Mina had just started to scream when the movement stopped.
A horrified tension fell over the cavern as the Draconian held her high above the stone floor. The Draconian's massive arm trembled midair, claws still clenched tight around the girl's body. Its arm twitched. It wasn't letting go, but it wasn't moving.
Julien tensed. Why did it stop?
Haley tried to reach out toward Mina, only to flinch back when a new presence settled over the cave like a hand on the back of their necks.
Julien turned sharply, seeing a horribly familiar outline.
The masked figure stood halfway up the wall, where there had been nothing just moments ago.
Puppeteer…! What is it doing here?
"What are you doing?" it said at last, voice eerily calm. "Your assignment was to replace the previous gate boss, not mess around with humans."
The Draconian didn't even glance its way. Its eyes stayed fixed on the group, still holding Mina aloft effortlessly. But it responded anyway.
"I got bored," it said. "They were in my cave. What was I supposed to do?"
"You were told to act only if provoked."
The Draconian shrugged in a show of indifference. "They willingly walked in here. And I barely did anything. Just closed a few tunnels, and threw some pressure at them. You should be grateful I didn't kill any of them yet."
The Puppeteer's gaze flicked briefly to Little Julien. The figure stared at him for a moment, but said nothing.
It won't try to control anyone again, will it?
"You do realise you're playing with perfectly good test subjects, don't you?" it said, quiet again. "The Haissen will not be pleased."
"Then tell her to come up here and stop me herself," the Draconian muttered. "She left this place to me, and now she's sent her little lackey to check in with me?"
The Puppeteer still didn't move from its spot, but Julien could sense it was somewhat displeased.
He could feel its influence pressing against his chest, against his arms. His mana stirred instinctively, trying to form something, but sputtered halfway through the process. Every thread he grasped slipped loose.
Right, gate amplification is affecting my abilities too...
The Draconian huffed. "Aren't you a loyal subordinate? Fine, fine. Have it your way. I'll let them go."
With a grumble under its breath, released Mina. She shrieked as she fell, but Haley caught her.
"You're lucky, little Marked. You can thank this guy for delaying the inevitable. But don't think you can escape me."
"Stop with the theatrics and get them out," the Puppeteer hissed.
"Oh, shut up," the Draconian snapped. "You and this damn mana brightness is really pissing me off. You know what, I'm going to put all the test subjects back together. Have fun trying to control them now!"
Amara began to say something. "Wait, what the fu--"
But she was cut off as the world ripped sideways.
Like the first time they were teleported, there was a flash of crimson across the cavern. Then the world bent sickeningly.
Suddenly there was light, noise, cold air, and a dull impact as Julien's boots hit solid ground.
He staggered forward, his head feeling messed up. Everything was spinning. Around him, many others dropped hard--half-slumped, groaning, trying to stand. He heard someone throw up behind him as he realised where they were. Grass on the ground, an open night sky above them. The headache-inducing mana shine he still hadn't gotten used to.
Where the hell--?
He wasn't underground anymore. To his relief, he saw no stone walls, no Puppeteer or Draconian arguing. They were all back at the gate portal, the place where they'd all split up from.
But now everyone was here.
Dozens of figures were scattered in a rough circle. Mostly terrified first years. The few fifth-years and instructors were dotted around--all blinking and swaying as they tried to get their bearings. Some were still on the ground. Others had drawn weapons without realizing it. Nobody seemed to know what had just happened.
Julien's eyes flicked around. Haley was a few meters away, crouched low, expression flat. Amara was on one knee beside her, already raising a hand defensively. Neither spoke.
To the left, Karis rolled onto his back and let out a dazed, "Wha--ow--what just—did we die? No, wait. This is real?!"
Little Julien stumbled upright near him, mouth open in confusion. His gaze swept across the gathering like he didn't recognize half the people.
Older Julien saw Zain already up on his feet, scanning silently. Even his usual composure looked frayed.
Alec cursed and stood too fast, then doubled over with a grunt. "We moved," he said hoarsely. "That bastard moved us."
Jenna was sitting up a few feet away, face pale. She looked at her hands first, then at the others. Her voice came out quiet. "You guys…Everyone's here."
Mina was kneeling, clutching her staff and whispering something under her breath. Harin sat beside her, still holding a crumpled map, barely processing where she was. Behind them, that mysterious white-haired girl was already standing again, spear low and steady.
