In my haste to get to Kalli, we landed and I teleported us back to the dorm. My startled friends stared at the two of us as we awkwardly appeared in the middle of the room.

Rundell stood abruptly and said, “Kiki. It’s you.”

She raised a hand and weakly said, “Hi guys. I’m alive.”

The rest of the group bombarded my poor sister with questions. Raverly asked, “Aren’t you supposed to be in prison?”

Wendy looked nervous but asked, “Are you okay, Kiki?”

Joe looked tentatively at the door and asked, “They aren’t looking for you, are they? We can’t afford to get in trouble right now.”

I cleared my throat, getting everyone’s attention. “Calm down guys. She’s here for me. Kalli’s in trouble.”

Wendy rushed over to my side and asked, “Did you get in touch with her? Tell us what happened.”

Shaking my head, I sat down and explained, “No. Not yet. I felt a disturbance in my core. Something is wrong. Kiki said she can help. It was either that or I was going to try to summon her.”

They all started to talk at once but Kiki silenced everyone with a shriek. “Put a sock in it, everyone. We’re going to do this one way or the other. If you want us to go somewhere else, just say the word.”

My friends huddled together to discuss what to do. I felt a little frustrated that they had left me out of the discussion. However, Kiki and I had our own private way to communicate.

She sat next to me and started to explain. The way to restore your connection to Kalli is going to involve a contract. You are going to have to trust me.

I trust you. Besides, I’ll do anything to rescue Kalli. Make the contract.

She shook her head and poked my chest playfully. Wrong brother. You won’t be making any contracts with me. This is going to be a contract with yourself. You need to make an oath and tie it to your core with mana.

How do I do that?

Kiki tapped my chest with her index finger. Reach into yourself and tie a string of your mana around your core while tying it to a promise. You need to attach a commitment to your connection to Kalli and give yourself a penalty if you break the oath.

What do you mean by a penalty?

We watched the huddle for a few moments in silence before she explained. Skills, traits, and magic can be amplified through strong conviction. The strength of your emotions already makes your bond with Kalli strong. Adding an ‘or else’ with a strong penalty will make your bond exponentially stronger.

What kind of penalty should I use?

Kiki shrugged. I don’t know. You have to choose something that has meaning to you. You can’t change it once you set it. You can only add to it. So if you choose a penalty like five years of bad luck and it doesn’t turn out to be strong enough, you can’t remove it to add another penalty. You would have to add a second one on top of the first one.

How do I know if it’s strong enough?

She heaved a heavy sigh, drawing a few looks from the others huggled across the room. We were still sitting quietly so they were unaware of our conversation. I’m not sure, Melvin. I don’t use this kind of contract. They can be dangerous. If you weren’t about to try summoning her, I wouldn’t have even recommended it.

I closed my eyes and did as she instructed, using my mana to tie a thread around my core. Focusing on my connection to Kalliphae, I put mana into my desire to strengthen the connection.

SELF-CONTRACT INITIATED. IN ORDER TO STRENGTHEN YOUR BOND, A SOLEMN OATH MUST BE OFFERED.

My heart raced as I considered various penalties to enhance the contract. Would a simple ‘or else’ work? Could I offer up a broken leg or a really bad headache? How could I be sure it would work?

My core twinged again in urgency. It felt like the only part of my connection to Kalli that still worked was my spidey sense that she was in danger. Every fiber of my being felt that I needed to get to her immediately.

I took a deep breath and decided.

I make this vow with my life. I will never forsake her. I will live for her. I will die without her. If our bond ever breaks, you can take my life.

The thread hummed and grew taught around my core, digging into the white ball of energy. When it penetrated my core, thick crimson barbs dug in and caused motes of light to leak out in every direction.

Once the light died down, I noticed that my core was now a bright golden color with thorny red vines entwined around it.

THE FOLLOWING TRAIT HAS BEEN ENHANCED: [Matechat[Kalliphae Hellquist] (Edited)]

NEW TRAIT AQUIRED: Inseperable[Kalliphae Hellquist]

NEW TRAIT AQUIRED: Till Death Do You Part[Kalliphae Hellquist]

The hole in my chest was instantly filled with a familiar connection that sent warmth flooding through my entire body. I would also tell that something was wrong.

Kalli!

Everyone in the room turned to look at me. I looked like I was having a silent panic attack. Ignoring multiple people in the room trying to get my attention, I anxiously awaited Kalli’s reply. Melvin? Is that you? Oh my god. I thought I would never hear your voice again.

What’s going on? I can feel something is wrong. I had to enhance our bond to contact you.

She sobbed and informed me. I don’t think I’m going to be able to come back.

Why not? I don’t know if I can survive without you.

Kalli gasped for air, having something of a panic attack. I think I’m going to die.

No, you won’t. I won’t let you.

She pulled herself together and panted. It’s too late. Just let it be, okay?

No. I’m coming for you. Just give me a…

She cut me off. You can’t. It’s too dangerous. Promise me.

I stood abruptly, causing Kiki to flinch next to me. Melvin, what happened? What did you do? Did it work?

My sister’s question hit me like a freight train. It did work and I knew exactly what my new skill, Inseparable, did. I nodded silently and announced to the room, “Kalli is in danger and I’m going after her. I can’t summon her here so I am going to Gaia.”

Kalli spoke in the back of my mind. Melvin. Listen to me. You can’t come here.

Kiki stood next to me and said, “And I’m going with him.”

I turned to her in shock and said, “You don’t have to do that. It’s going to be dangerous.”

She shrugged and said, “What am I supposed to do? Sit here and kiss you goodbye? I am not about to let my baby brother die. Not on my watch. Besides, my life on this world is effectively over.”

Wendy stepped up to Kiki, standing shoulder to shoulder, and said, “Then I’m going too. Melvin and Kalli are my friends as well.”

