When they finally reached the bottom of the long, winding staircase, Iris's legs were ready to drop off. She glanced at Trevet, who didn't appear at all tired from their long journey down the rabbit hole. He had been right about it not being as dark as it initially appeared. Perhaps only twenty stairs from the surface, little electrical lights guided their way, travelling around and around the spiral-structured staircase. Now, they had finally arrived at a clearing, large, overhead lightbulbs casting shadows against the dirt walls. Iris blinked several times, giving her eyes time to adjust to the brightness before noticing a security guard standing by what looked to be a metal detector, not a few metres ahead.

"What, we need to pass customs to get to Wonderland?" Iris snorted.

"I almost forgot," Trevet stopped, unzipping his backpack. "You might want to wrap this around your arm... that sign around here might attract some attention."

Iris took the green bandana from Trevet, wrapping it around her oddly-inked arm. If 'attention' meant another surprise attack, she was more than happy to cover up the peculiar tattoo. Trevet walked ahead of her while she finished tying it tightly around her bicep.

"Evening, Dev," Trevet greeted. The two clasped hands and clapped each other's backs, like two typical boys that acknowledged each other through secret handshakes.

"Trev," Dev grinned, revealing his remarkably white teeth. "Cutting it close tonight, are we?"

"It's not sundown yet," Trev said, just as a large horn sounded in the distance, shaking the dirt walls.

"Now it is," Dev laughed. "What were you doing out so late anyway?"

"Special business," Trev winked. "Sorry, Dev, classified information and all. You know how it is."

Dev sighed, and his mud-brown eyes met Iris's for a brief, curious moment. "Don't I know it. Anyhow, I've got my own job to do as well, so..." Dev held out his hand palm up and Trevet took out a small wallet from the pocket of his pants, opening it to reveal what looked to Iris like a form of I.D.

"Well, you look like the Trev I know," Dev said, only giving it a brief glance before dismissing him. "Guess the girl is your plus one?"

"You can double-check with the C.O," Trev told him, but Dev only waved a hand dismissively.

"I believe you, Trev. The C.O already told me to be expecting you to bring a visitor. Said you had radioed it in to him a few hours ago." He gestured towards the detectors. "Make your way inside when you're ready."

Trevet nodded towards Iris, who took a hesitant step towards him, giving her a reassuring smile before he walked through, and she followed suit.

"So, is this like, an airport or something?" Iris chuckled, but Trevet didn't seem to catch on to her humour this time around.

"What do you mean?"

Iris cleared her throat. "The metal detectors?"

Trevet knitted his eyebrows together in genuine confusion. "They don't detect metal. They detect different elementals. You know, the others. People who are not Terrans." He stared at Iris while she blinked. "Why would we want them to detect metal?"

"Well, like," Iris suddenly felt embarrassed. She'd never been to an airport herself, but she knew what was in one. Customs. Detectors. Security. "You know, to make sure guns aren't getting through. Or that bombs can't be created on the aircrafts."

Trevet's eyes widened. "You have crafts that can hover in the air on the planet Earth?"

Iris wasn't sure how to respond, flabbergasted. Was he pulling her leg? "They fly. Yes."

Trevet shook his head. "You're joking?"

Iris blinked yet again. "No."

"Wow," Trevet scratched his chin in aMazikeenment. "Aircrafts that fly. How far can they go? And how fast?"

"Um, all around the world, I guess." Iris hesitated. "And I'm not sure how fast."

"Amazing." Trevet sounded truly astounded, eyes alight with curiosity. "And how do these aircrafts look like?"

"Um." Iris shrugged. "Like big, metal birds."

"Incredible," Trevet was shaking his head again, like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Iris almost couldn't believe how he was responding. These people had magic, and yet their science was so limited. How? Perhaps they worked more on developing magic, than science. Or maybe her coma-induced dream just didn't have much sense at all.

"And your people made that? With no magic?"

Iris stared at him. "Um. Just science. And maths, I guess."

They continued to chat as they walked further down the stretch of corridor. "And have you ever ridden on this big, metal bird?"

"Well," Iris mused. "You don't ride on it. You ride in it. And no. That would require money and... well, yeah."

Trevet looked perplexed, but not by her final statement. He still appeared to be stuck on her initial response. "In it? Gods above, your people must be truly talented. I'd be fascinated to know more about this big air bird and the other fascinating inventions non-magic users have created on planet Earth."

Iris shrugged. "Well, as long as you have enough money, you can experience as many man-made inventions that you want, if you ever go there." Now she truly was starting to sound crazy. But it was her coma, so she might as well enjoy it and play along until she woke up.

The the dirt-paved path in front of them stopped abruptly and split into two, one turning left, the other right, curving away and out of sight.

