Crimson cleared his throat, his usual confidence replaced by uncharacteristic hesitation. "The thing is… I found someone," he began.
Nox scoffed, rolling her eyes as she leaned back in her chair. "We don't care about your love life, Crimson," she snapped. "Get to the point."
"Just listen, okay?" Crimson shot back, urgency sharpening his tone. "This isn't about me—it's bigger than that. The person I found… he's not from our world."
The room fell silent. Crimson's gaze dropped to the table, avoiding the others' stares.
Nox, Sebastian, and Gale exchanged looks, their disbelief written on their faces.
"Is this true?" Gale demanded, his sharp gaze turning to Lilith.
Lilith nodded hesitantly, her expression grim.
"What the hell do you mean he's not from Amethyst?" Nox exclaimed, pushing her chair back and slamming her hands on the table. Her voice rose, filled with alarm. "You know what happens to people who don't belong here!"
"Yes, we know, but—" Lilith started, only for Gale to interrupt.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Gale shouted, his fist crashing onto the table, the plates rattling from the force. "Let me guess—the person from this 'other world' is that Miles kid we saw in Willow Haven, isn't it?"
Crimson exhaled and nodded. "Yes, it's him."
Gale shot to his feet, his chair screeching against the floor. "Damn it! If I'd known, I would've killed him on the spot!" he snarled, his fists clenched tightly.
Nox's face twisted with fury as she paced behind her chair. "This isn't some minor issue, Crimson! What were you thinking? If the Legion of Rigour finds out about him…" Her words trailed off as she turned to Sebastian, her voice rising again. "And you're just going to sit there and say nothing?"
Sebastian had been silent, his expression unreadable, but now his calm voice cut through the rising tension. "Maybe they have a reason for bringing this up. Let's hear them out."
Nox whirled to face him, her pink eyes blazing. "What are you talking about? You should understand that we don't want history to repeat itself!"
Sebastian reached out, placing his hand gently over Nox's trembling one. "Please," he said softly, his steady tone like a balm to the heated room. "Let's just listen to what they have to say."
The room fell silent again, the weight of unspoken fears pressing down like an unrelenting storm cloud. Nox's glare lingered on Crimson and Lilith before she reluctantly sat back down, her arms tightly crossed, her anger simmering beneath the surface.
Crimson drew a deep breath, glancing briefly at Lilith for support before speaking. His voice was steady but tinged with urgency. "Alright," he began, "here's why this matters… Miles isn't here alone."
"What the hell do you mean, he's not the only one?" Gale demanded, his voice rising, his anger boiling over. "You can't be serious!"
Crimson's gaze didn't waver. "I am. His friend—she got pulled into our world too. Now he's searching for her so they can get back home."
"Then why the hell are you helping him?!" Gale roared, slamming his fist on the table. "You know what'll happen if he's caught—if Rigour's Legion uses him as a vessel, it's the end of Amethyst!"
Nox's voice cut in, sharp and bitter. "You, of all people, Crimson—you promised to make sure history wouldn't repeat itself. That was before you abandoned us!" Her words struck like a lash, her pink eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Crimson's jaw tightened, but he didn't look away. "I know I let you down," he said, his voice cracking with raw emotion. "I can't change the past, but I'm helping Miles because he's doing everything he can to get back to his friend and keep her safe. He's not running away, and he's not giving up. And I'm protecting him because I won't let Rigour's Legion get to him—not when I just got you all back in my life. I can't lose you again. Not ever."
Lilith sniffled, wiping her eyes as tears began to spill. "I get it, Crimson," she said softly. "I would've done the same if it were any of you. I've already failed you once… and I see Miles' determination. That's why I'm helping him—to make sure he's not used as a vessel and to protect my brother and everything he's built. So I'm asking—will you help us?"
Gale scoffed, his rage unabated as he turned to Sebastian. "Have you all lost your damn minds?" he barked. "You want to help someone from the outside? After everything? Say something, Sebastian!"
