Orion scrambled backward, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird. The air in the room had grown thick and heavy, making it hard to breathe. Standing before the woman in blue, he felt tiny. It was the feeling of a mouse standing before a mountain.
"Who are you, and why are you here?" she asked again. Her voice wasn't loud, but it sounded like a command from a king.
"I... I... I am Orion. Orion del Emris," he stammered, his knees shaking. "I'm just a cleaner here, ma'am."
"Orion del Emris?" She tilted her head, her sharp eyes scanning him. "That name means nothing to me."
She stepped toward him. Orion flinched, but she simply reached down and picked up the book he had dropped when he fell. She placed The Divine Path back on its shelf with practiced ease.
"Get out," she said. She didn't even turn around to look at him.
Orion scrambled to his feet. Every instinct told him to run, to bolt through the door and never come back to this terrifying building. But as his hand touched the door handle, he froze.
If I run now, I'll be a cleaner for the rest of my life, he thought. She is clearly a Master. Maybe Act 4, or even Act 3. This is the only chance I'll ever have to find a teacher. If I leave, I lose everything.
Sweat poured down his face as he turned back around. Latifah had started to walk away, but she stopped when she realized he hadn't left. She turned, her eyebrows rising in surprise.
"Is he actually standing his ground?" she wondered. "A mortal boy with no power... resisting my pressure?"
Suddenly, Orion dropped to his knees. He pressed his forehead against the cold stone floor in a deep bow.
"I am sorry for touching your sacred book!" Orion shouted, his voice cracking. "And I'm sorry for being disrespectful! But please... I need a teacher. I want to learn the ways of the Ordeal. I want to climb the Acts. I want to reach the Divine level one day. Please... teach me!"
Silence filled the hall. Latifah stared at the boy. It had been a long time since anyone—especially someone so low—had shown this much courage in her presence. Usually, people fainted or fled when she released her aura.
She walked up to him slowly. To Orion, each footstep sounded like a drumbeat of doom. He was visibly vibrating with fear, but he did not move. He stayed bowed, waiting for her judgment.
Suddenly, the heavy pressure in the air vanished. It felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
"What did you say your name was again?" Latifah asked, her voice much softer now.
"Orion," he said, slowly lifting his head. "Orion del Emris."
Latifah looked at him for a moment, then she began to giggle. The giggle turned into a clear, ringing laugh that echoed off the high ceilings.
"Orion, you want to climb the ladder of the Gods?" She leaned down until her face was inches from his. Her eyes were like deep pools of blue fire. "The road is not kind. The cost is so high that you might lose your very soul. Do you still want this?"
"Yes," Orion answered instantly. "I've lost everything already. I will train harder than anyone. I will follow every rule. I'll take the consequences myself... just please, give me a chance."
Latifah smiled. "I usually enjoy watching people fail... so, I'll give you that chance."
She flicked her wrist, and a sleek black card appeared out of thin air. She tossed it to him.
"Take this. Your lessons begin at sunset and end at midnight. Go to the top floor, to the very end of the hallway. You will find a golden door. It looks like it leads off the edge of the building."
She stood up straight, her robes flowing around her. "Listen carefully. If you open that door normally, you will fall to your death. But if you swipe that card first... the destination changes. Do not forget."
Orion gripped the card as if it were made of pure gold. He couldn't believe it. He actually had a teacher.
"You can leave now," Latifah said, already turning back to her books.
Orion scrambled up and ran for the exit. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" he yelled, his voice echoing back as he disappeared down the stairs.
Latifah watched the doorway, a small smile playing on her lips. "Interesting. He resisted the aura of an Act 3... Orion? Let's see if you can survive the first lesson."
Orion worked like a man possessed. He finished his cleaning hours early, his mind spinning with excitement. He had to tell Mia, but he also had to be careful.
When he got back to the motel, the room was empty. Mia was still at the restaurant. He quickly packed a small bag with some water and a dry crust of bread. Just as he turned to leave, the door opened.
Mia stood there, looking exhausted from her shift. Her eyes widened when she saw him with his bag. "Orion? Where are you going?"
"I have to go back to the Athenaeum, Mia," he said, his voice rushing. "I'll explain everything tomorrow morning, I promise. This is the big break we needed!"
Mia stepped forward and grabbed his hand. Her grip was firm. "A promise? Orion, it's just the two of us now. We can't have secrets. You're acting strange."
Orion looked into her worried eyes. He stepped closer and kissed her forehead gently. "I promise, Mia. I'm not keeping secrets to hurt us. I'm doing this for us. I'll be back before sunrise."
She slowly let go of his hand. Orion didn't waste another second. He ran through the darkening streets of Asvaht, reaching the Athenaeum just as the last sliver of sun dipped below the horizon.
The building was silent. Tharek was nowhere to be seen—likely off spending Orion's hard-earned silver at a tavern. Orion climbed the stairs, his breath coming in short gasps. Every floor felt higher than the last.
Finally, he reached the top. At the end of a long, dark hallway stood the Golden Door. It looked out of place, standing against the stone wall with nothing behind it but the open sky.
"New beginning," Orion whispered to himself. He was terrified, but his determination was stronger than his fear.
He pulled out the black card. His hand shook as he slid it across the golden frame. The door groaned, and a faint, ethereal blue light began to glow from the cracks. Orion took a deep breath, grabbed the handle, and pulled it open.