I sit in the cramped command module, strapped into the acceleration couch. Beside me, Kade is checking the harnesses on Asher and Elara. The children are dressed in specialized, skin-tight magical regulation suits, designed to vent excess heat and stabilize their nervous systems during the interface. They look tiny, swallowed by the bulky gear, but their eyes are bright, focused, and entirely devoid of fear.
Lilith sits across from us, her ancient face serene, her silver eyes reflecting the dim, red emergency lighting of the cabin. Morgan is at the pilot’s console, her hands flying across the controls as we begin the descent.
"Passing ten thousand feet," Morgan announces, her voice tight over the comms. "External pressure is increasing. Magical shielding is holding at ninety-eight percen
