It was as though gravity itself had given up, and the world around me seemed both heavy and weightless. I blinked, attempting to clear my head of the fog. Sunset's apartment's familiar surroundings became clear, a simple living room with a desk lamp's dim illumination. Sunset herself was sitting across from me on a wooden chair. Or at least that's who I initially believed it to be.

“Welcome,” she said, her voice calm but laced with something unsettling.

“Sunny?” My voice was hoarse, barely a whisper. “What… What am I doing here? I was just—” My words faltered as fragments of memory clawed their way back to the surface. The battle. The magic. The pain.

Her expression stopped me cold. It wasn’t Sunset’s usual warmth. It wasn’t concern or worry. She tilted her head, her movements almost too fluid, too deliberate.

“I’m not Sunset,” she said evenly, her tone devoid of the familiar cadence I had grown to cherish. “And this isn’t her home.”

The room, though eerily familiar, now felt off, wrong. The colors were too muted, the shadows stretched unnaturally. The faint hum of life that should have filled the space was gone, replaced by an oppressive silence that pressed against my ears.

“What…? Where am I?” I managed to ask, my chest tightening with each passing second.

She leaned back slightly, her gaze unwavering as if she were peeling back the layers of my soul. “Let me introduce myself,” she began, her voice taking on a weight that seemed to echo in the space around us. “I am Death. Not a metaphor, not an idea, not some poetic construct humans tell themselves to make sense of the end. I am Death—the end itself, the inevitability you’ve already met once before, but lived”

The air seemed to leave the room. My throat went dry. “Death?” I repeated, the word foreign on my tongue. “That’s… that’s not possible. I—”

She raised a hand, silencing me with a simple gesture. “Oh, it’s very possible. You’ve already escaped me once—barely, I might add. But no one truly escapes me. No one runs forever.”

The weight of her words pressed down on me like a physical force. My memories began to align, each fragment sharpening into a painful clarity. The cracks in my body. The magic. The way I had disappeared. My chest ached as if my very soul was being squeezed.

“I… I don’t understand,” I stammered. “If you’re Death, and this is your… realm, does that mean—”

“That you’ve crossed the threshold!” she finished for me, her voice calm but unyielding. “Yes. You’re here because your time has run out. This place, this his room, is merely a facade, a shape your mind can comprehend while we have this… discussion.” She gestured around, and for a brief moment, the illusion wavered. Sunset’s apartment flickered like static on an old TV, revealing a vast expanse of nothingness beyond it. An endless void stretching into eternity.

“No… no, I can’t… I can’t be here. I—I have to go back. The girls—they need me! Sunset—she—”

“She cried for you,” Death said, her voice softening just enough to pierce through the panic rising in my chest. “They all did. But crying does not rewrite fate. You gave yourself for them. You made your choice.”

“I didn’t choose this!” I shouted, my voice breaking. “I didn’t choose to end up here! I—I had to help them. I had to protect them. I—”

“And that’s precisely why you’re here now,” she interrupted, her tone firm but not unkind. “Because you gave everything. Because you burned so brightly, you left nothing of yourself behind. That kind of sacrifice doesn’t come without a cost.”

Tears blurred my vision. “But they’re my friends. I couldn’t let them suffer. I couldn’t let them lose. I couldn’t let her lose.”

Death studied me for a long moment. “You mortals are always so quick to give yourselves away, so eager to protect others even at your own expense. It’s admirable, in a way. Foolish, but admirable. But tell me, hero, what did you truly think would happen? That you could keep defying the laws of existence and walk away unscathed?”

“I don’t know… I just… I couldn’t let them down. I couldn’t let her down.”

“And you didn’t. They’re safe because of you. But now, you’re here. And here, there are no second chances. No miracles. Just me.”

