The tracks carried the train across the East River on an old, rickety bridge, running parallel and only a few hundred feet away from the Brooklyn Bridge. They noticed movement beneath the dark waters of the river, something churning and sending waves rippling outward.

  In the distance, the Statue of Liberty stood, but its entire figure was covered by countless creatures that looked like oversized worms crawling across her surface.

  “My god, I just want to throw a solar blast right in the middle and burn all of them,” Aaron whispered under his breath.

  Luther nodded, his skin breaking out in goosebumps.

  “Go ahead and try, and the thing hiding underneath that mess will show you what a real nightmare looks like.” Acher gave a short, sharp laugh.

  About twenty minutes later, the train finally left New York behind. Both Aaron and Luther let out deep breaths of relief.

  The entire city had left them feeling suffocated, as though every corner pressed down on their lungs.

  “Squeak squeak!”

  Jack-O, Squashy, and Pompo sprang back into their playful mood, hopping and tumbling about again.

  “Snack time, please! Handsome Aaron!” Jack-O said.

  “You’re already hungry? We just ate before leaving home.” Aaron chuckled.

  Still, he reached into his backpack and began pulling out treats.

  First, he opened a bag of jerky and emptied it onto paper plates for the pumpkin trio. Inside were thin red strips, each about half the length of a finger. These were dried meat sticks, made from red-bone chicken mixed with fire-pine powder. They were nourishing for fire-element creatures, and the three siblings munched on them with clear delight.

  Next, Aaron pulled out a crystal box filled with glittering gemstones of many colors, the lid labeled “MagyFruity.”

  These gemstone cherries came in different kinds: sweet-and-sour topaz, fragrant ruby, chewy like soft candy emerald, and diamond-hard crystals that slowly melted away on the tongue.

  Luther collected the seed, not wasting a single one. The batch they had planted after returning from Mariana Market had now grown tall enough to reach his knees. He estimated that by one or two more years, they would have their own homegrown cherries to eat.

  The train kept going northward. From the outside, it looked as black as the night surrounding it, every window sealed shut, without a trace of light slipping through.

  After they had traveled some distance away from New York, unfamiliar structures began to appear.

  “Huh, do you see that castle over there. Where is it?” Aaron asked. “I don’t remember anything like that near New York.”

  Off to the right, a massive complex of fortresses stretched, with dozens of stone buildings and five or six huge towers. Many corners had already collapsed, leaving gaps where trees and vines had grown thickly inside.

  Acher said:

  “It must be a ruin from ancient times. The Shadow World is filled with places like that. Before the Era of Heavens started, this place was crowded with creatures of all species.”

  Aaron narrowed his eyes, catching something strange.

  “Oh, I see… but then why is there a window glowing with light? Who would live inside such a place?” he asked.

  On the second tower from the left, one window flickered with a faint light.

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  “It’s a ghost!” Squashy exclaimed, burying her face against Luther’s shirt.

  Pompo did the same, clutching him tightly. Only Jack-O tried to put on a brave front. He pounded his round chest and declared:

  “Don’t worry, I’ll protect everyone!”

  Yet his plump body trembled a little, revealing the fear behind his words, leaving Aaron speechless.

  “Dude, you all are demons from the Abyss, and yet you’re afraid of ghosts? Stop watching those silly scary movies,” he said with a sigh.

  “Don’t be scared. If it shows up, I’ll send it to Hell,” Luther said, patting them.

  “Luther is the best!” Jack-O chimed.

  “Smooth talker.” Luther patted his head with a small smile.

  “Can I watch Vampire Heart, please?” Squashy requested, tugging at his sleeve.

  Luther pulled out an EPad and handed it over. With practiced fingers, the little pumpkin girl opened up a children’s cartoon featuring the romance between a bloodkin and a minotaur, watching it with absorbed delight. Acher perched beside her, watching for a while, then said:

  “Pick something with actions. These love stories are nothing but nonsense.”

