The plush velvet couches swallowed them whole, the silence punctuated only by the erratic thump-thump-thump of Leo’s heart against his ribs. He ran a hand through his hair; the gesture betraying the turmoil inside. “I still don’t get what is happening,” he breathed, the words catching in his throat.

  Robert snorted, a sound like gravel grinding. “You’re telling me? You didn’t even have the courtesy of seeing your doppelg?nger in front of you!” He leaned forward, his gaze sharp. Leo glanced at Luis, a twin so identical he could almost see himself reflected in his brother’s eyes. A sheepish grin spread across Leo’s face. Robert slapped his forehead with a dramatic sigh. “Right. Twins. Of course.”

  The air hung heavy with unspoken questions. Then, the heavy metal door swung inward, revealing Mason, his face a mask of strained urgency with a grim set to his jaw. He moved with the purposeful.

  “My father wants to see you,” Mason announced, his voice low and clipped. He looked directly at Darian. “Except you. An agent will drive you home in a couple of minutes.” He didn’t wait for a reply, his hand already gesturing them towards a dimly lit room down the hall.

  The air inside the room was thick with the scent of sandalwood and old paper. Candles flickered, casting dancing shadows on the walls, revealing intricate tapestries depicting scenes of fantastical creatures and swirling nebulae. Ancient relics, their surfaces gleaming faintly in the candlelight, were scattered across ornate shelves. The man in the red robe, seated cross-legged on a plush rug, seemed to radiate an aura of quiet power. His eyes, the colour of dark amber, held a depth that hinted at centuries of untold stories.

  He was a picture of serenity, yet a subtle tension vibrated in the surrounding air. Robert swallowed, a sudden knot of unease tightening in his gut. “Look how grown you are,” the man chuckled, his voice a warm rumble. He didn’t sound condescending, but…knowing. Robert felt a prickle of unease. “Hi, um…who are you?” he stammered, the question feeling inadequate.

  The man smiled, a slow, deliberate curve of his lips. “My apologies. Longwei is the name.” His gaze swept over the group, lingering a moment on each of them. “Please, be seated.”

  Freddie surveyed the room. “There isn’t any seating?” He snapped his fingers. A flourish of theatrical flair, and soft, intricately woven pillows materialized on the floor, as if summoned from thin air. The sudden appearance of the pillows only amplified the surreal nature of the situation.

  Longwei beckoned them to sit, his expression serious. He leaned forward, his voice dropping to an indistinct murmur, a hush settling over the room. “What I am about to tell you will be difficult to accept. It will change everything. Pay close attention.”

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  He extended his arms. A book, bound in what looked like aged leather, shimmered into existence in his hands. The candlelight dimmed, the only illumination now emanating from the book itself, the pages glowing with an ethereal light. A hush fell over the room as Longwei cleared his throat.

  “It was no accident,” he began, his voice a low, resonant hum, “that fate has brought you together. I have, shall we say, anticipated your arrival. I just did not expect it to come so soon.”

  A ripple of confused murmurs passed through the team. Joel, his brow furrowed, leaned forward. “What do you mean, ‘anticipated’?”

  Longwei didn’t answer verbally. Instead, he touched a page. Images bloomed across the surface, vibrant and breathtaking, a living tapestry unfolding before their eyes. Lush landscapes, cities crafted from impossibly intricate stonework, beings of impossible grace and beauty moved across the pages.

  “Hundreds of years ago,” Longwei’s voice filled the silence again, “humans and meliorates–beings like myself and you–lived side-by-side. This world… it throbbed with magic. We, the Meliorates, were more than just neighbors. We were partners. We helped humans build wonders beyond your wildest imaginings, helped them traverse oceans and mountains with ease, unlock the planet’s secrets.” An image of a colossal structure materialized on the page; it shimmered with an inner light, defying gravity. “Merlin,” Longwei continued, his voice laced with reverence, “the most powerful being on Earth could build entire villages with a single gesture.” He paused, letting the image sink in, the weight of history palpable in the air.

  Emma, her eyes wide with wonder, leaned closer. “But… what happened? If we coexisted, why are we… separate now? In different worlds?”

  Longwei’s face fell, the lines etched into his features deepening, as if he carried the weight of centuries on his shoulders. He closed his eyes for a moment, as if gathering his strength. “Abaddon,” he whispered, the name itself sounding like a curse. “He was the embodiment of darkness, corruption personified. He launched an assault on this planet, and… humans, Elves, Dwarves, Druids, lead by the Meliorates… we fought side-by- side against his legions. A war that tore the very fabric of reality.”

  He gestured to another image, showcasing a colossal battle, a maelstrom of light and shadow. “Merlin… he was old, his power waning. Unable to fight directly, he created the first golden one, channeling his essence, his very being, into a conduit of power, turning the tide of the war.” Longwei’s voice resonated with a quiet pride. “He was victorious.”

  Fred whistled low, his amazement uncontainable. “Wow. That’s… incredible.”

  Robert, ever pragmatic, pressed further. “But what happened after the victory? After Abaddon fell?”

  Longwei’s gaze grew distant, mournful. “Instead of celebration, there was… betrayal. The victory was short-lived as we started being hunted by the human empires as we seen as a threat a danger waiting to happen. Soon after Merlin created the world you inhabit, he erased all memory of the Meliorates, of magic itself, from human minds. He sealed it away, leaving us as myths, legends, a fairy tale…” The light from the book flickered, dimming slightly as if mirroring the despair in his words. A heavy silence descended, broken only by the soft hum of the magical book.