Allowing outsiders into the Order was not something that happened often.
Ever since the worlds had merged, most Orders had become increasingly wary of strangers, especially those whose origins, abilities, or intentions were unknown. Trust had become a luxury in the new era, and caution was often the difference between survival and death.
For that reason, William had not expected to be welcomed so easily.
The moment word of his arrival spread through the sect grounds, a message arrived directly from the Grand Matriarch herself.
"Let him enter."
Only four words.
Yet they were enough to silence every objection.
The guards immediately stepped aside, lowering their heads without protest. William merely glanced at them before continuing forward.
As he walked deeper into the territory, he realized the place was nothing like what he had imagined.
The Order was not a simple camp nor a fortified military outpost. It resembled a small city built amidst the chaos of a collapsing world. Wide gardens stretched between elegant stone pathways. Training grounds echoed with the sounds of disciples practicing their techniques. White buildings rose proudly toward the sky, blending ancient architectural beauty with materials and designs that had clearly come from the other world.
For a brief moment, William felt as though he had stepped into a separate reality.
A place untouched by the madness consuming the rest of the planet.
A place where order had survived.
One of the female disciples guided him through the sect until they arrived at a quiet residential courtyard.
Victoria was waiting there.
The moment she saw him, she rose to her feet.
This time she did not run toward him.
She did not break down in tears.
Yet her eyes remained slightly red, as though yesterday's emotions had never truly faded.
For several moments, neither of them spoke.
Then they sat across from one another.
Silence lingered between them before William finally broke it.
"How have you been?"
Victoria smiled faintly.
It was not a bright smile, but it was genuine.
"I'm doing well," she replied before letting out a small laugh. "Or at least... as well as someone can be in a world like this."
William nodded.
"Tell me."
His voice remained calm.
"What happened after we got separated?"
Victoria lowered her gaze for a moment.
When she finally spoke, her voice carried traces of memories she would rather forget.
"At first, I honestly thought I was going to die."
She paused briefly.
"I was running without any destination. I wasn't thinking about anything except surviving another hour."
Her eyes became distant as the memories resurfaced.
"Everywhere I went, something was falling apart. Every day I heard stories about people disappearing."
She took a slow breath.
"And just when I thought I had finally found somewhere safe..."
Her expression darkened.
"...they found me."
Without realizing it, William's hand tightened into a fist.
Victoria noticed, but continued.
"They weren't from this Order."
"They were from another group."
"They tried to capture me."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"I couldn't fight back. I wasn't strong enough."
"So I ran."
"I hid."
"But they were faster."
For a moment, silence returned.
Then she raised her head.
"And when I finally thought everything was over..."
A faint light appeared in her eyes.
"The Grand Matriarch appeared."
Even now, the memory seemed unreal to her.
"I barely understood what happened. All I saw were flashes of movement."
She shook her head slowly.
"Then suddenly... everyone was on the ground."
"As if they had never stood a chance."
A genuine smile appeared on her face.
"She took me with her after that."
"She treated my injuries."
"She gave me a place to stay."
"And eventually... she allowed me to become part of the Order."
William listened quietly.
For the first time since arriving, a weight inside his chest eased.
Victoria was safe.
That fact alone was worth more than he could put into words.
She looked at him carefully.
"What about you?"
William froze for the briefest moment.
"What about me?"
A hint of amusement appeared in her eyes.
"Don't do that."
"What happened to you?"
"Where were you all these months?"
William remained silent.
Long enough that the answer itself became suspicious.
Finally, he spoke.
"I trained."
Victoria blinked.
"That's it?"
"That's it."
She stared at him.
Then sighed.
"You're lying."
A small smile appeared on William's face.
"Maybe."
"William."
Her voice softened.
He simply looked at her.
"I'm fine."
His answer came quietly.
"And that's what matters."
Victoria knew immediately that he had no intention of talking about it.
She also knew that whatever he had gone through had not been simple.
The old scars hidden behind his eyes told her as much.
Still, she chose not to push.
Instead, she lowered her gaze.
"I'm sorry."
William frowned slightly.
"For what?"
"For everything."
Her voice became quieter.
"If we hadn't run..."
"If that day hadn't happened..."
"If I had been stronger..."
William interrupted her before she could continue.
"Stop."
She looked up.
His eyes met hers directly.
"Don't apologize."
The firmness in his voice surprised her.
"It wasn't your fault."
"It wasn't anyone's fault."
He looked toward the courtyard beyond the window.
"The entire world fell apart."
A faint bitterness entered his voice.
"We were simply trapped inside it."
Victoria's lips trembled.
Yet this time she didn't cry.
She merely nodded.
At that moment, the door opened.
A woman dressed in elegant white robes stepped into the room.
Victoria immediately stood.
William understood who she was the moment he saw her.
This was the woman who had saved his sister.
The Grand Matriarch.
He rose from his seat and offered a respectful bow.
"Thank you."
The Grand Matriarch smiled gently.
"There is no need."
"I merely did what should have been done."
She sat across from them.
Her gaze shifted toward Victoria, and a hint of satisfaction appeared in her eyes.
"She possesses exceptional talent."
Victoria blinked in surprise.
The Grand Matriarch continued calmly.
"Over the past months, she has exceeded every expectation I had for her."
Victoria lowered her head slightly, embarrassed by the praise.
The Grand Matriarch smiled.
"I have great plans for her future."
Her voice carried complete confidence.
"I intend to make her one of my strongest disciples."
Then she turned toward William.
"Which means you no longer need to worry about her safety."
For the first time since arriving, genuine relief appeared in William's eyes.
The Grand Matriarch observed him carefully.
"But I suspect that isn't the only thing you wish to know."
The room fell silent.
"You want to know who was responsible."
William's gaze changed immediately.
The warmth that had been there moments ago disappeared.
In its place came something colder.
Sharper.
The Grand Matriarch noticed.
"The faction responsible for those abductions is known as the Crimson Shadow Order."
William memorized the name instantly.
"They are located in the northern territories."
"Several weeks from here."
"They are notorious for capturing talented individuals and forcing them into service."
The silence that followed felt heavy.
"Do they still exist?"
William asked.
"Yes."
The answer came without hesitation.
"But if you're thinking of going after them now..."
She paused.
"...you are not ready."
William offered no response.
He neither agreed nor disagreed.
He simply remembered the name.
Crimson Shadow Order.
And quietly placed it inside a corner of his mind where he stored things he would never forget.
Eventually, he rose from his seat.
"Thank you."
His gaze shifted toward Victoria one last time.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then William broke the silence.
"I'll come back."
A genuine smile appeared on Victoria's face.
This time there were no tears.
Only certainty.
"I know."
William left the Order shortly before sunset.
The sky above him glowed with shades of gold and crimson as the day slowly faded away.
Yet his destination this time was neither a battlefield nor another stage of training.
It wasn't revenge.
Not yet.
For now, he had somewhere far more important to go.
Home.
The small house he had left behind months ago.
The place where two people had never stopped waiting.
His mother.
His father.
And with every step he took toward them, William felt himself drawing closer to a part of his life he had once feared was gone forever.