As they finally settled in the Right star, Leonardo exhaled a long breath, the tension in his body melting away. The sweat that had been clinging to his brow vanished as he sank into the plush seat.
The train's interior was a sleek fusion of vintage elegance and advanced machinery. Seventy-six metal-clad cabins shimmered under soft, hidden lights, their polished surfaces catching the glow like moonlight on steel.
Leonardo couldn't stop staring. The seats looked like they'd been designed by someone who thought comfort was sacred.
"This is insane!" he exclaimed, face pressed against the glass. "I want to ride this everywhere!"
Anna didn't even look up from her phone. "Fantastic. Another detour."
Elara chuckled softly. "There's a right star for every spectrum of color. You saw them before, didn't you?"
Leonardo nodded, his eyes tracing the streams of light outside. _It's bigger on the inside,_ he thought.
Then the train launched forward—like a cross between a rocket and a dream. The world beyond blurred into impressionistic strokes: trees smeared into green, buildings stretched into luminous streaks. A yellow trail followed them, carving through the night sky like a divine paintbrush.
"We're heading to a mansion," the intercom informed, its voice composed to the point of eerie.
Leonardo glanced at Elara, brow raised. "Wait. How big is this city?"
"Ghent?" Her smile was all mystery. "Big enough to have a heartbeat."
The train began to slow—if "slow" meant easing from impossible to merely unbelievable. They emerged into a valley ringed by hills, a lake glinting below, silver as starlight beneath the mountain's shadow.
Leonardo practically jumped out first, energy spilling from him like static. "Where are we going?"
"Indoor voice," Anna muttered, wincing.
Elara responded with patience. "This area's technically part of the district, but it was left open on purpose—no skyscrapers, barely any structures. I think that's what the guide said."
The train finally came to a full halt, the voice on the intercom returning:
"Please give us a few minutes. We need to collect a few items from the Mortimer family."
Passengers began to disembark. Leonardo rushed ahead, weaving through the crowd. A boy with striking blue hair pulled up his hood and passed by. Leonardo paused, blinking.
_That one's tall,_ he noted, then shook it off and hurried to catch up with Anna.
"So," he murmured as they walked, "what exactly are we doing here?"
Anna smirked. "An unannounced visit. I wonder if he misses us."
The mansion that loomed ahead looked like something plucked from the past—grand and elegant, with a wrought iron gate that hummed with stories. A marble cherub stood over the fountain, water trickling from its lips like laughter frozen in time.
"Uncle really does love his antiques," Elara murmured, eyes scanning the details.
Anna stepped forward and knocked.
The door creaked.
Then—a bolt of metal tore through the air.
Leonardo moved on instinct. The crossbow bolt came within a breath of his face, and he caught it—just barely—leaving a faint graze across his fingers. The speed, the reflex... they hinted at something far from ordinary.
"Anna? Elara?" a voice echoed from inside, followed by the pounding of footsteps down a spiral staircase.
He almost hit me, Leonardo thought, a pulse twitching in his neck as Elara stepped closer, inspecting his hand for injury.
Then, without hesitation, all five-foot-one of him stormed forward and grabbed the man—Richard—by the collar, lifting with a surprising strength that came from somewhere deeper than muscle.
"What," Leonardo growled, "was that for?"