The coagulation of ink on the wall had formed into a massive ring. It shimmered a golden hue and gave a slight humming sound, like the lingering ring of a bell. A rune was at the crown of it and it changed in shape at short intervals.

Derek stood up in awe and even forgot the pain in his neck. "We have to go, we have to leave now!"

"I agree, we have to get out of here before that thing swallows us." the cowardly Madeline already headed towards the door, but Derek grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her back.

"That is not what I mean. I meant we need to go through the gate. And fast too." Pointing at the ring. "We don't have much time and I can't explain how I know this but if we want to leave this place, we have to go through that thing."

Boom!!! a sound loud enough to shake their feet was heard from above their heads. The three of them ran outside the cottage to see what was going on.

Above their heads, Ellen and Vera had joined forces to hammer at the dome. Cracks on the biggest rune in the sky had multiplied. It now looked more like the webbing of a spider. No doubt, a more heartfelt caress from the women and it would open its doors.

"Damn it!" Derek cursed loudly, "It will not hold for much longer. Madeline, You go get Aesir from the sickbay. Tiny and I will go pack." He gave out instructions in a hurry.

"Derek! What do you mean?" Tiny asked him in confusion.

'The entire place is going to crumble' was the only reply he gave as he dashed for the dorms. The women both looked at one another for a second before realization dawned on them and they both hurried in different directions.

Just above the dome made of runes, huge black clouds rolling with thunder emptied their furry like a broken dam on the orphanage. The surrounding buildings and vegetation for a kilometre had suddenly vanished leaving behind only the structures beneath the dome. From above, one would think the surrounding land to be a barren waste. The orphanage home had always been in a secluded place with fewer people. Mrs Manica had chosen this site because of the security concerns of the modern age. But this was just too much. All the land around looked caked, emptied of all moisture.

"Whoever made this shield must have been a genius. I have already hit it twice with summoning scrolls yet, it is still intact."  Ellen grumbled putting away two empty sheets of paper that floated in the air before her. "Those were two summoning scrolls that were difficult to make. 'Two,' just wasted on this dump."

"Will you stop your grumbling, please? It tickles my ears in an irritating manner." Vera was sitting crossed leg in the air. Both of her hands moved fast, drawing different symbols on a large piece of paper simultaneously with two quill pens. One had a very huge width and had its end connected to the feathered coat draped on her shoulders while the other looked old and rusted, like old wood eaten by termites. But Ellen gave the rusted pen more of her attention. Her sight was so fixated on it that every stroke Vera made was reflected in her eyes. Her tiny tongue even subconsciously licked her lower lips.

Vera's hands made a pause and she turned her head. "Are you going to continue starring, or you'll let me work in peace?"

Ellen gave a 'hmph' and turned her head to continue hammering the dome.

Derek ran into his room. He took two big bag packs from under his bunk and stuffed one with some comic books and clothes and the other with anything that could fit in from the kitchen fridge. When he was done, he tried to carry both bags out, but there were two heavy for him. Oh, how he wished he was stronger or at least taken the pain to hit the gym a little. He emptied some of the comics from one of the bags. It became lighter and easier to carry. Three steps out of the room and he came back...emptied some of the food from the other bag and replaced it with the comics he had discarded. "Yeah! that's better," he thought to himself as he ran out of the room.

In front of the cottage was Madeline, and Aesir leaning on her shoulders waiting for him. Derek ran to them and sat on the ground before them in exhaustion.

"What are you doing?... What do you need those big bags for?" She looked at him panting for breath like an exhausted dog on the floor and tried hard to bury the urge to kick  the lazy bump."

"Whe...Where is Tiny?" The lazy bump asked lost for the little breath he just caught.

"Am HERE!!!...am here!" Tiny ran to them shouting. She looked at Derek on the ground "What do you need all those bags for?"

"Same thing I asked."

"Very important things. I couldn't leave them behind, there are too...What is that?" Derek's train of thoughts was interrupted. He looked up and saw what looked like the silhouette of an inverted mountain drawing closer. Its shadow blanketed the whole area. "Run!"

