I opened the engine door.
At first, I thought nothing had changed. The hum of the train was still there, low and steady, vibrating through the metal beneath my feet. The lights flickered the way they always did. But then I saw it, an orange square, floating in the air in front of me. It was perfectly still, sharp-edged, unnatural. The cameras didn't see it. The guards didn't see it. Only me.
A hand appeared from within the square.
Before I could scream, time stopped.
The hum vanished. The vibration disappeared. The flickering lights froze in place, caught between on and off. My body refused to move. My breath wouldn't come out. Even the air felt locked, like glass pressing against my skin.
Then a voice spoke.
It wasn't loud. It didn't echo. It didn't need to.
**"Nixxin."**
The voice came from everywhere and nowhere at once. Calm. Measured. Endless.
"Datora…" I whispered in my mind. I didn't know how I knew the name. I just did.
"You are standing before a demon," Datora said.
"A Gluttony Gate has opened. It seeks to consume you."
The orange square warped, its edges bending inward, becoming circular. I felt fear bloom in my chest, sharp and overwhelming. My legs wanted to run, but time still held me tight.
"You have been marked," Datora continued.
"Blessed. And therefore seen."
The hand lunged forward.
Time resumed.
The world slammed back into motion, and the force dragged me through the gate.
Heat hit me instantly.
Not warmth. Not fire.
Hunger.
The sky was red and broken, split by rivers of molten lava that crawled like living things across the land. The ground cracked beneath my feet, glowing orange through black stone. Insects filled the air, huge, winged shapes buzzing and screeching, their bodies armored, their eyes shining with endless appetite.
I screamed.
Something massive moved in front of me.
A creature, taller than buildings, its body made of chitin and fire, opened its mouth. Inside was darkness. Inside was an endless pull, like the universe itself wanted me gone.
I cried. My legs gave out. I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe.
Then
Something white pierced the darkness.
A key.
It appeared between the creature's jaws, glowing with soft white light. Wings unfurled from its sides, feathered and radiant. At its center was an eye, calm and unblinking. The creature froze mid-bite, its mouth trembling, unable to close.
I recognized it immediately.
The key from my dream.
I reached out with shaking hands and grabbed it.
The moment my fingers touched it, the heat receded. The noise dulled. The fear didn't disappear—but it stopped drowning me.
"Open the lock of air," Datora said.
"I—I don't understand," I cried.
"Place the key where there is nothing."
I didn't know what that meant. But something inside me did.
I turned.
Behind me was emptiness. No ground. No sky. Just absence.
I raised the key and pushed it forward.
The world split.
A massive gate opened behind me, white and luminous, its surface rippling like water under moonlight. From it surged sound—marching, engines, voices moving in perfect rhythm.
A flying ship burst through the gate, sleek and angular, banners of white and gold streaming behind it.
Cannons fired.
Explosions tore through the swarm of insects, fire and debris scattering across the sky. The massive creature roared—but it did not fall.
A man leapt from the ship.
He moved like fire given purpose.
His armor was scarlet and gold, marked with symbols of order and endurance. His presence alone felt heavy, solid, like gravity. He landed on an insect midair, used it as a step, then leapt again, moving faster than thought.
Two slashes crossed the sky.
An X of light.
The giant insect split apart, collapsing into ash before it hit the lava below.
Behind him, soldiers poured from the gate, thousands of them. They moved with absolute coordination. No shouting. No hesitation. Cannons fired. Rifles roared. Shields rose. Every action flowed into the next like parts of a single machine.
The man landed in front of me and knelt.
"I am Ardent," he said. "General of the Diligence Army."
I couldn't speak.
A woman in a simple maid's uniform hurried toward me, lifting me gently into her arms. She was calm, warm, steady.
"You're safe," she said softly.
She carried me back through the gate.
Inside was a kingdom.
Not a palace of gold or excess, but a living city suspended in endless white skies. Towers turned slowly, powered by unseen mechanisms. People moved everywhere, training, building, cooking, repairing, studying. Soldiers drilled endlessly, sweat and focus etched into every movement.
No one was idle.
No one stood still.
I was brought into a large hall and given food, warm soup, bread, fruit. But my hands shook too badly to eat.
"I want my grandpa," I sobbed. "I want to go back."
No one argued. No one scolded.
They simply stayed with me.
Hours passed. Maybe days. Time felt different there. I cried until my chest hurt. Eventually, exhaustion claimed me.
When I woke, the air smelled of cooking food.
The head maid stood at a stove, stirring with practiced motions. Ardent was nearby, pushing heavy training weights upward again and again, not stopping, not slowing.
They were always doing something.
Always moving.
Always diligent.
"Where… am I?" I asked weakly.
"You have been here for several days," the maid said gently. "You must eat first."
After I ate, the air shimmered.
"Nixxin," Datora spoke.
"If you wish to return, I can open a gate."
"I do," I said immediately.
The gate appeared.
I stood, bowed awkwardly, and whispered, "Thank you."
Then I stepped through.
I stumbled forward and hit metal.
The engine door.
I was back.
The door burst open, and my grandpa stood there, eyes wide, face pale with fear.
"Nixxin!"
He grabbed me and pulled me into his arms. I buried my face into his coat and cried, harder than before.
The train had already arrived.
Outside, the sky of Proxima Centauri B stretched wide and calm, the safe base glowing with lights and life.
I was back.