Joe groaned and took Wendy’s hand. “Fine. Let’s do this. We’re so going to die.”

Kalli was growing more and more urgent. Stop this Mel. You know you do stupid things when you get reckless.

Rundell had a look of excitement on his face when he said, “This sounds like an adventure. I’ve been waiting my whole life to go on one.”

They all looked back at Raverly and Stefanie, the only people who hadn’t spoken. Rave was staring intently at his phone. When Joe elbowed him he announced, “Dude. Justin Beiber disguised himself as Make-A-Wish and killed a baby! It’s all over the news.”

Joe gaped at him, “What the hell are you talking about? We’re all going to Gaia. Are you in or out?”

Rave looked up. “What? Why would we do that?”

Joe took Run’s phone out of his hand and said, “To save Kalliphae. She is our friend and friends help friends when they need it.”

I worked through the spell in my head multiple times while Joe argued with Rave. Eventually, Rave buckled and reluctantly agreed to go.

JOE REID HAS JOINED THE GROUP

WENDY MAYUKO HAS JOINED THE GROUP

RUNDELL ADLAWAN HAS JOINED THE GROUP

RAVERLY CRESENT HAS JOINED THE GROUP

STEFANIE KOEGEL HAS JOINED THE GROUP

Realizing that certain things would be left behind, I said, “Byakko, come out.”

The tiger cub appeared at my feet. “This is it, huh?”

I nodded and said, “What will happen to you while I’m gone?”

He chuffed at me. “You can send me back to the astral realm. I will answer your call should you return to Earth and summon me again. You are a worthy master.”

“What about the others?” I asked tentatively.

There was a pause before Byakko replied. “Take them out. You can send them back to their respective realms the same way you can for me.”

“But I didn’t summon them.” I replied.

Byakko chuffed again. “It doesn’t matter. They will always be guardians with rightful places in the heavens.”

I did as he asked and soon, we had a dorm room filled with the four guardians. Wendy giggled and asked, “When did you get a turtle?”

Introducing the two, I said, “Wendy, meet Genbu.”

She smiled and patted his shell, “It’s nice to meet you, Genbu.”

Genbu poked his head out of the shell and replied, “The pleasure is mine. Aren’t you a friendly mortal, human?”

Joe laughed. “She really is.”

We all laughed as Wendy smacked Joe playfully.

I said a round of goodbyes to the four guardians and unsummoned them for the first time. They vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving behind a ragged dress and an old brittle turtle shell shield. Byakko had assured me that the items would cross over just fine to Gaia, so I placed the items in my bag.

Preparing myself to try to teleport to an unknown world, I spoke in group chat. Everyone has to be touching me to travel with me. If you have any doubts, this is the time to say so. Everything we do from now on is going to be dangerous.

Rave started to say something but Joe clamped a hand over his mouth. I suppressed a chuckle that Rave stopped speaking in group chat when Joe covered his physical mouth.

It started as a regular teleport. The only difference was that I had no clear picture in my head of where I was going. My body, no, my core knew. Kalli’s life force couldn’t be hidden from me any longer, a golden ball of light in another realm.

I stepped into the darkness armed with the knowledge. In the void between worlds, one of the lines glowed. My feet walked a path that I could not control as we stepped away from Earth for the first time.

We appeared in a new world in a flash of light. Our group crowded a tiny hut where the lone occupant lay in a bed of straw. Kalli did not look good.

YOU HAVE CONTRACTED THE MAGICAL PLAGUE

It gave me a debuff and the effects were instant. I felt sick to my stomach and began to sweat. Kalli was in worse shape, obviously having been sick longer.

DELETE

DELETE

I removed the debuff from Kalli and myself. She whimpered softly in the bed, not opening her eyes. The others around me were starting to cough.

YOU HAVE CONTRACTED THE MAGICAL PLAGUE

The disease came right back.

DELETE

DELETE

YOU HAVE CONTRACTED THE MAGICAL PLAGUE

It was like I was fighting with a sickness that instantly reapplied itself. I got creative and added a disease immunity trait.

DELETE

YOU HAVE CONTRACTED THE MAGICAL PLAGUE

That didn’t work. I modified it to magical disease immunity.

DELETE

I waited and tapped my foot. The other members of the group were either on the floor coughing or had gone outside for some fresh air. When the disease didn’t come back, I set to work. While I cared about the rest of the group, Kalli was my top priority.

Adding the immunity to her first, I DELETED the disease. She grunted in pain even after the disease was gone. Her clothing was soaked with a foul-smelling sweat. I feared she might have soiled herself.

Kalli, can you hear me?

She whimpered in the bed. Why did you come here? Everyone has the plague. Nobody survives this sickness. I begged you not to come.

Yeah, I hear I’m pretty dumb sometimes.

I worked my mana through her as I had done to so many patients in the hospital in the past couple of weeks. Surprisingly, the damage didn’t appear to be affecting her body. It wasn’t until I got to her core that I saw what the disease had been doing.

Her core looked like a half-eaten ball of fire, as though some space mouse has mistaken her red star for a ball of spicy cheese. Fortunately, my mana made a great building block and Kalli’s core sipped on my mana hungrily as it rebuilt itself.

When I withdrew from my girlfriend, I noticed that her breathing was already much less labored. I grinned at her.

Time for our little joke.

“Pvruzth”

I lovingly cleansed every part of her body, making sure to incinerate any evidence of her sickness. It was at that point that I set to the task of immunizing the rest of the group. Since they had only just contracted the disease, a simple DELETE and an edited immunity trait did the trick.

By the time I finished the last one, Kalli was sitting up. She tugged on my arm. I don’t know how you managed to do that but you need to save the people of this village. Everyone is sick.