Theon gripped his mother's frail hand. She looked so small in the hospital bed, her once-strong body now thin as paper. His heart ached seeing her like this.
"I got a job, Mom," he said, forcing a smile. "Good pay. They even gave me an advance."
She raised an eyebrow, skeptical despite her weakness. "A job?"
He couldn't tell her the truth. Not about the underground fighting arena. Not about Felix's dangerous expedition beyond the Hyper Gate. She'd refuse treatment if she knew he was risking his life to pay for it.
"Remember that guy from the hospital? Felix?" Theon chose his words carefully. "Turns out he works for the Solari family. Got me a position beyond the Gate. Just support work, nothing dangerous."
His mother's face lit up instantly. "The Solaris? That's wonderful! They take care of their people."
Guilt twisted in Theon's gut as he nodded. "I'm not officially with them yet... but maybe someday."
That afternoon, Theon walked his mother through the gleaming entrance of District 7's premier hospital. The place screamed money—all glass, steel, and professional smiles.
The receptionist's smile faded when Theon mentioned they had no insurance.
"Without coverage, we require 7,000 Terra Coins upfront," she explained. "People cross into the Beast Realms and never return. We need to secure payment first."
Theon's stomach dropped. He hadn't expected the cost to be so high—1,000 for registration and another 7,000 before treatment. He authorized the payment through his Neural Interface, watching his fighting winnings disappear in seconds.
Hours later, the doctor found him pacing in the waiting area.
"Your mother's condition is rare but curable," he said, scanning his tablet. "She'll need to stay at least two weeks for monitoring."
Two weeks. That meant over 10,000 more coins. The arena money wouldn't be enough.
There was only one choice left.
That night, in his empty apartment, Theon sent Felix a message: I'm in for the expedition.
His Neural Interface pinged almost immediately: Great! Saturday at the Gate. This means a lot.
Koda had already agreed the night before. After dinner with them, the chance to explore the Beast Realms was too tempting to pass up, despite her doubts.
For the next few days, Theon trained relentlessly. He focused especially on meditation, trying to fix the small anomaly in his energy flow. Though improved, the imperfection remained—a slight bend where there should be perfect control.
On his last night in the city, Theon took his sisters to see their mother. She looked a little better, which gave him some comfort. As darkness fell, he headed across town to leave the girls with his mother's cousin, Aunty Mia.
Walking through twilight streets, Theon carried Nora in one arm while Luna held his hand. Streetlights hummed overhead, casting long shadows.
Something wasn't right.
The air felt too still. Footsteps echoed behind them—footsteps that weren't theirs.
He glanced back. Nothing visible. But the feeling of being watched pressed against his skin like a physical weight.
"We'll take a shortcut," he said, guiding the girls into a narrow side street lined with old trees.
Then it came—the sudden tap-tap-tap of running feet.
In one fluid motion, Theon ducked down with Nora still in his arm, grabbed Luna with his free hand, and spun away from danger. He jumped several meters to safety, then dashed behind a thick tree trunk.
"Stay here," he told his sisters firmly, setting them down. "Don't move until I come back."
Nora clutched his sleeve. Luna nodded, her lower lip trembling.
Four men surrounded him—gang members by the look of them. Bulky arms, sharp eyes, tattoos curling along their faces and necks. Their clothes were stained and worn.
"Just a boy, you said?" one muttered.
"He's fast," said another, eyes narrowing.
"He's running! Follow him!" the one at the back shouted.
Theon didn't run. When the first attacker reached the tree, he dashed forward. He caught the man's sword arm mid-swing, ducked under it, and twisted hard.
CRACK!
The man's arm snapped. Theon spun low and slammed him into the ground, then kicked his jaw with deadly precision.
THUD! The attacker went limp.
Raw fury burned through Theon's veins. These men had threatened his sisters. This wasn't just defense anymore—it was punishment.
The remaining three froze, eyes wide.
"Is this the right one?" one whispered.
"Too late now!" another shouted as they charged, blades flashing in the dim light.
Theon moved like water, flowing between them. He bent backward at an impossible angle, dodging their strikes. Then he dropped low, fists shooting out like pistons.
WHUMP! WHUMP!
Both attackers' knees shattered. They crumpled, faces slamming into the pavement.
But the last man's sword caught Theon's back.
SHIK! Blood splattered across the ground.
White-hot pain seared through him, but Theon barely noticed. His focus narrowed to a single point as he spun to face his attacker. The man slashed again. Theon raised his arm to block, and the blade sliced deep into his forearm.
With a snarl, he drove his fist into the attacker's stomach.
THUMP!
The man flew backward, hit the ground hard, and tried to rise—
BAM!
Theon's kick ended that attempt instantly.
Standing amid the fallen attackers, Theon suddenly noticed something strange. The deep slash on his arm was closing before his eyes. The wound on his back, too—already healing.
