When they reach the skyscraper's roof, the fanice cheer, excited that they will finally know the traitor in their midst. They are all over the city, some looking out of apartment windows, some on the roofs of nearby buildings, and others still hovering in the air or trying to get to the professor. The guards keep them at bay.
Michaela comes up the stairs and stands next to Terra. "So, it was a bust?"
"Yeah," Terra lies. "Thanks again for helping me, though."
She scoffs. "It wasn't for you." With that, Michaela takes off and helps deal with the crowd, barking orders at the guards.
After a few minutes, Gabriel makes everyone quiet down. He leads the professor to the center of the roof, where everyone can see her. He then tells them the same story he said to the guards only minutes ago, portraying the professor as the sole mastermind, a human who tricked all of them, and Terra and Eila as blameless victims who selflessly chose the fanice despite them being natural enemies. When the fanice hear that the sisters are also human, some are outraged and demand they be executed too, but Gabriel reminds them they are a society of peace and acceptance: that Terra and Eila are now a part of their community, and hurting them will be considered a crime. That seems to stave off the protests for the time being.
After telling the story, Gabriel strides around the professor, commanding her to drop to her knees. She does so reluctantly.
"So, I ask this; would you like to see her fall now?"
The crowd cheers, but some guards remain reserved.
"I could kill her here, but I have one problem with that. It would be over so painfully fast."
"Do it!"
"Kill her!"
"Don't do it!"
"Torture her first!"
The fanice seem torn on this issue. Terra wonders what Gabriel is going to do to sway them.
With a huge smile on his face, Gabriel opens another portal. However, this one is at least two stories tall, towering over the fanice like a giant. Due to its sheer size, everyone can see what is within.
"You are looking at the place we sent the humans. Many of you do not know of it, but it is a dimension completely devoid of life. They are here forever, experiencing nothing, feeling nothing."
Some people cheer. Others boo, telling Gabriel to kill the professor and get it over with.
"Tell me, do you believe Damira deserves a swift death, or… to suffer the same fate that befell her beloved humans?"
Now, the crowd is swaying.
"Throw her in!"
"She deserves to suffer!"
Gabriel flies into the air, looking into the portal. "I believe that for what she's done to us, this is a fitting fate. A fate worse than death!"
The people cheer louder. Now, they're waiting for him to do it. Terra wonders how he's going to get around this.
Yet he remains in the air, flying high above his subjects, looking triumphant.
"Guards, throw her in!"
No.
That can't be right.
As Michaela and the guards pick up Professor Faramund, Terra lunges forward, but Camael holds her back. She struggles in his grip until a second guard takes hold, leaving her unable to move.
She screams and struggles, yet she's completely helpless to stop it. The professor goes with them willingly, treading across the roof as the fanice boo and ridicule her. Then, she stands in front of the portal, staring into the void.
Professor Faramund looks in the direction of her surrogate daughter, her face resolute. Her parting words ring in Terra's mind.
"Take care of your sister. I hope you can lead some semblance of a life here."
Then, Michaela tosses her into the portal.
And the massive hole in reality shrinks until there's nothing left.
Terra falls to the ground.
The rest of the event is a blur. Lots of cheering, a victory speech from Gabriel, and finally, the voices get quieter. Terra doesn't want to see any of it. She should be happy. After all, Eila suggested this as a way to buy time.
However, Gabriel implied a permanent solution. Is this what he came up with?
No, that can't be. He told her to play along. He acted like there was more to it.
"Clear the area!" the king orders. "I want all onlookers out of here in the next ten minutes."
"Of course, sire, but why?" Michaela asks.
"Because I have a plan in motion," he says clearly for only her to hear.
"Really?" she asks.
Step step step
"Did you hear that? Looks like we have a plan. Is the whole 'fate worse than death' thing your idea?"
Terra looks up to see Michaela staring down at her. She shakes her head.
"Oh, what a shame. I was about to compliment you. That was admirably ruthless."
"You can drop the act now, Terra," Gabriel says, now standing next to the captain of the guard. "No one else is around anymore, not even the guards."
She stands, holding back tears. "She's not going to stay there, right?"
"No," Gabriel answers. "At least, probably not."
"What do you mean?"
"Let's wait for Damira to ricochet back, okay? Then, I'll tell you."
"What? Ricochet?" She looks at Michaela, but the woman looks just as confused.
"Nonroyal fanice don't know how dimensional travel works; in this case, it's worked to our advantage. Wait a few minutes, and you'll know what I mean."
