The Equinox Flowers were in the midst of the tumultuous green of the Interworld.
Damn, I'm gonna puke.
That was Havel's first thought. He had never been to the Interworld, and this was far from what he had expected. He didn't intend to blame himself for skipping the Cosmic World lessons, but he realized now that he probably should have paid more attention. One arm was hooked around Shirei, the other clinging to Ada. His companion had her eyes closed, but she didn't seem afraid.
Thanks to her special ability, thought the son of Sidal.
He had never been so jealous of his friend. The Interworld felt like a stormy sea intent on throwing him from side to side. It was hostile. It didn't just want to unbalance him—it wanted his soul.
The Blendbreed glanced at Shirei with a flicker of respect. Cragar's son kept them both close as he strode through the chaos with steady purpose, refusing to let the turmoil sway his direction. A strength of will Havel couldn't help but acknowledge. He wanted to sigh in frustration, but thankfully, the nausea from the journey prevented it. The more time he spent with the violet-eyed boy, the more he began to think he wasn't as unbearable as he'd first believed.
Accepting that he had been humiliated by him, however, was another matter entirely.
A whole century has to pass before I can accept that.
The Blendbreeds reappeared into total emptiness, surrounded by stretches of untilled fields and abandoned farms. Shirei took a few seconds to recover, but the blazing sun overhead didn't make the process any easier.
"I'm pretty sure you picked the wrong spot."
Ada shot a glare at Sidal's son and moved closer to Shirei to check if he was okay. "Shirei, why did we reappear here?"
The violet-eyed Blendbreed took a few deep breaths. "I can't recover mana while tracking the route. I figured we'd end up getting lost."
"So we're still heading in the right direction?"
Shirei nodded. "Give me a minute and I'll be ready to move on."
Havel gave a double thumbs-up and waited. Watching him struggle with something gave him a certain sense of satisfaction.
Ada punched him in the shoulder. "Are you enjoying your teammate's suffering?"
"You've got no idea how much," Sidal's son muttered.
The Blendbreed sighed. "You're the leader, and this is how you treat your subordinates? I wonder what your father, the divine Sidal, would think of having such a lousy heir."
Ada smiled, knowing she'd struck a nerve. Havel's mood darkened, and he went silent. After a few minutes, he decided to check on Cragar's son, trying to ignore his companion's smug looks.
"Purple, you ready to move?"
The Blendbreed nodded.
"Great, then you tell us when," Ada said with a wave of her hand. "Oh! Got any idea how many more stops you'll need?"
Shirei raised two fingers on his right hand, then extended his arm toward the boy.
"Understood," replied the Blendbreed, gripping his forearm.
Ada joined them at once, and once they were sure they were ready, Shirei hurled them back into the Interworld. The journey became more bearable after the break—so much so that by the third jump, Havel no longer felt any nausea.
If you take away the downsides… this power makes no sense, he thought.
In the end, the Forbidden Heir's calculations proved accurate. He needed a few more stops, but he managed to keep them on the right path for their mission.
The three Equinox Flowers reappeared in Parma, emerging from the darkness of the Interworldlike shadows piercing the dawn. They found themselves on the outskirts of the city, their bodies still trembling from the energy of the crossing. The sun hung high in the sky, a silent sentinel lighting their path toward their final destination: the abandoned hospital of Colorno.
Havel pulled out his phone and gave it a quick glance. "Okay, according to Ammir Maps, we shouldn't be too far from the hospital. We need to leave the citadel and head north, toward the palace."
Sidal's son took the lead, and the two Blendbreeds followed close behind. Parma spread out around them like a labyrinth of streets. They walked through a historic center that seemed carved from time itself, with Renaissance buildings boasting elaborate façades and stone-framed windows. The cobbled streets were worn in places, shaped by centuries of footsteps. The tall, imposing buildings cast narrow shadows across the tight alleys. Sunlight, filtered through red-tiled rooftops, danced between the shadows, creating a sharp contrast between the golden warmth and the colder dark spots.
Shirei wondered whether mortals could see the armor his two companions wore, who marched on with total nonchalance. When they passed a few citizens, he caught the looks thrown their way and was sure of the answer.
They see them—but why isn't anyone saying anything?
Reno's voice came to his rescue.
Boss, it's obvious. They probably think it's something weird, like a medieval gathering or a film shoot. It's rare for people to stop and say anything. Italians usually mind their own business with this kind of stuff.
I see. Thank you.
As they advanced, the heartbeat of the city grew stronger. The hum of daily life blended with the distant sound of church bells, while the aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifted from a café tucked into a corner. Artisan shops proudly displayed their crafts in their windows, adding splashes of color and life to the urban landscape. As they approached the hospital, the streets narrowed and emptied, and the architecture shifted—growing more austere and somber. The walls were bare, with patches of plaster peeling away to reveal rough brick underneath.