The finality of her words settled over me like a shroud. My hands trembled as I stared down at them, as if searching for some spark, some sign that I could still fight this. “Please,” I whispered. “There has to be another way. Something—anything. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Death’s gaze never wavered. “The path you’ve walked has already been written. You’ve made your choice, and you’ve faced your end with courage." She tilted her head slightly, a cruel, knowing smile creeping onto her face. Her voice dropped into something almost mocking.

“But there’s someone else here, isn’t there?” she mused, her words slow and deliberate, as if savoring the moment. “Two souls… one body. Go on, show yourself already, Galaxia. I’ve been waiting for this moment, to finally lay my hands on you, since you slipped through my fingers.”

“Stop.”

The word rang out, sharp and commanding, as a figure materialized beside me. The chair groaned under the sudden weight as a woman slammed her hands onto the desk. She looked human, but her presence was anything but ordinary. Her aura radiated a power so intense it made the room feel too small, too fragile to contain her. Her long hair shimmered like strands of starlight, her eyes burning with an ancient intensity.

“Mom,” I said, the word slipping out of my mouth before I could even think. It wasn’t a greeting, not really. It was laced with bitterness, with exhaustion. “Well, hello, Mom.” I leaned back in my chair, my voice dripping with a forced casualness that barely masked the storm brewing inside me. “Thanks for the help back there. Really appreciate it.”

She turned to me, her expression softening for just a moment before hardening again, like steel under pressure. “You didn’t want my help,” she said, her voice tight, restrained. “You told me to step away. You told me this was your fight.”

“And you missed the part where you step back in when I’m literally dying?” I shot back, my voice rising with each word. The frustration, the anger, the overwhelming sense of betrayal all spilled out. “Or was that just not in your divine job description?”

“Hahahaha!” Death’s laugh cut through the tension like a blade, cold and hollow, echoing in the unnatural stillness of the room. She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms as if enjoying a private joke. “That’s rich” she said, her smile curling into something wicked. “Galaxia, tell me sweetie, you've hidden the truth from him to the death?”

My heart skipped a beat, a cold dread creeping up my spine. “What…?” I asked, my gaze dartted between Death and Galaxia.

Galaxia’s jaw tightened, her eyes narrowing as she turned to Death. “Stop,” she said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument. “This is not the time or place—”

“Oh, but it is, Galaxia,” Death interrupted, her voice dripping with mockery. “There’s no better place for this little heart-to-heart. No distractions. No interference. Just the three of us and a whole lot of truths to unravel.”

“WHAT DON’T I KNOW?” I shouted, slamming my hands on the desk, the force of my own voice surprising me. The emotions swirling inside me, anger, fear, confusion, threatened to boil over.

“Someone tell me what the hell is going on!”

Galaxia’s eyes softened, a flicker of guilt flashing across her face. She reached out as if to touch my shoulder, but her hand hovered in the air, hesitant. “This isn’t how I wanted you to find out,” she said quietly, her voice tinged with regret.

“Find out what?” I demanded, my voice cracking. “That you have even more secrets from me? That Death has some weird vendetta against you? That I’ve been dragged into some cosmic mess? What, Mom? What am I supposed to know?”

Death chuckled darkly, the sound like nails scraping against stone. “Oh, he’s got spirit,” she said, looking at me with something almost like admiration. “You really don’t deserve him, Galaxia. Not after everything.”

“ENOUGH!” Galaxia snapped, her voice shaking the very air around us. She turned to me, her expression softening again, but the weight of whatever she was about to say hung heavy between us. “Please,” she said, her voice pleading now. “Just give me a chance to explain.”

“Oh, Galaxia, you’ve had your chance. More than once, I might add,” Death said. Her gaze flicked to me, sharp and unrelenting. “I'll tell you straight truth.Kiddo, your life… it’s a lie.”

“What?”

