Myrica led them to a small cave deeper into the forest. They decided to rest. After all, they were all exhausted after what seemed to be an endless night. Iris didn't even remember lying down, and she was fast asleep. When she woke up, it was almost noon. Some of her companions were still sleeping. Myr was away in the forest, hunting, so she offered to help Arlo with breakfast.

Slowly everyone got up and ate. No one was talking about what happened yesterday, although the tension in the air was palpable. They were all too aware of the daunting task that awaited them, and Iris felt its weight crashing hard on her shoulders.

'All right, let's not waste any more time and get right back to business,' Marcus said finally when all of them finished eating and sat at the campfire. 'I filled in Myr and Arlo yesterday about our discussion regarding our present situation. Am I correct to assume we all agree that our topmost priority is stopping Inquisition?' Everyone nodded, although not overly eager.

'The question is, where do we even start?' said Kara voicing the doubts they all had.

'Indeed,' agreed Marcus solemnly. 'Our most significant disadvantage right now, besides our reduced numbers, of course, is our lack of knowledge. I'm afraid I'm no expert on the Shadow Magic. It was never a popular topic of study in the Order. No one thought it was needed, as it hasn't been seen in our realm for ages. I can only provide us with basic information, and I'm afraid it's not enough if we want to stand a chance against the Grand Inquisitor.

'Where can we find more knowledge?' asked Jayden. 'Are there any records left from the archives of the Order?'

'Unfortunately, no,' the old man shook his head. 'All the documents and research materials were either burned down or seized by the Inquisition,' he paused and looked at the forest woman. 'Myr, can your people help us in this regard?'

She slowly shook her head. 'I do not think so. We did not explore any other forms of magic except our own. And it seems that cannot count on any further support from my kind,' she added, her expression troubled. 'The sole fact that Inquisition found us, seeing through the Wild Magic illusion, means they got assistance from my tribe, which is most troubling.'

'Yes, that is certainly concerning,' said Marcus rubbing his chin. 'To be honest, I'm running out of ideas. Has anyone else has any suggestions that could help us?'

They all fell silent, looking at the fire or the walls of the cave and searching their minds for anything that could be remotely useful right now. Iris looked at Kara, and an idea popped into her head. The woman face was impassive. She bit her lip as if she were struggling with her reasoning. Finally, she uttered a heavy sigh and looked straight at Marcus.

'What if we could get to someone who's been in the Shadow Realm?' she asked tentatively. There was a tense silence while all eyes in the cave turned to her.

'What do you mean, Kara?' asked Marcus cautiously.

'What if... there was a person that was stuck there for a long time?'

Marcus jaw dropped. 'You don't mean....'

'Yes, I do,' she interjected, her blue eyes steeled with resolve.

'But that's impossible!' scoffed Marcus. 'Kara, we all know that no one survived the Ritual!'

'I thought so too, at first. But that's simply not true. I saw him, with my own eyes! And not just once!'

'Can someone tell me what they are talking about?' asked Arlo scratching his head.

Marcus ignored him, his eyes trained on Kara, his brow knitted. 'Why are you telling me about it just now? Why hide it?'

She scoffed. 'Why do you think? You just said it's impossible. I don't need you to treat me like a crazy person,' she said, looking defiantly at him. 'If there was any way I could get him out, I didn't want you to cross my .'

'And how did that work out for you, eh?' The air in the cave got thick with tension while both throw daggers at each other with their eyes.

'Can we calm down and get back to the topic?' asked Iris shyly. 'Kara, why don't you explain everything from the start, just like you did for me? I'm sure they will see your reasons then.'

Marcus raised his brow. 'You told her? And not me?'

'I didn't tell her. She sneaked up on me,' Kara scoffed. 'But fine. I guess there is no turning back now.'

Kara revealed her most guarded secret, patiently retelling the story from the very beginning. Everyone was listening in silent amazement. Marcus expression was solemn, his mouth forming a thin line, his brows furrowed.

'When was the last time you saw him?' he asked when she finished.

'During the last full moon when Iris spied on me.'

'I wasn't spying...' the girl protested, but everyone ignored her.

'Kara, I understand your urge to get Sam out of there, but I'm not sure we would be able to do that,' Marcus said with a sigh.

'I think this is an option worth considering,' interjected Myr. 'If he survived that long in the Shadow Realm, he would have plenty of knowledge to share. And that is what we need right now.'

'I'm aware of that. But the question is, how are we supposed to do that? We haven't encountered the tear in the veil big enough that would allow anyone a pass through yet. The only one I know of is under Inquisition's protection.'

Silence fell as everyone considered his words. Kara brought them a glimmer of hope, a way to help their cause, but now this little spark was extinguished as a burned-up match. Iris was looking at them. A stubborn thought stuck in her brain. Finally, she decided to speak up.

'Is there no way for Light Mages to cross between realms?' she asked. 'Isn't there any spell or ritual for that?'

'I don't think so,' Marcus slowly shook his head. 'There were legends from the old days, that there were mages who could cross between different worlds, but it's just that – stories. I've never heard of anyone attempting that.'

'What if it's not just stories?' she asked.

Marcus frowned. 'What are you getting at, Iris?'

'Something weird happened to me, twice already. The first time was while we were attempting to conduct the Ritual. I suddenly found myself in a different place, all alone, surrounded by the Shadows.'

'It happens while there is a lot of Light Magic accumulated,' said Marcus patiently. 'The veil becomes thinner, and you can peer to the other side. But that doesn't mean that you are there.'