"And… we've arrived," the leader concluded, slipping his phone back into his pocket.
The building towered before them, a colossus of brick and shattered glass, wrapped in an aura of decay. The windows, now broken, gaped open like empty eye sockets.
Ada, her long dark hair drifting in the cold air, stopped, a shadow of hesitation crossing her face. "I thought this would never happen again…" she whispered, her voice barely a breath in the wind.
Shirei, noticing the shift in his companion's demeanor, stepped closer. "You okay?" he asked, his concern thinly veiled.
She nodded, but her gray eyes betrayed a turmoil that couldn't be ignored. Havel grimaced. He knew the real reason for Ada's reaction but chose not to mention it to Shirei.
With his usual bravado, he shook his head. "Come on, let's go in and find the rift. We didn't come here to be scared by monsters."
Or by the past, thought Ada.
The group approached the main entrance, their footsteps echoing in the silence. Shirei paused for a moment, his violet eyes scanning the hospital's surroundings. He felt something—an undefined presence. Someone was waiting for them. As they crossed the threshold, a wave of cold air hit them, as if the building itself had greeted them with a chilling breath. Wind howled through the empty corridors, carrying with it echoes of distant days, when life still inhabited those walls. The walls were stained with layers of mold and graffiti. Light fixtures dangled from the ceiling, unlit and trembling, deepening the sinister atmosphere.
"They really could've kept this place in better shape…" muttered Havel, peeking into each room with a grimace of disgust.
Ada followed her companions, trying to shake off the creeping sense of unease. Each step brought her closer to something threatening, haunted by memories she couldn't shake off.
The ground floor was empty. The sound of their footsteps bounced off the bare walls, creating an eerie echo.
"Weren't there supposed to be Blendbreeds from the Academy waiting for us?" asked Ada.
Shirei halted abruptly, his sharpened senses detecting something strange. His eyes locked onto a point in the darkness. "There are monsters."
Havel drew his axes without hesitation, ready for whatever threat might appear. "Let them come, then."
"Shirei, what kind of monsters are we dealing with?"
Cragar's son didn't answer her. Instead, he let a shadow spread from beneath his feet. Reno materialized in the corridor, gave the two Equinox Flowers a nod, and vanished beyond the wall.
"Where did he go?" asked Havel.
A few seconds passed before the boy responded, "The Blendbreeds are here. They're fighting. The monster coming this way… escaped."
Suddenly, a sound like a slithering serpent filled the corridor, drawing closer with unnerving speed. From the darkness emerged a humanoid figure, its deformed body covered in grotesque growths. Bat-like wings jutted from its back, flapping frantically. Its face was hidden by long, smooth gray hair.
"What the hell is that?" exclaimed Ada, drawing her blades.
There was no time for anything else—the battle had already begun. The creature crawled along the wall and attacked with shocking agility, but the Equinox Flowers were ready. Shirei summoned his Blade of Discord, slicing through the air right where the creature's long tail lashed. Havel and Ada stepped back side by side, their weapons gleaming in the half-light. The corridor was far too narrow for proper combat, but Shirei couldn't be left alone.
The monster lunged, claws outstretched, aiming to maul Cragar's son—but the darkness surged around him, striking the creature and forcing it to recoil. Havel grinned and activated his Bloodthirst, then launched himself at the enemy.
"Take this!"
Seconds later, the creature's head lay on the floor, cleanly severed by the son of Sidal. Shirei turned to his companions, eager for information. "What are these creatures called? I never saw anything like them in the books at Lilies Park."
Ada offered a nervous smile. "We've never encountered them before. Right, Havel?"
Even Sidal's son seemed uneasy. His mind flashed back to the day they met the Forbidden Heirfor the first time. Alongside him, they'd discovered a species unlike any they had seen before—the Chronomorphs. Only Darryl had known what they were, but the reason why had remained an unresolved mystery.
"Let's find the Academy's Blendbreeds and get some answers."
Shirei glanced at Ada, whose gray eyes betrayed a concern that needed no words. The three of them moved cautiously down the corridor, alert for another ambush. The hospital's structure, with its broken windows and crumbling walls, seemed intent on swallowing them whole.
Rutia's daughter struggled to conceal her unease. Every fiber of her being screamed for her to stop and curl in on herself, but Havel's presence kept her standing. They advanced along the main corridor, passing empty rooms and rusted beds. Occasionally, Shirei would pause to listen—but the silence held firm. They continued until they reached a large room, likely a former waiting area. The walls were lined with cracks and graffiti, and in the center of the floor lay a large, dark stain.
"What a terrible place," Ada murmured, her gaze unsettled by the blotch. "It happened here too… didn't it?"