What's happening to me?
From behind the tree, two little faces peeked out, eyes wide with fear and awe. They quickly looked away as if they'd seen nothing.
Theon managed a small smile. "Let's go."
They walked in silence to Aunty Mia's house on the edge of District 6. When she opened the door, she blinked in surprise.
"I need to go away for a few days," Theon explained, keeping his voice steady. "Can you watch the girls?"
"Why? What happened?" Mia asked, studying his face.
"Got a job. Need to start right away."
Mia remained skeptical until he mentioned the Solari Corporation. Her expression changed immediately—everyone knew what that name meant. Power. Security. Opportunity.
"Three days," she finally agreed. "No more than that."
Theon knelt to hug his sisters goodbye, carefully brushing dust from his sleeve to hide any trace of blood.
Walking home, Theon examined his now-healed skin. Were those men targeting him specifically? Or was it random? Kidnappings for organ harvesting had increased lately—he'd seen the warnings.
But the healing... that was something else entirely. The wounds had closed before his eyes, leaving no scars.
That wasn't normal.
The next morning, Theon arrived at the Hyper Gate complex. The massive hall hummed with machinery, vibrating through the floor beneath his feet.
Felix waited by a pillar, travel pack at his feet and another smaller case beside him. His eyes constantly scanned the entrance area.
Koda stood nearby, face expressionless as always. Her luggage was slightly larger than Felix's.
Theon adjusted his backpack, feeling underprepared with just some clothes inside. He had nothing else to bring.
"Ready?" Felix asked as Theon approached, his voice mixing excitement with nerves.
"Take this," Felix added, handing him the smaller case. "It's for you."
From inside the Gate room, a man in an expensive suit emerged, flanked by two bodyguards. His sharp eyes assessed them quickly.
"These two are your team?" the man asked Felix, his tone crisp and professional.
"Yes," Felix replied, straightening. "This is my father," he explained to Theon and Koda.
They bowed respectfully, feeling the weight of the man's authority.
Felix's father signaled an officer, and the security personnel stepped aside, letting them pass without checking for licenses.
At the end of the vast room stood the Hyper Gate itself. A massive circular structure nearly ten feet high, pulsing with blue energy that swirled like liquid light. Countless cables extended from its base into the walls, powering the portal between worlds.
"Let's cross and get ready," Felix said, walking faster. "Others will join us on the other side."
The energy within the gate seemed to respond as they approached, swirling more rapidly. Theon felt his skin tingle—with static electricity or perhaps just fear.
One by one, they stepped through.
The transition was instant—a moment of weightlessness, then solid ground beneath their feet. They stood in another room, similar in size but completely different in feeling.
"So no one knows who built this," Koda said, staring at the gate.
The portal on this side was nothing like the one they'd left behind. Instead of cold technology, this gate was framed with intricate patterns spiraling around its edge. Beautiful symbols flowed together in an unknown language.
"Scientists have studied these markings for years," Felix explained, touching the symbols reverently. "They say it's older than any human civilization."
Theon moved closer, mesmerized by the soft glow. "It looks more like art than a machine."
"That's what's strange," Felix nodded. "Our gate took twenty years to build. This one? Found exactly as you see it."
The facility around them was built like a fortress. Thick walls rose imposingly, unyielding and immense.
"These walls are built to keep something out, aren't they?" Theon asked, feeling uneasy.
Koda's expression darkened. "You'll understand when you see what's out there. This world doesn't welcome visitors."
"The creatures here make Earth's most dangerous predators look like pets," Felix added. "That's why we have this."
He led them to a private area reserved for hunters. The facility had four floors of accommodations, and Felix guided them toward the elevator.
"I reserved a suite for us," he said. "We need to prepare before the others arrive."
Their suite was surprisingly comfortable—private rooms, bathrooms, and a main hall for briefings.
Theon opened the case Felix had given him. Inside lay a sleek, tactical outfit—midnight black fabric that shimmered slightly under the light.
"Standard hunter gear," Koda explained, tapping the material. "Skin-tight but completely flexible. The fabric hardens on impact. Those beast claws won't catch on it easily—it'll stop most cuts."
Theon ran his fingers over the material, surprised by its supple texture despite its obvious strength. "This must have cost a fortune."
Felix shrugged. "Consider it an investment in keeping you alive."
"Thank you," Theon said sincerely.
Koda grabbed her luggage and headed to one of the side rooms to change.
Later, fully dressed in his new gear, Theon caught his reflection in a mirror. His fingers traced his forearm where the wound had completely healed.
What's happening to me? he wondered again.
"Ready to go?" Felix asked from the doorway.
Theon nodded firmly. "Yes." The healing mystery would have to wait. His mother needed this treatment money.
Whatever waited beyond the Gate, he would face it.