After playing with the two hawks and the dragon, Arthur decided it was time to log off.
His body vanished from Armageddon, appearing in the real world with that familiar rush.
Arthur headed straight for the shower, hot water cascading over his tense body as his mind stayed fixed on Donald.
'Let's see if Donald has arranged the meeting or not.'
The last time they'd spoken, Arthur had finally convinced him to allow a visit to Charlotte at the hospital. Donald tried his usual dodging tactics, but Arthur wasn't having it. Not anymore.
'I just need to enter that hospital. Once I do, I'll be able to rescue Charlotte.' The plan was simple in concept, infinitely complex in execution.
He threw on clothes and stepped out of the dorm room, striding purposefully toward Raymond's office. Usually, he'd have to ask Raymond to call Donald, but this time—
"Arthur." Donald was already there, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
"Great timing, I have some news for you," Donald said, gesturing toward the exit.
They walked out of the building together, autumn air crisp against Arthur's face.
"I've arranged a meeting for you, later this afternoon," Donald continued. "But like I said, you won't be able to see her face to face. You'll only see her from afar."
"That's fine. It's perfect. Thank you, Donald." Arthur managed to sound extremely grateful, even smiling. Inside, rage boiled. He wanted nothing more than to rip Donald apart, piece by piece.
Donald nodded, seemingly satisfied with Arthur's response. "The car will pick you up at two. Don't be late."
"I won't." Arthur's mind was already racing ahead. After weeks of planning, everything hinged on this visit.
Donald checked his watch. "I have another meeting. Try not to cause trouble before then."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Arthur replied, the lie smooth as silk.
As Donald walked away, Arthur's smile vanished. His eyes hardened, becoming the eyes of Fateless, of Azarel.
'Soon, Charlotte,' he thought. 'Soon we'll be free of all this.'
Four hours until the car arrives. Four hours that stretched like an eternity.
He'd prepared for this moment for weeks. Now all he needed was to get inside that hospital. Just once.
Every minute crawled by with excruciating slowness. He tried to distract himself with Armageddon's forums, checking guild notifications, even attempted to read—anything to make time move faster. Nothing worked.
When his watch finally showed 1:55 PM, Arthur was already waiting outside, heart hammering against his ribs. The black car pulled up exactly at two, its tinted windows revealing nothing of the interior.
A man in a dark suit emerged.
"Arthur Fate?" His voice was flat.
"Step inside, please."
Arthur slid into the back seat, his body tense despite his calm facade. The interior smelled of leather and something antiseptic.
"I need to secure your vision for the journey," the man said, producing a blindfold.
Arthur nodded, having expected this. The thick fabric came down over his eyes, plunging him into darkness. The man wrapped it twice, tying it firmly at the back of his head.
The car started moving. Through the darkness, Arthur allowed himself a thin smile.
'Go ahead with your security theater,' he thought. 'Once the merge happens, I'll be able to teleport straight to the hospital. Idiots think they're being secretive.'
The sedan took turns, sometimes sharp, sometimes gentle. They drove on what felt like a highway, then city streets, then what might have been a private road. Without vision, Arthur's other senses heightened—the subtle changes in road texture, the distant sounds of traffic fading in and out.
One hour passed. Then two.
'Where the hell is this hospital?' The question nagged at him. Charlotte's facility was supposed to be somewhere in the city. They should have arrived by now.
Three hours in, doubt began to creep in. Had Donald lied again? Was this just another cruel game?
'No. That's impossible.'
Charlotte needed him to stay focused and calm, to execute the plan. After weeks of separation, after everything they'd been through—he wouldn't fail her. Not now. Not when they were so close.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the car slowed and came to a stop. Engines off.
"We've arrived," the driver announced, reaching back to remove the blindfold.
The sudden light assaulted Arthur's eyes. He blinked rapidly, squinting against the brightness. As his vision adjusted, a massive structure came into focus—a gleaming white building surrounded by extensive grounds and a perimeter fence.
Not a typical hospital. A facility. A prison dressed in medical whites.
Something lurched in Arthur's chest. Somewhere in that building was Charlotte—his little sister, the only family he had left in the world. The girl who'd trusted him to protect her when their parents died. The girl he'd failed.
"This way, Mr. Fate." A security guard walked towards him.
Arthur stepped out, his legs slightly stiff from the long ride.
'I'm coming, Charlotte,' he promised silently, following the guard toward the entrance. 'Whatever it takes.'
The facility doors slid open with a soft hiss, welcoming him into the sterile interior that had held his sister captive.
White walls. Antiseptic smell. The soft hum of medical equipment. Arthur's senses cataloged everything as the guard led him through a series of hallways. Each step brought him closer to Charlotte.
"Please wait here," the guard said, gesturing to a small waiting room. "Dr. Mendez will brief you shortly."
Arthur nodded, taking a seat on an uncomfortable plastic chair. His fingers drummed against his knee—the only outward sign of his impatience.
Three minutes later, a woman in a white coat entered. "Mr. Fate? I'm Dr. Mendez, your sister's attending physician."
Arthur stood, extending his hand. "How is she?"
"Charlotte is stable," Dr. Mendez said, her expression giving nothing away. "But her condition remains complex."
"As Donald explained, you'll be able to observe from our monitoring room. Direct contact isn't possible at this stage of her treatment."