Arc 4: Unified Palace, Chapter 22, The Village

"So, is everything ready?" Mom asked and I nodded. "Be careful. Though people often go to other worlds for vacations be careful."

"I will." I answered. "I'll be fine. I have everyone and Wiliam will be there too."

"Just be careful." Dad said as he patted my head. "William, keep an eye on your brother."

"That's a given." William said as he took the suitcases I had packed. "Ready?"

"Yeah. Let's go meet with everyone else." I answered.

We both left our dorm room and headed outside. Theo and Ophelia were ready leave. May, Lina and Diana were talking Hiro. The nine of us leave protecting the school to them but I'm worried about them. I wnat to leave something to help them out but I don't know what. When I touched ny shadow it didn't exactly give me anything.

"Take care out there." May said and I nodded.

"Be careful." Hiro gripped my hand.

"I wish we could stay in touch but... inter-world communication isn't that advanced yet." Lina sighed.

I want to do that too. Stay in touch while we're away but is there really no way? There has to be some way to know what is happening here while we're away. Some way of communication.

"Ah!" I snapped my fingers in realization.

"Something up?" Andrew asked as he stood beside his father.

"I might have a way for us to stay communicated." I answered and touched my shadow. "It's all or nothing. I don't even know if it'll work."

"What will?" Monica asked as I pulled out multiple mirrors.

"It worked!" I exclaimed. "Here!"

I handed them each a mirror. It was a small mirror but it can change it size depending on where you place it.

"The Eternal Magic Mirror, it had the power to allow communication between worlds." I answered. "This way we can stay communicated."

"We'll be sure to call every morning." Dad said and I nodded and hugged them.

"Thank you, for everything." I said.

"Take care. We'll be waiting for you." Mom said and hugged me and William.

We all entered the portal and left. I hope that everyone will be fine. Monica was complaining that she wanted to come as well but apparently she is too busy.

"So, where do we go from here?" Liam asked as we saw multiple portals similar to the one we entered.

"This way." Ophelia pointed to our left. "This is the Galactical Gates. It links the worlds to each other."

"It feels like you'll get lost easily." I said.

"Some do but since most of the worlds are connected you just have to enter the portal and you'll be able to ask for help." Reinhardt answered. "Hopefully we won't end up like that."

"We won't. Don't worry. We have this." Theo said as he held a compass. "The Guiding Key, it points to our world."

"Oh, here it is." Ophelia said and we stared into a portal. "Let's go."

We entered the portal and arrived at a city that was like ancient Japan. To our right and left are buildings and ahead of us is a tall tree that stood at what seems to be a mountain.

"It's like Ancient Japan!" Ethan exclaimed excitedly.

"Those aren't Japanese." Andrew pointed to the British buildings to our left.

"French?!" Alexis pointed to the French designed homes to our right.

"What is it this mismatched town?" Alistar asked as carts and cars were on the same street.

"Ahahaha, that's our city for you." Ophelia laughed awkwardly as she pointed to a Roman structure behind us.

"So where do we go?" Liam asked and just then I felt someone guiding me.

"Straight ahead." I answered as I walked on the side of the streets.

"You know the way?" William asked.

"Be careful not step off the cobble stone streets you might get hit by a car." I told them.

"Is it possible did your memories return?" Zhen asked.

"Just bits." I answered.

I walked till we were outside the town and the path turned to a dirt path. Before stopping and turning to look at the mountain and continued to walk till we reached it's base. It was surrounded in lush greenery and the the tree was huge and it towered to the sky.

"Man, that was a walk." Zhen said.

"Over here." I said as I walked through the trees.

"Wait up." William called out as I entered the depths of the woods.

The trees all look the same, if you don't know the way you'll easily get lost. For some reason I know the way so I continue walking and eventually I stopped at the roots of the tall tree. They were so big. Maybe as large a bus or even bigger.

"Here." I said as I slid into the hole in the roots.

"Wait up!" Alistar called out as they followed me in.

We arrived at the bottom of the slide. Now there's a cave in front of us. There were multiple entrances.

"So which way do we go now?" Alexis asked as I moved towards the smallest hole. "That way I guess."

I entered the hole and continued moving till we hit a fork in the path.

"Which way?" Liam asked as I turned left. "That way then."

I continued to lead us down the paths with multiple turns and and forks till we reached a stone wall.

"Did we get lost?" Reinhardt asked as I approached the wall and knocked nine times.

"A bond thicker than blood, a vow stronger than steel, our goal is all but one." I said to the wall.

"It blooms when the eight blades gather, we watch over it as it sways." A voice answered.

"Our purpose will always continue on. So that the Petals shall never fall." The voice and I said in union.

"So, who is it?" The voice asked. It was a male voice that sounded familiar.

"It's us." Theo called out.

"Alright." The voice answered the rock began to lower and sink into the ground.

"You two could've just used the faster route." A young man said, he was tall and broad, he had black hair and brown eyes with brown skin, he was reading a boom. "So what brings you back here after a while?"

I ran forward when I saw the light. It's so nostalgic, this place. The Hidden Village, Garden. It's been so long. The scenery alone brings back memories that have been lost. The life I lived here the things I learned here, the people I met here the family I made here. They're all starting to return to me.