Chapter Three: The Man Behind The Gate

Content Warning: Mild depiction of torture

"What do you mean?" Marine's voice unintentionally rose a few octaves. She quickly realized and clamped her mouth shut.

"Monica, we don't understand," Marine asked again, trying to remain calm. They had been brought here suddenly, without any explanation. They were told they belonged here, yet they had no idea why they were leaving their previous home. Where were Mom and Dad? Why couldn't they provide a proper explanation? Anxiety filled Marine as she hesitated to explore this new world.

Marine glanced at her twin sister, Eliza, who looked around with twinkling eyes full of excitement and curiosity. Eliza noticed Marine's gaze and their eyes met. Uncomfortably scratching her head, Eliza looked at their older sister with a serious expression, but her fidgeting hands and feet betrayed her true feelings.

Though Marine couldn't understand her sister's emotions, she chose not to dwell on it for now.

"We originally lived here, so this is where we belong," Monica answered without stopping or turning to look at her sisters.

"We? Live here?" Marine gestured to the lush green grass and trees, the bright sun, and the sounds of various animals. Who knew if any of them were dangerous?

Monica seemed oblivious to the surroundings as she continued walking.

"Can you please stop for a moment and explain to us what is going on?" Marine mustered up her courage, despite its small size, to ask her "intimidating" sister a question—or was it more of an order? "We have the right to know. We are family too, you know."

Monica halted, and it was unclear whether she was moved by Marine's words. She turned back toward them. "This is another world. Mom and Dad lived here before we were born. They were born here and grew up here too." Marine was shocked, while Eliza's face showed excitement and wonder. Marine wondered why they were only finding this out now, and under such circumstances. "They fell in love here. However, something happened, and they needed to escape from this place. That's why they moved and have been living on Earth ever since."

After the initial shock wore off, Marine snapped back to reality and immediately asked, "Why did they leave? Was someone threatening their lives?"

"Something like that," Monica replied, gazing into the distance without focusing on anything in particular.

"That's why we have to leave again, because they found us," Marine deduced, grasping the truth. Monica nodded. "Then, they must be in danger! Why did you let them stay?" Monica turned her head to stare at Marine, her usual blank expression sending shivers down Marine's spine. The anger that had flared within her began to fade.

"They insisted. Don't you believe in them?" Monica's reply seemed casual, but there was an underlying authority in her voice.

"What is this place?" Eliza broke the awkward silence with an unexpected question, her gaze fixed on something in the distance. "I just saw something massive in the clouds. What was it?"

"Dragons," Monica uttered sharply. "This is what you would typically call a fantasy world."

"What? Really?" Eliza exclaimed with excitement. "Does that mean we have powers too? Do Mom and Dad have powers?"

Monica nodded, and Eliza screamed with joy. "Lizzy, calm down. That's not how you should react. If the people chasing us are the same, what about Mom and Dad? They're truly in danger." Marine swiftly shattered her twin sister's elation.

"Oh," Eliza deflated like a punctured balloon.

"If we possess the ability, we should have stayed with them. At least we would have had each other's support when faced with numerous enemies. Five is better than just two," Marine continued to argue, her voice filled with determination.

Monica let out a contemptuous laugh. "Do you honestly believe you can fight them? You can't even handle ordinary humans. What makes you think you can stand against experienced adversaries?" She glanced briefly at Marine before turning her face forward. "Don't overestimate yourself and stop underestimating our parents. Don't you believe in them?" With that, Monica started walking, her footsteps echoing with purpose. "No more questions. Follow me."

"Where are we going?" Eliza asked suddenly, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"I said no questions," Monica responded firmly. The twins reluctantly fell silent and followed their older sister.

They walked towards what appeared to be the shadow of a towering structure not far away.

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"Wow, that's enormous. Where are we?" They stood in front of a massive door. "Does a giant live here?" Marine thought her sister was exaggerating, but she kept her thoughts to herself. Marine was quiet throughout the journey, her initial excitement dampened by their sisters' demeanor.

"We've arrived. Knock," Monica commanded, her tone leaving no room for argument. Eliza didn't hesitate and gave the door a solid knock. It made a muffled sound, but despite her attempts to knock harder, the door remained unyielding. "Hello! Hello! Is anyone there? Can you please open the door? We mean no harm!" Eliza's voice carried a touch of suspicion, causing Marine to intervene.

"Lizzy, that sounded quite suspicious."

"Oh really? You try then." Eliza said innocently and an argument ensued between the twins, their voices filling the air.

Monica paid them no mind, her gaze fixed on the closed door as if she could see through it.

After a while, the twins noticed Monica's peculiar behavior. They followed her gaze but found nothing out of the ordinary. They exchanged confused glances.

"Sister, you do know you can't open a door by simply staring at it, right?" Eliza couldn't help but ask. Marine swiftly reprimanded her sister with a light tap on the back. "You never know, maybe that's her power." Marine tried to protect her sisters' pride, but Monica remained unresponsive, seemingly unaffected by their conversation.

