Lavender walked down a maze of corridors after making sure that the other two kids were in their bedrooms. For such a large house, I noticed a lack of servants or helpers. It was amazing that she kept the place as spotless as she did. I decided that it must be magic.

Kalli was preparing for bed over on Gaia too, washing up in the bath chamber that I still remembered fondly. She sighed as she felt my eyes on her. Always peeping, aren’t you? I don’t know if I’m ever going to get used to sleeping alone again.

I felt the same.

At least we can still share our dreams.

When we got to the door at the end of the maze, Lavender held out a key that looked like it was from a video game. On one end was a red gemstone that looked like a ruby and on the other was a three-pronged key.

Lavender smiled as I took the key and said, “I am giving you this suite so that you can feel a little more at home while you stay with me. Please don’t take Sylvia or Eddie here. The last thing I need is them getting lost in, well, your restroom. You see, this room is special. I think you might appreciate it. Have a good night.”

She said that last word with a wink before spinning on her heels and marching off into the darkness. I slid the key into the lock and twisted it. At first, there was a click followed by a loud rumbling sound as a rather intricate lock disengaged.

The bedroom didn’t disappoint. It was a close call between The Queen’s Suite in Castle Celestea and the room I found myself in as to which was more glamourous. The big difference that I noticed was the fountain in the corner of the room that looked like a waterfall flowing over a rainforest. I stood mesmerized for several minutes before deciding to check out the rest of the room.

The canopy bed in the center of the room was much too large for just me. Several fluffy chairs made up a sitting area and there was a very large television on the wall that seemed out of place. Thus far, I hadn’t seen any electronics at all in the rest of the mansion.

Then my eyes found what I was looking for. Lavender had said something about the restroom and it being off-limits to the other kids. I made my way over to the door and found it also to be locked. Fortunately, the room key worked on the lock and after another showy display of the lock clicking into place, the door swung open of its own accord.

Then Kalli screamed. I found myself in a very familiar bath chamber, complete with Kalli sitting on a commode. She screamed, “Help! There’s someone in the privy with me. Melvin, come quick!”

Out of reflex more than anything, I teleported to her side. Then, realizing she had seen me on the other side of the room, I started laughing.

She glared up at me and growled, ‘That’s not funny!”

I walked back over to the open door and stuck my head through, having trouble registering that my body was halfway between worlds. Kalli finished her business and walked up behind me. “Is that…?”

“Yeah!” I announced, holding the door open for her.

She smiled, giving me a quick hug before walking into my room. “This is Earth? I’m back on Earth? Well, that solves a lot of problems, doesn’t it?”

I matched her smile and followed her into my room. “So, which room shall we sleep in?”

Kalli made her way over to the massive bed in my new room. “Well, we haven’t slept in your room yet.”

Our dream started the same as it did every night. Kalli stretched out in my lap as I did my best to massage her shoulders. She sighed heavily and tilted her head back to look up at me. “I don’t think I want to be a princess anymore. It’s too much work.”

I kissed her on the nose, causing Kalli to giggle. “Don’t think about it like that. You’re a princess by birth. Do it the way you want to. Don’t let your mother bully you. Remember, the people love you. Almost as much as I do.”

She laughed. “They love me that much, huh?”

I grinned, “You’re impossible not to love. I’m so happy Lavender gave me that room. I didn’t know how I was going to live without you.”

“Geez, Melvin,” Kalli replied, rolling her eyes. “We were only apart for a few days.”

I pouted, sticking out my tongue at her. “It felt like forever, and you were a whole dimension away.”

Kalli sat up, suddenly reinvigorated. “So, what shall we dream about tonight?”

With the sudden freedom from both contracts and drama in our lives, Kalli and I let loose in our dream and had no business waking up as rested as we did in the morning. I opened my eyes to find Kalli snuggled up next to me. She smiled when she saw me and whispered, “Five more minutes please.”

As I was in no hurry to get up either, I pulled her close and basked in her aura. It wasn’t until thirty minutes later that we actually dragged ourselves out of bed. A loud knock on the door announced we were probably late for breakfast.

When I checked, the presence of two trays on the floor was the only evidence that somebody had been there. A note accompanied the food.

Melvin and Kalliphae,

I trust the two of you enjoyed last night’s surprise. It makes me happy to accommodate young love. You two share a bond that is more special than either of you realize.

Please feel free to take your time getting ready. When you are prepared to join us, follow the light in the halls. I will explain your training when you both arrive.

Lavender

Kalli read the letter over my shoulder and smiled. “I guess I’m getting trained too. Mother won’t be happy but I’d rather train with you than balance another book on my head.”

I chuckled, remembering some of the things I saw her mother make Kalli do. Breakfast was bacon and eggs and just as delicious as the stew had been the night before.

After quickly washing up, we were both excited to see what Lavender had planned for us. We noticed the lights as soon as we left the room. The red carpet seemed to come to life as brilliant red colors sparkled and flashed in the thick fibers and rippled their way down the hall. Before we knew it we were running to keep up.

By the time we made it to our destination, Kalli and I were both out of breath. I looked up to find several people I didn’t expect to see waiting patiently with Lavender.

Sylvia giggled and announced, “You were right, Melvin. Trolls do stink.”

Esha huffed at the tiny human attached to her leg. “If you dislike my odor, why do you insist on clinging to me?”