"Welcome to the Terra District," Trevet said with a sweeping motion of his arms.

Iris stepped to the edge of the path ahead of her, which had come to a complete dead end, and gasped at what she saw. Far, far below, little ants bustled around. Except, they weren't ants, but people, weaving in and out of crowds, scurrying about and talking loudly, walking between houses and other buildings. Iris was standing high above it all, on a precipice, and she noted the two pathways must come around in one full circle that slowly winded downwards to get to the city below. Archways shaped the outer rim of the paths, and Iris imagined the Colosseum to look somewhat like this. In fact, it looked like some ancient Roman structure crossed with an ant farm – an ant farm that had been enlarged to fit humans inside.

"An underground city?" she managed to say, and Trevet shrugged and gave a half-nod. "But why?"

He grimaced. "It's not safe to live above ground, not with the war waging at the moment."

"What war?" She hadn't noticed any war. Actually, apart from Trevet and her vengeful sister, she hadn't seen a single soul.

"The Elemental War," he stated, before leading her away from the bird's eye view of the district and taking her down the left path. "I'll explain everything to you soon. The C.O wants to see you first, though."

"What is a C.O?" she questioned, her eyes still trained on the bustling life below as they made their way down the winding path, descending closer to the city's centre.

"Who, not what," Trevet corrected. "Stands for Commanding Officer. And his name is Jasper Hassun."

Iris tore her gaze away. "Commanding Officer? You weren't kidding when you said you were at war."

"I wish I was," Trevet said, looking away. "I really wish I was."

After they walked in silence for several minutes, the noise of the city below growing louder with each step, he glanced at her again.

"How did you get here, anyway?" Trevet asked curiously. "Do you even remember how you got to Earth in the first place?"

"I'm not sure. And no." Iris replied to his two questions shortly.

"You know," he said thoughtfully. "You're taking this whole situation pretty well. Considering what you must be feeling right now. I'd be freaking out if I changed planets overnight without even knowing how. That's crazy stuff."

She grimaced. "I'll say." She still wasn't fully certain of any of this, but whatever 'this' was, it was a great distraction from reality. From facing the harsh truth, that her best friend was... well. Perhaps she had hit her head too hard against that brick wall and was hallucinating, or perhaps she was in a coma. Or maybe she was dead. But would the afterlife seriously bring her to a warzone? That hardly seemed fair. As if the street life hadn't been tough enough. Couldn't she be cut some slack and rest in peace?

"Then again," Trevet continued, "Most of us Terrans have a real, down-to-earth attitude, know what I mean? Which is great for battle strategy. Able to keep calm and keep our heads grounded during a crisis."

"Uh-huh," Iris wasn't really listening anymore. The majority of what he said went over her head anyway. Though she supposed that would explain the calm aura he seemed to emit. And Mason always told her he admired her for always being able to keep a level head.

Mason. The thought hit her like a stone. What had happened to Mason after the earthquake? What would Tyrone think of the matter? What would they do about Amira's body? The thoughts were almost too much to bear, so she was thankful when they finally reached the outskirts of the city and was able to distract herself with watching people bustling about their everyday lives.

It was odd, but she noticed all the buildings were made of either stone or wood - or a mixture of both. There still appeared to be iron and metal around, some tradespeople hacking away at buildings that needed repairing with their hammers and nails, but the city seemed to be totally reliant on mostly wood. It would explain the name "terra" in Terra District. The city had a very earthy feel to it, and it wasn't just for the fact that it was several metres below ground. No, actual trees – albeit, small ones – lined the cobblestone pathways that were clearly made for pedestrians. They had grown small agricultural crop farms, and there were an array of tiny grass fields, as well as plants and flowers that lined rows of bushes and hedges, neatly trimmed. Iris almost forgot they were underground.

"How is all this possible?" Iris breathed, awestruck by the beauty and absurdity of it all.

"We breathe life into this place," Trevet said with some obvious pride. "It took a while to build up, but we all work together as a community to maintain our home."

Iris shook her head in wonder. She must be dreaming, surely. Though if it was a dream, Iris didn't want to wake up any time soon. Not now, when everything seemed so safe and warm, far, far below. A few called out to Trevet as they passed by, waving. Others cast the newcomer a few odd glances, but Iris was used to the glances, to being marginalised as the outcast from society – the homeless. Her mood suddenly darkened.

"So, when can we have some food? I'm starved."

Trevet eyed her up and down briefly. "You could probably do with some cleaning up as well."

"Excuse me?" Iris raised an eyebrow.

Trevet held up his hands. "Sorry, you just kind of... stink, I guess. But hey, I'm one to talk," he laughed and pointed at his muddy shoes. "Look how filthy these things are!"