Eventually, Monica tore her gaze away from the door. She turned to the twins, and before they could react, all three of them suddenly collapsed to the ground, their bags scattered around them. Soon, they vanished without a trace.

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"Sir, there are individuals outside," a Knight reported to the man who stood near a pillar, casually cleaning a seemingly pristine dagger.

The man remained silent for an extended period, as if he hadn't heard the knight's words. After what felt like an eternity, he finally responded, "Who are they?"

The Knight promptly replied, "Unknown, sir." The man casually looked up, his piercing gaze unsettling the Knight, who began to sweat nervously. Unable to endure the silence any longer, the Knight spoke again. "They are not registered, sir. They are unidentified beings. I sensed some power, but it was vague and uncertain. They appeared suddenly, and we have no knowledge of their origin."

The man shifted his attention to the Knight. "How many are there?"

Understanding the unspoken question, the Knight quickly answered, "Three teenage girls. No detected weapons, but they carry multiple bags." The man set the dagger aside and started walking. Before he left, he issued a command.

"Bring them inside."

"I beg your pardon?"

The man halted, his gaze chilling. "Drug them and take them to room number five." He paused, waiting for a response. When none came, his voice turned even colder, sending shivers down anyone's spine. "Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir. Understood, sir." The Knight hastily saluted and left.

The man glanced at the closed gate, his expression icy, a fleeting, vicious smile briefly crossing his lips. It vanished as quickly as it appeared, leaving no trace. He averted his gaze and walked away, heading toward room number five.

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Monica felt herself dropping onto the cold, hard ground. The sound of her head hitting the surface echoed sharply, but those in the room paid it no heed. Soon after, two similar thuds followed.

Monica felt lightheaded. Though not fully awake, she was conscious enough to comprehend the situation. She forced her mind and body to remain calm, avoiding any subconscious actions that might give away her wakefulness.

After what felt like an uncomfortable eternity, she finally heard a man's voice. It was cold and authoritative. "Tie them up." The sound of approaching footsteps grew nearer. It stopped beside Monica and continued behind her. She waited until she, too, was securely bound to a chair.

The chair felt cold, made of unyielding metal. Her wrists, arms, waist, ankles, and thighs were tightly secured with leather ropes. It constricted her, making it difficult to breathe and restricting her movement. She felt suffocated.

Then, a slight tickling sensation began to creep from her head downwards. Acting on instinct, she clenched her teeth hard. A surge of energy coursed through her body, causing tremors. Though she couldn't be certain due to the pain and numbness, she sensed her body shaking. Suddenly, a scream erupted from her right, the agonized cry of her sister. Monica forced her eyes open, fixing her gaze on the man across from them.

The man arched an eyebrow, signaling someone, and Monica's pain gradually subsided. It was replaced by a nauseous feeling that overwhelmed her, causing her to vomit. Her head throbbed, and her body continued to convulse uncontrollably. However, she couldn't suppress it. She felt utterly helpless.

Meanwhile, Marine and Eliza's mouths foamed with liquid, their bodies twitching, and their eyes rolling back.

Once Monica managed to regain her composure, she turned her attention back to the man. He stared at them expressionlessly, unmoved by the ordeal. Monica remained cautious and guarded, and there was a slight curiosity about the man's attitude but she couldn't dwell on those feelings for long. In a hoarse voice, she questioned the man, "Who are you?" Her tone returned to its calm and detached state, just like how she exerted an air of authority over her sisters.

The man glanced at her briefly. "I don't know who you are," he replied, evading her question. Monica understood that further argument would be futile. Frustrated and angry at her vulnerability and lack of control, she suppressed these emotions, focusing on maintaining a composed exterior. Her mind raced, searching for a solution while she meticulously assessed her surroundings for any potential opportunities or weaknesses to exploit once she regained control. Simultaneously, she engaged her captors in conversation.

"We are prospective students," Monica stated, hoping to deceive them. The man offered no response or reaction.

"I examined your belongings, but I found no documents to support your claims."

"We are beginners. We were considering enrollment," Monica replied, realizing that their bags had been taken. She had been careless, and her lie had been swiftly exposed. Once again, she had to lie without hesitation.

The man remained silent for an extended period. Monica stared at him, unblinking, attempting to discern his expression, but he remained inscrutable, frustrating her further. She was so fixated on him that she only snapped back to reality when she heard her sisters' screams following the sound of a crack. She immediately looked to her right and witnessed her sisters being whipped. They were already covered in wounds, and blood continued to trickle onto the ground. Monica cast a brief glance at them before turning back to the man. "You will regret this," she coldly declared, unaware of her clenched fist.

"Oh," was all the man said. He observed the scene and concluded that it was no longer entertaining. With that, he stood up and walked away. Before he exited the room, he overheard someone saying, "Don't you dare return here, or you'll regret it." He paid it no further attention until he received news three days later.

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