Beyond the Rift ✔ (Completed)

Chapter 37: Sometimes They Come Back

Maybe it's somewhat to do with the stone. Marty sounds cheerful or rather eager.

We open the door and are met with the unexpected.

There are four people. Marty and Nick have a wide smile over their faces. I notice Marty's eyes glimmer with tears. Halitus has arrived, but not alone. From behind her emerges the least expected person; Elvira.

...

"Elvira!" I bolt in her direction to hug her tightly. She invites my embrace without a hesitation. It feels like I'm in a dreamscape, this doesn't feel real at all. We hold for a while before pulling away.

I glance at her greenish face. She looks the same, withholding few bruises and cuts across her face. Her smile is constant as she takes-in my sight.

"We thought... you were gone... we waited.. You didn't" I fumble as words race to my brain. "The-the Tridents they were after you, Azazel said he got you, he was very powerful, how did you make it out? We heard you scream.."

"Yes." She beams at us. "You are right. After you guys left, Azazel did try to kill me. I almost thought that day was going to be my last day on earth. It almost was; I barely escaped from their clutches. Scampering through the woods, I tried to send out a distress call, but my body had given up, I was going to bleed to death. If Halitus hadn't found me at the right time, I wouldn't be here today." I glance at Halitus, she doesn't acknowledge the facts, maybe because she is too abashed to face us. That would explain her delay. But that doesn't matter anymore. Elvira is back, and that's more than enough.

Elvira continues, "Halitus took care of me, she treated me as much as she could. Before her departure, I convinced her to keep my existence a secret. I noticed the signs of discord between Ethan and you. I knew the only thing the two of you needed more than the training, was motivation. A common enemy. You needed to understand each other. It does seem crazy, but it should have worked."

"It did." I hear Ethan's voice for the first time. I turn around to find him at the door of our room. He seems to be in a total state of shock. His eyes transfix on Elvira as she approaches him.

"Ethan." She utters in the silence. "I hope you can forgive me."

Ethan doesn't reply but nodsas a single tear rolls down his face. He hugs her as if she were about to falloff a cliff. He didn't let go of her either. Knowing Ethan, he must've already startedto blame himself for all the times we fought over Elvira's rumored death. But, thistime it seems like the feeling of happiness has overcome all the ill emotions. Thosetears are not from the guilt, regardless, he is at peace. Ethan and Marty werethe ones who were the most broken in Elvira's absence. This turn of eventsmeans more than the world to them.

Finally, for once, things seem to get backto normal

...

"What do you mean the stone's gone?" I snap back at Nick who seems just as clueless as us.

It's 4 a.m. and an hour of chaos.