The ground quaked, more violently than before. Sand split open beneath their feet, and distant mountains began to crumble into dust.
"What's happening?!" Felt growled, struggling to stay upright as the world around them shook violently.
Floris clutched her head, visibly shaken. Her eyes darted around as if she were hearing something no one else could. "She's… destroying a significant portion of her dimension," she whispered, voice trembling. "I can feel her sadness… it's almost like…"
Zed's expression hardened. "You're psychically linked."
Above them, the enormous collapsed moon groaned, cracks spiderwebbing through its surface like shattering glass.
Zed glanced at the changing landscape, at the half-lit sky and the darkening sandstorm ahead. "It's safe to say… she's only destroying half of her realm."
Floris, still tuned in to something beyond the physical, murmured, "Her baby…" Her fingers trembled. "We have to try to reason with Miss Kate. She's kind. I know she is."
Felt scoffed, glancing at the horizon. "Blah, blah. We can't even find her."
As if to challenge him, the ground rumbled harder, splitting wide and swallowing mountains. The sound was deafening.
Floris closed her eyes, steadying her breath. The wind twisted around her in a slow spiral, almost reverently.
"I'll lead the way," she said, lifting her hand and pointing into the endless chaos. "It's… downward."
Zed squinted in that direction. "Even if that's true… we can't cross that distance. It's—"
"Hop on my back," Felt interrupted.
Zed and Floris stared at him.
"What?"
"I can cross thirty-thousand kilometers," Felt said simply, his voice flat. His eyes began to glow faintly with sparks of white and blue. "In a second."
Zed's mouth twitched. "Still. We'll break apart from the speed."
Felt's gaze darkened, focused. "Then I'll do it in less than that."
Floris didn't hesitate. She leapt onto his back, her voice steady. "As long as we can get to Miss Kate…"
Zed followed with a sigh, gripping Felt's shoulder. "The odds are slim."
Felt's body hummed with violent voltage. His hair lifted in the air as lightning crawled up his limbs. His fists clenched.
"Alright…three…"
Sparks snapped.
"…two…"
A rumble cracked the air.
"…ONE!"
And then…BOOM.
Felt vanished, a blur of blinding energy, tearing through the world at nearly instantaneous speed. For a millisecond, everything bent around them the wind, the sand, even time itself.
When they crashed to the ground, the three of them tumbled violently across the sand, rolling like ragdolls.
"Aughhh…" Zed groaned, clutching his chest. "I'm gonna throw up… nope, holding it in."
Floris sat up slowly, her eyes wide.
Before them stood a house no, a monstrosity. Towering and ancient, with veins pulsating along its walls. It seemed alive.
"Miss Kate…" Floris breathed.
Felt raised an eyebrow. "She must have a thing for houses."
They stepped toward the door and, slowly, it creaked open.
-
Inside the house, silence ruled.
But upstairs, Miss Kate stood by a window, gazing down. Her voice was quiet. "They're finally here."
Down below, the trio moved carefully through the dimly lit hallway.
Suddenly, a man stepped out from the shadows. His face wore a wide, eerie smile, and in his arms he held a small child.
"Ah, welcome," he said sweetly, his voice too cheerful. "You must be the guests."
Zed froze. "What the hell…"
Floris's breath caught in her throat. "You're the man…" she whispered, backing up a step. Her eyes widened with dawning horror. "You're the man from her memories."
The man kept smiling. "Please… have a seat."
Zed blinked. "Man from her memories?"
The child in his arms whimpered. "Papa… I'm hungry…"
"It's alright," he whispered, patting the child's back tenderly.
Felt's eyes scanned the room. His gaze settled on the walls and his stomach turned.
There were portraits smiling family portraits. Miss Kate. Jarg. A child between them. All happy. All frozen in time.
"…This place is creeping me out," he muttered.
Then…snap.
"PLEASE SIT," Jarg barked suddenly, the smile on his face tightening, growing unnatural.
A second figure emerged.
Lace. Dressed in red again, she approached and gave a formal curtsy, raising her skirt in eerie grace. "Welcome."
Then, from the far end of the hall, a shape moved through the darkness.
Miss Kate.
She stepped forward slowly, the shadows peeling away from her. Her dress was soaked in dark stains. Her face unreadable.
Behind her… the walls were lined with dead bodies stapled to the surface like dolls, eyes wide open, all silent witnesses to her grief.
"I'm glad you're here," she said calmly.
Jarg smiled wider.
Miss Kate's voice echoed with finality.
"Because the grand finale… is here."