Ace entered the room, interrupting their conversation. Without hesitation, Zuri turned to her father and said,
"I don't want him in my room," pointing directly at Zion.
Ace looked confused for a moment, but before he could say anything, Zion backed away and quietly left the room. Zuri gazed at her father with a somber expression.
"No matter what happens, I want you to know that I love you. Both you and Mom," she said earnestly. Her father approached her, gently taking her arm.
"My sweet Zu, forget about this horrible night. From now on, I will always protect you," he promised with sincerity. With concern on her face said.
"Is Zane doing okay?" Ace replied with a warm smile,
"Don't worry about your little brother. He's devouring all the hospital food. Zara is with him, making sure he gets everything he needs."
She then asked her father to take her to him, Ace then fetched a wheelchair and helped Zuri into it, wheeling her to her brother's room. She smiled as she entered her brother's room, seeing Zara running around with snacks and Zane happily munching on biscuits and marshmallows. Zane excitedly called out,
"Zu, come over! There are still some chips left!". Zara turned to see her sister rush over to her and exclaimed,
"Zu, he won't stop eating, this little monster! How did you take care of him all these years?".
Zuri burst into laughter as she looked at her siblings. She then pulled Zara into a tight hug, and Zane quickly jumped out of bed to join his sisters for a group hug. Zuri felt the weight of her decision deep in her heart.
Though she knew what she had to do to bring her mom back home, saying goodbye to her family was one of the hardest things she had ever endured. After spending the day joking and eating snacks with her siblings, Zuri settled into her wheelchair as the evening approached. She turned to her father and said,
"Dad, I think I'll go for a quick walk to get some fresh air." Ace kissed her on the forehead and replied,
"Don't be late!"
Zuri paused at the doorway, taking in the scene one last time. Zara was asleep beside Zane telling him a bedtime story. Her father sat on the sofa, typing away on his laptop.
In the hospital garden, tears streaming down her cheeks, she then said quietly
"Jeyko!".
A rush of cold air passed by her, as Zuri tried to stand up from her wheelchair. A hand gently pushed her back into her seat. She looked up, knowing he would be there. With determination in her eyes, she spoke,
"Can you take me to the realm, Jack?". Kneeling beside her, Jack wore a concerned expression as he asked,
"Are you sure?" Without hesitation, Zuri replied,
"I have to, or more people will get hurt because of me!".
A flashback to the alley, when Jack came back and hugged Zuri, he slipped a note into her pocket. However, last night when her mom disappeared, as she was asked to fetch her siblings from upstairs, she quickly went to her room and grabbed her jacket and the note fell out. It read,
"Hey beautiful, it's been a long time, we've missed you, Oliver, and Elodie as well. Don't worry, we're all doing fine. All I can say for now is that you have to go back to the realm! But knowing Zion, he won't let you go easily! The choice is yours, just say 'Jeyko' when you're ready."
Going back to the garden, Jack helped Zuri stand up then he embraced her gently and whispered,
"Close your eyes."
As Zuri complied, she felt the air around them shift, and even with her eyes closed, she sensed the brilliant light illuminating the space. It was a breathtaking sight, one she never grew tired of experiencing. As the light faded away, darkness enveloped them, but the familiar scent of the forest filled Zuri's senses, just as fresh as she remembered. Jack then said,
"We've arrived. You can open your eyes now." Zuri glanced around, but in the darkness, she could barely make out Jack's face. He continued,
"We don't have time to waste. We need to prepare you." Zuri, confused, asked,
"Prepare me? And who is 'we'?" Suddenly, a man's voice sounded from behind Jack, saying,
"You didn't forget about us, did you?" A serious woman's voice chimed in,
"Quit playing! Let's go!"
Jack then grabbed Zuri by the waist and pushed her into a dark pit. As she started falling, she panicked and began to yell. But just as she was about to hit the ground, her body stopped falling and began to float in the air. Panicked, she looked up and spotted Oliver sitting on the ground, looking at her amusedly. Oliver approached her and pulled her floating body into a standing position by her arms.
"You look exactly as we left you," he remarked. Then, as she continued to float, he added,
"Beautiful as always, even in the hospital gown!"
Just then, Jack and Elodie appeared from behind. Jack gently touched her hair, and she landed on her feet with a soft thud. Elodie grabbed Zuri and pulled her into a tight-back hug, exclaiming,
"You're finally here!" Zuri turned around, her expression filled with sadness, and replied,
"My mom, they took her! I need to find her!" Elodie took Zuri by the shoulders and reassured her, saying,
"Don't worry, we will help you find her. But first, you need to get ready for the test!" Zuri's panic surged.