“Yeah,” Death said, her lips curling into a cruel smile. “Sorry you have to hear it from me, of all people—well, not a person, really—but—”

“STOP”

Galaxia interrupted, her voice cracking, the weight of her sadness palpable. But before she could say more, Death raised a single hand and flicked her fingers. In an instant, a bandage of shimmering light appeared over Galaxia’s mouth, silencing her. She tried to speak, to rip it off, but it wouldn’t budge. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at me, and for the first time, I saw something in her that terrified me: helplessness.

Death leaned back in her chair, exhaling like she was enjoying every moment of this. “Okay, listen up, kid,” she began, her tone almost casual but laced with a dangerous edge. “Let’s get this over with, shall we? This whole… Umbra thing you’ve been carrying around? It’s a lie.”

“W-what?” I managed to choke out. “What do you mean?”

Death’s eyes glittered with something close to pity but only for a moment. “I mean,” she said, her voice dropping low, each word deliberate and heavy, “your entire life, the story you’ve been told, the pain you’ve carried it’s all been fabricated. A carefully constructed illusion.”

I turned to Galaxia, but she wouldn’t meet my gaze. Tears streaked her face, her hands trembling as she clutched the edges of the desk.

Death continued, her tone taking on a cruel, sing-song quality. “The story in the book, the story of Umbra, the tale of your brother, it’s all a lie. Her lie.” She jabbed a finger at Galaxia, her smile widening as she relished the moment.

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “That’s not true. It can’t be true.”

Death shrugged, feigning indifference. “Oh, but it is. Your dear mother, Galaxia, the almighty Alpha and Omega, the queen of lies crafted the entire thing. The tragedy, the pain, the so-called destiny? All part of her plan.”

“Mom… is this true?”

She couldn’t answer, the bandage over her mouth holding her silence hostage. But her eyes—those ancient, sorrowful eye told me everything.

“She put a spell on you from the beginning,” Death went on, her tone almost conversational now, as if she were discussing the weather. “You never had a brother. The story, the pain, the guilt? All lies. Her lies.”

I staggered back, my legs barely holding me up. “No,” I said again, louder this time. “You’re lying. Why would she—why would anyone—”

“Why? Because she’s the Alpha and the Omega. The creator and destroyer. The ultimate embodiment of good and evil.” She leaned forward, her smile twisting into something monstrous. “She is Umbra. And she’s the light. Two sides of the same coin, the eternal good and bad. And you?” She gestured toward me, her expression almost gleeful. “You’re her masterpiece. A perfect vessel for both. The good and the bad. The ying and yang.”

Every memory, every moment, every piece of my identity felt like it was crumbling, slipping through my fingers like sand.

“You were never meant to have a choice,” Death said, her voice softer now but no less cruel. “You’ve been her puppet from the start. Every step you’ve taken, every decision you’ve made, it’s all been part of her design. And now…” She gestured toward Galaxia, her smile returning. “Now, it’s time for her to face the consequences.”

“Mom,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Tell me it’s not true. Please.”

Galaxia reached out, tears streaming down her face, but the bandage held firm. Her muffled cries were the only sound in the room, a haunting echo of everything that had been lost.

Death sighed, standing up from her chair. “Well,” she said, brushing off her hands, “this has been fun, but I think we’ve done enough damage for one day. I’ll leave you two to sort out the mess, have a second”

With a snap of her fingers, she disappeared the same as mom bandage, leaving me alone with Galaxia and the crushing weight of the truth.

My head hung low, eyes staring blankly at the cold, hard floor beneath me. My voice, when it came, was hollow, barely audible.

“Is it true?” I asked, the words tasting bitter in my mouth. My fists clenched against my sides, nails digging into my palms. “You already made the road for me to just follow… You just went into my body because it was convenient…” I lifted my head, my eyes burning with a mix of rage and despair as I met her tear-filled gaze. “Even my fucking brother… He never existed?”

“Please, let me—” she began, but I cut her off, my voice rising with every word.

“Is Dad even real?” I demanded, my voice cracking under the weight of my emotions.