"Don't think about it," Havel said, moving toward one of the side doors. "We need to find the entrance to the rift, right? We can't afford to waste time."
As soon as they crossed the threshold, they were hit by an even stronger stench. The corridor before them was narrow, its walls seeming to close in. Ada felt panic rising in her chest, but forced herself to press on. After a few minutes, they heard another sound—closer this time, though still unidentifiable. The girl stopped again, her heart pounding as past memories surged before her eyes.
"Are you sure we're going the right way?"
Cragar's son nodded.
They arrived at a staircase leading to the upper floors. Havel looked up as the worn stone steps were faintly lit by sunlight filtering through the broken windows.
"We need to go up," Shirei explained. "The rift is on the second floor."
The leader took the initiative, placing his foot on the first step. Ada followed him, casting a terrified glance at the empty passage. Once they reached the second floor, the group found themselves in front of a corridor that seemed endless.
"Another one… fantastic," commented the Blendbreed acidly.
Half-open doors revealed empty and bare rooms, but one in particular caught the attention of the Equinox Flowers. A faint blue light shone from within.
"There," said the violet-eyed boy, pointing with his finger.
They advanced cautiously, and when Havel gently pushed the door open, they were met with a surreal scene. In the center of the room, a portal opened on the floor, emanating a cerulean light that seemed to pulse with its own life. The walls of the room were covered in glowing grooves, etched deeply when the Temporal Rift had been opened.
"Here we are," murmured Havel, approaching to examine the passage.
A metallic sound made them all turn sharply. A row of armored figures moved toward them. About twenty Blendbreeds formed a crescent formation, weapons drawn. At the center of the group, a young woman with bobbed pink hair stepped forward. She wore rose-gold armor with crimson red highlights.
"State your breed, identity, and intent. Refuse, and I'll consider myself authorized to imprison you."
Havel stepped forward, his hand rising just enough to keep his weapons within reach. "Easy. We're not here to fight—at least not with you," he said firmly. "We're here to close the rift."
The Blendbreed nodded. "I understand, but this is a dangerous zone. We can't allow just anyone to pass."
Shirei took a step toward the Rift and crouched at the entrance.
"Stop!" shouted the pink-haired girl.
The armored Blendbreeds sprang into action, but were halted by the appearance of the son of Cragar's Tenebrae: three harpies and seven orcs. Ada turned toward her companion, pointed at the creatures, and shook her head.
Are you insane or what?
"Holy Emion!" the red-armored Blendbreed gasped. "Battle stations!"
"Calm down!" Ada stepped forward until she stood beside Havel, her eyes fixed on the girl leading the group. "We are the Equinox Flowers, Blendbreeds like you," she said. "We come from Lilies Park, and we want to work together to close the Rifts."
The warriors didn't seem to register her words.
"Shirei. Dismiss your creatures," thundered the daughter of Rutia.
The Tenebrae vanished into nothingness, drawing a sigh of relief from the soldiers—everyone except the pink-haired Blendbreed. The girl appeared more shaken than before but forced herself to remain composed.
"W-welcome," she said clearly. "I am Samara Dearca, captain of the Scarlet Hawks, fourth regiment of Daffodils Academy."
Ada tried to mediate. "Greetings, Captain Dearca. We've been tasked by the divine Aena to extinguish the monster outbreaks you've reported."
Samara seemed to weigh her words, then gave a small nod. "Very well. But know that it won't be easy. The monsters are quite unpredictable."
Ada stepped closer to the Blendbreed. "Thank you, but that's what we're here for. Emion should be contacting you shortly with all the details."
The girl observed them for a long moment with her green irises, then noticed Shirei's violet eyes and stepped back. "T-then… I… alright," she began to stammer. "I didn't mean to interfere or go against the divine will."
The Blendbreed seemed afraid of Shirei, so Ada grabbed the young man by the arm and pulled him a few meters back.
"Do you know her?" she whispered.
The son of Cragar shook his head. "It's the first time I've seen her."
Havel spoke next, addressing Samara with an authoritative tone. "What's the situation here?" he asked, trying to assess the threat level they were facing.
The Blendbreed managed to calm herself and replied in a sharp voice. "Yes, let's see… the portal usually opens at night. The monsters that come through are completely unknown, nothing we've ever faced before. They look humanoid, but differ depending on their gender."
"What do you mean?"
"The females have long straight hair, fangs, and sharp claws. Their eyes are glassy, and their skin is dry and pale. Their bodies are very thin, with bat-like wings and a spine that protrudes into a crest down their backs," she paused to moisten her lips. "From the waist down, they almost resemble serpents. If not for the wings and the strange composition, I'd say they're Gorgons."
Havel nodded a few times and rubbed the scar on his cheek. "But they're not. What about the males?"