The three of them wait on the roof. Terra stares at the place the professor just disappeared, processing what just happened. Meanwhile, Gabriel looks between she and Michaela, his eyes narrowing.
"Terra, I'm sorry about what happened earlier. You didn't deserve to get hurt like that."
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
He points at her cheek, and Terra places a hand on it. She completely forgot about the bruise Michaela left earlier. It's still swelling. "Oh yeah, this."
"If you weren't immune, I'd offer to heal it, but… well, I'm sure it will be better in a couple days." He turns to Michaela. "I was playing it cool for the guards, but I cannot believe this happened. What is wrong with you? Why would you do that to her?"
Michaela shifts back and forth. "I… was angry, but I did the right thing. I brought her here."
"That is no excuse. You need to get yourself together," Gabriel demands. "I know you're upset about what happened with Ariel, but if we're going to pull off what I'm planning, I need you to have a cool head."
She nods, and for the first time, Michaela looks ashamed. "I understand. It won't happen again."
"Good," he says. "Now, let's wait. Soon, everything will become clear."
The three take a seat on the concrete floor of the skyscraper. After some time, a portal opens on its own.
Terra cannot believe her eyes. The hole of reality gets bigger until it's just large enough to fit a human body. Then, it spits the professor out.
Professor Faramund tumbles onto the ground, gasping for breath.
"Welcome back!" Gabriel says. "How was your fate worse than death?"
"Did you… do that?" Terra asks, dumbfounded.
"Nope. She was sent back naturally."
"Why?"
"Because she's not an original entity of that dimension."
"What are you on about?" Michaela asks. Then, she places her head in her hands. "Never mind, I don't care. She can't be back here, Gabriel. It'll cause chaos again!"
"Don't worry. This is only temporary," he says. "We can hide her for now. At least, until Terra and I find the solution."
"A solution to what? Are you that determined not to punish anyone? Do you forget what she's done?"
"I could never forget," Gabriel responds, glaring at the professor, "but I also cannot forget what we did to them. Damira is a villain of our own creation. If we hadn't been so vicious toward half fanice, none of this would have happened."
"That doesn't matter now!"
"It does, and you know it. You don't have to act so stubborn, Michaela. I know what you did for Terra."
She crosses her arms. "I did that for you, not for her."
"And why would you do that?"
"I…" she says, trailing off. She looks embarrassed.
"She didn't want you to hate her," Terra says.
"Is that true?"
"S-Something like that," Michaela answers.
Gabriel smiles and gives her a huge hug. "I'm honored to have you by my side. We may disagree on some things, but I know you always have my back."
She wiggles out of the embrace. "So, what crazy plan have you two hatched up? It'd better not involve Damira staying here forever."
"Not at all," Gabriel says. "Come with me. Let's talk in private."
…
Making sure they aren't seen, the four of them head down the building and toward what used to be an office skyscraper near the town square. The building overlooks the fountain, surrounded by leftover decorations from the festival. Wrapping around it in a spiral shape is a gargantuan tree. A stunning treehouse is at the very top of it, surrounded by leaves.
"What are we doing here?" Terra asks.
"Up there is my place," Gabriel responds. "We can talk freely up there."
As she looks up at the overgrown building, her sister comes to mind. "Can someone go get Eila?"
"Why?" Michaela asks. "She's a little kid. Let's not complicate things more than they already are."
"She's just as much a part of this as anyone else," Terra says. "Besides, I want her to know I'm okay. That we're both… okay."
"Indeed," the professor adds. "The poor thing must be worried sick."
As they head up the building, Gabriel orders Michaela to go get Eila and to do it discreetly. Reluctantly, she obeys.
Gabriel's home is even more gorgeous up close.
It is built like a classic fairy cottage with two chimneys at the top of its wide triangular rooftop. The wood making up the walls is creamy white, looking as if it was just painted. With the cottage's foundation between the skyscraper roof and the base of the spiraling tree, it's as if it's caught between two worlds.
They head inside, where there is a cozy living room with narrow candle-lined shelves and a couch under a round window. Walking past a spiral staircase, they arrive in what Terra assumes is the kitchen. It has a wood fire oven with a pipe leading to one of the chimneys, and there are fruits and vegetables in baskets all over the counters. The long and oval-shaped windows are partially open, letting air flow freely.
The king pulls a roll of paper out of one of the drawers. Then, he spreads it across the polished wooden counter in the center of the kitchen. As he looks for a pen, they hear the front door open and close. Seconds later, Michaela comes in with Eila.
