𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒚𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒎 | Riven

𝟏𝟓

═━ 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 ━═

The day after the Blood Witches attack

The suite was caught in a heavy, suffocating silence. The girls sat scattered around, their usual chatter and laughter replaced by the quiet weight of Bloom's absence. The letters she had left were still on the coffee table, their edges frayed from trembling hands and tear-soaked fingers. The papers seemed to radiate the echoes of her words, a reminder of the finality of her choice.

Terra was curled up on the far end of the couch, her knees drawn to her chest as she clutched a tissue in her hand, the fabric already damp from her tears. Her soft sniffles were the only sound breaking the oppressive quiet. Aisha sat beside her, tense and unmoving, her fists clenched so tightly in her lap that her knuckles had turned white. She kept her gaze fixed firmly on the floor, her jaw clenched as though the weight of her grief might overwhelm her if she allowed herself to speak.

Stella was perched in the armchair by the window, her golden hair hanging limply over her shoulders. Her knees were drawn up to her chest, and she hugged them tightly, her head resting on her arms as she stared out at the fading light. Her face was pale, but her red eyes showed the hours she had spent crying.

Musa was in the corner, perched on a stool by the bookshelf, her hands resting limply in her lap. She wasn't crying, but the strain in her expression was undeniable. Her headphones covering her ears, now that she could feel the full force of their emotions and pain.

Fallin stood by the arm of the couch, her arms folded across her chest in a protective gesture. Her posture was rigid, her face betraying nothing, though her eyes told a different story. They flicked toward the letters on the table, then away again, as though she couldn't bear to look at them for too long.

By the door, Silva leaned against the wall, his usual air of authority softened by the lines of grief etched into his face. He had come to offer whatever comfort he could, though he knew words would do little to mend the hurt in the room. His voice was steady but heavy when he finally broke the silence.

"Sky told me what Bloom shared with him before she left," he began. His words felt like stones dropping into still water, sending ripples of tension through the room. "She was ashamed. She felt like she was losing control of her powers again, like history was about to repeat itself. She didn't want to take that risk—not after what happened with Rosalind."

Terra's breath hitched, and she wiped at her face with trembling hands. "But we could've helped her," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "She didn't have to do it alone."

Silva shook his head, his expression grim. "It was the only way to close the portal Sebastian opened. The last time a conduit to the Realm of Darkness existed was over a thousand years ago during the Dominion Wars. It was sealed back then to trap the monsters inside. Even a small opening could've let them through into the Otherworld. She knew the risk and made the choice to stop it before anything worse could happen."

Terra, lifted her tear-streaked face to meet his gaze. "But isn't there any way to bring her back?" she asked, desperation lacing her voice.

"No," Silva said quietly, shaking his head. "The Realm of Darkness is sealed completely. Once Bloom closed that portal, she trapped herself on the other side. There's no way back for her. The only thing we can do, is be grateful that we were lucky enough that nothing came trough the portal."

The weight of his words settled over them, their hope extinguished by the finality in his tone. Flora leaned her head against the back of the couch, her tears falling silently as she stared at the ceiling.