As the Director was briefing Jade about the crowd of scientists in her lab, his phone rang, interrupting him. Jade caught snippets of a frantic conversation on the other end—screams and loud noises that she couldn't fully decipher.
The Director's side of the call was terse but revealing. "Are you sure it's been found? A lord, huh? Can you beat it? Okay, I will leave it to you."
After a brief pause, he continued, "Yeah, she's right here, making great progress... Yes."
Turning back to Jade, he relayed a ssage with a sense of urgency, "Hey, Jade, you're to et her at the spot, and don't be late. Get your stuff ready and move quickly. There's a briefing in a few hours. The machine in Brazil has been destroyed, and it'll be so ti before we can think about repairs."
Jade, alard, pressed for more information. "What do you an? What happened?"
The Director explained, "We faced a major threat targeting New York. We redirected it to Brazil, where Master Ash was supposed to handle it, but it seems she couldn't prevent the damage."
"Wait, you summoned it where the machine was?" Jade asked, trying to grasp the full extent of the situation.
Sighing deeply, the Director clarified, "Not near ours, but its loss is still a significant blow. We'll deal with this later. For now, head to the location Ashaiki ntioned, and quickly."
"Sure," Jade replied, her voice betraying a hint of nervousness as she noticed her hands shaking slightly. The gravity of the situation was setting in. "Let just grab the original crystal and string, in case sothing happens."
The Director, after a mont's hesitation, nodded in agreent. "Sure, take care of yourself and let know what she says. Keep updated," he said, a tone of concern underlying his instructions.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a yellow star and tossed it to Jade. "Worst-case scenario, press this, and I'll get to you as soon as possible," he advised, ensuring she had a lifeline in case of ergency.
With a quick nod, Jade turned and hurried out of the room, her pace quickening as she navigated the corridors. She was headed to the familiar spot she and Rosa had used for their previous expeditions. Once there, she attached the watch and began selecting coordinates, searching for the closest available location to the shop where she was supposed to et Ashaiki.
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Jade rembered Rosa's instructions on using the device. With a firm press of the button, she dematerialized, the familiar sensation enveloping her as she transitioned between locations. Monts later, she reappeared at the staircase of her old apartnt—a place that held mories and a connection to the life she once knew.
As Jade stepped into the snow, she wondered, "A snow storm perhaps?" It was that ti of year, though the snow wasn't too harsh. Taking another deep breath, she found solace in the peacefulness around her, despite the chill. Glancing at her watch, she realized she had 30 minutes to spare before her eting.
-sign- "What is going on with the world, damn it... Is there really any good ending to all of this?" she thought. Deciding to make the best of her early arrival, she planned, "Well, I might as well get there early and grab a coffee."
Approaching the old staircase leading to the apartnt she once shared with Ty, a wave of nostalgia hit her. She brushed her hand across the staircase, whispering, "I just want to return and see your face one more ti. I know you're probably out doing your best."
As Jade began to walk toward the destination she felt a sudden surge of wind slam into her side and for a mont she thought a storm was starting up before her entire body went numb as her vision of the world around her began to spin and shake before everything went to black.
Her first thoughts were not another dream but as her eyes opened she was in a large white space.
As the world around her seed to swirl in a chaotic dance, Jade's heart pounded against her chest. Her voice, laced with confusion and frustration, echoed into the void, "What the fuck is going on now?!"
From the mist of uncertainty, a familiar voice erged, clear and steady. "Jade! It's ," Ty called out. However, this ti, he bore no resemblance to the skeletal figure she rembered. Instead, he stood before her, a striking figure at 6'0" tall, his hair as dark as the night and his eyes a piercing crystal blue.
Jade's eyes widened in recognition, despite the stark transformation. "Weren't you so skeleton the last ti we spoke?" she asked, her voice a blend of surprise and relief.
Ty's expression was one of regret, his gaze eting hers with a gravity that conveyed more than words could. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you against Erebos, and I'm sorry I haven't figured out how to get back to Earth yet. I can't even say I've made good progress," he confessed, his voice tinged with disappointnt.
Yet, he attempted to infuse a hint of levity into the heavy air, "Though I have to say, your new hair makes you hardly recognizable."
At his words, Jade felt a tumult of emotions wash over her. The cold, gripping confusion that had clouded her mind gave way to a surge of warmth, tears pooling in her eyes as a smile broke through the storm. "It's taken you long enough to at least check in with , you know. I wasn't sure if you'd died sohow or what!"
Ty's posture shifted, a visible sign of his remorse as he clasped his hands together. "I apologize. It was never my intention for that to happen," he said, his voice soft yet laden with regret. He looked up, his crystal blue eyes searching Jade's. "It feels like it's been 2 years now since I've been gone. How many days has it been since 'I died,' by the way?
I was told ti moves differently depending on the dinsion."
Jade, her heart aching with a mix of disbelief and determination, responded, "It's been 4 months?! And for you, 2 years... that's so long." Her voice, firm and resolute, carried her vow across the void that separated them. "Just know, no matter what, I won't stop fighting until you make it back here. A lot of stuff we never knew about has been happening! Read new chapters at m_v-l'e|-
There are monsters and other creatures, and I've been doing my best to keep up, but it's so draining."
Without hesitation, Jade moved into Ty's embrace, seeking solace in his presence. She buried her face against him, allowing the emotions she'd held at bay to surface, finding comfort in the familiarity of his arms.
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