“Of course he is!” she yelled, the sharpness of her tone cutting through the room like a blade.

Her outburst hung in the air for a moment, both of us frozen in its aftermath. She closed her eyes, taking a deep, shaky breath before continuing, her voice softer now but no less burdened.

“I didn’t know,” she said, her words trembling. “I didn’t know it was possible… to have a child with a human.” She paused. “But you, when you came into this world, you were everything to me. Everything. Do you understand that?”

I said nothing, my heart thundering in my chest as she went on, her voice thick with emotion.

“I wanted you to have everything, a life free from the burdens of what I am. Of what I’ve done. It was better, safer, to put a memory spell on you and your father. To shield you from the truth.”

“Safer?” I spat. “You think lying to me my entire life was safer? Making me believe in a brother who never even existed? Do you have any idea what that did to me?” My voice cracked, tears streaming down my face. “Is everything a lie?”

She flinched at my words, her own tears falling freely now.

“Even in Equestria,” I said, my voice trembling with raw emotion. “When there was no Umbra, no lies—why did you disappear? Why did you leave me? Why did you leave them?”

She looked away, her hands clenching into fists. “Luna and Celestia had everything under control, they didn’t need me anymore. They needed to rule without me.”

“That’s not an answer!” I yelled, slamming my hands on the desk. “You don’t get to decide what people need! You don’t get to decide what I need!”

“I did what I thought was best!” she cried, her voice breaking. “I made mistakes—so many mistakes—but I only wanted to protect you. To give you a chance at a life without my shadow hanging over you.”

“Protect me? You call this protection? You’ve destroyed everything I thought I knew about myself. About my life. You’ve taken everything from me, and now you want me to understand?”

She reached out toward me, but I stepped back, shaking my head. “Don’t,” I said, my voice cracking. “Just don’t.”

Her hand fell to her side, and she looked at me with a mix of sorrow, regret. “I know I’ve failed you,” she said, her voice trembling. “And I know I can’t undo what I’ve done. But please, believe me when I say that I love you. That I’ve always loved you.”

I looked at her, my heart breaking all over again. “If you loved me, you would have trusted me. You wouldn’t have lied to me.”

Her tears fell harder, her shoulders shaking as she broke down before me.

But it wasn’t enough. Not yet. Not now.

“What do you expect me to say?” I asked, the bitterness in my tone unmistakable. “Do you think I could forgive you that easily? After all this? After everything you’ve done?” My voice cracked, rising with every word. “Am I some kind of experiment to you?”

Her eyes widened, and she shook her head violently, her voice desperate. “No! No, you aren’t! You were never an experiment, I swear! Those girls, those friendships, they’re real! They love you! Sunset loves you!”

“Real?” I spat, glaring at her. “And what about you? Was Sunset ‘real,’ too? Or were you just playing puppeteer, pulling the strings of my life for your own plans?”

“Sunset… Sunset was meant to find you,” she admitted, her voice cracking under the weight of her words. “From the beginning.”

Her voice faded, barely audible, but I caught the last part. And it felt like a dagger to my heart.

“What. The. Fuck. Do. You. Mean?” I asked, my voice dangerously calm, though the storm inside me threatened to explode.

“I helped her,” she whispered, her gaze falling to the ground. “I helped her get the crown.”

My mind reeled, the words not making sense at first. “What?”

“She was going to lose,” Galaxia continued, her voice trembling. “I helped her get it… so you could help her after.”

The world seemed to tilt on its axis. My breathing became shallow, my chest tightening. “What the fuck did you just say?” My voice rose, trembling with rage. I pushed the chair I was sitting in to the side with enough force that it clattered against the wall.

“Even that was fake?” I screamed, the betrayal searing through me like fire.

“No, son,” she said, tears streaming down her face. “The love… the love was real.”

I laughed bitterly, running my hands through my hair, my fingers trembling. “How the hell could I know that?” I yelled. “How can I believe anything you’re saying right now?”