Samara shot a nervous glance at Shirei, but the leader of the Equinox Flowers snapped his fingers to bring her attention back. "Don't get lost in the dark prince. We're talking," he pointed at his own eyes with two fingers. "Look. At. Me."
"Y-yes," she quickly bowed her head to avoid looking at the son of Cragar. "The males are much bulkier. They also have fangs and thick body hair, but their skin is leathery and dark in color."
As the conversation continued, Shirei began to feel uncomfortable. The Blendbreeds from the academy were staring at him from top to bottom, as if inspecting every detail. Some gave him awkward smiles, but none dared approach—for some strange reason.
Is it because I'm a son of Cragar and they figured it out?
He didn't wait for an answer to that question. He decided to step away from the group, in search of some peace. He exited the room where they were camped and walked down a dark corridor. The peeling walls reflected faint glimmers of light from outside, but it barely illuminated the path. He stopped in front of a broken window, looking out toward the empty courtyard. The wind swayed the bare trees, casting spectral shadows that danced across the ground. With a deep sigh, he summoned Reno.
"Hello, boss. Missed me?"
"Reno," he began, his voice deliberately low to avoid being overheard. "I wanted to know your intentions. Now that we've defeated the orcs from the rift, you're free. I promised you that."
The Tenebrae floated in silence for a moment, then replied with a melodious voice that slid into the Blendbreed's mind.
"Our contract is still valid. I said I'd stay with you until the rift problem was resolved. I know you meant just the one where I died, but I intend to stay until you return to the park."
Shirei contemplated his subordinate's words. "Are you sure about this choice? I can give you the rest you deserve, you've done enough."
Even he wasn't sure he could follow through on what he'd just offered, but nothing suggested otherwise.
"Eternal life will be too long a rest—I'm not in such desperate need of it. But if you can get Cragar to throw in a few extras, I'm not turning them down."
"I'll see what I can do."
"Awesome. You're the best, boss."
The sound of footsteps made the Tenebrae vanish instantly. Shirei turned just in time to see Ada and Havel approaching him.
"Shirei, we need to talk," the girl said, stopping beside him.
"We've discovered something important," added the other. "The rift creatures seem to disappear at midnight. What we saw was an infected woman who somehow transformed into one of those things."
Shirei looked at his companions. "Is that all we know?" he asked, trying to stay calm.
"No, all that's left is to enter the rift," Ada replied. "Even if the Blendbreeds won't abandon their post, we need to move and make use of the time we have."
Havel added, "I'll handle the negotiations. You two get ready to go in."
The son of Sidal walked off toward the group of soldiers led by Samara. His broad shoulders and arrogant posture conveyed a sense of authority he hoped to use to his advantage. Ada stepped closer to Shirei, whose gaze was still lost in the distance. The boy with violet eyes couldn't help but notice the slight tremble his companion tried to hide.
"What do you think we'll find in there?" she asked, her tone tinged with concern.
"I don't know," he replied, shaking his head. "We have to find the anchor of the rift and take it away. That's the only way to be sure the mission is complete."
"Did your creature tell you that?"
Shirei didn't answer, but made it clear that it was just as she had said. Ada nodded, gripping her weapons tighter. "We'll make it," she said, more to herself than to the son of Cragar. "No matter what awaits us, we'll come out victorious."
The two rejoined their leader just in time to hear him arguing with the captain of the Sparrows.
"We can't afford to waste time. The rift must be closed and we need to work together."
Samara watched him, weighing his words. "Our orders are to hold our position," she said at last. "We can't abandon our mission until I receive updated directives."
"Then help us carry out ours," the Blendbreed insisted. "If we don't close the rift, the monsters will keep coming through and we'll all be stuck here."
The girl nodded. "I'll speak to my soldiers. We'll give you a few days. After that, you'll be considered missing, and we'll handle the problem ourselves. Does that work for you?"
"Perfect."
The two shook hands, then preparations began. The group gathered near the entrance half an hour later, and the Blendbreeds were evacuated to the outside. Only Samara remained.
"Don't worry. We'll take care of any monsters that get through. You just find a way to end this," she said in parting, before disappearing through the door into the corridor.
Several minutes passed.
"Remember," said Havel, his voice steady. "We have to stick together. We don't know what awaits us on the other side, but as long as we fight as one, we have a chance."
Ada gave a nervous laugh. "Nice line, but don't try to sound like you're in an action movie, thanks."
"I was just trying to…!" The son of Sidal started to blush. "Forget it. I hate you all."
With a deep breath, the three Flowers of the Equinox crossed the entrance of the Temporal Rift. The energy enveloped them instantly, a wave of magical power that seemed to tear reality apart and reassemble it as it pleased.
And so, the three were pulled into a world far in the past.