Julien turned just in time to see Ray drop to one knee with a sharp breath, the bandage Julien had tied on his wound hours ago stained dark red. "Today has been one thing after another," he muttered. "Not even surprised anymore."
Julien's thoughts caught up--the Draconian. Its final words.
All the test subjects. Put back together.
He didn't see any other monsters around, just people.
What's the play here...? Why didn't it separate us again?
He tried to speak again, then someone beat him to it.
"Everyone, stay where you are!" Wells' voice rang out from somewhere near the center of the group. He didn't sound like his usual self. His tone was exhausted, slightly shaky, but still loud enough to carry.
Julien spotted the older man a few meters away, hunched over with one hand on his knee, the other raised in a futile gesture for calm. Harsh mana fog caught on the streaks of ash and dirt across his face. Instructor Linda was beside him, unsteady on her feet, and Instructor Jules sat ono a rock with her hand pressed against her forehead.
It took another few seconds before Wells could speak again.
"We need… we need a headcount," he said.
"I can check the other fifth-years," an older girl, one of the other two fifth years Julien didn't know, volunteered, pushing herself upright.
"Thank you, Katie. Linda, Jules, we'll do a list of the first-years."
Most of the first-years were still stunned, but Julien could see a few of them trying to help one another up. Familiar faces emerged from the daze one by one. One he'd met in the past, Ryan, sat on the grass staring blankly into space. Another called Lilia was half-curled over her knees, crying. A boy who'd once been a competitor, Brennan, had his dagger drawn but seemed to forget why.
"About 110 out of 140," Instructor Linda said after about ten minutes. Her voice strained, and she seemed to be barely holding it together.
"All of the fifth-years are here," Katie added. "Except… Harris."
He must have been the one the Puppeteer killed. 30 innocent children dead. Damn it! So many lives lost. It's just like before…
Julien felt a painful wave of hopelessness come crashing over him. One he'd felt many times as a young child--
NO! I'm not supposed to think about it anymore! Not now, WHY NOW--?!
For a split second, his vision blurred. He heard screams just out of earshot. Cold tiles under his knees. A weight on his shoulder that was never really there, whispering horrors in his ears.
The tremble in his limbs. The pressure in his lungs. The way the world always seemed a little too loud, too bright, too fast--until suddenly it wasn't, and he'd find himself somewhere else entirely.
Breathe in and out. I need to stay focused on the present.
You're not there anymore, he told himself. You're an adult. You know what's happening.
Julien doubled over, suddenly feeling faint. His stomach lurched, not from motion sickness, but something worse. Like the teleportation had pulled something loose. Ripped open a sealed door in his mind he didn't remember locking.
"Ian? You good?" Haley's voice shattered through the memory from afar.
"Just fine… it's probably just a delayed reaction to the teleport," he said, trying to sound normal. He straightened and smoothed down the front of his uniform quickly, his expression already calm again by the time Haley actually reached him.
"You sure you're okay?" she said.
"I'm sure," he replied. This time it came out steady. Haley frowned, but she had to keep checking up on the others, leaving him standing there.
A few steps off to the side stood Little Julien. He was completely silent, watching him. Julien met his gaze for a second before looking away.
Does he know? For me, it's been years since… that last happened. But it hasn't been that long for him. He might've seen me and connected the dots…
Luckily, no one else was looking at him right now. Around him, first-years were slowly being pulled to their feet, clustered together with their friends. The instructors were starting to reassert some control, their voices returning--though none of them sounded right. Everything still felt too quiet beneath the surface.
He turned away from Little Julien without another look.
Wells had started pacing, speaking in short bursts to Linda and Jules, trying to sketch a rough idea of what had happened to everyone so far. "We need to regroup. Set up a perimeter if we have to. Make sure nobody wanders."
"No signs of monsters," Jules muttered, shielding her eyes and scanning the field. "At least, any I can see through this damn brightness."
Julien caught sight of Amara limping slightly as she helped some first years up again. Harin followed them, unusually quiet. Ray sat on the edge of the group, adjusting the edge of his jacket like he was trying to hide the blood more than deal with it.
"We've got no way of notifying the Academy," Linda said. "Everyone knows there's no way out of a gate until you kill the boss. This many casualties already--this whole situation--it's unprecedented."
I need to focus on helping.
Julien walked up to where the three instructors were huddled together.
"I might know what's happening."