“You need to trust me,” she said, her voice desperate, almost pleading.

“Trust you?” I roared. “How can I trust you, even now? You’re a fucking liar!” My voice cracked, and I stepped back, trying to catch my breath, trying to process the storm of emotions tearing through me.

“I never lied about loving you,” she said, her voice breaking. “That was never a lie. Never.”

“You lied about everything else. You manipulated my life. You used me! And now you expect me to just believe you? To trust you?”

“I didn’t want to hurt you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I wanted to protect you.”

“Protect me?” I scoffed, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “You call this protection? You’ve ripped apart everything I thought I knew. You’ve made me question every moment, every relationship. And now you’re telling me it was all part of some… some plan?”

Tears blurred my vision, and I looked away, unable to meet her gaze. “You’ve taken everything from me,” I said, my voice trembling. “And you’re standing here, asking me to trust you? To believe in you?”

Silence fell between us, the weight of my words hanging in the air. Galaxia stood there, her face pale, her tears flowing freely, but she didn’t say a word. She couldn’t.

Because she knew.

She knew I was right.

Death appered again she raised a hand to her pale, featureless face, mimicking the motion of wiping away a tear that wasn’t there. “Oh, how touching,” she said, her voice was dripping with mockery. “So tragic. Truly, it tugs at the nonexistent strings of my heart. Anyway, time’s up.”

Her grin spread wider, twisting into the most devilish, unnerving smile I had ever seen. It was the smile of someone—or something—that thrived on the torment of others.

“I’ll go,” Galaxia said quickly, stepping forward as if to shield me. “You’ve wanted me from the beginning. You can’t claim his life without taking mine first.”

Death’s grin only widened, her eyes narrowing with amusement. “Oh, Galaxia, you always knew how to make things dramatic” she said, her tone almost playful. “But let’s not pretend you’re doing this for him. You’re just trying to ease your own guilt, aren’t you?”

“Why are you trying to help me?” I asked, my voice trembling. “ After everything you’ve done, why are you standing there now, willing to give yourself up?”

She turned to me, tears streaming down her face, her expression filled with a pain. “Because it was my sacrifice to make, i hate what I did to you, what I made you endure. But this… this is my consequence to bear, not yours.”

“It doesn’t fix anything!” I yelled. “Do you think sacrificing yourself now makes up for all the lies, all the manipulation? Do you think this proves anything?”

“Maybe not,” she admitted. “But I need to do this. For the first time, I need to prove myself to you. Not as a queen, not as some immortal being, but as your mother.”

“Mom, even after everything… even after all the anger, all the hate I feel for what you’ve done… I don’t want you to do this. You can’t just decide to throw your life away, it was my decision, my price to pay!”

Galaxia stepped closer to me. “I’m not throwing it away. I’m taking responsibility. For the first time, I’m choosing to do what’s right, even if it’s too late.”

“It’s not just your life, though! Don’t you get that? You’re my mother, and even after everything, I… I still care about you."

Her tears fell harder, and she closed her eyes, her face contorted with pain. “I know,” she whispered. “But I’ve made my choice.”

Death, who had been watching with that same twisted grin, clapped her hands slowly, the sound echoing in the void. “Oh, how noble,” she said mockingly. “But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Galaxia.”

She turned to me, her grin widening. “You see, I don’t care for grand sacrifices. I care for souls. And yours, dear boy, is… deliciously fractured. You’re far more interesting than she ever was.”

“Blah, blah, blah”

“You think you’re so clever now don’t you?” I turned to my mother, my voice rising with desperation. “Why are you doing this? Why now? You’ve already ruined so much, and now you’re just going to leave me with more questions than answers? That’s all I’ll have left questions and regret!”

“Because I need you to know I’m sorry! I need you to know that, even if I failed you in every other way, I won’t fail you now!”

