“Their military resources encompass hundreds of sorcerers and samurai, who, though not immortal, pose a danger far greater than might be imagined. Do not exclude the natives as well, whose ancient magic is too wild, cruel and unpredictable. Thus I urge you once more to fight fire with fire and take advantage of the Omnious’ proposal for cooperation. Only this way can we win the war for the continent.”

—From a deciphered letter of the commander-in-chief of the European Union army operating in the New World, XVII century

“Oh thank Goddess!” Shadow pressed his hand against Niji's forehead. Passing a stream of light blue energy through himself, he breathed healing magic into the girl, and her skin turned pink. After a few seconds, the Elementalist regained consciousness.

“What the—? Where am I?”

Izumi felt like his voyage to another world had taken an eternity, but for his friends it was just a two-minute absence. He had brought lifeless Niji from the tent, which was then deprived of any curses and sagged to the ground, and the Celestial rushed to help her. His spells worked perfectly: not a trace remained of her exhaustion. The investigator set the girl on her feet and made sure that she was able to stand on her own. “This world is an illusion,” he explained. “A place between dimensions which was created by an extremely capable Violet, perhaps a few of them. They have locked us down in here. And I have just assisted you in escaping your personal mental prison.”

“Where’s Mira? And the twins?”

“We must search further to find them.”

“Well, any ideas?” Viktor asked, scratching his back.

“Perhaps we have no choice but to examine everything around here,” Sensei answered.

“Should we split up?”

“Out of the question! We would just play into their scheme.”

“But it will take lotsa time. Do we have it?”

“I haven’t the slightest idea.” Izumi pulled out a handkerchief and wiped sweat from his forehead. “Yet I am positive that we should not spend it on stalling here.”

“Fair enough.”

The mages continued their journey, carefully inspecting the series of endless rides: a roller coaster, a pond with swan boats, a huge and inappropriately optimistic merry-go-round with tigers, elephants and even raccoons… all the attractions moved on their own without any visitors or operators.

“Um, Izumi, can you think of another… trigger or whatever you call it?” Viktor asked. “Like, with the bumper cars, mirrors and stuff…?”

“Frankly speaking, I am starting to doubt my deductions. I was sure that I would find Elia there, but… the logic behind this place might not be as obvious as it seems to me…”

Niji was trembling. She barely remembered the nightmare imposed on her, but she knew for sure that it was connected with her dream of the day when the Elementalist had taken a blood test for arcane cell color, and then destroyed the results in panic.

What could he have seen inside the tent? How much did he learn about my curse?

“Shadow-san, could I possibly ask you one question? I need to understand the mechanics, otherwise we might wander here for too long.”

“Do you want to know what my… memory was like… before I defeated it?”

“Exactly. I know what Viktor-san has seen, and I am aware which event Hitomi experienced again. If it is not too sensitive, I would—”

“I was a child back then,” Shadow got gloomy in an instant. “Six or seven years old. I was tortured.”

“Oh. I am sorry.”

“No need. I agreed to participate in those experiments myself. I wanted to help, but… um… no, I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Sou desu ka…” Izumi turned to the Elementalist. “And what about you, Murasaki-san? The story of what served as the basis for the illusion could greatly facilitate the understanding of local worldbuilding.”

Niji kept walking speechless, her heart beating a thousand times faster. The terror that struck her in the tent seemed like a fun ride compared to the numbness that overtook her soul after the Viridian questioned her. If he understood—and a Sage certainly would—how she was connected to the laboratory and blood, her fraud would be exposed immediately. But with no words coming out of her, she could arouse even more suspicion.

“I don’t—” she started, but a strange whizz followed by a loud sound of explosion interrupted her lie.

“Take cover!” the investigator commanded, and the mages scattered. Viktor and Shadow hid behind an ice cream trailer, while Hitomi, Izumi and Niji ran behind an inflatable bouncer in the form of a huge slide leading to a castle on top.

“I guess you’ve overreacted, Izumi.”

Viktor’s voice expressed a mixture of relief and mockery. The source of the explosions came from ordinary fireworks. Colorful rockets blasted into the air and illuminated the night sky with violet light of various shades, from light pink to almost black. It would be spectacular if not for the absurdity of the situation.

“You cannot underestimates the cau—”

The investigator didn’t finish as parts of the aerial shells smashed the road next to the mages like small meteorites, making them cough from the rising purple dust.

“Help!!!”