Leana stood proudly before her brother, gesturing toward the three students standing behind her. “Morteze, meet my wards: Damon Terrace, Anaya Stokeshorn, and Daveon Acheon. And kids, this is my brother, Morteze.”
The students nodded politely, though their eyes darted curiously between the two siblings. Despite Leana’s introduction, it was clear that Morteze and Leana looked nothing alike.
Morteze had auburn hair and sharp black eyes, while Leana’s features were entirely different, from her light brown hair to her piercing green eyes.
Anaya tilted her head, whispering to Damon, “They don’t even look related.”
Before Damon could reply, Morteze caught on, a faint grin tugging at the corner of his lips. “I know what you’re thinking,” he said, his voice calm but laced with amusement. “And you’re right—we don’t look alike.”
Leana sighed theatrically, crossing her arms. “Are you going to start with that story again?”
“Of course I am,” Morteze said, turning to the students. “You see, Leana wasn’t always my sister. My parents originally took her in as a maid. I had always wanted a little sister, so after much begging and pleading, they finally adopted her.”
Leana rolled her eyes, shaking her head in mock frustration. “That’s not true! If anything, it’s the other way around. My parents brought Morteze in for security. They needed someone strong to guard the family. I got along with him so well that they decided to keep him around and even made him my older brother to keep me safe.”
Both siblings paused, glancing at the students’ confused expressions, before bursting into laughter.
“Pfft! Bwahaha…”
Their amusement only deepened the students’ bewilderment.
Daveon, however, quickly caught on, a small smirk forming on his face. “They’re messing with us,” he muttered to Anaya and Damon, who exchanged relieved glances as the realization sank in.
Morteze wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, his laughter finally subsiding. “Alright, enough teasing. For the record, I look a lot like our dad, and Leana’s a spitting image of our mom.”
Leana nodded, satisfied with the explanation.
Now that the mood had lightened, Morteze stood straighter and introduced himself formally. “I’m the manager of the Voidcrafter’s Forte, overseeing its operations and ensuring everything runs smoothly.”
Leana clicked her tongue, causing Morteze to pause and glance at her curiously.
“Manager, huh?” Leana said with a sly smile. “Why not tell them the full truth?”
Morteze sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “What do you mean?”
Leana stepped forward, addressing the students directly. “He’s not just the manager—he’s the head of the entire operation. Morteze is a genius when it comes to spatial skills, and he’s one of the key architects behind this place. He and a select group of experts designed these advanced teleportation arrays.”
The students looked at Morteze in a new light, their respect for him growing. “Woah…”
“Does that mean that his talent is related to space?” Anaga asked with curious eyes locked on Morteze’s figure.
“Yeah, that is correct.” Leana nodded to her ward’s question with no sense of delay.
“Well, now that my brilliant reputation is out in the open,” Morteze said, shaking his head, “what brings you here, Leana? I assume you’re heading to that place.”
Leana nodded. “Exactly. I need access to the First Layer of Hell.”
At this, the students’ expressions turned to confusion. “The First Layer of Hell?” Damon asked, raising an eyebrow.
Morteze turned to them, his expression turning serious. “Didn’t she tell you where she’s taking you?”
“She said it’s a place for rigorous training,” Anaya answered hesitantly.
Morteze smirked, glancing at his sister. “Is that what you told them?”
Leana nodded unapologetically, a mischievous glint in her eye. “It’s not like I lied in the slightest bit, did I?”
Morteze burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the room.
After a moment, he composed himself and turned back to the students. “Let me explain. The place we’re sending you isn’t just a training ground. It’s known as the First Layer of Hell for a reason.”
He paced in front of them as he spoke, his tone growing more serious. “The area is teeming with demons—millions of them, to be exact. Grades Seven and Six are the most common, with fewer Grade Fives. Grade Fours are extremely rare, and Grade Threes are almost nonexistent.”
Daveon frowned. “Almost nonexistent?”
Morteze nodded. “If you encounter one, you’d better hope your guardian is nearby and fortunately, Leana can handle one.”
He paused, letting his words sink in before continuing. “But it’s not just the demons that make this place hell. The environment itself is hostile. The temperature hovers near boiling, and the air feels oppressive. Every step you take will test your endurance. It’s not a place for the faint of heart.”
The students exchanged uneasy glances.
“However,” Morteze said, pointing to Leana, “you’re in good hands. It’s one of the best training spots you could ask for, and Leana is more than capable of keeping you alive. She and I have been there a few times in the past, and I can tell you firsthand—it’s grueling, but it works.”
The students nodded, their resolve returning. “Thank you very much for the clarification, Sir Morteze.” The three of them politely bowed.
Morteze clapped his hands together. “Alright, then. Let’s get you geared up.”
“Geared up?” Damon asked, his curiosity piqued. Stay connected through empire
Morteze smirked, motioning for them to follow. “You didn’t think I’d just send you there unprepared like my sister, did you?”
He led them out of the office and down a corridor. The hallways were lined with intricate runes, their faint glow adding an air of mystique to the surroundings.
As they walked, Anaya leaned toward Damon and whispered, “Do you think this is going to be as bad as he says?”
Damon shrugged. “Guess we’ll find out soon enough.”
Their footsteps echoed as they followed Morteze, anticipation and unease building with every step.
“Judging from the name of the place being the ‘First Layer of Hell’, this field trip would definitely push us past our limits.” Daveon whispered loud enough for the other two go hear.