After passing the desert realm's test the girls stumbled through the portal-a whirlwind of colors, memories, and forgotten realms. Their artifacts glowed, feeling strengthened again as their spiritual cores began to regenerate power. And then, as if pulled by fate's invisible hand, they stepped into their room-the familiar walls, the unmade beds, the scent of ink and textbooks.
Matilda blinked. "We're back?"
Keisha touched the desk. "Our room. We did it, feels good and strange at the same time"
"I missed my bed urgh" Tori said throwing herself on the bed .
Zenid clenched her fists. "We missed classes?"
And then, as if scripted by cosmic irony, their boarding teacher walked in-Ma'am Cleopatra, stern and unyielding.
"Late again," she said. "You've missed classes the whole day."
Keisha exchanged glances with the others. "But we were—"
"No excuses," Ma'am Cleopatra interrupted. "Detention tomorrow. And don't think you can run away from me "
" Didn't they say time was reversed " Keisha said looking at the girls .
" I'm sure they did their best , it doesn't matter detention doesn't hurt ,more sleeping time for me " Tori said sounding sleepy .
" Tori is right , I'm starving " Zenid said walking out of the room .
________________
As the girls sat in silence, the room felt smaller-the weight of their absence pressing down. The shadow realm had changed them, yet here they were-back in the mundane, facing earthly consequences.
And as Ma'am Cleopatra left, Keisha whispered, "Thirteen days in the shadow realm, and no one noticed."
Zenid's eyes darkened. " It's all invisible to them."
"Well let's hope so , someone might have noticed" Matilda added.
As they sat in the detention room , the girls stared into space, thinking about all the events that had took place in the past days . They had battled shadows, who'd glimpsed forgotten truths, they had starved for 13 days for a great cause. The room seemed to hold its breath-with their magic locked deep inside.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Keisha traced a rune on her palm. "We'll balance both realms," she said. "Visible and invisible. Heroes and students."
" I hope we will be able to manage, the journey is about to get tough" Tori said looking like she was deep in thoughts.
Detention was soon over as the girls made their way to the their respective room.
_____dark office _____
"What do you mean they returned?"
"They managed to escape the four shadow realms , without any help"
"Do you now know who the rest of the girls are?"
"No my Lord ..but the first one is Keisha , but it's hard to trace her movements or catch her off guard"
" Find a way ... I've worked so hard to get here ,I can't allow four girls to ruin my centuries of hard work"
When the others were plotting and planning,the girls had no idea , they were so caught up in their little world celebrating their return and catching up with their school work. Not knowing that someone knew about all their movements and was soon going to strike ....
Another apocalypse....
To be continued....