On the other side, Vareck lay unconscious on his bed while his servants tended to him. Suddenly, he woke with a start, agitated.
"What happened?!"
A servant bowed.
"We don't know exactly, my lord. You were found by one of the guards in a room that was about to collapse."
"Have you found Léana's body?"
"No, my lord. We searched but… nothing."
"Where is Draven?"
"We found him dead in one of the castle rooms. From the signs… it appears to have been a lack of air."
Vareck's eyes widened, not believing his ears.
"Investigate his death more thoroughly."
"As you wish, my lord."
A guard entered hurriedly.
"My lord… bad news."
"Speak."
"I'm afraid your grimoire… has disappeared."
At those words, Vareck exploded with fury. His aura unleashed itself on its own, shattering every glass in the room without him needing to lift a finger.
---
On their side, Miria, Axel, Bryan, and Eiden, who were carrying the still-unconscious Asher, finally rejoined the others.
"Is everyone here?" Miria asked.
"Yes, everyone's here," Gale answered.
"Good. The important thing now is to…"
Miria stopped short when she saw Katrina.
"Mom?!!!"
Katrina smiled gently.
"Yes… it's really me."
"But… but how is this possible?! And where is Léana?!"
Klaus stepped forward, his expression serious.
"Actually… it's thanks to Léana that Katrina is back."
He then explained to Miria, Axel, Bryan, and Eiden everything that had happened: the sacrifice, the reincarnation spell, Léana's final words.
Miria lowered her head, a shadow of melancholy passing through her eyes.
"So… she sacrificed herself… I always felt a loneliness in her that I couldn't explain. Now I know why…"
Katrina placed a hand on her daughter's arm.
"And Asher? How is he? Klaus and the others told me he had been possessed by Vareck."
"Don't worry, Mom. It's already taken care of. He's himself again… even if he's still unconscious."
"Alright…"
Kira looked around.
"I don't know if you all feel the same… but we should get out of here."
"Yes," Diana agreed. "But where do we go? We can't even go back to Asher's, even just to get our things."
Miria pulled a stone from her pocket and handed it to Eiden.
"Don't worry. I have a solution. You, Bryan, Axel, and Ray… go get our things from Asher's. I'll teleport you. Once you've recovered everything, just place the stone in the center, form a circle… and you'll be teleported to us."
"Alright," Eiden answered.
Miria looked at the small group.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes," they answered together.
Miria raised her hands. A bluish light enveloped them, runes appeared under their feet, and in a flash they disappeared.
Once alone, Miria turned to the rest of the group.
"Form a circle. We're all going to teleport together."
They held hands. Asher, still unconscious, was placed in the center. Miria also stepped inside the circle, closed her eyes, and spoke the incantation.
The light enveloped them all… and Vareck's castle disappeared behind them.