"Here is the child," the captain of the guard says. "She's only a little bit traumatized."
Eila's brown eyes are bloodshot, but the second she lays eyes on the professor, she lights up. "Miss Faramund!" She jumps into her arms. "The scary lady said you were alive, but I didn't believe her."
"It's alright. I'm here," she says, stroking the little girl's head. "Everything is going to be okay."
"It will be," Gabriel announces, "as long as we can pull this off."
He directs them back to the table, where there's a detailed map. In the center, there's a massive circle titled, "Home." All around it is a web of other, smaller circles, each with different labels. Some say "Parallel," and others say crazy things like "Water World." The map's title, written in cursive, says: "The Known Multiverse."
"What is this?" Terra asks.
Gabriel runs a pen along one of the many lines branching from the center. "It's exactly as it says. This is the known multiverse. In the center is our universe. Outside of it are dozens of realities, some similar to our world, others completely different." He points to the circles next to the "Home" label. "The closest ones are called 'parallel universes,' and they show up in sets. Once you travel to one, you can easily get to the others back-to-back."
"I remember learning about this," the professor adds. "I never got to see them, but I heard most were dangerous or barren."
"That is correct," Gabriel says. "Every time we found a new universe, there was no guarantee what dangers we'd come across. Some even died in those worlds. Eventually, when my family found the void that puts people to sleep, they decided to use it, believing they weren't going to find anything better." He points the pen at a circle near the edge of the paper, farthest from the center. "After that, it was decided no one else would be allowed to map more of the multiverse. It was too dangerous, and we'd found what we were looking for anyway."
Terra's head is spinning; based on Eila and Michaela's faces, she's not alone.
"So…" Michaela starts. "Why are you telling us this? How does this lead to a solution for peace?"
"I'm just explaining the basics," Gabriel responds. "That way, you'll understand what I'm about to say next. Earlier, Terra asked if it was possible to send the humans and Damira to a new world where they could live separately from us. My answer to that is yes. Technically, it is possible." He gestures to the line he traced earlier. "There is one string of worlds that are habitable. They have breathable air and life, but do not be mistaken; they have their own set of problems. Some are overpopulated just like ours.' Others are filled to the brim with hostile entities. That's part of the reason my people gave up on this string; it was extremely dangerous, even for us."
"What was the other reason?" Terra asks.
"Hatred, of course. They wanted to punish the humans. That's why the world they're currently in was perfect. However, I now believe you were right. Just because they are alive doesn't mean their fate is justified. If it were you in there or any of my loved ones, I wouldn't be able to live with myself."
Terra thinks of what Gabriel said earlier: how that place is a fate worse than death. Turns out, he wasn't exaggerating. He believes that now.
"So, what are you suggesting?" Michaela asks, her tone turning dark. "Don't tell me you want to explore the string of habitable worlds again? That's a suicide mission!"
"We wouldn't explore the ones we've already seen. I'd send us to our most recent entry; from then on, it will be uncharted territory. Don't get me wrong, it's still incredibly risky, but there is a chance, however small, of us finding a better world for the humans."
"No. This is incredibly reckless. I won't allow it," Michaela says.
"You won't be going on this mission," Gabriel responds. "If I attempt this, it'll require enormous energy. We have plenty of it, but it'll be hard to use it without people noticing. That's where you and the guard will come in. I don't care how you do it, but you'll need to keep people away from the area we try this in. That way, they won't sense anything off."
"I said no," she asserts. "You can't throw your life away for humans. It's pointless!"
"It's not. First, if we find a new world, we will be able to send Damira away. Permanently, just like Terra and Eila want. Second, we'll be saving millions of innocent people from what is essentially purgatory. I mean, what are we supposed to do if they wake up? If some of them die in that void? I know time works differently there, but we don't understand the long-term effects of that world. I don't know about you, but I don't want that on my conscience."
"I don't mind it," Michaela says. "Sometimes, sacrifices must be made for the greater good."
Gabriel looks up from the paper and smirks. "I knew you'd say that. That's why if the worst happens… If I fail, you should take over as Faecliff City's ruler. I know you'd do what it takes to ensure our people's happiness."
Michaela's eyes widen. "Me? I could never. Only a royal can—"
"Only a royal can take charge? That's about to be obsolete soon. I mean, think about it. Damira and I are the only ones left. Our rule is over. My survival will only stall the inevitable."
