Zuri, a diligent student, always excelled in her studies, aspiring to secure a stable job and support herself.
However, her routine was disrupted one morning when a new student, Zion Metrich, made a striking entrance into her class.
Little did she...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Ian, let's go. She might have left already," Ash urged. Ian while scanning the area replied firmly,
"I'm not leaving without her." Kimora glanced at Ash annoyed and remarked,
"If you're in a hurry to leave, feel free." Ash, feeling hungry, grabbed his stomach and joked,
"I'm just hungry!" Aslan chuckled and teased,
"You and your stomach!" Ian suddenly shouted,
"Look the gate is opening! Someone is coming back!"
They anxiously awaited Zuri's return, but their hopes were dashed when a Novice emerged instead. They were believed to bring bad luck, so they avoided acknowledging it, fearing misfortune. They felt uneasy and avoided making eye contact, uncertain about what to do next.
Zuri opened her eyes and found herself in a magical village filled with all sorts of creatures on the ground & the sky, and bizarre-looking houses. The weather was hot, and clear lakes sparkled nearby.
Relieved that Zion was correct and that she hadn't forgotten her life on Earth, Zuri scanned her surroundings and spotted her team from the race. They didn't seem to notice her, so she approached them, and exclaimed,
"Hey,I'm back!" Zuri's team glared at her, and Fin stepped forward, snapped,
"Go away, Novice!" Aslan took Kimora away, while Ash angrily jumped in,
"You don't belong here!" Zuri felt shocked and confused by their harsh words. Jasper from behind shoved her, making her fall flat to the green land. He ordered,
"Leave now!"
Feeling hurt and betrayed, Zuri stood up and ran away as far as she could from them until she reached a small house. Approaching its windows, she caught sight of her reflection and screamed in horror. She started touching her face, her eyes were swollen, her nose was misshapen, and her hair was white with bald spots. She resembled one of the strange creatures in the village.
Shocked, she covered her face with her cap bending down next to the house, Zuri contemplated her situation, realizing that her friends didn't recognize her. She gathered her resolve and started running back, passing by a lot of shops filled with people, a group in shiny armor, adorned with magical caps and robes, crossed her path. One of them deliberately bumped into her, causing her to stumble forward.
Standing up and facing them letting her cap down, Zuri noticed their horrified reactions as they covered their eyes and some even their noses from her appearance. A muscular guy approached her and forcefully grabbed her hand, lifting her and exposing her rank to everyone. A girl remarked,
"Oh my, that's a mundane!" Another added,
"It must be awful to be ranked dead last!" The guy holding her slammed her to the ground, sneering,