Crash!!!

The loud sound of glass breaking violently echoed behind them as they ran into the cottage.

"Finally...I got the lid open." Vera sighed "But too bad I'll have to dump this big bad boy," she lamented stroking the mountain she just summoned affectionately.

Ellen looked at her in envy. It took her weeks and a lot of resources to make those two summon scrolls she used, but her sister had just conjured one in a few minutes with far less effort and resources.

"Be careful with that thing, I suggest you put it down someplace else it breaks my prize."

"YOUR prize?...Am the one that got through. The 'PRIZE' is mine." Vera was not going to back down.

While the two argued amongst themselves, Derek and his friends entered the cottage.

"So how does this work?" Tiny asked standing in front of the glowing gold ring.

"I don't know, I think we just go through it," Derek answered.

They advanced towards it when...

"Wait!" Aesir interrupted, "where does this lead to?"

"I don't know," Derek replied blandly. "Miss Carla just said to go through the gate and that's what we are doing."

"I know that already, but to where?... I don't want to be a buzz kill but what if we enter this thing and get dumped in space or in the Pacific." At the mention of the Pacific, Derek clearly hesitated to move. His fear of water bodies beats by far his fear of death. He was at loss for what to do.

"What do you mean? There are crazy women out there that want to kill us and you are more bothered by empty air and a little pond of water." Tiny grabbed Derek by the hand and pulled him towards the gate. "If you two are going to stay here then good luck." She pushed Derek through the gate and he disappeared. She turned to Aesir and Madeline and waved before jumping through herself. The two looked at themselves and followed suit.

Outside the cottage, the two women were arguing when they both saw a bright light shimmer that brought their rapping to an end. There looked in its direction. It was the rough-looking cottage. It shimmered again.

"Quick they are getting AWAY!" Ellen yelled as she flew to the cottage. She came close enough but could not reach the cottage no matter how hard she tried.

"As much as I enjoy seeing you suffer, there is not much time. So I'll handle this. It is an illusion rune. Step back let me go at it a little." Vera said, as her quill pen moved in the air tracing out a few runes. A scroll materialized from the runes and shot out towards the cottage. After a few sparks, the struggle between the two had the scroll emerge as the winner. "Let's go."

But the moment there came close enough to touch the door, the entire cottage suddenly melted into a big pool of ink.

"Damn it! There got away!" Ellen lamented. "It's your fault. You stupid fool!" She turned her head sharply accusing Vera.

"Huh!... How is it my fault?"

"I don't know!!! but it is your fault. It is always your fault. You did this intentionally. Yes. You were jealous of me. Jealous that am in charge here and came to ruin it for me. I was on the verge of capturing Levinack and you ruined it for me." Ellen was being tempered with rage. She had to constantly beat down the hunger to attack Vera.

Her blue feathering coat was already releasing multiple sparks.

"Oh! I see. I help you and this is the thanks I get. I should have continued my sightseeing besides, I remember telling you to wait for Fathers orders before attacking." Vera floated close to Ellen's face. "But your foolishness and need for vain glory blinded you."

"How dare you?"

"How dare me!? That same foolishness is blinding you right now. You did not even notice that if that boy was truly Levinack, We would both be dead thousand times OVER!" Vera turned around and flew away. "I am tired of you bugging me. If you were any wiser, you would have noticed that was a child that looked barely a whisperer and some misplaced humans. Am out of here." She stopped in the air and lifted a finger in remembrance, "and don't forget to send a report about this or father might actually skin you alive this time." her laugh echoed behind her as her silhouette became smaller in the distance.

Ellen calmed down in realization. She flew close to the pool of ink on the ground and fetched some in container. Then she shot into the sky.

Two kilometres away in the shadow of a small unsuspecting tree, The faint outline of a person looking in the direction of the two sisters retreat could be barely seen. The tree rustled in the wind a little bit and the person was gone.