A few days had passed and since Zuri and I spent so much time in Ix Chel, we decided to rent an apartment in her name.

Rina came over as often as she could and during her visits, we would enter the dark world where Zuri and I would go over the many things we had experienced on Edenton.

A smile crept over my face as I thought about every expression Rina made when we told her our stories. Shock, awe, concern and even sadness.

“Katsíki?” Zuri called from the chair opposite mine.

We were having breakfast and I had allowed my thoughts to wander.

“Don’t worry. I was just thinking.”

“About Rina?” She asked and I nodded.

“Well, you’ll have plenty of time to talk to her tonight.”

“Mmm.” I sounded in agreement before tapping the table in thought with a finger.

“What about you? Is there anything you want to do?”

“No, not really. I just wish there was I way I could know that Adia was safe.”

“Oh.” I sounded. Zuri was right in worrying.

There was no way we could find out exactly where he was. My comprehension of the dark world was limited to the range which I already possessed and so I couldn’t rush over to Edenton and comb over Lanceberg because I had no clue how to get there in the first place.

There was also the possibility that some of my people had ended up on earth and they were probably being held captive by the governments of earth.

Zuri and I eventually finished our breakfast and, after tidying everything up in the small two roomed flat, we exited the building and made our way to the nearby park where we spent our afternoons.

We reached the small patch of grass on the edge of the city and, after finding a bench for Zuri to sit on, we watched as time passed us by.

But, even though we felt very comfortable beneath the earth’s blue sky, we both felt very alien.

We had discussed it many times and it was no secret between us.

We didn’t belong here.

But there was not much we could do and so we sat in the park and watched as families gathered and children played. The air was filled with the smell of barbecues and freshly cut grass. The winds whistled by loudly but not too loud that it drowned out the many happy voices in the park.

Minutes turned into hours as we sat and the time eventually came for us to visit Rina at her home but we had to prepare and so we made our way back home, freshened up, got changed and left for Rina’s house which was a few blocks away.

We took a taxi there but just as we arrived, the air suddenly grew heavier.

We got out of the taxi but I turned around and my face twisted into a scowl upon seeing Luno standing on the other side of the street.

Zuri gasped upon noticing him as well. His figure illuminated harshly by the orange light from the setting sun.

He then walked towards us, his body covered in a blue silk robe and his face weary.

Upon reaching us, he briefly looked at me before turning to Zuri.

“Where is he?” She asked.

“In Caligo’s palace.” Luno reported and I watched as Zuri sighed out all of the air in her lungs.

“How did you find us?” I asked.

“I was advised by the Temporal Scribe, Sagathon. He came bearing bad news but I think it would be best if you heard it from him.”

“Just how bad are we talking about?” I asked with a heavy frown.

“The fate of the very cosmos is at stake.”

Zuri and I exchanged shocked glances.

“Alright but-“

“Umm… what’s going on here?”

My heart fell upon hearing Rina’s voice.

I turned around to find her approaching.

“Umm… I… this is Luno. He’s from Edenton.”

“Oh, he’s the king that you spoke of. What’s he doing here?” Rina asked as she walked up to Zuri and I.

“Apparently something really bad is about to happen and he’s here to tell us about it and possibly take us back to Edenton.” I explained but a frown formed on Rina’s face.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“OK but you’re at least going to join us for dinner before you leave, right?” She asked, her gaze locked with mine.

“How much time do we have?” I asked.

“Sagathon assumes that the end could be mere moments away since the time between the last Collison and the one before was extremely short.”

I bit my teeth.

“Sorry-“

“So you’re just going to leave again.” Rina said with trembling eyes.

“What?” I asked with a confused frown.

“And here I thought that maybe we could- I don’t know, start over but no.” Rina said as tears welled up in her eyes but I didn’t understand-

“Could you at least stay for dinner. Please, Riley.”

My eyes widened to their limits.

“When did you-?”

I stopped myself and quickly turned to Luno, who stood with crossed arms.

He then gave me a nod.

I turned to Zuri and after sighing, she held my wheelchair’s handles and pushed into towards Rina’s house.

Rina opened the door, allowing us inside.

We were greeted by many delightful aromas but the only thing I could focus on was Rina who led us into the living room where we were eventually joined by Thomas and Fia who sat by Rina's side while Zuri sat next to me.

Thomas stood up shortly after placing Fia on Rina’s lap and he made his way to the kitchen where he served diner for everyone.

Rina’s eyes hung low as Thomas handed everyone their plates.

We all then silently at and it seemed as though Fia still needed some help so Rina fed her.

Diner came to an end and, after washing the dishes, Thomas put Fia to sleep before joining us in sitting once more.

“Hello, Riley.” Rina whimpered with her eyes low.

“H-hello.” I said although it felt as though something was squeezing my throat.

“Did you really die or was that a lie?”