'I know. That's what Jayden explained to me when I asked him,' Iris nodded. 'So, I didn't think much of it. But then, it happened again when the camp was under attack. I wasn't so surprised then. I took a good look around. It doesn't look like I was just looking at it. It felt as if I was in a completely different place. The air was colder and crispier. The surroundings were all twisted and wrong, and yet they were a mirrored image of our side. Then the shadows spotted me. I was scared, so I subconsciously willed myself to get out of there, and then, the next second, I was back.'

Marcus was silent for a while, rubbing his chin in thought. 'That does sound very peculiar indeed,' he admitted looking at her with his brows knitted. 'Why didn't you say anything earlier?'

'Well, there wasn't exactly any time, was there?' she shrugged.

'No, you're right,' he mumbled and got lost in thoughts again.

'Do you think it's possible, Master?' ask Jayden impatiently. 'That she could be able to that? To cross freely between the realms?'

'I'm not sure. This is as surprising to me as to all of you. We don't know much about this supposed power, so we can't base all our hopes on it unless we are sure.'

'Do we have any alternative?' asked Myr, her voice gentle.

Marcus sighed. 'I'm afraid not. I guess, for now, we should try to find out more about Iris newfound ability. But we don't have much time, so we must act quickly. Iris, I want you to come with me, and we'll see if we can make you use this ability consciously. Jayden, Myr, please come with us too, as I may need your assistance. Kara and Arlo, check our supplies and get everything ready if we need to move soon.'

***

They were sitting in a circle in a small clearing in front of the cave. The Lord Sun was barely visible through the thick grey clouds covering the air like a fluffy blanket. Iris was nervous, her hands were clammy, and her heart was racing. The thought that so much was depending on her was crushing. She didn't even know if crossing between the realms was possible, not to mention fully controlling it. She felt a gentle touch on her shoulder and looked up at Myr. Her beautiful face was calm, and she wore a small, encouraging smile.

'Take it easy. We will achieve nothing if you faint before we start.'

Iris felt her face burning and took a deep, calming breath. 'Of course, I'm sorry. It's a lot of pressure.'

'You don't have to worry. We are here for you,' said Marcus and took her hand in his. His skin was rough, as the leather of your favourite belt tattered from the long and extensive use. 'First, let's try to proceed without a light. I believe it is the ability specific to your inner Light, and not depend on the actual magic source,' he paused and looked at her expectantly.

'So...' she said after a moment. 'What exactly am I supposed to do?'

'Close your eyes,' he instructed, his voice patient, a tone practised by endless hours of teaching students. Surprisingly, it made Iris calmer. She knew she could trust this voice, and he will be with her every step of the way. She closed her eyes. and tried to empty her mind of all the erratic thoughts swirling inside her like a morning fog. 'Try to focus on the feeling you had when you crossed to the other side and replicate it.'

Iris closed her eyes tighter, while she tried to focus her mind. What did she feel at that moment? She was scared, and cold, and exhausted. But it didn't seem like it was enough. She was still too aware of the damp grass she was sitting on, the birds chirping in nearby trees, a warm, leathery hand on hers. She tried to block out all those distractions, but it wasn't easy. After a while, she opened her eyes with a sigh.

'I don't think it's going to work like that. I can't seem to focus enough. It's like I'm rooted right here, in this place, and can't go around it.'

'That's all right,' said Marcus. 'I didn't expect you to succeed right away. Let's try using some magic now.' He took out a mirror from his pocket and set it down before her. 'Try drawing some light and hold on to it. Then, try to cross.'

Iris followed his instructions, slowly drawing some light from the mirror, careful not to break it. She closed her eyes and tried to feel the other side of the reality. It felt a little bit different this time. The light she held with her will was warming her up, reaching deep into the farthest corners of her being. It felt good. Safe. Like being at home on a cold winter day, tucked with a thick blanket and cup of tea at hand. But she still couldn't figure out how exactly she was supposed to reach this other realm. She tried to sense the borders of reality, but there was nothing. She felt utterly stupid, so she opened her eyes and shook her head again.

'It would be easier if someone knew what to do,' sighed Jayden watching Iris and tapping a finger on his knee.

'Patience, Jayden,' Marcus scolded him firmly. 'We are all in foreign waters here. We don't even know if it's supposed to work, so we take one step at a time. Let's try with more light now. Jayden, draw some power for me and hold it close to Iris.'

Iris tried again, and again nothing happened. She was pretty sure all their efforts were futile. Maybe she did imagine all of this and only gave them all false hope. Poor Kara. After a while, Marcus also drew the light and added it to their collected energy, hanging in the air between them shining brighter than the Lord Sun overhead, casting dancing shadows on their faces.

'Give it a try now, Iris,' Marcus prompted her.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes yet again, trying to focus. She felt the regular pulsing of the light near her, its heat. She let her mind follow the warmness that was cursing through her veins deep inside her being. There was something inside her that was pulsing to the same rhythm as their accumulated power. It was bright and strong and seemed to radiate a sense of calm and confidence to her mind. It's my magic source, she thought with awe, as she never felt it before. But now, when she discovered it, when she touched it, it felt as if it was always there. In her mind, Iris reached towards it, trying to voice what she needed to do. She felt a rush of heat going through her body, sending little jolts of electricity on her skin.

Her eyes opened, and she finally saw it – the dual reality, layers overlapping one another. Her heartbeat quickened, and her breath became short and rugged. She looked over the trees that seemed to shift from richly green leaves to dark and twisted shadows. Marcus squeezed her hand tighter. Has he felt something has changed too? Not wanting to get distracted now, when she was so close, she narrowed her eyes and focused on the dark shadowy version of reality.

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