knife ready. He pushed a branch aside and saw a small frog sitting there. "It's just a—"
Bang!
Ugo fired his gun.
The shot startled the sleeping children. They shifted but didn't wake fully.
Osita glared. "This human being, eh? I swear, one day we'll exchange weapons. You're not okay with that gun."
Before Ugo could respond, another rustling came from the opposite side. A shadow moved behind the trees.
Osita froze. "Ugo, shoot! Shoot!"
Ugo fired again, several times, until his gun clicked empty. He quickly grabbed his pouch to reload.
Osita sighed and sat back down. "Jumping at shadows," he muttered.
As he lowered himself into the chair, Ugo reloaded the gun.
Neither noticed Dominic standing a few meters behind Osita's chair.
His clothes were soaked. His white shirt was stained deep red. The wound on the side of his forehead still dripped blood.
He was grinning, teeth showing.
Ugo turned, eyes widening. "A ghost!"
Osita jumped up and spun around. There was nothing there. Dominic had vanished.
"You're getting crazier day by day," Osita said, sitting back down. "I told you to stop drinking at night."
"I saw that boy there!" Ugo shouted, pointing at the spot.
Osita ignored him, resting back against the chair. He relaxed, knife in hand.
Then slowly, the knife slipped from his fingers. His right hand reached down — but the knife wasn't there.
He checked his left hand. Empty.
Then they heard a calm voice.
"Check your right hand again."
Osita and Ugo both looked up.
Dominic stood a few meters ahead, facing them, holding Osita's knife. His clothes still wet, his eyes faintly glowing.
Osita's voice cracked. "Ugo…you carry ghost enter this camp, Ugo?!"
Dominic's grin faded slightly. My body… everything… everything feels slow…
Ugo fired.
Dominic vanished again.
He reappeared to their right, still smiling faintly. "You trigger-happy motherfucker."
Ugo fired again and again, missing each time. Osita jumped to his feet, panicking.
"How is this bastard alive?" Osita said.
Dominic appeared in front of them. His tone was flat. "You two did something. I don't know what, but you did it."
A quick flash of memory — Dominic's body lifeless in the stream, the butterfly on his head, then flickering energy leaving his body…and snapping back in.
"I could feel my own chi leaving my body," Dominic said aloud. "And I called it back."
Osita frowned. "Wetin that one come mean?"
Dominic looked around. "Wait. Where's the other one—"
Before he could finish, Ugo crept behind him and fired at close range.
Dominic turned fast, blocking the shot with the knife. The impact cracked the blade in half. He threw the broken weapon aside.
"You two will face the cold armpits of the law," he said.
Ugo laughed. "In your dreams."
He turned his gun toward the children and fired.
Dominic rushed in and caught the bullet midair. It cut through his hand slightly, but a faint wave of energy pulsed out from the point of contact.
The children screamed, waking fully.
The sky was starting to brighten — morning light filtering weakly through the trees.
Osita grabbed a shotgun and fired. Dominic raised his hand again. The same faint ripple spread out, like air bending slightly around him.
Dominic's eyes narrowed. This ripple effect… could it be…?
He flexed his fingers, feeling the pulse again — the space around him seemed to respond.
Ugo aimed his gun at a large box near the campfire. It contained several gas cylinders.
Osita's face changed. "Ugo, you bastard!"
Ugo pulled the trigger.
The explosion hit instantly.
Dominic reacted, pulling the children down and throwing out both arms. A burst of those same ripples surged outward, pushing the children away from the blast and cushioning their fall as the trees cracked and fire burst around them.
The camp went up in flames.
Dominic lay on the ground beside the four children. He groaned, then lifted his head. "You guys okay?"
The children nodded weakly.
He looked back at the camp. Flames spread across the clearing. Ash filled the air. Osita's burnt body lay near the center, motionless.
Dominic turned the children's faces away. "Don't look. Just…look over there."
Then came the sound of an engine. Dominic's eyes shot toward the forest.
Ugo was in a car, driving fast, trying to get away.
Dominic ran after him, limping slightly but pushing forward. "Wait, the road… it's not—"
He shouted, "The road isn't ready!"
Ugo didn't hear. The car sped up the dirt path and hit the unfinished bridge section. The front wheels lifted off and the vehicle plunged straight down the hill.
The crash echoed for seconds.
Dominic stopped running. He stood still, breathing heavily. He knew it was over.
People from nearby farms had heard the explosion and came into the forest. They found the children, frightened but alive.
Dominic was gone.
The police were called soon after.
By the time the sun rose completely, the fire was dying down. Smoke drifted upward in thin lines.
Dominic walked through the bushes, leaving the forest behind. "Those guys...they got what was coming for them." He saw a police car drive by on a nearby road. He stayed low until it passed.
He looked ahead. The city was visible now, as noisy as usual. Finally, he thought. I'm back.
For real this time.
He stepped onto the road and walked all the way to his Street. His legs felt weak, but he kept moving.
My stuff on the road's probably stolen by now, he thought. I hope Mum didn't try calling me yet. And if she did, I hope she's not too worried.
He looked forward, and could see his home ahead.
***
Back on Zandria.
Master Aro stood in front of Lune, arms crossed. "So you just watched him dive in?"
"It wasn't my fault—" Lune started, but his form flickered again. His body shifted slightly before stabilizing.
"It's not what it looks li—" he said quickly.
Master Aro stepped forward and tapped Lune's forehead.
Instantly, Lune's disguise dropped. His true Eidra form appeared — silver split eyes and wolf-like ears.
"The Mandrake is wearing off," Master Aro said.
"What?!" Lune looked shocked.
"You think a sorcerer of my level wouldn't notice?" Master Aro said calmly. "I sensed it days ago. I just waited for you to admit it."
Lune rubbed his arm, embarrassed. "I just thought—"
"You should be careful with this kind of street magic," Aro interrupted. "It's unstable. This one's already fading after only a few days."
Lune blinked. "So you know—"
"That you're part Eidra?" Master Aro finished. "Yes. What I don't know is where you got that Mandrake… and how Dominic fits into this."
Lune sighed. Then he told him everything.
When he finished, Master Aro nodded slowly. "You said the rift was inside a cave?"
"Yes," Lune replied.
"Take me there," Master Aro said. "Now."
They both left the quarters immediately, passing the rest of the group outside.
Emby turned, watching them rush past. "What's got them in a hurry?"
Oravi crossed her arms. "Why is no one talking about how Dominic just left us?"
Rhoj frowned. "I miss Dominic."
Emby rolled her eyes. "Rhoj, it's only been a couple hours."
She smirked. "That punk better not come begging us for help during exhibitions when he comes back."
Oravi frowned. "That's kind of harsh."
"He's the one who left us without saying a word," Emby said. "So much for team spirit."
"Yeah," Oravi admitted. "That wasn't nice either. I wonder what's really going on."
Emby sighed. "Why's everyone hiding something these days?"
Oravi looked at her. "You don't?"
Emby grinned. "I'm an open book. And the world is my library, baby."
She put her hands on her hips as Oravi just shook her head.
***
Back on Earth.
Dominic walked through the quiet street toward his gate. He looked tired but calm.
He stared at the locked gate for a few seconds.
Then he sighed.
No one was home