  “No,” Squashy answered, refusing to budge.

  Left with no choice, Acher took out his own phone and scrolled through it. Jack-O and Pompo, meanwhile, were already busy playing a game on the Switch.

  “All addicted,” Luther muttered.

  “It’s fine,” Aaron said, chuckling. “We’re on vacation; let them enjoy themselves.”

  He pulled out his earphones, slipped one piece into Luther’s ear, and started playing music.

  Over the next three hours, the train made stops at all sorts of places: an old cinema, a stone bridge, an abandoned hospital, a gigantic underground stadium, and even Mariana Market.

  At most of these stations, the train just stopped for about five minutes because there were no passengers; only the ticket sellers were visible.

  But besides Mariana Market, there were two other stops where the train lingered longer.

  The first was at a shrine located in the middle of vast cornfields. Luther and Aaron noticed several short figures stepping aboard. Their entire bodies were wrapped in cloth and scarves from head to toe.

  “They’re so small. Could be dwarves,” Aaron guessed.

  The second was at an old theater. From there, a band of more than ten musicians dressed in black suits floated onto the train, carrying a variety of instruments. Yes, they were truly floating.

  “Spirits,” Luther murmured.

  “I thought they weren’t allowed to remain in the mortal world?” Aaron asked.

  Acher explained:

  “Those who accidentally die earlier than their day of departure often get stuck lingering among the living until the Flow calls them. During that time, they may choose to walk the path toward divinity. If a spirit manages to reach the Grand rank, it can remain in the mortal realm just like any other living being.”

  With that, the train rolled onward again.

  Seeing that Luther’s eyelids started drooping, Aaron gently rubbed his head and said:

  “It’s late, guys. Put away the phones and go to sleep. You can play more tomorrow.”

  “Sleep where?” Luther looked around; the benches for sure wouldn’t be comfortable.

  Aaron grinned. “Let me show you. Everyone, stand up.”

  Luther gathered the three little pumpkins along with Acher and rose to his feet. Aaron then pressed his hand against a drawing of a bed carved into the wall, channeling his magic into it. Slowly, the two benches expanded and unfolded, forming a large bed right next to the window. A hidden closet on the wall opened, pillows and blankets floated out, and fell onto the bed.

  “Squeakkk!”

  The three little pumpkins bounced up and down on the mattress, squealing and making a ruckus for a while before settling down, curling up together on the left side of the bed, with Acher lying right beside them, while Aaron and Luther took the right side.

  Aaron reached upward and tapped the glowing rune on the ceiling. The spell of light faded, leaving the train car in darkness, illuminated only by the soft glow of the moon shining through the window.

  …

  Several hours later.

  “Welcome to Stilltide Cape Station. We will stop here for one hour before crossing the sea toward Glacial Grave. Dear passengers, you may step outside for some fresh air if you like, but please do not wander too far and be sure to return before the train departs. If you miss this departure, the next one will not come for two days.” The announcement's deep voice echoed throughout the train.

  Luther’s eyes blinked open, and Aaron stirred awake as well.

  “Yaaawn.” He covered his mouth as he let out a long yawn, then turned to peer outside the window.

  They were at a train station sitting beside an empty dock. The area was barren and coated with snow. In the distance lay the vast ocean, and gentle waves rolled against the sandy shore, producing a steady rumble.

  “Where exactly are we now? Let me check.” Aaron unlocked his phone, his thumb moving over the screen. “Stilltide Cape … hmmm. According to the map, in the real world, this place is at Cape Dyer in Canada, just across the Davis Strait from Greenland.”

  Looking outside, the night was heavy and dim. The world was lit by the pale glow of hurricane lanterns swaying in the wind. The gales howled, carrying flakes of white snow in every direction. Luther shivered, then buried his face in Aaron’s chest.

  “Is he crazy? How are we supposed to step outside for fresh air in this weather?” Aaron muttered, hugging Luther tighter. Within moments, the two of them drifted back into sleep.