Chapter 18: A Mother's Return

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"W-What...How...? Y-You died....I watched you die. Almost everyone here did too," I spoke, shocked, emotional, and beside myself.

Mom was right in front of me. It wasn't a dream. I knew that because everyone else was just as shocked as me, so they obviously saw her too. It couldn't have been an illusion cast by Thueban or Kuragari either. Kuragari never met my mom, so even if he were to clone her to trick us, I doubt any of us would've fallen for it, and Thueban didn't have any powers nor did he know what she looked like and acted like either. Also, if it were just an image, I would've phased right through it and gotten myself suffocated or crushed. Scratching the back of her head, Mom said, "Honestly, I forgot I had died until about an hour ago. I guess something knew I was going to come back because it just felt like I was asleep. I just woke up outside the town. I didn't know what day it was or where I was at all. I just wandered into town and asked. It was a horrible feeling to know that I was away from you and everyone else for so long."

I felt a lump in my throat. My mother whom I've mourned for so long was right in front of me. I couldn't hold it back anymore and I burst out in tears. Mom looked just as emotional as I was and she knelt down and cradled me in her arms. "Oh, dear," she began, holding back tears, "I've missed you so much, Kira. I'm so proud of you. I know it must've been hard on you to deal with me going away but look at you. You look just as strong as the day I last saw you. Your turn really did come and from the 45 seconds I saw of you just now, you became a true leader. 18 really did you good. 18-."

Mom paused and started to tear up. Just the mention of my age got to her. "I can't believe I was out for 2 years. I guess that means Kobe is 9. Wait, oh no, that's not something I ever want to hear," Mom groaned to herself.

I chuckled. I know for the most part Mom was real emotional to learn how everyone grew a bit, but a part of me wonders if she was willingly indulging in her pain to make me smile. I guess if she was, well, her plan was working. Mom counted on her fingers, stopped, looked up at Shiro, and exclaimed, "WOAH, you must be, like, 90 now!"

Rue, Maddie, and I laughed. There was no doubt about it. That was the real Isabella "Isi" Dmitriov. "Hey!" Shiro shouted, offended, "We're the same age you jerk! Besides, you look way older. Being dead didn't do you any anti-aging favours I guess."

Mom's eyes narrowed. "Don't be cocky because you're the youngest triplet," she shot back.

Suzume giggled which made Shiro blush. Mom turned around and looked at some of the debris that was pinning Rahma and the other woman down. Then, she turned to Alnujum who was still unconscious, and commented, "Welp, you seemed like you guys needed out of here, so best to get out before these people get up."

I nodded and we walked up to the door. I put my hand on the knob, turned it, and it was locked. Just great. Briar looked at the door and stepped forward. "Here," she started to say, "Let me."

"What are you going to do?" Arianna scoffed, "Bore it til it crumbles?"

Briar grumbled and pulled something out of a large backpack. It looked like a gun and a very big one too. It was painted a silver-like purple and had a long, snout-like barrel. Briar held it in one hand by the trigger, aimed it at the door, fired it, and out came a purple blast that shattered the door to pieces. "Woah! What was that?" Hinata inquired, surprised.

Briar put the gun away and explained, "It was laser tech. One blast could shatter diamonds in mere seconds. I made this, no biggie."

"Wow," Arianna began, "You're such a nerd."

"Come on, everyone. We have to hurry. It's 1:00. We got only 6 hours until the sun goes down," I said.

Rubbing the back of her neck, Dahlia asked, "But are we in the clear? What if Thueban spots us? What'll happen then?"

"Luckily," Sagira started, "Thueban always starts his lunch break now. It usually lasts for an hour, or so I've heard. That being said, we have plenty of time to get to the temple without him noticing."

"Then come on," I ordered.

Everyone came along as we snuck out of the basement and the administration office. Sagira led us off campus with her book in her hand. We ran to the outskirts of town. On the way, I explained what we were going after to Mom. Mom seemed as concerned as all of us did. I was still wobbly from exhaustion after being exposed to the Porta Via crystal and so, Mom held me up, almost like I was a baby learning how to walk. I can't describe how good it felt to have Mom back. Finally, we made it to the Tazdhair temple. We started searching for the Mineral Gem. It took about an hour but we finally found it beneath a layer of sandstone. Mom used her dagger to get it out. I held the gem. The gem was a rich, smokey, almost stardust-like, gray color. I had a small, crossbody purse and I put it in the purse. Everything was sure to start going smoothly in Zahrat. Right?


The basement of the administration office of Mufakir Region University

2:00 P. M.

Thueban stood at the obliterated door to the basement. He looked shocked and frustrated as his eyes shifted from the door to the piles of debris, and then to Alnujum, Rahma, and the other woman lying in a bruised and mildly bloody heap. Even worse, when he arrived at the area his captives should've been tied up in, it was empty and the chains were in pieces and scattered on the ground. Thueban stroked his long, wispy beard.

"How unfortunate. It seems my friends were useless after all. Well, no matter then. I know where they are. I'll give them hell. How sad for them. I was going to execute them swiftly, but I guess this moment calls for brutality,"

                                Thueban looked at the people whom he once deemed friends as he picked up a hatchet. He held it over his head.

                                 "Poor, wretched idiots. This is what you get for making a fool out of me and Kuragari,"

                                  Unbeknownst to his lackeys, their unconsciousness would last a lifetime. As Thueban swung the hatchet, heads rolled to his feet.

                                   Thueban was many things; cunning, ruthless, and manipulative, but above all else, he was simply a madman.

  
      ((yay Isi is back, they got the gem, Thueban is a crazy man on the hunt- wait what?))

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