Chapter 33: Worried

Torchlight spilled across the open field as the silhouettes of students and professors rushed toward the edge of the forest. Shouts filled the air voices calling names, hoping, praying.

Khierra stood frozen, eyes still locked on the sealed forest behind her, fists trembling at her sides.

Then

"Khierra!" a voice broke through the noise.

Axel tore through the crowd, not caring about anyone in his path. The moment he reached her, he wrapped her in a tight, desperate embrace.

"You're okay... you're actually okay..." he muttered, burying his face in her shoulder.

Khierra didn't respond right away, her mind still reeling but she slowly nodded, leaning into him.

Behind them, Jeremiah stopped mid-step.

He'd been running. Heart pounding, chest aching.

But the moment he saw them ....Khierra and Axel...on a tight hug together, something in him twisted. His jaw tightened, fists clenching at his sides. His eyes lingered for a second longer than they should have.

Then he looked away.

On the other side, Winter nearly collapsed, but Celsy caught her, wrapping her arms around her tightly.

"You scared us to death!" Celsy cried. "Where have you been?"

Keisha and Aella rushed forward too, both of them grabbing Winter's hands, tears welling in their eyes.

"We thought we lost you," Keisha whispered.

Winter gave them a faint smile, her voice hoarse. "We lost someone else…"

As emotions swirled and voices overlapped, someone stepped through the crowd with quiet footsteps.

Micko.

His usual calm demeanor cracked with the weight of relief and worry. He walked toward Winter slowly, eyes never leaving her.

And when he reached her, he didn't say much.

Just three words—soft, real.

"Finally… you're back."

Winter's breath hitched at the sincerity in his voice.

From a few steps behind, Rey Vien stood silently, watching the reunions unfold. He didn't speak. He didn't move.

But his eyes held something deeper.

Worry.

And something else… something unreadable.

Khierra stepped forward, her legs shaky but her voice firm. "Professor Laurion… Professor Vaughn…"

The professors turned toward her immediately, urgency etched in their expressions.

"There's something you need to know…" Khierra's voice cracked. "Ynah… she didn't make it out with us."

"What?" Laurion's brows furrowed.

"She was with us the entire time," Winter added, her voice barely steady. "But the moment we broke out… she wasn't there. The barrier...it closed behind us."

Professor Vaughn's face shifted from relief to immediate concern. "She's still inside the void zone?"

Khierra nodded. "We think so. The void cage reacted to our magic, but it's unpredictable. I think we only got lucky getting out."

The professors exchanged tense glances. Professor Valcroft stepped closer. "That kind of magic… it's ancient. Dangerous. We need to find its core before we can break it again."

"We'll begin preparations at once," Laurion declared. "Guards...set up a perimeter. No one goes near the forest unless authorized."

Professor Vaughn turned to the three girls. "You've done enough. Let us handle it from here."

Khierra started to protest, but her knees buckled from exhaustion.

Jeremiah caught her.

"Come on, Khie…" he said softly. "You need rest."

A few meters away, Celsy, Aella, and Keisha were already helping Winter and Ayra settle under a tall tree just outside the academy gates. Someone handed them cloaks and canteens. The air had cooled, but the warmth of relief and anxiety still buzzed all around.

Khierra finally gave in, letting Jeremiah guide her under the tree beside the others.

They sat together in silence, backs against the trunk, eyes fixed on the distant forest where Ynah was still trapped.

Wind rustled the leaves above, and for a fleeting second, it felt like the forest whispered her name.

"Hold on, Ynah…" Khierra murmured, eyes fluttering shut. "We're not leaving you."

Winter walked slowly, her steps heavy but quiet as she distanced herself from the noise around the Alphas. She found herself standing beside a large boulder nestled on a hill slope, a perfect vantage point where she could see both the academy in front and the dark, winding forest behind her.

The sun was dipping low, casting long shadows across the ground. A gentle breeze played with her silver hair as she let out a soft sigh, shoulders relaxing for the first time in days.

She was about to sit down when she sensed someone's presence.

A quiet rustle, followed by a familiar voice.

"The four of you were missing for four days already."

Winter turned her head slightly. Rey Vien had settled beside her on the rock, his gaze fixed forward.

"Four?" she repeated. "It was just one day in the forest…"

"Maybe time flows differently in there." He gave her a half-smile, not meeting her eyes at first. "But I'm glad you came back alive."

Winter smiled faintly, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Did you think I'd die in there?"

Rey finally looked at her. His gaze was deeper than usual, carrying something unspoken.

"No. Never." His voice was firmer now. "I never thought of that. Because I know… you'll always come back."

Winter's smile faded just a little. There was something in the way he said it—a quiet ache hiding behind his calm demeanor. Something more than just friendly concern.

She looked down at her hands, then up at the fading sky.

"Yeah… I'll always come back," she replied softly.

The silence that followed wasn't empty. It was filled with unspoken feelings, a fragile moment shared between two people, perched between the past they escaped and the future still waiting.