Eleventh

Chapter 27

ONE YEAR LATER AFTER THE WAR ENDING:

MADI's POV:
I walk around the courtyard, helping various kids as they practice their legacies on this perfect Saturday. After the war ended and reconstruction started, we paired with several world leaders to let us open an international academy for the gifted. We constructed a massive, gorgeous, temple with Loric architecture, and we made it over the old one in New Mexico. It's the perfect location, and we've cleared part of the jungle for our house that sits right next to the temple. We have a house where we all live together, also built using Loric architecture.

"Hey, are you ready?" Adam says, coming up behind me and grabbing my hand. I smile. "Yes, I'm ready" I say. Me, him, and John are supposed to go skydiving today. Ironic since he was the one who was scared of flying up to the Anubis. But it was his idea, and John and I just agreed.

We find John sitting on the steps of the temple, and we retrieve him so we can leave. "Wait," Adam says. "Come on, we should grab some water and snacks. It's a tad far away." John and I follow him into our house, where all the lights are off. Then, we walk past the kitchen and both give each other a strange look.

"SURPRISE!!!" Everyone screams. All our friends are wearing party hats, and the training hall of the house is fully decorated for a party. "Happy 19th birthday!!!" Adam says, smiling at us both. "Oh my gosh, John. We forgot didn't we?" I say, laughing. "We did," he replies. "Did you do all this?" He asks Adam. "It was a combination of Me and Marina. Turns out, when she doesn't hate me, we work fairly well. Then, we got the others in on it, and we set up an entire party for you guys!!"

I kiss Adam on the cheek, taking his hand, and John and I thank everyone for setting a party up for us. "I hope you guys ordered extra pizza" eight says, eyeing the food table. That's right. Eight is back. It turns out, after the war, he was spotted roaming around the jungle next to the temple where we returned his body to Lorien. Maybe it's another gift for saving Earth? I don't know. But all I remember is that we were all too stunned to speak when we saw him when we came down to build the school. He changed his name to Naveen Vishnu, and that's his new name.

"Oh eight," Marina laughs, pulling him away from the pizza. Then, my chimaera, Sylvia comes running up to Adam and I, in the form of a collie dog. Then, she turns back into a bunny, and I pick her up. "The party don't start till we walk in," Stan and Lucy say simultaneously as they walk in carrying the cake. "Made it myself," Lucy says, smiling. I run up and hug her as her and nine break apart from their kisses. "Thank you! Best gift ever from the bestest friend ever!!"

Elizabeth and Marina bring us out our gifts and then Naveen takes pictures with Ella. Stan does the music.
We spend the whole evening partying, and then we clean up, and relax altogether. "Happy birthday, Madi. I love you so much," Adam says, as he puts on the promise necklace he got me. He and I have matching sun and moon necklaces as a promise that we'll never leave. That was my gift, along with a glass rose that he made. He loves to make things out of old glass and metal, and even started a side business. "Awww," Elizabeth says, putting her arm around Sam. I look over to John, and I can't help but feel bad for him.

"I love you too," I say, kissing Adam when he finishes putting the necklace on. "Before I met you, I honestly didn't believe I had a purpose. And then, you showed me what all there is to live for. That love isn't just some made up force," he says. I just smile, taking in the moment. "I'm so glad everything is happy again. It's so refreshing just to be able to not worry. No more hiding, no more moving away. Just settling, and being with the person and people who mean the most to you," I say. "It is nice, and I wouldn't change it for the entire world," he replies, and then we sit there together with the others, my head on his shoulder, looking over the lake by our home. We all laugh and chat as the sun goes down. Nothing could be better than this.

A few hours later, we all go to bed. And then I dream. Of this beautiful place, with beautiful creatures, and a lighthouse. But something is off... The trees start to die, the landscape is covered by a shimmering border that only expands across the globe. Slowly, but surely. And I get visions of a script, being written across a wall. A wall that looks as if it's breathing. soon, the creatures turn demented as if they were altered somehow. I stare more closely at their eyes... they're too human. Something, or someone, has done this. Changed people. And it's here, on this planet. I can feel it.