What the hell-"

I touched myself, I was in the same clothes as before. I felt the ground, it felt real. I felt my neck, Arin's necklace was still there. I was home... I couldn't believe it. I had actually made it home. I took a deep breath, and my vision finally faded in. I started to cry. Sob.

I moved my hair away from my dead eye. I could see. Both of my eyes were working the same. I could see again. I sobbed into my hands, both eyes crying. I felt my belt, and my knife was still hooked to it. I took it, and cut the large chunk of hair that covered my face off, leaving a puff of hair in the middle of my forehead. I looked at a nearby pillar that had reflective glass on it, and saw myself. One Green Eye, One purple. Great I looked like an anime character.

I started to run, sprinting through the streets. I was so happy, I ran, and I cried, all the way back home. I had no phone on me, I had no reason to stop at a payphone. I just, I wanted to get home, to see my mom.

I was happy. I was free. I felt the wind in my hair, I kept touching the skin below my eye. I smiled, I cried, I was so happy. I could finally see the world. I kept turning my head, I almost ran into a pole but jumped over it. I was still extremely agile.

"Wait," I said out loud. "I'm still in my," I reached into my pocket, and grabbed a cryo catalyst and crushed it in my hand. "Nothing, damn," I laughed. Thinking maybe that magic would work.

My house was blue, it had felt like I had been gone for a year. I didn't have the keys to open up. I didn't have anything. I just had my knife, my shirt, and... both of my eyes.

I knocked on the door. And waited. The anticipation was killing me. I was going to see my mom, I was going to see her! And, Jake! I was going to see Jake!

The door opened, and my mother was there, looking just like me. She was on the phone, and didn't notice me at first.

"Hi mom," i said, tears in my eyes.

She looked down at me, "I've gotta go," She said, and closed her phone. Her eyes filled with tears. She just looked at me, and I looked back. We sat there for about a minute and just cried.

Then I hugged her, running inside and sobbing. Both of us.

"How are you here?!" She exclaimed.

"I came back," I cried.

"You were dead Anna!"

"I know, but I'm back now."

"Where did you go? Why did you run away?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." I sobbed.

We embraced. I loved my mom, I missed her, but I'm back now. I made it back home, back to her.

We sat on the couch and talked for hours. I wasn't sure what to tell her about where I've been, I didn't think she would believe the truth. So I lied... I shouldn't have, I still regret it now, but I lied. I told her I ran off with a gang, that I was in a bad place for a year, but I'm back now.

She asked how I fixed my eye, and I dodged the question a lot. She was just happy to see me. The quest was over, the game was over, I had won.

My mom and I talked for hours and hours. She handed me my old phone, showed me my old room was still safe. We went inside and everything was as I left it. The dresser, bed, everything. It just looked clean.

"You kept it so nice."

"Part of me knew..." My mom said.

"I know... I'm sorry I took so long." I said.

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"It's okay I'm just glad you're back..."

"Wait." I said "What about Jake? Is he-" I paused, remembering what Lilitha had said in Tracia.

"He was pretty beaten up about you," she said. "It's been awhile since I've seen him."

"Wait I should call him!" I picked up my phone and immediately went through my contacts.

"Anna he won't pick up if you call him from that number," My mom said. She was right, he still thinks I'm dead. "Why don't you just go see him?"

"Y-you're okay with me leaving?" I said.

"Just.." She looked down. "Come back this time okay?" She cried.

I held back tears, but they fell anyways, out of both eyes. I looked at my mom. "Okay," I said.

I ran off, running through the city. I took no time getting to Jake's, and I was fast. Incredibly fast. I jumped over an entire crosswalk in one leap. That felt inhuman, and I must have some sort of power left in me after that.

I touched Arin's necklace, and felt energy surge within me slightly. I remembered Lilitha saying only "Celestial and Archonic" energy could cross the barrier... Then, I arrived at Jake's house and knocked on his door.