“I don’t want your apology, I just want you to try. and be there. And now you’re doing this? You’re leaving me again?”

She knelt beside me, her hands hovering over mine. “I can’t change the past,” she said, her voice trembling. “But I can change this moment. I can protect you.”

“And then what? You think I’ll just be okay with it? That I’ll forgive you because you threw yourself to Death for me?”

“I don’t expect forgiveness,” she said, her voice breaking. “I don’t deserve it. But I love you, and I need you to know that.”

Death sighed dramatically, tapping her foot. “Touching. Truly. But enough stalling, Galaxia.Your time is up.”

I stood, glaring at both of them, my body trembling with rage and despair. “This is bullshit,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “You’re both full of it. And I’m supposed to just stand here and let this happen?”

Death smirked, her gaze piercing through me. “Oh, darling, you don’t have a choice. This isn’t about what you want. It’s about what’s owed.” Laughter echoed around us, sharp and cruel, cutting through my desperation like a blade. “Such self-sacrifice, such drama. Fine, Galaxia. If you’re so eager, I won’t keep you waiting.”

“No!” I screamed, my voice raw, filled with rage and despair. I lunged forward, but it was too late.

With a single snap of Death’s fingers, my mother’s body and soul began to break apart, splintering like fragile glass. First into two, then four, then sixteen… the pieces multiplying, breaking smaller and smaller, dissolving into nothingness.

My hands tried to reach out to grasp what wasn’t there. “Mom! No, no, no! Don’t do this!” I shouted, my voice cracking. “You can’t leave me again! Not like this!”

Her voice, faint and echoing, cut through the air one last time. “Live your life to the fullest, my son,” she said, her tone soft, almost serene. “Be better than I ever was. I love you…”

And then, she was gone. Completely, utterly gone.

“Why?” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “Why did you do this?”

Death stepped closer, her presence looming, her shadow swallowing the space around me. “Hmm,” she mused, tilting her head as if inspecting me. “I think that’s good for now.”

Her voice shifted, losing its mockery, becoming something darker, more foreboding. “Let me tell you something, kiddo,” she said, her tone cutting through the void like a knife. “You have great power within you. The kind you’ve barely begun to understand. The power you used before? That was from your mother’s darker side. Her shadow.But you…” She leaned in closer, her voice a chilling whisper. “You have your own power, one that’s entirely yours. Use it, and you’ll be fine.”

“I don’t want it,” I spat. “I never wanted any of this!”

Death chuckled, her grin returning, wider and crueler than before. “Oh, I don’t care what you want,” she said, her voice dripping with malice. “But let me make one thing clear.” Her eyes flared, the void around us trembling with her words. “The next time we meet, I will take your soul. And not just yours, everyone you love. Every last one of them.”

“So, savor this borrowed time, child. Live your life. Be a hero, be a failure, be whatever you want. But know this, when your time comes, there will be no sacrifices left to save you.”

She straightened, brushing off her hands as if wiping away dust. “Now, shoo,” she said, her tone mockingly casual. “Go on. Back to your little life.”

With a flick of her wrist, the void began to dissolve, the cold emptiness giving way to light. My mother’s final words echoed in my mind, her sacrifice weighing on me like an unmovable stone.

As the world around me reformed, I felt hollow, broken, and lost. My mother was gone, taken before I could truly understand her, before I could even begin to forgive her. And yet, somewhere deep within me, her final words sparked a faint ember of resolve.

But even that ember was buried beneath the overwhelming ache of her loss.

In the distance, Death’s laughter rang out one last time, fading into nothingness.

The void around me dissolved, transforming into the familiar, yet almost surreal sight of the gym. The colorful banners, the faint scuffs on the polished floor, and the faint scent of sweat and adrenaline were all painfully real. For a fleeting moment, I thought I had imagined it all—the sacrifice, the void, the agonizing truth about my life. But then I felt it—a cold, iron grip around my collar, yanking me forward with brutal force.

