Ethan stood at the threshold of his dorm room, his fingers brushing against the worn wooden doorframe. He had always criticized the space—its bare walls, the unyielding mattress, the harsh light that never quite seemed to match his mood. But now, as he stood there for what could be the last time, a strange sense of nostalgia crept over him. He didn't want to leave, not really, even though he had spent so many nights wishing he could escape it.
It felt different now, as if the room had held a piece of his life, a chapter that was now closing. And in that moment, it wasn't so uncomfortable anymore. He sighed, running his fingers through his hair, trying to shake off the thoughts.
A knock on the door broke him from his reverie. Without waiting for a response, the door creaked open, and Riona stepped in.
"Hey," she said, her voice soft but carrying a weight of finality.
"Hey," Ethan replied, managing a smile despite the lump in his throat.
"So, I'm guessing this is goodbye," Riona said, her eyes meeting his with an intensity that made his heart beat just a little faster.
Ethan nodded, his mouth dry. "Yeah. I'm really going to miss you. All of you. It was fun being here."
"Yeah." Riona stretched out her hand, her fingers lingering in the space between them. "You know, this feels like it's all happening too fast."
He reached for her hand, but just as their fingers brushed, she surprised him by pulling him closer, her other hand slipping to his neck, drawing him into a kiss. Ethan froze for a moment, his brain trying to catch up with the sudden turn of events. Riona's lips were soft, and the kiss was brief but electric. When she pulled away, Ethan blinked in shock.
"I'm sorry," Riona said, her voice hushed. "I've always wanted to do that, and since we're leaving now, never to see each other again... I knew I wouldn't get another chance."
Ethan smiled, still slightly stunned, but there was no regret in her eyes—only sincerity. "It's alright," he murmured, and without another word, he pulled her into a hug. Her warmth was comforting, and for a moment, time seemed to slow down.
Riona smiled back at him before pulling away, her eyes glinting with something unspoken. "Take care of yourself, Ethan."
He nodded, watching her leave, the door clicking softly behind her.
With a deep breath, Ethan left his room and made his way down the hallway to Kaelin's dorm. He knocked lightly on her door, a soft sound that echoed in the quiet.
"Well, isn't it my favorite werewolf?" Ethan said, the teasing tone familiar and comfortable between them.
"I'm the only werewolf you know," Kaelin replied, a small smile tugging at her lips as she leaned against the doorframe.
"Doesn't mean you can't be my favorite," Ethan said, his smile widening.
Kaelin laughed, shaking her head. "You're something else. So, how do you feel about leaving, finally?"
Ethan hesitated for a moment, looking past her to the empty dorm room beyond. "I don't know," he admitted. "It's a bit mixed. But I guess it's for the best. I've always known that we wouldn't be here for long, so this was inevitable."
She nodded, stepping closer. "You're right. It's not goodbye forever, though."
Ethan stepped forward and pulled her into a tight hug. "I wish you all the best for the future," he said softly. "Make sure you become the best werewolf guardian to ever live."
Kaelin chuckled, her voice muffled against his shoulder. "Don't worry. I will."
They parted, and Kaelin waved him off, her smile still lingering on her face as he turned to leave. Ethan made his way to the training ground, where the rest of the group was gathering.
He spotted Galen at the training ground and broke into a grin. "Hey. Gonna miss you and all your ridiculous ideas."
Galen rolled his eyes but pulled him into a tight hug. "Same here, bro."
After more hugs and promises to stay in touch, the group gathered around Alistair, who was waiting by the portal with a serious expression.
"Are you all finally ready to go back now or should I give you another thirty minutes to hug a little bit more?" Alistair asked, his voice calm, though there was an edge to it.
The group nodded in unison. They were all ready—ready to leave behind this chapter of their lives and return to whatever awaited them.
"Good," Alistair said, opening the portal with a flick of his wrist. "This portal will analyze your DNA and take you to the dimension you belong in. Go ahead. One by one."
Ethan stood at the back of the group, taking one last look at his friends. He gave them all a smile, and with a small salute to Alistair, he stepped forward, crossing the threshold.
The world around him twisted, the edges blurring and then snapping into focus. The moment he emerged from the portal, Ethan's breath caught in his throat.
He wasn't in the familiar world he knew.
The landscape before him was nothing like the peaceful, rolling hills and forests he had left behind. This world was broken—ruined. Towering mountains of debris stretched as far as the eye could see, and rivers of molten lava cut through the jagged remains of what used to be cities. The air was thick with ash, and a haze hung over everything, casting a sickly glow across the destruction.
Ethan dropped to his knees, his heart pounding in his chest. His gaze swept over the ruined landscape, then fell to the ground. There, half-buried in the ash and rubble, was a crumpled newspaper. He reached for it, his fingers trembling as he flipped it open. His eyes locked onto the date at the top of the page.
3025.
Ethan's breath caught in his throat. Either the portal had sent him to the future or the few days he spent at that dimension turned out to be a millennia here.
His mind raced, the weight of the revelation sinking in. What had happened? Where was everyone? Where was the world he knew? Was this going to be the future he would've experienced if he had stayed behind and just lived his life without going for his training as a guardian?
And as the wind howled across the barren landscape, a voice in his mind whispered a terrifying question:
Had he just been sent to the end of everything?