Chapter 15: Echoes Of Destiny
"Aira, I am so sorry, I shouldn't have ignored you. If I knew this would happen, I would have kept you in-house.
Rose stirred, her eyelids fluttering. She slowly opened her eyes and saw her father standing there. "Father," she whispered weakly.
Mr. Agrest's expression changed from sorrow to shock and relief. "Dain, Ray, come here! Rose is awake!" he called out, his voice filled with urgency.
A nurse, who had been just outside the room, heard the commotion and rushed in. "Sir, let me check her," she said, gently pushing past Mr. Agrest to examine Rose.
At that moment, Ray and Dain arrived, their faces pale with concern. They immediately started speaking, their words tumbling over each other in their haste to apologize.
"Rose, we're so sorry!" Ray exclaimed, his voice cracking. "We should have been more careful."
"We never meant for any of this to happen. Only if we behaved like your brothers...," Dain added, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Can you ever forgive us?"
Rose looked at them, her expression softening. "It's okay," she said quietly, her voice still weak. "I'm just glad to see you all here."
The nurse finished her examination and turned to Mr. Agrest. "She's stable for now, but she needs to rest," she said kindly. "Please, everyone, keep it brief."
Ruby was sleeping soundly on her laps. Internally, she was shocked but she showed it cool outside.
The nurse finished her examination and turned to Mr. Agrest. "She's stable for now, but she needs to rest," she said kindly. "Please, everyone, keep it brief."
Mr. Agrest nodded, his eyes never leaving Rose. "Thank you," he murmured to the nurse before turning back to his daughter. "Rose you are coming home now, remember we care for you."
Rose gave him a small, tired smile. "I know, Father," she said softly. "I know."
As the group left the room, Rose turned her attention to Ruby. She gently nudged the rabbit. "Ruby, wake up," she whispered.
Ruby stretched and let out a sleepy yawn, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "Let me sleep," she mumbled, her voice drowsy.
Rose smiled despite herself. "What are you doing here, Ruby?" she asked.
"I clung onto you when you were leaving," Ruby said proudly, her ears perking up.
"But what about the balance between worlds?" Rose asked, her voice tinged with worry. "You know what happened with Mom."
Ruby hopped onto Rose's lap, looking into her eyes. "Rose, I am a divine creature," she said softly. "Aren't you happy that I am here?"
Tears welled up in Rose's eyes as she hugged Ruby tightly. "I am happy, so happy," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.
After Ruby comforted her, memories of recent events flooded back. Panicking, she grabbed her mobile phone, only to find that all her contacts—her friends, Uncle Davon, everyone—had vanished. The only trace of her previous life was a single group photo of her and her friends.
She was back in her world. A world devoid of magic.
After she was discharged spending her days in hospital with Ruby and visits of her family. She went back to her home.
Rose stared out of the window as the scenery of her hometown blurred by. Her mind wandered back to the days at Avalon Academy. The magic, the friendships, the adventure—everything seemed like a dream now. The world she was in felt devoid of the wonder and excitement she had grown accustomed to.
As she arrived at Aden Academy, the school seemed welcoming enough, but it lacked the mystical aura of Avalon. The buildings were ordinary, the students busy with their mundane lives. Rose sighed and walked towards her first class, Ruby nestled in her backpack.
During lunch, she sat alone under a tree, her thoughts drifting to her friends. She missed Aira, Asahi, Isaac, Sophia, and Beatrice. She missed the feeling of belonging. As if on cue, she heard a familiar voice.
"Hey, Rose!"
Rose looked up and gasped. There, standing before her, were Aira, Asahi, Isaac, Sophia, and Beatrice, all smiling at her. She stood up, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"What are you all doing here?" she asked, her voice filled with emotion.
Aira stepped forward, her eyes twinkling. "We got permission from the saints and saintesses. We will come from tomorrow. We sneak, ed into the school."
Asahi nodded, his usual fiery enthusiasm tempered with warmth. "Fate changed Aira."
Isaac grinned. "Plus, we brought our families. They think they've always lived here, thanks to some memory refreshment by Uncle Davon."
Sophia hugged Rose tightly. "We're in this together, no matter which world we're in."
Beatrice smiled, her eyes filled with understanding. "I can repay now, Rose."
Aira hugged Rose so tightly and said that she was going to live with Uncle Davon "We are ready to live without magic."
Ruby hopped out of Rose's backpack and stretched. "Looks like the gang's all here," she said, her voice carrying an undertone of satisfaction.
The group sat down, sharing stories and catching up. For the first time since she had returned, Rose felt a spark of happiness. As they chatted, only they could see Ruby, who occasionally chimed in with her usual wit.
"How did you manage to bring Ruby here?" Aira asked, looking at Rose.
Rose smiled. "She plunged into me when I was leaving."
Asahi leaned in, his eyes serious. "Being a character in the novel is bit....you a know... Rather than living in a fictional world, we decided to live with you in this world."
Isaac nodded in agreement. "And who knows? Maybe we'll find a way to blend both worlds."
Rose felt a warm glow inside her, a sense of belonging she hadn't felt since leaving Avalon Academy. She realized that home wasn't just a place—it was the people who cared about her.
As they continued their conversation, the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. The group stood up, ready to face the challenges of this new world together.
Before they parted ways Rose whispered, "Thank you, everyone. I feel like I can face anything now."
Aira smiled, giving her a reassuring pat on the back. "We're with you, Rose. Always. Leave it to your sister."
"Yes", said Rose while Ruby was busy pinching her chicks.