The days that followed their sorting passed in a strange, steady rhythm — one that felt both ordinary and unreal.
Each morning, the teens woke with the same thought lingering in their minds: something about me is different now. It started subtly
Cole noticed it first.
When he focused, truly focused, the world around him seemed to sharpen — edges clearer, sounds closer, movements slower, as though reality itself leaned in to listen. He hadn't told the others yet, but the feeling unsettled and excited him in equal measure.
Lenora discovered she could sense emotions like temperature shifts—anger crackled, fear chilled, joy warmed. Kelvin found his strength growing in bursts, appearing when he least expected it. Dominic could feel the pull of shadows as if they were alive. Emma's thoughts moved faster than before, weaving patterns where there were once only questions. And Oliver… Oliver said nothing—but her silence carried weight, as though she knew more than she let on. They were changing.
And the realm made no effort to hide it.
The Umbra Gateway became a daily destination.
It was a towering arch of obsidian stone, etched with ancient symbols that glowed faintly when approached. Beyond it lay the open stretch of the outer realm—markets carved into cliffs, glowing lantern paths, and creatures that moved with casual familiarity, as if monsters and magic were everyday neighbors. Food wasn't brought to them. They had to go out and get it.
At first, the trips felt like supervised excursions. Guides watched from a distance, letting the teens learn the rules of the realm the hard way — by living in it. That was t moment when Cole and Mrs. Ponytail because close friends. She was just impossible to miss anytime Cole went to the safety dock.
Short, round, and always moving, her long silver hair was tied high into a bouncing ponytail that swayed with every exaggerated step. Her stall sat near the edge of the Gateway plaza, overflowing with steaming containers, glowing fruits, and bread that hummed softly when torn apart.
Cole had lingered too long, staring.
"Everything is getting along now, isn't it?..... No longer First-Timer!?" she said, not looking up as she stirred a pot with a ladle twice her size.
Cole blinked. "It's quite obvious now?"
Mrs. Pinny Ponytail laughed—a loud, warm sound that cut through the crowd's noise. "You've got that boldness now too"
She finally looked at him then, her sharp eyes softening.
"Come on now, Eat!,"she said, sliding a bowl toward him. "You'll feel better after."
Every day, when Cole would come to the safety dock for food, they discussed quite a lot almost everytime. Mrs. Pinny Ponytail knew things — about the realm, about the Gateway, about past teens who had passed through and never been the same again.
"Change isn't a curse," she told him one evening as lanterns flickered to life. "It's a responsibility."
"You sound like Mr. Bruce" He chuckled.
But the words stayed with him.
The group grew closer as the days passed. They took classes and practices, been conscious about their newly-discovered beings.
Sooner enough, shared confusion turned into shared laughter. Fear softened into trust. They trained together, ate together, and slowly learned each other's strengths — and weaknesses.
That was when the announcement came.
"Yo!" Percy approached Cole.
"Do you have any idea of why we are all gathered here?" He asked
"I don't!.... Neither do anyone do!" Cole answered.
They were gathered in the central hall when the air shifted, heavy and expectant. The instructors stood in a semicircle, faces unreadable.
"The learning phase is over," Mr. Bruce interrupted the noise and everywhere went silent.
A murmur rippled through the room.
"You have discovered fragments of who you are," Another continued, one which each of them knew — Mrs. Helen. "Now you will learn what to do with that knowledge." She added
The word landed like thunder.
Quest.
"You will be assigned a project," Mrs. Helen continued, calmly. "A task designed to test your abilities, your judgment, and your unity."
Kelvin straightened. "What kind of project is that?.... Combat projects?. That will be cool!"
Mr. Bruce's eyes gleamed. "One that cannot be completed alone"
Silence followed.
"This quest will take you beyond safe paths," They went on. "You will face uncertainty, resistance, and choices that cannot be undone. You will succeed together — or fail together" Mr. Bruce voice was edible now.
Emma swallowed. Dominic clenched her fists. Lenora glanced at Olivia, searching her expression for reassurance.
Cole felt it again—that sharpening sensation. Like the world was preparing to move. Percy was just unsure about what they were been told at that moment.
"You will receive the details soon" Mr. Eric, who hasn't talked for a while, concluded. "Until then—prepare yourselves.... And prepare well!"
As the hall emptied, the weight of what lay ahead settled over them.
A quest — Not training. Not lessons.
A real test.
Cole thought of Mrs. Pinny's words as they stepped back toward the Umbra Gateway.
Change isn't a curse. It's a responsibility.
And for the first time, he wondered if they were truly ready to carry it. Cole sat in Mr. Bruce's Office, thinking. He expected Mr. Bruce or Mr. Mason or even Mrs. Mason to come in and briefly address them about the issue but then nobody showed up. It was as if the teens were left alone — To pass through this sudden thought themselves. But nevertheless, it was meant to be.