“It… was somewhat a lie. I died on the day that the collision happened but my soul, instead of reaching its intended destination was taken to Edenton.”

Rina nodded.

“Well, I already told you that mom died but did I ever tell you why?”

I shook my head.

“She died because of heartbreak.” Rina said while offering Thomas her hand.

He accepted it and gently held it while Rina took a deep breath.

“She was broken by your sudden disappearance and since I was going through my own rebellious phase at the time, she suffered mostly alone until one day I received a call telling me she was gone.”

Rina’s words were painfully clear in the silent room.

“Her will stated that the house be given to you but since you weren’t here it was handed over to me. But what was a seventeen year old to do with an entire house? I thought about running away as well but I could never leave this place. So much so that I invited people who I thought were my friends here. I spent my darkest nights in this place, living recklessly. I barely managed to graduate high-school but by then my body was bruised and worn out. That’s when I found Tom, here. We were both in a pretty bad place when we met. He was a veteran, going through his own problems and instead of going off and suffering on his own, this idiot decided to get me pregnant.” Rina said with a weak smile.

“But I’m grateful because, on the exact day we found out I was carrying Fia, we decided to change our lives for the better. Tom got a job and fed us while I went to school. We then refurbished this place after nearly burning it down and few times and here we are now. Happy and content. But something haunted me throughout all that. A question that you asked me a few days ago. I wondered if my brother was happy? I wondered what he must have been going through and whether or not he was alright. I then saw that day when you first came that I shouldn’t have worried so much. You had come back home… but just as I prepared my heart to let you in… you were about to leave again.” Rina’s eyes quaked as she spoke.

“Were you planning on leaving without a trace again? So that another person would die from worrying about you?”

“Rina.” Thomas called but Rina shook her head.

“No. Let him speak. I want to hear it from him.” She said as tears covered her face.

I opened my mouth to speak but-

“I’m sorry.” I said but the reaction I could was one that I could have never expected.

“That’s not what you were supposed to say.” She said while letting go of Thomas.

“You were supposed to say you were going to stay!” She yelled and although it seemed as though Thomas looked like he wanted to calm her down, he remained still.

“GO!” Rina yelled while pointing at the door.

“JUST GO!”

Zuri stood up and gave me a questioning glance.

“Alright.” I said prompting Zuri to move me to the door but before we left, I turned around and watched as Rina wept in Thomas’s arms.

“Goodbye, Rina.” I said before leaving the house with Zuri in tow.

Luno then appeared in front of us in the dark of night and, after I gave him a weak nod, he teleported Zuri and I to a strange, dark place.

One where space itself was laid bare as an infinite grid of grey lines.

I would have been surprised by the strange, pale and skinny looking dragon which had a stone-skinned woman sitting on its back but I simply sighed.

“Explain everything.” I instructed and this prompted the energetic dragon, who introduced himself as Sagathon, to give me a summary on everything I needed to know.

I sighed again as Luno took us on a journey across unimaginable stretches of space but even as we hurtled across the stars, my thoughts remained on one thing.

.

..

We eventually returned to Edenton, after what felt like several days of travel and any happiness I would have felt was torn through and twisted by rage as we were greeted by several legions of knights and…

“Ah…” I weakly sounded upon seeing Caligo standing in the middle of a crowd that awaited us in a grand courtyard. His golden eyes peered into mine as the sun soared high above.

My vision temporarily left me as countless blue sparks filled the air.

The crowd filled with gasps and the knights all raised their weapons but before they could point them at me, the blue sparks suddenly disappeared and I felt a strange lump in my chest.

[Hold your horses, little Katsíki. I can’t have you killing Caligo. As I said, the ritual needs all eight of us so you will have to abandon your need for vengeance.]

I turned my eyes to Sagathon who towered above me and with darkness infused breath, I spoke.

“Undo whatever restriction you placed on me or I will kill you.” I hissed but Sagathon’s eyes narrowed in response.

[No, but you are free try.] He said.

I glanced at Caligo who stood behind his knights before sighing.

“When will we be conducting the ritual?”

[As soon as we convince the Empress of Death to come along. Although if she continues to refuse, I will simply force her to come. We also have to help out Ms. Host of life but that a different issue.] Sagathon said.

“Alright. Take me home in the meantime. I’d at least like to say goodbye to my people.”

Sagathon nodded before glancing at Luno who nodded.

“Where would you like me to take you?” The Moon King asked.

“Just north of Coh.”

Luno nodded.

[We will come for you when the time is right.] Sagathon said and in the next moment, I was standing atop a certain hill a few kilometers north of Coh, in the Kauretia Valley.

I simply sat there and peered into the visibly busy Kommátia planes. A bustling encampment could be seen above the old battlegrounds.

I wondered just how many new visitors they’d gotten during the collision and I wondered just how many people we had lost.