Death.

She had followed me through the veil, dragging me like a discarded doll, her smirk dripping with mockery. She held me up effortlessly, her dark eyes scanning the room with disdain. The girls were there, all of them, crumpled on the floor in a tidal wave of tears and despair. Sunset was in the center, her shoulders heaving as sobs wracked her body. She looked broken, shattered in a way that tore at the very core of me.

Death’s voice cut through the silence. “Here. Have your puppy,” she said mockingly, tossing me forward with such force that I stumbled and fell onto the hardwood floor. “This is his last chance. Try not to waste it.”

Her laugh echoed around the gym as she stepped backward into a swirling black portal, her smirk lingering in the air even as her body vanished. And then, she was gone, leaving behind an oppressive silence.

No one moved. The girls stared at me, their faces a mix of shock, disbelief. It was Rarity who reacted first, a choked sob escaping her lips as she clutched her chest. “Oh my stars… it’s you!”

Then it all happened at once.They surged forward, crashing into me with the force of all their emotions. Arms wrapped around me from every angle, squeezing me tightly as tears soaked into my shirt. Their voices overlapped in a cacophony of relief, anger, and disbelief.

“YOU IDIOT!” Rainbow Dash’s voice cracked as she pounded a fist lightly against my shoulder. “What the hell were you thinking? Do you even know what we’ve been through?”

“You scared us!” Pinkie Pie wailed, her hair slightly deflated, her usual bubbly energy replaced by pure, unfiltered emotion. “I thought you were gone forever!”

Applejack knelt beside me, her hat clutched to her chest as tears streamed down her freckled cheeks. “You darn fool,” she choked out. “Don’t you ever pull somethin’ like that again, ya hear me?”

Fluttershy was silent, her face buried in her hands as she cried softly, her shoulders trembling. Even her quiet presence felt like a storm of emotion, the weight of her relief palpable in the air.

But it was Sunset who broke me the most. She was kneeling in front of me, her hands trembling as they hovered over my shoulders, too afraid to touch me. Her eyes were bloodshot, her cheeks streaked with tears, and her lips quivered as she struggled to form words.

“You…” Her voice cracked, and she swallowed hard, trying again. “You complete dumbass!” she screamed, finally grabbing me by the shoulders and shaking me with a desperation that mirrored her broken heart. “You absolute idiot! What were you thinking? Do you have any idea how much—how much—”

Before she could finish, I leaned forward, cupping her face in my hands. Her tear-streaked face froze, her eyes wide and searching mine. And then, I kissed her.

Her lips were warm, trembling against mine as the emotions between us crashed like waves. It wasn’t just a kiss—it was everything. A lifeline. An apology. A promise.

When we finally pulled apart, I rested my forehead against hers, a small, tired smile tugging at my lips. “Missed you.I’m back.”

Sunset let out a choked sob, her hands gripping my shirt as if afraid I would disappear again. “You idiot,” she muttered, her voice trembling. “You can’t just… You can’t just die and then come back like nothing happened! Do you have any idea what you put us through?”

“I know,” I said softly, my voice thick with emotion. “I know. I’m so sorry. For everything.”

The girls huddled closer, their arms wrapping around me again, their sobs mixing with laughter as relief began to seep into their grief. It was messy and chaotic, but it was real.

“You’re not leaving us again,” she said, her tear-streaked face filled with determination. “Not now. Not ever.”

And as I looked around at the faces of my friends, my family, I knew she was damn right.

Author's Note

Yoooooooooooo, big chapter, biggest plot twist in whole series, a lot of questions and answers, but that's not the end! why would it be? i thinking to changing site with someone to help me, and new story! It will be as good as this one or even better i swear, have fun reading and if you find mistakes or inconsistences or even reapeting pls tell me i'm whriting this after 10 hour shift and im dead inside asf but can't sleep cuz i been thinking for this plot twist since chapter 2