Iris scowled, and Trevet sighed.

"Alright," he cleared his throat. "Let's get you to the C.O's home. You can get cleaned up there and then you can have dinner."

"I'm not having dinner at some stranger's house," Iris said blandly. "And I don't want to be an inconvenience. If you have some bread on you, that'll be fine, really."

Trevet laughed incredulously. "Just some bread? Don't be absurd! You'll have a feast at the C.O's home, and there's no arguing with him. He insisted," he paused only for a moment before adding, "And you bathing isn't optional either, while we're at it."

Iris only glared at him while he maintained his brisk pace, and she stalked after him, keeping her eyes to the ground so as to avoid the odd stares she received every minute or so. It was only when they reached the big iron gate and front lawn, that Iris looked up and noticed two security guards in a green uniform similar to Trevet's, standing stock still outside the gates, their faces neutral as Trevet flashed them his badge.

"The C.O is expecting to have a visitor," Trevet explained, as one of them confirmed Trevet's statement into a walkie-talkie, which crackled before a muffled voice responded. Both security guards nodded once at Trevet before the big-built men stepped aside, and one entered a code that was installed into the gate. There was a beep and a faint click, and it automatically slid open.

Iris didn't expect to see a small garden on the other side of the gate, full of growing plants and flora so luscious and alive, Iris pinched herself just to be certain she was truly conscious – before reasoning that pinching one's self in a coma probably didn't work anyway.

The garden was a mixture of greens and yellows and oranges and violets and colours so vibrant, it took her a moment to tear her gaze away and notice the short cement pathway leading up to the large, white mansion before her.

A girl - either in her late teens or early twenties, Iris wasn't sure - was already waiting outside, her hands on her hips and a scowl that was evident from afar. Her strawberry blonde hair was pulled into a tight bun, and Iris noticed she wore a maid-like costume, something she thought had been outdated by the twenty-first century. The tall, slender girl tapped her foot impatiently, and her soft brown eyes looked sincere but weary.

The moment Trevet set foot on the first step of the mansion's entrance, he grinned and embraced her. She gave him a slightly annoyed glance before rolling her eyes and returning the embrace.

"Jade!" he beamed. "How's my girl?"

The two broke away and she inspected one long, shaped nail.

"Almost chipped a nail trying to help scrub this damned pot one of the new cooks burnt, but apart from that, nothing new. Though," she added, glancing over Iris briefly. "Jasper has been a nervous wreck since yesterday. I mean, everyone was distressed about it, but him in particular. You know he'd been planning for this day, so the idea that the prophecy hadn't come to be put him on edge. Thank the Terran God above you were patrolling and found her. If you hadn't radioed in, he'd still be obsessively sipping at his coffees – all of which I'm expected to clean up after him. Anyway," she sighed, jabbing a thumb in Iris's direction. "He'll be relieved to know she made it here in one piece."

"I was thinking you could clean her up a bit before the dinner," Trevet started, but Jade held up a hand.

"Say no more. I can smell the stench from here. Leave it all to me," Jade smiled a little too sweetly at Iris, and she returned it with a tight smile. She couldn't tell if she liked this girl or not. But it seemed that Jade had already prejudged her, and princess or not, she didn't seem too impressed, or too interested in Iris. The girl had barely glanced at her upon their arrival.

Iris sniffed the air, suddenly self-conscious. Did she really stink that much? Maybe living on the streets all these years had affected her sense of smell.

The girl called Jade quickly beckoned for them to follow, and she opened the wooden doors to reveal marble floors and stone pillars that held up the structure of the large house. Two wooden staircases spiralled upwards and the ground floor had two hallways on either end that stretched out in opposite directions. A red, circular carpet lay in the middle of the space before them, giving off the illusion that the entrance was even bigger than it already appeared. Iris didn't bother hiding the shock on her face. She had never stepped foot in anything so beautiful. A chandelier illuminated the room, just above their heads, and Iris stared up at the many twinkling lights, noting how instead of average lightbulbs, each singular bulb was shaped like an intricate, glass flower.

Jade indicated to her with a nod, urging Iris to follow her down the left corridor.

"See you later, Trev," she called out, and Iris barely had time to glance back at him before Jade swung open the first door they came upon, pushing her inside.

Iris's eyes widened at the large, pristine bathroom she had entered, her eyes immediately lingering on the white bathtub with water filled to the brim, bubbles overflowing. Candles had been placed around the sink and bathtub, and a warm, aromatic smell of roses wafting through the air. A single, small window was situated on the wall against the bathtub, a fine silk curtain drawn across it. Iris looked down at her worn shoes, noticing with some embarrassment that she was leaving mud marks on the marble floor so white and clean. She also noted in the mirror above the sink, her own dirty, bandaged head staring back at her.

