Chapter 7: The Doorway to Destiny

Magnus stood with his arms crossed, gazing at Byakuya Kira, his new general. The oni knelt before him, the jagged black armour he wore shifting slightly as the shadows around him pulsed like a living entity. His yellow eyes gleamed with a sharp intelligence as he awaited Magnus's orders.

"I'll be gone for a few years," Magnus announced, his voice firm yet thoughtful. "But while I'm away, I want you to build an empire here in the Dark Dimension. Expand our forces, establish strongholds, and make sure that when I return, this place is truly mine."

Byakuya Kira grinned, his fanged teeth gleaming in the dim light of the Dark Dimension. "As you command, my lord. When you return, you will have an empire worthy of your power."

Magnus nodded, satisfied. The system's abilities would ensure he could monitor the progress remotely, but having a capable general like Byakuya Kira would make all the difference. With a final glance at his realm, Magnus activated the gate and stepped through.

The transition from the eerie glow of the Dark Dimension to the stillness of his room was almost jarring. The moment he landed on his bed, exhaustion overtook him, and he drifted into sleep.

Morning arrived with a burst of energy as Lucy and Matilda pounced on his bed. "Magnus! Wake up!" Matilda's excited voice rang in his ears.

"We found something amazing!" Lucy chimed in, her face lit with wonder.

Magnus rubbed his eyes, suppressing a groan. "What are you two going on about this early?"

"Come on! We'll show you!" Matilda pulled on his sleeve, practically dragging him out of bed.

Still half-asleep, he followed them downstairs and through the hallway until they stopped in front of an old wooden wardrobe. Lucy's hands trembled with excitement as she pushed it open and stepped inside, Matilda close behind her.

Magnus's eyes widened slightly as he saw them vanish into what should have been the back of the wardrobe. His curiosity fully piqued, he stepped closer.

A minute later, Lucy and Matilda re-emerged, their faces filled with awe and excitement. "It's a whole world inside!" Lucy exclaimed. "We met a faun named Mr Tumnus!"

Magnus raised an eyebrow. "A faun?"

"He invited us for tea and told us about the White Witch," Matilda added, her tone growing serious. "She's the false ruler of Narnia, and she's kept it in an eternal winter."

Lucy nodded. "Mr Tumnus was supposed to turn us in to her, but he changed his mind and helped us escape. We have to tell the others!"

They rushed to find Peter, Susan, and Edmund, but their siblings were not so easily convinced.

"A magical world inside a wardrobe?" Peter scoffed. "Do you even hear yourselves?"

"It's true!" Lucy insisted. "You have to see it!"

Susan gave a small, sympathetic smile. "Lucy, Matilda, maybe you just imagined it."

Lucy and Matilda turned to Magnus, looking for support. He shrugged. "If they don't believe you, they don't believe you. But I think you're telling the truth."

Lucy's eyes lit up, but Peter just crossed his arms. "Oh, of course, you do."

Magnus smirked. "What, still mad about the train?"

Peter's expression darkened. "You stopped me from helping our mum."

"I stopped you from doing something reckless," Magnus corrected. "If you ran after her, you would've been left behind and possibly worse."

Peter clenched his fists but said nothing.

Their tense exchange was interrupted when Lucy suddenly gasped. "Wait, where's Edmund?"

Everyone turned to look around, but there was no sign of their younger brother.

"He must be in the wardrobe!" Matilda shouted.

Without hesitation, Magnus was the first to rush upstairs. He threw the wardrobe doors open and stepped inside. Cold air greeted him as he emerged into a snow-covered forest. Behind him, Peter, Susan, Lucy, and Matilda followed, their gasps of amazement filling the crisp air.

Snowflakes danced around them, glistening under the soft glow of the lamplight that stood in the clearing.

"This is…" Susan trailed off, her eyes wide in disbelief.

"…Real," Peter finished, his voice almost a whisper.

Magnus, however, was focused on something else. His eyes scanned the surroundings, his senses sharp. Edmund was missing, and Magnus had a bad feeling about where he had gone.

And who he might have met.