“Hugs!” Sylvia cried out as she held on for dear life. The troll was trying to throw her off. “I am going to hug away the bad smells!”

By the look on Esha’s face, it appeared the Affectionist was pulling it off. A goblin peeked her head out from behind the troll. “Boombrix is here as well to assist with the training. She brings booms and bangs to make your foes run in fear.”

I smiled, happy to see the new additions to the group. Sensing the unspoken question, Lavender explained. “Wendy has taken Joe to Japan to meet her parents and Rundell has decided to focus on school and spend more time with his family. These three from Gaia have agreed to help out in the meantime.”

“Three?” Kalli asked hesitantly. “I only see two.”

“I’m here too.” Shiviria chirped from a chair on the far side of the room. Her icy blue hair flipped over her shoulder as she jumped to her feet. “Please don’t be mad. I wanted to come too.”

Kalli rushed over to hug the girl. “Of course, I’m not mad. I’ll bet mother is going to freak out when she finds both of us gone through.”

Shiviria shook her head, frowning as Sylvia wandered over and wrapped both of them in a hug. “Don’t worry about mother and father. Lavender spoke to them.”

“How did you manage that?” Kalli asked, raising an eyebrow at the enchanter.

Lavender covered her mouth, laughing quietly. “I have my ways. I can be very persuasive when I feel the need to be. In any case, I told them that Shiviria won’t be leaving the house. That seemed to placate them.”

“Then, how are we going to train?” I asked, getting more curious.

The Enchanter laughed again. “Don’t underestimate this house.”

We stood in front of a door. It wasn’t exactly the front door even though it looked a lot like it. Lavender stood next to it as though she were unveiling a new creation. “What you are about to see was born from the hard work and dedication of many people. Several very talented magicians have created a world where everything is both real and imaginary at the same time. To make it even more special, we have managed to create a digital overlay allowing non-magical folks to experience it as well. To them, it’s a video game. For you, it’s going to be a training ground. Allow me to introduce you to the wonderful world of Eternal Legacy Online.”

Then the doors swung open revealing a spiral staircase in a dreary gray tower. I laughed and said, “It doesn’t quite live up to the hype.”

Lavender huffed dryly and replied. “Very funny, wise guy. Go check it out.”

We descended the stairs quickly and stepped out into a town. It was night, which made no sense to me considering we just had breakfast. The kids all ran ahead, checking out the various restaurants and shops on Main Street.

“I feel different,” I said, probing myself with mana.

Lavender nodded and patted me on the back. “Good observation. That’s because you check your body at the door when you enter this world. Don’t worry. Your physical bodies are in limbo. In here, you are a manifestation of your mana. That will come in handy when you die.”

“We are going to die?” Shiviria asked nervously, looking like she was having second thoughts.

Going to comfort the girl, Lavender explained. “Don’t worry, child. Death is only a setback here. That’s what makes this place a perfect training ground. When you die, you will just respawn.”

Shiviria looked slightly less afraid. “What does respawn mean?”

Lavender smiled warmly at the girl. “It’s just what they call it when you return to town. When a monster defeats you, it will feel like you teleported back home. It doesn’t even hurt.”

After waiting a moment to be sure everyone was okay with it, Lavender continued the tour. “This is Homestead, home of the cast members. That is what the NPCs like to be called.”

I stopped short. “NPCs can think in this game? Are you saying they are sentient?”

Lavender paused, looking back at me. “You’ve met the game master. She calls herself Aya. She runs this place. The cast members are her children. Please treat them with respect.”

I nodded. “Of course. I wouldn’t treat them any other way.”

We followed Lavender to a two-story building with a restaurant on the ground floor. Upon entering, I saw a familiar face. I waved and said, “Hey! I remember you from that restaurant in Oceanside! Your name is Phylis, right?”

The woman looked up, a little surprised to see me. “Oh, right. Yes. My name is Phylis. I do run that restaurant.”

“So, you’re a human, right?” Kalli confirmed.

Phylis shook her head. “No. I am a cast member. We use bodies that are a combination of android and magic when we need to go out in the real world.”

I looked back at Lavender. “Wow. That’s neat. How does that work?”

The enchanter gave me a knowing smile. “There are many different kinds of magic that you don’t know about yet. Your friend Joe is on the path that leads to the creation of android technology. There are also classes known as Technicians and Artificers. Most innovation is a combination of a vast array of talents. If you wish to learn more, you should visit the Technician General Bureau at their home base in Poland. They are currently experimenting with artificial portals using scientific magic. ”

“What is that?” I asked, both amazed and confused at the same time.

Lavender rubbed her chin. “Hmm. I guess you can call it artificial mana. They refine the mana of the living into a form that can power the devices they create. Some of them say that their goal is to break the universe but they are mostly harmless from what I’ve seen.”

“Were there any technicians involved in the creation of this world?” Kalli asked.

Lavender nodded, sitting at one of the tables. “Yes. A man called Roland Yin created Aya. He is not affiliated with any mage guild and the person he answers to is also not awakened. She is a very powerful woman and I advise you to steer clear of her.”

“So, what next?” I asked.

With a grin on her face, Lavender motioned to the seats next to her. “The reason I brought you here is to make it your respawn point. Then you are going to begin your training in The Shadowlands.”