The Dimension Break

TWENTY

We were walking back. We could see the castle over the mound of sand, but someone stood on the horizon, someone slightly familiar.

She was just as clad in wrinkles as she was in clothing. Her head was a ruffled silver halo around her head, and her eyes were the black of a demon's. "Sorry, kids. At this point, you're wondering why I caused the break."

"Gran P?!" Dillan gasped.

Ah, yes. The woman who had given us shelter back when we needed to find Mary, who was fond of tacos and pranks. Basically, Dillan as an elderly female. She caused the break?

"Yeah. It's me... You see, I made a vessel for Earth, promising the Dark that I would use it to kill you. But I'm a Kalos. A long time ago, I probably would have escaped with Ebony.The Dark found out that I didn't complete the job, so I was sent back to the Dark. Since I saw the portal wall being built, I knew where the dislodgings were. I broke it with the intention of fixing it again, but I never got to. I'm sorry."

Dillan hugged her. "Oh geez."

"Let's take her to the Divines," Mun said. The suggestion was taken.

***

"P?"

"It's Gran P now."

Gran P and Ebony embraced, and it was the most emotion I'd ever seen from the dark-haired Kalos. A hot tear dripped down her cheek.

Jupus stared at Gran P. "You appear elderly physically, but I can tell you're younger than Ebony."

"I enjoy the perks tjhat come with this look. And how shocked humans are when I act younger." Gran P grinned. "I caused the break, as you heard."

"Yes. And we have a penalty for that."

The Cromans and I held our breaths. I wasn't partial to the old woman, but she'd given us shelter and protected us from Salt. She was kind. A true Kalos.

"Guess we finally found someone to guard the Garden, huh?" Jupus grinned.

Gran P's jaw dropped.

Ebony smiled at her friend. "And what about with the Croma's power the Garden has harvested? I guess we could turn her into a dark angel with that."

"R-Really?"

The Divines nodded.

The Cromans and I gave a breath of relief.

***

Home is what some may chose to roughly call Croma. But what is the definition of home, where you were raised, or where you feel safe? Within these walls, the latter was true. Croma was, to an extant, my home. And to so many others, I tohught, glancing in the direction of the Garden with Gran P now on my mind.

Oliver stood beside me, a smile on his face. "The Divines want a dance held in celebration. Are you coming?"

The first dance I'd ever been to was one at Dillan's, and I hadn't even relaxed there. Matter of fact, I dedicated it to Croma and put Mary on a tight leash. Your tastes might be changing, my mother had said. Maybe she was right, because now that didn't seem like such a bad idea.

"Of course." My smile faltered. "They'll hold the funferal for Caleb after."

"That's good... For his memory, I mean."

Oli awkwardly put an arm around my shoulders. "I don't wanna think about that right now. Uhm, Nahara wants to see you. She's going to help you get ready."

I nodded, hoping that Dillan had confronted her. Whatever the case, I removed his arm, smiled at him, and hurried out the door.

***