The wall dissolved and retreated to the corners of the cell, exposing the metal bars once more. The guard called out Corinna's name, stirring her awake.

All of this is real.

"You'll be leaving soon," said the guard, avoiding Corinna's gaze. "They're transporting you to the north-east portal."

"North-east?" Corinna sat up on the bed. "I thought there was one in the castle. Wouldn't it be easier to go there? It's just beneath us."

The guard shrugged. "The queen wishes you to go through the north-east portal. Perhaps she wants you to arrive at a specific area in the Eternal Abyss?"

Corinna nodded, not knowing what else to say. Upon remembering the tales and the broadcasts of how difficult it was to obtain food and water, she turned on the tap and inhaled numerous scoops of water from the sink. After wiping her mouth with her sleeve, she was then blindfolded, bound in chains, and guided by the guard to an armoured van with trailing escorts.

As soon as they reached the north-east portal, Corinna stumbled out of the vehicle and vomited. She was uncertain whether it was caused by drinking so much water, terror, or both. The escorts took off her blindfold, wiped her down, and handed her drinks of water which she politely refused, fearing that it would only make matters worse.

Corinna rested her palms on her stomach. The liquids inside of her churned as she was guided through long corridors and locked security gates. So concentrated on her rising sickness, the technician's instructions were reduced to a drone.

"When the portal is ready, you are to stand on the platform," the technician explained. "Make sure you stand right in the centre; otherwise, you'll hurt yourself against the side of the tunnel and risk a concussion. We'll give you a countdown, and the platform will disappear. Understood?"

Blinking, Corinna stared back at the technician, answering "yes," out of fear of being a nuisance. Suddenly, her escorts and the other technicians knelt on the floor and bowed. Corinna turned and saw Queen Corinna IX, followed by an entourage of assistants and bodyguards. Corinna Warren attempted to bow also while restrained in chains.

The queen's assistant announced the monach's arrival, and the technicians were given permission to stand again. Corinna gathered from the muttering and whispering of the technicians and their stiff and shaken demeanour that they had not expected the queen to be present. 

Then what was Her Majesty even doing here? Corinna pondered. Surely it is not part of Her royal duties to see prisoners off to the Eternal Abyss?

The group entered the control centre. It was a circular and large room with desks, computers, and screens aligned in a ring, with a round and metal flooring in the middle, where a bridge crossed over it.

The technicians sat at their assigned seats and began typing, flicking switches, or channelling magic between their fingertips. They shifted with unease, avoiding eye contact with the queen as she watched one of the larger screens. The head technician then ordered the initiation of the 'wind control' near the portal entrance.

Queen Corinna then turned her attention to Corinna Warren, releasing her from her restraints with a wave of her hand and dismissing the guards.

Corinna bowed and thanked the Queen. Now free, she rubbed and soothed the ringed skin on her wrists, then glanced upwards at the blank white mask.

"Her Majesty wishes for you to hold out your hands," the assistant explained. 

Hesitant, Corinna held out her hands as commanded. They shook, still sore from the chains and the magic from yesterday.

The monarch rested her palm on top of Corinna's, emitting a warm green light. The light faded and her hands retreated, revealing Corinna's wrists to be healed, no longer marred by scars.

Her reaction delayed by her inexperience of seeing magic first-hand and the sheer wonder of it, Corinna eventually spluttered out a thank you; however, it appeared to be not heard as the queen returned to the computer screen. Corinna did everything in her power to not look the queen directly. Not only was she royalty, but also the person who had almost sentenced her family to death.  Yet she was also the one who had healed her injuries. To have her standing before her was odd and unsettling. It was as if she was being given special treatment, but she could not think of a good reason why and so dismissed the thought.

Corinna stood and remained silent, still marvelling at her healed wounds. Eventually, a technician reported that the portal was ready and operational, then gave the order to open the seal.

The metal flooring churned and groaned then opened up, revealing the portal that it had been covering. To Corinna's surprise, the portal was a milky white and translucent matter, in a state between liquid and gas. It swirled and fizzed and emitted a low hum.

"I thought it'd be dark..." Corinna mumbled to herself, peering over the edge.

"What?" asked a nearby technician. 

Startled, Corinna stepped back, almost stumbling to the floor. "The portal..." she stuttered. "Since it leads to the Eternal Abyss, I thought it would be dark... like an abyss."

Corinna heard the technician tut "non-mages," in disgust. Silencing herself before causing more embarrassment, Corinna sated her curiosity of magic with only quick glances at the portal.

"Miss Warren?" the royal aid called out. 

"Yes?" Corinna bowed her head slightly.

"Her Majesty wishes to know if you have a plan to survive your imprisonment?"

Corinna recited the advice from her great-aunt Rhea. "Don't fight, just run. Don't trust anyone. Locate shelter and food as soon as possible."

"Are you a pacifist, Miss Warren?"

"I believe in self-defence."

"Then you had best be prepared to defend yourself," advised the assistant. "You will not be able to outrun all of the monsters, especially not for fifteen years."

Corinna nodded "Yes. Of course."

"Her Majesty would also advise that you do not hold back against those monsters if you wish to survive." She paused. "If you wish your family to survive."

"Yes, thank you..." Then bowed to the queen and added, "Your Majesty." Corinna squeezed her wrists, feeling as if they could easily snap.

The queen whispered to her assistant, who then announced, "the conditions of your imprisonment have been changed, Miss Warren."

Corinna looked up. She feared that her family was no longer spared. Of course, that had all had to be a lie, a trick. What did she expect from such a ruler? The queen gestured for her to come closer, and she obeyed.

"For every six months of your imprisonment you survive," the assistant continued. "A randomly selected member of your family, that was arrested with you shall be spared. They will not be killed no matter how long you survive afterwards. The last six months, of course, will be yours." 

It was not what Corinna had expected. She knew that she could never survive the full fifteen years, yet with this new condition, it meant that if she lasted at least half a year, one life would be saved. How could this possibly benefit the queen? Regardless of the monarch's motives, Corinna could not refuse such a deal. 

The queen offered out her hand, and her assistant asked, "do you agree to these terms, Miss Warren?"

"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty." She held out her own hand and shook with the queen and felt something pass through her body, something electric. The queen opened her palm and touched Corinna's right wrist with her fingers, then let go.

"That was a magically binding contract," the assistant explained, sensing Corinna Warren's confusion. "The contract cannot be broken unless it is mutually nulled. You have Her Majesty's word that your family will be free if you follow these terms. However, if you leave the Eternal Abyss before your sentence is finished, your family will be executed."

"I understand." Corinna looked down at her wrist, feeling as if it was marked by something invisible.

"Stand on the platform," the head technician called out from the main control panel.

Corinna followed the orders, climbing up the bridge and stood on the platform in the centre above the portal.

The technicians and the queen stared at the screens, clearly waiting for something despite the portal being operational.

A grappling hook shot upwards out of the portal then clung to the platform.

"There's a-"

"Ignore it," the head technician ordered, continuing to focus on the screen.

Something pulled at the rope of the grappling hook.

"But why- is that normal-"

"Start the countdown."

The technician called out...

TEN

Corinna looked down at the grappling hook, wondering who was on the other side, trying to escape.

NINE

Her attention then focused on herself, on her survival.

EIGHT

She recalled that the platform would disappear after the countdown.

SEVEN

She hoped that she would have a soft landing.

SIX

Could she potentially fall to her death?

FIVE

Was this all a trick?

FOUR

Would her family be executed regardless?

THREE

No. Stop thinking like that. All that matters is survival.

TWO

I would do anything to save my family.

ONE

Even if it means killing monsters.