He answered. Of course he answered. He looked at me. Then shut his eyes, blinking, then looked at me again.

"Hi," I said softly. "Is this Jake from state farm?" I said, trying not to cry.

In a moment, without even hesitating he kissed me. I felt his lips, his soft hair, his arms wrap around me. It was ten seconds of pure bliss. I was shocked. He let me go after a moment.

"I am so sorry," He said. "Anna I- I thought you were... How did you-"

"We have a lot to talk about," I said. "First of all, please feel free to do that again." I smiled birghtly, tears still in my eyes.

"Your eye," he said. "It's..."

"Yeah, it is." I said. "Come walk please, let's chat." We left his house, walking down the pathway as the sun started to set.

We walked for a moment, talking about, a few things, until finally we arrived at the park we always went to and sat on the swings.

Then he asked me... "Where were you? You were gone for six months."

I wanted to lie, to tell him what I told my mother, but I couldn't bring myself to. My mother would never believe me, but Jake might.

I told Jake the truth, everything. I told him about Arin, The abyss, Everything. And He listened. He didn't say a single word the entire time.

"That's what happened?"

"Yeah, I killed the last lord of terror, and returned home."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"I, wouldn't lie..."

"Were you on a drug trip or?"

"No..." I said, stnading up and looking at him.

"Then,"

"Here! Look!" I said. "My eye is back. I've had the dead eye since I was young! It's gone! I can see! And look, This is the dagger! Right here!" I pulled out Arin's dagger, and swiped it into the air, transforming it into a sword.

Jake was stunned, he did a double take looking at me.

"And this," She said. "This is the necklace Arin gave me."

"Woah," Jake said.

"And! I can jump! Watch!" I said. I jumped off the ground, landing on the top of the slide, clearing a good 10 feet.

"What the hell?!" Jake shouted, before smiling brightly. "How did you do that?!"

I jumped down, rolling before I hit the ground.

"I told you! It's all true." I sheathed the sword again.

"Anna, you're ... incredible."

And that was that. Jake and I left soon after. He believed me, and then I was back home in my bed. Part of me felt like it had all been a dream, but my incredible skill stuck with me. My dagger stuck with me, and Arin's necklace, stuck with me.

Months would pass, and I would return to a normal life. I was happy. I missed Arin, Zach, and the others. Part of me hoped Zach returned and that I would run into him one day, but part of me hoped he was happy as he seemed much happier in the other world. I was sad, but happy to be home.

I got a job as a photographer, as I just wanted to see everything I could. I gave up fighting, as I was no longer angry. I was happy. I was taking pictures, uploading them to a blog, and became quite popular. It paid pretty well, and soon I made enough money to attend filming school.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to go yet. I was sitting in bed, looking at the ceiling as the sun began to rise. I was up pretty early this day, maybe I could sleep more. I closed my eyes a bit.

Then I heard ringing. I felt heat on my chest, and I could tell light was filling up the room. I opened my eyes, and my necklace, no Arin's necklace was glowing a powerful bright orange. I had forgotten how long I'd been wearing it...

I looked around, immediately wondering why it was glowing. I noticed a figure standing outside my window. I immediately grabbed my dagger, putting it on my belt and running down the steps.

Was it danger? Was it one of the lords? Maybe even Ferris? My thoughts raced thinking I was going to have to fight something. I went through the front door quickly, and pulled out my dagger. Preparing to defend myself. The necklace grew brighter, until suddenly, it stopped. The figure from before was gone, I looked all around, then, noticed the figure again, across the street.

I crossed, and the necklace began to glow again. The man was wearing a hood. I approached him softly. Dagger in hand. He took off his hood, and smiled at me. I walked right up to him across the street from my house. A wave of relief ran over me as my stress faded away.

He was a bit taller than me, with a young looking face. He had brown hair and wore a dark brown cloak around his black outfit. He waved, and I sheathed my dagger. This was impossible, it couldn't be... but it was. I just knew it was. I knew that...

It was Arin.