"I had this prepared just moments before you arrived," Jade reassured, gesturing with a nod towards the inviting tub of bubbles. She finally inspected Iris, looking her up and down before tutting to herself, offering to help take Iris's clothes off, to which she politely declined, uncomfortable.

"Can I have a moment alone?" Iris asked, suddenly feeling a wave of exhaustion take over her body.

Jade looked at her uncertainly. "The dinner is in forty-five minutes..."

"That's plenty of time," Iris cut in. "I'll be done before then, I promise."

Jade still looked unsure, but eventually shrugged and made her way back to the door.

"I'll have your new clothes sent to you in half an hour. Will that be enough time for you?"

Iris nodded, uncertain as to what to say, and Jade left without another word, closing the door behind her. Iris's gaze swept towards the bath longingly. It looked so inviting, so alluring. Was this what normal people were used to? Did it look as appealing to others as it did to her at that moment?

She didn't hesitate as she took off her sweat-stained clothes and dipped a toe into the lukewarm water.

***

Iris was twirling one way and then the other, staring at the unknown individual that stared back at her in the mirror. Just as Jade had said, there had been a knock at the bathroom door precisely thirty minutes after Iris lay soaking in the clean, bubble-filled water. The big, ticking clock on the opposing wall confirmed this.

She had had to scramble to get up, spilling some water over the sides as she wrapped a towel around her to answer the door. At that point, several women shuffled inside and began sizing her up with measuring tapes and whatnot. One had brought in a small chair, and before she knew what was happening, Iris had found herself sitting on a hard, wooden seat, one woman at work with her hair, while the other two bickered over the bundle of dresses they held in their arms, deciding which size dress and what style would best suit Iris under such short notice.

They had worked at an alarmingly fast rate, and ten minutes later, Iris was standing in a simple yet elegant dress. The mint colour of the garment stood out well against her tanned complexion, and the dress was tight enough to show off her slender form, but not so tight that she couldn't breathe. The dress reached just below the knees, and they had even given her black slippers in exchange for those awful, muddy Converses that one of the women swore she would burn. Her hair had been brushed thoroughly, which, much to their chagrin, there had been far too many tangles. Still, they seemed to approve of the waves in her hair - still damp as it had only been towel-dried. The woman working on her hair had simply slid in a pin to expose the front of her face a little more and suddenly... Iris was completely transformed. She didn't know whose reflection that was anymore. Her hazel eyes travelled down to the scar on the inside of her wrist, where the initials S.R had been cut into her skin. Other than that, all other signs of her ever being a Street Rat was gone.

She smelt like a mixture of blossoms and lotus flowers after they had sprayed and clouded her in perfume, her nose itching to sneeze. Iris glanced again at the dress, the front of the neckline a low boat-neck – not a V-neck, which would definitely make evident that she didn't have much around the chest area - according to one of the women. Iris's cheeks warmed as she checked her back, which was indeed, very low-cut. She didn't think she had ever worn a dress in her life, let alone something so... pretty.

Before she could take note of her appearance a second longer, two women had already grabbed the unchosen garments and her old, tattered clothes and thrown them on top of the chair, which they carried hurriedly out the bathroom door. The third woman took Iris's arm as gently and quickly as possible and led her out the bathroom, back down the corridor, and then up the left winding staircase, barely giving Iris a chance to view the paintings and images that hung on the wall. Before she knew it, Iris was standing outside a closed, mahogany door, and the woman was giving her one final inspection before nodding.

"Much better," the woman smiled proudly at her and her companions' handiwork before she turned on her heels.

"Wait," Iris started, but the woman was already making her way back down the stairs, so Iris took a deep breath, facing the door. She had never gotten to thank Jade. And where was Trevet? Was he already inside? Who exactly was this Jasper fellow and what did he want from her? Iris's stomach churned, whether from nerves or hunger or both, she was no longer sure. She glanced down the corridor, several more doors spaced out between the stretches of wall. She inhaled deeply once again, prepping herself for whatever this 'C.O' had in store for her.

They had dressed her all up, and for what? How important was this guy, anyway? Iris flattened out her dress subconsciously and squared her shoulders, a hand on the doorknob as she forced herself to turn it. She imagined Tyrone, how comfortable he looked in front of his people, how strong and certain he always looked, no matter what might be going on inside his head. She wanted to reflect that same image.

Whatever he had to say, wherever this weird coma-dream was leading, this was her chance to be someone different. Someone new. Someone strong and important and certain. So she'd simply go in, listen to what he had to say to her, and enjoy the dream while it lasted.

And if there was food on the other side? All the better.

That final thought convinced her to open the door and let herself in.