The night slipped past like a restless gust of wind....so did Kai's patience. If they delayed any longer, it would only spell disaster.
Minutes dragged by as Kai and Teanguan scoured every corner of Room 999. They searched under the flickering lamps, behind old shelves, even under the bed, but the key was nowhere to be found. Lightning illuminated the room again and again, throwing long shadows against the trembling curtains. Their search was relentless, but empty.
Then...footsteps. Soft at first, cautious, as though someone tried to mask their presence. But soon, they grew clearer, sharper, closer.
The door creaked open.
It was Suda.
His eyes swept the chamber, but there was no one there. Only the rain against the windows, the fluttering curtains, the crackle of thunder, and the silence that clung like chains. Kai and Teanguan had already slipped away into the storm, vanishing before he could catch even a glimpse. Yet the look on Suda's face suggested something deeper...something he knew, but was unwilling to admit.
Before rumors could spread across the Institute, Kai and Teanguan were already at work. Their path had led them to an old sealed door, half-buried under years of dust and rainwater. It was their only lead now.
The storm raged above them, lightning split the heavens, but neither faltered. The door had been shut for far too long....it was jammed, immovable. Teanguan grabbed a heavy wooden beam, slamming it against the lock, while Kai braced herself against the frame.
"Think of it this way," Kai urged through gritted teeth, her hands raw from the effort. "If we imagine someone inside.....someone we must save....our strength will double. Imagine it's Wei trapped behind this door!"
Her words struck Teanguan like a spark. He too thought of Wei, and suddenly, the storm outside seemed distant. The thunder drowned itself, the rain became a blur, and for Kai, even the pain in her hands vanished. In her mind's eye, she saw only Wei....her clear, radiant face shining like a lantern in the dark. For a heartbeat, Kai forgot everything else.
Together, they heaved.
With a splintering crack, part of the door broke free. A narrow opening appeared.....just enough for them to slip through.
The way forward had revealed itself.