Race between Demigods pt.3

Once she had calmed down, she gave Lorenzo a smile: "Lore, what are you doing here?"

"I..." the demigod couldn't avoid Shirei's gaze, he quickly greeted him, "Hello. I'm Lorenzo, Marina's half-brother, but you can also call me Lore."

"Shirei," Cragar's son replied blankly, "If you need to talk, I'll leave you alone."

"No!" The two sons of Ien replied in unison.

Marina turned to look at Lorenzo in confusion, so the blond took the opportunity to explain himself better, "There's no need, I just wanted to let Marina know that Lyceum is waiting for her at the Great Mansion."

"Why did you come here looking for her?" Shirei asked.

"Well..." the son of Ien reached out to his half-sister, but the latter interrupted him.

"My best friend is a daughter of Cragar, I come here often."

The demigod turned to look at the closed door of the house, "Do you mean Dalia?"

"Yes, Mr. Ghost. It seemed strange to me that you didn't know your only roommate."

Lorenzo remained silent staring at the scene. He felt slightly excessive and began to step back, "Good! It was a pleasure, I just wanted to give the message, see you!"

Ien's two sons exchanged a look and Lorenzo gave a quick wink before running away.

"Does he have eye problems?" Shirei asked curiously.

"No, he has problems in his head. He could have called me directly without coming all the way here" Marina replied before getting up, "Okay, Hollow, it was fun but I better go. If Mr. D'Agostini has to tell me something important... well, it's important. I'm a little anxious now that I think about it..."

"I understand," the demigod replied calmly.

Marina turned to greet him but Shirei was already standing too. Before she knew it, he had grabbed her forearm.

"Wait, what?" Marina shivered at the contact, she could feel his cold hands despite the fabric of the shirt.

"You said you have to go to the Great Mansion. I'll take you there."

"What do you mean... no, Shirei, please, No!"

Marina realized what he had in mind too late. Shadows enveloped the two and suddenly the world distorted, taking on the same fluidity as a liquid. Marina's ears began to ring, she heard voices and screams coming from everywhere. Shirei still held her, but the demigoddess couldn't make out anything else, everything seemed abnormal, as if reality itself was altered. Shades of light green mixed with white and black created a surreal atmosphere. Marina couldn't stop gasping, even though she was desperately trying to inhale to get oxygen to her lungs. Dalia had once tried to take her along on a spectral travel but they had failed miserably. According to her books, it was a technique that required a lot of skill, so it was necessary to master it as best as possible to be able to do something like that. Shirei wasn't lying in the slightest about his dedication to training, Marina was now sure of it. She closed her eyes suddenly as she saw the environment moving again, wanting it to end quickly. The Intraworld was no place for the living, she had always known it, but now she was seeing clear proof of it.

"We're here," Cragar's son commented after a few seconds.

Marina reopened her eyes, doubled over and felt a slight feeling of nausea. She tried to pretend nothing had happened, after all the boy had only tried to help her. "Thank you..!"

The words came out of her mouth almost as if they had been forced out.

"Everything okay?" The demigod asked in a worried tone.

"Y-yes, I'm fine, I just need to... recover. I had never truly experienced a spectral travel."

"I apologize."

Marina cracked a smile and moved her hand to let him know not to worry.

"Do you want me to wait for you here?" Added the dark boy.

"Don't worry, Shirei, go ahead. I'll see you around."

The demigod nodded without saying a word and, before the girl could greet him, he disappeared into the shadows again.

"Classic of a son of Cragar, dear Marina, a classic," she repeated to herself before setting off.

The Great Mansion stood with an imposing presence in the heart of the park, dominating the view and capturing the gaze of anyone who laid eyes on it. The structure, an elegant fusion of ancient architecture and modern practicality, featured a majestic facade that soared upward. The rough gray stone and dark wood were combined to form the base of the building, creating an eye-catching contrast with a solid and lasting appearance. The Corinthian columns, massive and imposing, were arranged regularly along the facade, supporting an entrance portico that extended gracefully. The porch was a work of architectural art in itself, with hand-carved details that told stories of ballads and festivals past. The pitched tiled roof gave a sense of nobility and tradition, while the classic-looking windows were evenly distributed, adding a touch of modernity. The building stood out like a lighthouse to the north of the park, in an area higher than the others. It was the pulsating brain of life in the Lilies Park, a symbol of hope but also of authority, ready to welcome and guide the young demigods in the fight against their destiny.

Marina was worried about the mysterious meeting with Mr. D'Agostini, usually it was him who went looking for demigods, certainly not the other way around.

Being called to the Great Mansion never portended good news.