‘Quickly now.’ Principal Groves said as we rushed down the halls in the building. It was even hard to keep up with her. Chronos, Kai’s parrot who came shortly after we entered the principals office for a second time, flew ahead and back around our heads, flapping his beautiful and colorful wings. 

That was the only thing that was making me feel slightly better at that moment. 

Professor Choi was waiting for is at the end of the hall and opened the door when we reached it, joining Principal Groves. 

‘Is it ready?’ She asked

‘Yes.’ Mr Choi answered

‘I’m surprised it still works.’

‘It hasn’t been that long since we last used it, Helena.’

We walked to wards the garden and towards the pond. But there was something different. There was a feeling in the air. It was electric and moving. I could feel it. 

Principal Groves stood at the far end of the pong, all of us following her. 

‘Ren.’ I ripped my eyes off of the water that was still and unmoving and looked at her. ‘not all teachers can go and surely not me. I’m sending Mr Kim and Mr Choi with you since they can protect you three the best.’ 

‘Us three?’ Kai asked with his eyes big and eyebrows raised

‘Yes. You all know about it anyways and everyone needs a shoulder to lean on when you are at your worst.’

Even though her words sounded harsh, they were true. 

‘Don’t tell me you’d rather be stuck here doing your studies than helping your friend find her parents.’ 

I looked at Kai and Hoon as they exchanged glances and nodded

‘Fine, then off you all go.’

Key pushed me from behind and I stumbled forward towards Mr Choi. I stood there, small compared to Mr Choi and the rest of the males around me. 

‘Alright, now listen up you three: This is a secret portal that will transport you straight into the emperors palace in Plometh. Mr Choi and Mr Kim will make sure that you will not be harmed when you arrive. As you know there’s a war going on.’

We nodded and she continued

‘I don’t really have much to say anymore, except for good luck on finding your parents and Rubin.’

Mr Choi stepped up to the edge of the pond and took a step forward. 

It was only then that I noticed what he was doing and before I could say anything, he dropped into the water and disappeared. Not a splash. Not a bubble. Not a movement of the surface of the pond. 

I starred at in amazement but snapped out of it when Key pushed me from behind. 

I stepped closer to the edge. 

‘What do I have to do?’ I asked, my voice shaking. I can’t believe I am going to go through a portal. To a different world. What if this is all a joke? What if they aren’t the good guys? What will happen when I go in there? 

‘Relax Ren.’ Hoon said behind me. ‘You’ll be fine. I know it.’ 

I didn’t even look at him. I didn’t have to to believe him. 

‘You don’t have to do anything. Just fall in. We’ll be right behind you.’ Key said.  I looked back. Not to see smiling faces but to see Kai. I couldn’t help it. It just calmed me to see his face. His eyes. Him. 

He nodded at me and I knew what he meant. 

I looked forward and without hesitation I took a step forward into the pond.

Light. Everywhere. 

Light and color. It was like a rainbow of all colors in the world were passing by me in milliseconds. 

Yet everything around me felt empty and dark.

‘Ren!’ someone called. ‘Ren, wake up.’ 

My eyes fluttered open to see Mr Choi leaning over me. 

‘What happened?’ I asked, I sat up and looked around. I was defiantly not anywhere on earth, that was for sure. The room I was in had no windows but was lit by the floor. The wall was built of a mix of wood, metal and concrete. It was actually very modern. More modern than anything I had seen. 

‘Ren you need to move if you don’t want Key to step on you.’ Mr Choi said. 

I nodded and moved, standing next to Mr Choi

The portal, that was like a big doorway except that there was a mirror instead of a door, lit up and out stepped Key. 

He smiled when he saw me. ‘Welcome to Lanero, Ren!’  he smiled. I smiled back but got distracted when the portal light up again. Out stepped Kai and a second after Hoon who stumbled into Kai. 

‘You guys ok?’ Mr Choi asked

‘A ok, Siwon-shi.’ Hoon smiled with his thumbs up. I was surprised Hoon called him by his first name

‘HEY!’ Some deep loud voice shouted behind us. 

‘Hello officers’ Mr Choi greeted. 

‘Oh, Hello Sir Siwon.’ the first officer bowed, the others, three of them, followed. 

‘What brings you to Plometh, Sir?’ 

‘This is Ren Ellnor,’ He started gesturing to me ‘and her parents were kidnapped just today and as can guess we need to find them.’ 

The soldiers all gawked at me with their mouths wide open. 

Key cleared his throat and they straightened up.

‘It’s a pleasure to meet you Miss Ren.’ The first officer said and bowed again, the others doing the same. 

‘Uh… You too….’ I mumbled, unsure what to do at that moment

‘We need to see the Emperor.’ Mr Choi said. 

‘Of course, Sir, follow us. Are those her companions?’ He asked pointing to Kai and Hoon, but looking at me

‘Uh, yes. They are with us.’ I answered.

The officer nodded and turned, walking back from where he came us following.

We walked down the otherworldly corridors, passing doors and open rooms with always a small amount of people in it. Their gazes would follow us while we walked through the room. I didn’t need to look to see it. I felt it.

The guards stopped in front of a grand door and knocked. They were opened fro the inside and we proceeded forward to what seemed like a throne. 

But there was none. Instead there were three sofas and a wall full of books behind them. 

There was one person, a man, sitting on one of the sofas, his feet on it even, reading a book. He wore white pants, like business pants and a white something that was a mix of a coat and a cloak and it was very casual. At least it seemed like that. 

We stopped shortly before the little sitting area. 

‘Visitors, Emperor Remnon.’ He announced. I was a bit shocked that the emperor was this relaxed.

‘Thank you, Oll, you may leave.’ He waved his hand and the soldiers left, closing the large doors behind them. The emperor put away his book and stood up, straightening his cloak-coat. He smiled as he looked at each and every one of us from head to toe, and I couldn’t stop fidgeting because I was so nervous. I just didn’t know of what.

School started and I am sooooo tired these days!!! It's unbelievable!! -.- anyways, I hope you liked this chapter!!! 
I'm thinking of starting a new story but with a totally different plot. I've already started writing one, but I just don't know if I want to put it on aff.... beacuse I'm also thinking about sending it to a publishing company... i'll have to think about it :)