31 Chapter Twenty-Nine

Someone picked me up before I totally lost consciousness. Rose's worried eyes looked at me. With no more strength to even speak much less fight, I hadn't even questioned her presence even though I saw them leave earlier. Maybe I was dead. But then- I shouldn't be seeing her since she was still alive. Then, I was consumed by a bright light.

But out of the light, a shadow emerged. I squinted my eyes but all I could make out was that it was a woman. Though, she seemed awfully familiar. She stretched her hand towards me; like she was inviting me to go with her. I didn't know why but I reached for her hand. She then pulled me towards her and hugged me. She caressed my hair and she whispered comforting words in my ears. Her voice was like chimes, sweet, and soft. She then pulled back and smiled at me. And that was when her features became clear. She had unblemished pale skin, red long hair that cascaded to her waist. Her green eyes were full of warmth and life. Her face full of laugh lines.

���Mom?" I breathed. Joy and relieved as I saw her alive and well. No signs of torture or pain.

She caressed my cheeks and smiled at me, "It's not your time, my dear Katra. You must go back to your friends,"

"But I want to stay with you!" I contradicted.

"I promise you, I am waiting for you. But for now—your place is with your friends. Don't keep them waiting. They need you,"

Tears blurred my eyes as she let go of me and stepped back, "I love you mom,"

"I love you too, baby,"

And she vanished in front of me along with the bright light. Suddenly, I could hear and feel the war going on around me. The sound of guns, the heat of the fire, the coldness of the water, the screaming, and the chaos that goes with it. All of a sudden, my breathing came back and I sucked in a deep one as I opened my eyes.

Rose screamed in relief as I sat up. I saw from the corner of my eyes, a bleeding James holding Tash firmly as Carly healed her. Then, I waited for the pain to assail my body when I moved again. I looked down and was shocked to see that there was no sign of the wounds I had.

I was healed.

I looked around and saw the others were fighting a new batch of soldiers. But, Zeke and dad stood in the middle of the chaos as if they were out in the park. I stood up and Rose assisted me. When I was on my feet, I let go of her and asked her to assist Carly and Annie. She nodded at me and dashed towards them.

Griffin raised his left hand and flicked it. A group of soldiers went flying away from us. Then, Coleen had a fire dancing around another group as Jack drowned the ones next to hers. Jake was flying around throwing a made-up explosion that killed two or three soldiers at a time.

Drew was on the side, working on a panel I failed to notice the times I was here. Lily was covering him with her vines, consuming anyone that stray to close to them. I didn't dwell on the fact that I didn't saw Zoi. There was plenty of time to look for him when the war ends.

"You need to lie down, Katra!" Carly ordered when she noticed me. But I only gave her a smile and she shook her head at my stubbornness.

Dad saw me and he smirked at me. But his smirk vanished when I threw my sunglasses away. His eyes grew huge with shock as he stared at my swirling orbs. His voice entered my mind but I didn't pay it attention. I couldn't believe that it was that easy to shut out.

I then started to run towards him at human speed but he didn't run away. He was frozen in place. Zeke tried to save him but he was pulled away by vines that wrapped around his ankles. I stood in front of my dad. Staring at him straight in the eyes.

Images assailed my mind. This time, they came slower than they did for Saori. And I realized that it was his memories. I saw the times when we were still together. Mom was laughing at something my dad said and I was dancing in front of them. I saw the times when we were still a family. But suddenly, all his memories vanished as they were replaced by nightmares.

Dad gave a bloodcurdling scream before he fell to his knees and I closed my eyes as a single tear made its way down my face. My hands shaking as I wanted to reach for him. But before I could, I opened my eyes and saw him stab himself. I tried to stop him but it was too late. Life had left his eyes.

Suddenly, I felt something hard hit the back of my head and I fell to the ground. I turned around and saw Zeke standing in front of me with a bloodied rock. The man had a crazed look in his eyes that made him more dangerous than my ambitious father.

Suddenly, a bullet went through his heart; instantly killing the man. He coughed up blood before he fell to the ground. And what I saw behind him gave me new hope and my heart danced in joy as Zoi gave me his signature grin.

"Sorry if I'm late," he whispered as he knelt down in front of me and rested his forehead in mine as he closed his eyes as if he couldn't believe that he was there, holding me. "I'm sorry,"

I pulled him to a hug. I held him tight just to tell myself that he really was in front of me and that he wasn't a product of my imagination. I felt warm and solid. He was real. He was with me. He was alive.

"How?" I asked with my eyes closed, afraid to look at him in the eyes once more.

"A woman saved me," he answered. "A woman who looked just like you,"

I couldn't answer. Mom had saved me. She saved Zoi. But she was dead. Or was she? Suddenly, the group came running to us and tackled us to the ground with a hug. Zoi and I laughed at them and they shuffled off to help us stand. Then, we group hugged once more.

Thankful that our nightmares had finally come to an end.

I saw that James and Tash were fully healed. Carly had defeated her own enemy. She had open a room for her ability to grow. And as I look at my little family, except for our bloodied clothes, we were all fine and alive.

Alive and free once more.

Suddenly, Zeke stood up from the ground and fired a shot. I tried to push Carly out of the way but she fell to the ground as her chest bled. Lily and Rose rushed to her side and put pressure on her wound. If there was one thing Carly hadn't conquered yet, it was healing herself. It had never worked on her before but we all prayed that with her more powerful healing, she would be able too.

We started to walk towards Zeke to kill him once more when Annie stopped us. "You can't kill him with wounds and beatings,"

"What do you mean?" Jack asked Annie.

"He's immortal," Annie's soft voice answered. "Immortals can't die,"

Zeke laughed crazily even though he was choking on his own blood, "listen to the kid. There's no stopping me!"

"But you managed to kill Zoi with gunshots," Tash said to herself more than to Zeke.

"And he's still standing," Zeke contradicted.

"I know a way," Annie interrupted and she gave Zeke a smile. I didn't know why but Zeke's eyes grew huge with shock as he tried to stand up to escape. But vines came out of the ground and held him in place. "I need Griffin to conjure one of his shields again,"

Griffin quickly did what Annie asked. He made sure that Zeke was out of this shield and the man cried for mercy. We frowned as we looked at Annie and Zeke back and forth. What had passed between them that we didn't notice?

Then, Annie started to walk out of the shield. Drew and Steven tried to stop her but she shook their hold saying that it was alright. Then, she stopped in front of Zeke, who was still covered in vines. He started to plead mercy at Annie. He started to apologize.

"What is happening?" Jake whispered to the rest of us but we only shrugged at him.

"I should have seen the resemblance," Zoi spoke and we all turned to him. "Annie you're a Thorth?"

Confusion crossed our face once again. Zoi was looking intently at his pitiful father and Annie who answered without looking at us, "I am,"

"I am sorry. I should have realized,"

"There is nothing to be sorry for, Zoi. I know what you did and I must be the one to apologize,"

Zoi shook his head, "no, there is no need. I am happy where I am now,"

"Would somebody please explain it to us?" the triplets said at once.

"Annie is part of the Thorth family. A family that consisted of Reins since from the start. They are one of the most powerful families there was. And my family hunted them down in secret. That was when I turned my back on my own. I only managed to save one pregnant woman,"

"That was my mom," Annie supplied, "Zoi had saved my life even before I was born. The time has come to give my clan the peace they deserve,"

No sooner than the words left her mouth, Annie started to glow. Her light became so bright that it was impossible to keep our eyes open. And suddenly, the light consumed everything.