The Reishi Corporation building was not as grand or as imposing as Justin imagined. It was a long rectangular, one-story brick building with solar panels covering the roof. From where Justin Ramya and Satvi hid, they had a view of a small lawn surrounding one of the shorter sides of the building. A single black door stood out among the brick, which Ramya said was made of steel. An older man wearing large black sunglasses guarded the door.

"That man almost put me in a trance," Justin informed Ramya and Satvi. "Do not look into his glasses."

"Brilliant," said Ramya. "I thought you said your friends were infiltrating the building?"

Satvi scowled. "They are not my friends and I thought..." She stopped talking as a man stepped out of the jungle next to the building, his hands covered in blood. Narrowing his eyes, he pressed his back against the brick wall, just out of view of the man in glasses.

"Vendari," Justin whispered as they recognized the man.

In one fast motion, Vendari leaped around the corner and grabbed the man in glasses by the arms. Immediately, Vendari began to glow.

"He's a wizard," said Satvi, wonder in her voice. "A grown-up wizard."

Like a flame doused by water, Vendari's golden glow disappeared.

"Mari!" Vendari cried out and he let go of the man in glasses. "She is alive? Where is she?"

"No!" Justin yelled, and they bolted from their hiding place.

"Justin!" Both Ramya and Satvi shouted after Justin, but they were not listening. They had to save Vendari.

They ran frantically toward the two men, their heart thumping loudly in their chest.

"Vendari!" they shouted. "Mari is not alive!"

But the older wizard either could not hear Justin or he ignored them as he gazed into the man's dark glasses. Vendari held out a hand towards the other man.

"Take me to her, please," he begged.

The younger wizard ran faster. They were almost to Vendari. All they had to do was make him break eye contact with the glasses. The man in glasses smiled eagerly at Vendari. Reaching a hand into his coat pocket, he pulled out a small black gun and pointed it directly at Justin.

Justin slid to a halt. They watched in slow motion as the man in glasses pulled the trigger. A loud bang erupted from the gun, followed by another. Justin collapsed to the ground. They closed their eyes, waiting for the pain, or at the very least, the nothingness.

"Justin, are you okay?" asked a strained female voice with an east coast accent.

Justin looked up to see Vendari standing there, blood splattered on his face. Their eyes went wide, but then Vendari shook his head.

"It's not my blood. She shot that man in the glasses and he fled into the forest."

Justin twisted around just in time to see Caroline standing behind them, a gun pointed at Vendari.

"He is a friend," said Justin, and Caroline dropped the gun, slumping to the ground.

Crawling to her side, Justin could see blood seeping into Caroline's rich purple silk dress near her chest. She reached a hand out to Justin and they gripped it with their own.

"Hold on," they said, "there will be medical supplies in the building."

Justin wasn't for sure if this was true, but they hoped so.

Caroline smiled up at Justin and her grip on their hand loosened as she closed her eyes.

Hands grabbed Justin's shoulders.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" asked Ramya.

"She's dead," they whispered.

"Did you get shot?"

Justin shook their head and Ramya exhaled.

"Is this Caroline?" he asked.

Justin nodded. Blood-stained hands gently closed Caroline's eyes and Justin looked up into the hollow eyes of Vendari. He looked like a character straight out of a horror movie. Not only were his hands and face covered in blood, but crimson red stood out in his pure white hair.

"We will give her a proper burial once we are finished here," he said. "I need the help of a wizard. This door is locked."

The wizard stood. The steel black door had no handle, but that didn't matter.

"I have to have been where I want to go for my magic to work," they said confidently.

"Can you remember anything from before they put you into the pit?" asked Ramya.

They closed their eyes. The feeling of being carried, of hands pressed against their back, overtook them. The blurred outline of a creature with wings entered their mind, followed by a dark hallway with a green carpet.

They opened their eyes and stepped up to the door. They imagined stepping through the door and onto the green carpet. Reaching a glowing hand out, the wizard smiled confidently and pushed against the door. For a moment, it felt as if the door would not budge, but then it inched open. Justin pushed harder until the door slid all the way open and they stepped onto a green carpet. They looked up and came face to face with a brick wall.

"That can't be right," said Ramya.

Vendari stepped onto the carpet next to Justin. "That brick wall glows with white light. Can you see it?"

Stepping closer, Justin noticed that the plaster outlining each brick glowed.

"This is my specialty," said Vendari as he placed a hand on the wall. He closed his eyes, his body glowing.

Justin watched in amazement as the wall evaporated before Vendari's hand. Beyond the wall, an entire hallway with a green carpet appeared.

"Caroline!" a man's voice shouted from behind them.

Looking back, Justin saw Omar kneeling over Caroline, gripping her delicate hand in his strong one.

"Justin!" Satvi raced from the jungle.

"Satvi," said Justin, stepping back out onto the grass. As Satvi ran past Omar, he turned and scooped her up into his arms and stepped farther away from the building.

"No," Satvi protested. She twisted and kicked in the man's arms, but he was too strong.

"It's too dangerous," said Omar. "I will not lose you too."

"No!" Satvi screamed and tears ran down her cheeks. She reached a hand out to Justin. "I am not leaving Justin."

Justin ran at the pair and reached their own hand out, grabbing onto Satvi's outstretched one. She immediately stopped fighting Omar.

"We are leaving," said Omar. "Come with us. I can take you to your family."

"Please Justin," Satvi pleaded, squeezing their hand tightly, "come with me. Let's go home."

Looking back at Ramya and Vendari standing in the doorway watching them, Justin let go of Satvi's hand.

Omar nodded solemnly. He turned and ran towards the jungle with Satvi in his arms. Her hand still outstretched, she locked eyes with Justin.

"I love you," said Justin, then she and Omar were swallowed by the jungle.