Sebastian, smiled faintly and leaned back in his chair. "I'll help them," he said simply, his voice calm and resolute.
Nox's head snapped toward him, her hand withdrawing from where it had rested beneath Sebastian's on the table. "What do you mean by that?!" she exclaimed, her voice shaking. "We haven't even discussed this!"
Gale's fury burned hotter. "See? Nox's with me on this. We're out." He reached for Nox's hand, but she turned on him, her pink eyes blazing.
"Don't you dare speak for me," she hissed. "And don't you mention my name again. The only person I make decisions with is Sebastian."
Sebastian sat forward, his expression thoughtful but unwavering as he addressed Nox directly. "You want to know why I'll help them?" he said, his voice low but firm. "Because I've seen what happens when we let fear decide for us. Crimson's trying to make things right, and Lilith's doing this for her brother. You and I both know the weight of failure, Nox—and the cost of doing nothing."
Nox stood abruptly, tears spilling down her cheeks as she stared at Sebastian. "After all they've done, after all the pain we've been through—you still choose to help them?"
Sebastian's gaze softened, but the unwavering conviction in his voice made it clear he had made his decision. "I choose to help because it's the right thing to do," he said firmly, his eyes locking with Nox's. "Not for them, but for you."
Nox's breath hitched, her pink eyes glistening as Sebastian took her hand in his. "I can't imagine a world where I'm alone without you," he continued, his voice low but steady. "That's why I've decided to help them. And… I remember what the Knight who raised us told us before the day he never came back. He said we should always have each other's backs, no matter what."
His grip on her hand tightened slightly as he spoke. "We failed him that day, Nox. But we still have the chance to keep the other promise he made us swear to uphold—to do for others what we would want done for us. If I were Miles, I'd do everything I could to get back to you. And I'd hope someone would help me do it."
Sebastian's words hung heavy in the air as he turned to the group, his eyes scanning their faces.
Nox took a deep breath, brushing the tears from her cheek before straightening her posture. "Alright," she said reluctantly. "I'll help—because of Sebastian. But if things even start to go south, we kill Miles before Rigour's Legion gets their hands on him."
"What? You too?" Gale scoffed angrily, "This is insanity! You're gambling our world on probabilities. And even if you find his friend, how do you plan on sending them back to wherever the hell they came from?"
Crimson's voice remained calm, though his patience was clearly wearing thin. "We'll figure that out once we find her. For now, we've agreed to work together. Tomorrow, we'll head to Alpha Dawn, find Miles, and—"
"I never said I agreed," Gale interrupted, his voice cold and sharp. "I'll think about it and let you know tomorrow." Without another word, he stormed away from the table, the sound of his boots echoing in the silence.
"Forget him. We don't need him," Nox said flatly, folding her arms.
Crimson shook his head, his tone resolute. "We do need him. Gale might have a temper, but he's the only one who can perform a locator spell without complications. Believe me—he's necessary."
Sebastian leaned forward, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "If he refuses, I might have another way to find Miles' friend," he said. "Since you left, I've been working on developing my morphing abilities. I can take the form of a dark hound—and with the right features, I could use its sense of smell to track her."
Crimson raised an eyebrow. "That's a solid plan, but where are we going to find dark hound blood for the morph?"
Sebastian smirked faintly, reaching into his pouch. He pulled out a small vial of dark crimson liquid and held it up. "I already have some," he said. "As long as I have the blood of the creature or person, I can morph into them—or parts of them. It's something I've been working on for a while."
"Impressive," Crimson admitted, nodding. "But let's not count Gale out just yet. I believe he'll come around."
Lilith glanced between Crimson and Sebastian, uncertainty flickering in her expression. "I hope you're right," she said softly. "But if he doesn't… at least we have a backup plan."
The group exchanged tense glances, the weight of their decision settling over them. Tomorrow's journey would decide more than just Miles' fate—it would set the stage for the future of their world.