"What do you mean? Do I have to go through all that again?" Jack approached her, his expression full of concern.
"Not all of it, just the part you missed out on before he took you away from us," he explained. Zuri found herself in an underground maze with the three of them holding a dim light. He continued,
"Listen, we don't have much time. We need to take you to where the test is happening!" Oliver then interrupted Jack urgently and said,
"Remember the tunnel we crossed to get to the forest? That's where we are taking you!" Elodie looked at Zuri with a sad face.
"Once you leave the tunnel, the test will continue for you as it did for us a year ago," she explained.
Zuri puzzled, thought to herself, But it's only been three days! How could it have been a year for them?, Zuri couldn't help but stare at Elodie. Her hair was longer than she remembered, flowing down to her waist. She wore a striking red dress that showed off her cleavage, far from the simple attire she had seen her in before. She looked stunning, yet different
Then there was Oliver, who had also changed. His physique was more defined, and he exuded a calm confidence. He wore a simple white t-shirt and black leather jeans, with his brown hair in a low ponytail. How could this be? It had only been days for her, but they seemed to have aged. Something was off. Elodie shook Zuri by the shoulders, trying to snap her out of her confusion.
"Are you listening to me? I know this is a lot to take in, but you need to focus," she said urgently.
"Once you're done with the test, we'll explain everything. But right now, we need you sharp!"
Zuri snapped out of her thoughts, remembering why she came to the realm in the first place, to find her mother, Ava, before something terrible happened.
"What do I need to do to finish this damn test?" she asked, urgency in her voice. Elodie gripped Zuri's shoulders firmly and replied,
"Jack and Oliver will take you to the end of the tunnel. Once you're out, look for people nearby and blend in. Act like you just stumbled out of the cavern!". she continued urgently,
"People need to see you as one of them for the test to continue for you!"
Elodie then explained that once she's in the forest, they can't help her. She added that the realm would test her worst fear, and she would have to overcome it before it consumed her mind. Zuri felt a surge of fear at this revelation, doubting whether she could face the test and come out of it. Shaking slightly, Jack took her hands and gently turned her to face him.
"Listen to me," he said, his voice steady but urgent.
"Remember what I told you in the cavern? You're special! Turns out, I was right." He lifted her chin to make sure she was looking at him.
"Look at your leg. You can move it now!"
She glanced down, suddenly recalling her leg injury. But to her surprise, there was no pain. She moved her leg cautiously, expecting discomfort, but felt nothing. The injury seemed to have healed. She stared at Jack, stunned.
"How come it's all healed?" she asked, bewildered. Jack gave her a reassuring smile.
"Just know that you can do it," he said.
"Trust yourself, you're a lot stronger than you think." Oliver interrupted them, saying,
"We have to go; they're starting to come out of the cavern!" Elodie quickly grabbed Zuri and gave her a tight hug before saying,
"See you on the other side!"
Then she vanished in an instant. Oliver took Zuri by one hand and Jack by the other. Together, they lifted her, and a blue dome formed around them, lifting them off the ground. They began to move slowly, passing through tunnels and crossing over them as if they were invisible.
Zuri glanced at the boys but felt a chill seeing their eyes turn completely white. It was as if their bodies were with her, but their minds were elsewhere. She was hovering above the maze, looking down at the distant tunnels. Suddenly, Oliver spoke,
"We found it! Zuri, grab on tight, we're about to hit the ground."
As they fell, they entered a tunnel, and the dome vanished. Jack quickly pulled Zuri onto his chest, ensuring she landed on him when they hit the ground. As they landed in the tunnel, Zuri found herself on top of Jack.
Feeling embarrassed, she quickly tried to stand up, but he held her in a tight hug, and then let her go. She crouched, keeping her distance, watching the end of the tunnel from one side while Jack and Oliver were on the other side. Zuri whispered to the boys,
"Please if I don't make it, find my mom, Ava, and bring her back." Jack looked away, his expression sad, while Oliver replied confidently,
"You'll make it out of there!" Zuri insisted,
"You have to promise me, please!" Oliver assured her,
"Elodie is looking for her now as we speak. Just focus on yourself for now!" He then gently wiped a tear from Zuri's cheek. As she was about to leave, Jack grabbed her shoulder and said,
"Wait!"
He pulled out a familiar necklace and gently put it around her neck. Zuri's eyes widened as she recognized it, the family heirloom she thought she'd lost. It was the same one she'd been wearing the last time she entered the realm. He then kissed her on the neck, sending shivers down her skin, and whispered,
"I'll see you on the other side."
She couldn't turn back to look at him; the goodbyes were too hard. Instead, she continued her way to the end of the tunnel.