For a moment, the captain of the guard stares at Gabriel, unsure of what to say. Then, she squares her shoulders. "That doesn't mean you can go die in another dimension. It's a terrible idea, and you know it."
The king spreads his root-covered hands across the countertop. "Yeah, you're right. It is crazy." He stares at the map. "But if I don't try, I'll spend my whole life not knowing if I could have done it, if there really was a solution that would satisfy everyone. Then, if something happened in that void world or another person like Damira wreaked havoc on our people, I would blame myself."
"That's not going to happen," Michaela says. "We've defeated all our enemies. They can't—"
"Not all of them," Gabriel interrupts. "What if the Galactic Federation returns and asks where the humans went? What would we say? I'll tell you one thing; fighting them is impossible. It doesn't matter how powerful our magic is. Their authority spans across the galaxy. I don't know about you, but I think they'd be much more willing to have peace talks if we said the humans were in another, safe world, rather than a purgatory where they could never wake up."
Terra is impressed. She didn't even think of that angle, but here Gabriel is, twelve steps ahead as usual.
Michaela seems equally baffled. She thinks for a few seconds, clearly trying hard to make a comeback, but then she sighs. "Is there really no other way?"
He shakes his head. "We don't have time to come up with an alternative anyway. We cannot hide Damira forever. The longer she stays, the more likely the wrong person will find her."
At the chilling thought of what such a fanice would do, Terra shudders.
"Now that we understand the plan," Gabriel says, "I have one more thing to ask you, Michaela."
"What is it?"
"How long can you keep our people from suspecting anything? How long can you both hide Damira and keep them out of the affected area?"
"I don't know," she says, looking at the floor. "It would be difficult. I'd have to come up with something believable, and people will no doubt have more questions the longer it goes on."
"So, a few days?" Gabriel asks. "Two? Three?"
"Let's go with two. Forty-six hours. Will that suffice?"
He glances at the window across the kitchen. "It has to. If I don't make it or can't find a new world in time, we'll give up. I'll send Damira to the void dimension, this time permanently."
The professor's face falls, and Eila grabs her arm. "No! You can't," she cries.
"I'm sorry, little one," Gabriel says. "It's for her own good."
"I'm okay with that," Professor Faramund says, looking at the little girl, "as long as you give my girls a good life."
"Of course," the king says. "Michaela?"
She crosses her arms. "I'm not a monster. The girls will be fine, assuming they don't cause any more problems."
"Then it's settled," Gabriel declares, but then he looks back down at the makeshift map he's created, frowning.
Something feels off.
Does he really plan on doing all of this… by himself?
"Gabriel?" Terra asks. "This is a good plan, but I'd feel terrible if I let you do it alone. Is there anyone who can come with you?"
His frown deepens. "I was getting to that."
He seems reluctant to continue. "Remember… Remember how when we threw Damira into that portal, she came out twenty minutes later?"
"Yeah."
"That's because of something called the 'Law of Expulsion.' If an entity who doesn't belong to a world is sent there, for reasons still unknown, that universe will reject them, ricocheting them back to their home dimension. Generally, our technology cannot break that rule."
"What? Then how are the humans still in that void dimension?" Terra asks.
"It's for the same reason I wanted to shut down the fanice's magic to bring them back," Professor Faramund says. "There is an emergency measure in the system that can be used in a catastrophic event, such as planetary destruction. It allows them to transport to a new home, permanently."
Gabriel nods. "That's true. Normally, this countermeasure can only be used on fanice, but my family found a way around that. They realized they didn't want to find another world for us. Instead, they did it for the humans."
"Okay, so what's the problem?" Terra asks. "Is it that the planet is restored, no longer in a state of emergency?"
"No," Gabriel says. "It's not that at all. In order to activate the emergency protocol, we need an anchor."
"An… anchor?"
The king flips the map over and begins scribbling on its blank side. He draws two stick figures with wings and a third one without them. "In order for a whole species to be transported to a new world, one must stay behind." He circles one of the fanice. "If the system is used as intended, a fanice would serve as that person. The system identifies them and is then able to send others like them over and keep them in that new world indefinitely. However, since my father and I sent humans over instead of fanice, we used a human volunteer instead." He circles the drawing without wings. "In the case of the vanishing, he was a terminally ill man who hated what his people had done. He was more than willing to help. We took him to the void dimension, performed the spell, and everyone was transferred there. Then, all we had to do was wait until we were ricocheted back home.
After that, he was supposed to be the last left of his kind. Of course, you girls would later come around and break that assumption."
