The journey began three days later.
Apparently when facing ancient soul-consuming dimensions, people still insisted on "preparing properly."
Annoying.
Reasonable.
But annoying.
Nancy stood outside the cabin tightening the straps on her bag while Leo dramatically mourned civilization.
"I just think entering a cosmic nightmare realm without proper snacks is irresponsible."
Evan glanced at him.
"You packed twelve protein bars."
"The body needs fuel for emotional devastation."
"That's not how nutrition works."
"Science fears innovation."
Honestly—
their commitment to nonsense during crises remained impressive.
A few feet away, Mara checked supplies while Seraphine traced symbols into the dirt near the cabin entrance.
Protective marks.
Warnings.
Or possibly magical insurance paperwork.
Hard to tell.
Kai approached Nancy quietly.
"You ready?"
"No."
"Good. That means you're thinking."
She looked up at him.
"…that was almost comforting."
"I'm evolving."
"Concerning."
Inside—
Nyra stirred faintly.
You are afraid of leaving this place.
Nancy blinked slightly.
Because…
yeah.
She was.
The cabin had become something dangerous:
Home.
Not perfect.
Not permanent.
But safe.
And losing safe places hurt differently.
Nancy adjusted her jacket.
"We'll come back."
Nyra went quiet.
Not disbelieving.
Just uncertain.
Seraphine finally stood.
"It's time."
The mood shifted instantly.
No more jokes.
No more distractions.
Just tension settling over the group like heavy fog.
The Veil was hidden deep within the northern forest.
Because of course terrifying ancient dimensions never existed somewhere convenient.
No.
Always dramatic forests.
The farther they walked—
the stranger the woods became.
The air thickened.
Sound dulled strangely.
Even the sunlight filtering through the trees looked… faded.
Wrong somehow.
Nancy noticed it first.
"The forest is changing."
Seraphine nodded without slowing.
"The Veil distorts reality around it."
Leo looked deeply offended.
"I preferred reality before it was distorted."
"No you didn't," Mara said flatly.
"…fair."
Hours passed.
Or maybe minutes.
Time itself started feeling slippery the deeper they went.
Nancy hated that immediately.
Then—
Nyra whispered suddenly:
We are close.
Fear pulsed beneath the words.
Not panic.
Recognition.
And then Nancy saw it.
The Veil.
At first glance—
it looked like a lake.
Still.
Black.
Perfectly silent beneath the trees.
But staring at it too long made her stomach twist violently.
Because the surface wasn't reflecting the world correctly.
The stars in the water moved differently.
Too slowly.
Like another sky existed underneath it.
Watching.
Waiting.
Leo stopped dead.
"…absolutely not."
Honestly?
Correct reaction.
Even Kai looked unsettled.
Which was terrifying because Kai usually approached danger like it owed him money.
Seraphine stepped carefully toward the shore.
"The Veil exists between consciousness and memory," she explained quietly. "It responds to emotion, fear, grief… love."
Leo blinked.
"So emotionally unstable people are basically explosives here."
Everyone slowly looked at Nancy.
Nancy stared back.
"…wow. Betrayal."
Inside—
Nyra's fear sharpened suddenly.
Do not let it pull you under.
Nancy frowned slightly.
"What happens if it does?"
No answer.
Oh good.
Wonderful sign.
Seraphine turned toward them.
"Once Nancy enters, the Veil will begin separating her memories from Nyra's."
Kai immediately asked the important question.
"How long?"
"Unknown."
Fantastic.
Everyone loved vague magical timelines.
Then Seraphine's expression darkened.
"But once the process begins…"
The air grew colder.
"…the Veil will try to keep what hurts most."
Nancy's chest tightened.
"What does that mean?"
Seraphine looked at her carefully.
"It feeds on unresolved pain."
Silence.
Heavy silence.
Because Nancy already knew what her unresolved pain looked like.
Abandonment.
Fear.
Loneliness.
The constant feeling of not being enough for people to stay.
Inside—
Nyra whispered softly:
You are not alone anymore.
Nancy nearly broke right there.
Not now.
Absolutely not now.
Kai stepped closer beside her.
"You don't have to do this."
The words surprised everyone.
Even him.
Because until now—
Kai had been focused entirely on saving her.
Moving forward.
Fighting.
But this?
This was different.
This was him realizing exactly what this place might do to her.
Nancy looked at him quietly.
"Yes," she said softly. "I do."
Because she couldn't survive wondering forever where she ended and Nyra began.
Because Nyra deserved peace too.
Because fear had controlled enough of her life already.
Kai's jaw tightened.
He hated this.
Every second of it.
Nancy reached for his hand first this time.
Small gesture.
Huge meaning.
"I'll come back," she whispered.
Kai looked at her like he wanted desperately to believe that.
Then slowly—
he pressed his forehead against hers.
Eyes closed.
Breathing uneven for the first time since she'd met him.
"You better," he murmured.
And God—
that almost shattered her resolve completely.
The Veil rippled suddenly.
The black water trembling without wind.
Inside—
Nyra whispered one final warning.
Once you enter…
it will know everything you fear.
Nancy stared at the impossible lake.
Then took a slow breath.
"…good thing fear and I already know each other."
And before anyone could stop her—
she stepped forward.
The Veil swallowed her whole.