"Because the system identified us as fanice," Terra says, though her head is still spinning, "so we stayed."
"Exactly."
"So, this 'anchor,'" the professor says, clearly uninformed on the topic, "they have to stay behind, no matter what?"
"Yes, and they need to be willing. This was put in place so fanice would not abuse the system— so it only would be used in emergencies. To transport between worlds and stay permanently, we need to sacrifice someone. That would make anyone think twice about doing it."
"And the terminally ill man you used before? He's…?"
"Dead, yes. Not long after The Vanishing. It was meant to be a one-way trip."
Terra's heart sinks at this revelation. "So the anchor… it has to be one of us, doesn't it?"
"Yeah," Gabriel confirms, looking at the three Faramunds. "It does."
The professor raises her hand. "I'll do it. As far as the system is concerned, I'm human now."
"Like hell, you will!" Terra counters. "That completely defeats the purpose. If you stay here, they'll kill you."
"That is correct," Michaela says too quickly.
"You two will be free, though. You'll get to live full lives among your own people. Don't you want that?"
Eila grabs the professor's shirt sleeve. "You can't die, Miss Faramund! I need you. People will need you, too. The new world will be scary."
"Indeed," Gabriel says. "Besides, that chip wouldn't work anyway. If it ever breaks or malfunctions, the humans could be sent back here, and we'd have the same problem all over again. It needs to be someone without an ounce of fanice blood in their body." He turns to the professor. "Damira, didn't you want to build a new, better world? Isn't that why you let The Vanishing happen in the first place? You could have told the human authorities your knowledge, but you didn't."
Professor Faramund bites her lip. What Gabriel says is true. That's exactly what she preached in the server room. She was so determined to make that a reality, she was willing to kill all the fanice for it. Of course, her primary motivator was revenge, but the rest of her vision did seem genuine.
Moreover, Terra remembers what Gabriel said to her before the execution. "Terra… how badly do you want this?"
"More than anything. I'll do whatever it takes."
And that still rings true, even now.
As the people around her think hard, still wondering if there's some 'loophole' they haven't thought of yet, Terra's eyes lock on Gabriel's. His expression is resolute.
"You want it to be me, don't you? You want me to stay behind." she declares.
"That depends," the king responds. "Are you still willing to do whatever it takes?"
Terra nods.
"Then it will be you. You will travel with me, searching for a suitable world. Then, once we find it, I will use you as the anchor and transport the rest of your kind to their new home."
A sobering silence befalls the room. Michaela looks almost impressed, while Terra's family is horrified.
"Terra…" Eila says, her eyes filling with tears. "You can't."
She hugs her sister. "I have to."
"No, you don't." the professor says. "Leave me here. I've dug my grave. I don't need you sacrificing yourself for me."
Terra lets go of her sister and places a hand on the professor's shoulder. "If you stay, your sacrifice will be much greater. Besides, I can still visit sometimes, right?"
Gabriel nods. "For very short intervals."
She places her other hand on Eila's shoulder, glancing between them. "I'm the one who chose to save the fanice. It's me who should stay here. I've come to like this new world anyway. I love the fresh air, the beautiful architecture, and the wholesome celebrations. Heck, I even enjoy my little job down at the medical tent. Hopefully I can get it back."
Eila's tears turn into full-on crying. "Th-Then I'll stay too! I'll keep my chip in, and I'll live with you here."
"You want to go home more than anyone," Terra says. "You miss school, storytime, and your friends. You deserve to grow up like a normal kid, so go with Professor Faramund. I know you'll look out for each other."
"It won't be the same without you!" she shouts. "You've always been there for me, when we ran away from our scary mom, when we struggled on the streets, when I had trouble with homework or a friend was being mean…"
"And I know Miss Faramund will do the same for you. Won't you, professor?"
She nods resolutely. "I was so caught up in revenge, I couldn't see what was in front of me: what you girls have come to mean. I won't make that mistake again."
"Good. I'm counting on you, because…" Terra trails off, trying not to cry herself. "because I won't be there anymore. I'll be okay, but I won't be able to help if you need me."
With nothing else to say, Eila cries in silence, devastated at this loss but knowing this is the only way. Both Terra and Professor Faramund hug her.
"Y-You have to visit," she sobs. "As much as you can."
"Of course," Terra says shakily. "I'll do my best."
The family says their goodbyes while the two fanice look on, their gazes both filled with sympathy. If this plan works, they will have the best-case scenario for everyone.
Everyone… except Terra.
Strangely, though, she's okay with that.