Serene’s POV

(My dear readers, with a heavy heart I must say this is the last Chapter of my book, I would like to thank each and every one of you who stuck with me till the end, who supported me, unlocked my Chapters, and sent me gifts, love you all.)

It was time to return to The Institute, we needed to complete our first year which had been interrupted countless times. Kilamin went with me to see me off and he also wanted to meet Mariela Sensei.

A whole year had passed and it was my 19th birthday that day when I went back to UIMB. But it wasn’t the same. We had lost so many people, we had lost comrades, we lost Arlo.

The ambiance of Hexum Realm was peaceful but my heart was not, its peace had been disrupted by his death and nothing brought me solace anymore. They say ’time heals all wounds’ but that hadn’t happened to me after all this long.

People rejoiced and celebrated, and banquets were held in all the realms to commemorate the sealing of the Dark Realm once again. We were deemed heroes, and all bounties on my head were removed. I was free to visit any realm I wanted including Lycanus Realm.

"You alright," Kilamin asked looking at me sideways as walked towards the main building of the Institute.

"Yes," I replied slowly.

"Serene," Ayrden called out to me. She was already here and stood with Frela and the other girls on the grounds. I waved and made my way to them. Kilamin went on toward Mariela Sensei’s office.

We hugged each other.

"How are you?" Ayrden inquired.

"As sane as I can be considering everything," I replied with a sigh and she rubbed my arm, ensuring me she was there.

"Ladies," we heard Ralph’s sing-song voice as he rushed towards us with a twinkle in his eyes with Zeph at his heels, dressed in all black as usual. His hair had grown an inch or two since the last time I saw him.

He stopped in his tracks when our eyes met, I had refused to see or meet him in the last two months. Distancing myself from him hurt me more than I could take. Seeing him now my heart was becoming restless again, I had to find it in my heart to forgive him too, like I did Kilamin.

I didn’t know where we stood relationship-wise after everything that had transpired but at least I should forgive him and let him go if that was what he wanted. No one would want to be stuck with a girl who was plagued by the ghost of a dead man, my heart was devoid of reasoning for now.

"Serene, Serene," Ralph slightly shook my shoulder and I discovered he had been calling me.

"Sorry," I tore my eyes from Zeph who seemed to have pained look on his face, and focused on Ralph.

"How are you?" He asked softly, touching my shoulder.

"Alive," I mumbled and lowered my gaze.

"If you can find it in your heart, talk to Zeph. He is hurting just like you are, you people have been through enough," Ralph replied his gaze wandering between the two of us. Everyone else seemed to have taken the cue and they mumbled to see me inside and hurried away.

"I have nothing to say to him, Ralph. My heart is so dead right now, I have nothing to offer him," I replied with a sigh.

"Please! Serene, I understand how much you are hurting and you need the time to heal. We are all here for that, for you," he gave me a comforting hug and then he motioned to Zeph who moved like a zombie to take his place.

"Talk, both of you and let each of you heal the other, you are my best friend Zeph and you are my sister, it pains me to see both of you like this," the solemn expression he held revealed to us the gravity of his words.

"She won’t talk to me, she has reduced me to a mere stranger," Zeph complained in low voice. It jolted my heart.

"She will," Ralph reassuringly nodded at me before guiding me so I stood exactly in front of Zeph and I breathed out, my emotions going haywire looking at the man I loved so much that it hurt my existence.

"Walk with me," I asked him calmly and Ralph took my hand and offered it to Zeph who reluctantly took it. I didn’t complain as he lead me away and heard Ralph sigh in relief behind us.

"What will it take for you to forgive me?" He finally asked intertwining his fingers with mine.

"At this point, my heart is in so much pain. I don’t think I can forgive you right now. You took away my freedom of choice, Zeph. That was my decision to make and I wished you had shown little faith in me," I whispered while clutching my heart, the tears brimming in my eyes.

Zeph stopped walking and turned to take me in his embrace, his hand moved mine from where I was clutching my shirt and I hugged him as if my life depended on it, letting his warmth seep inside my flesh.

"I know Serene, I can’t turn back time but even if I could I would end up making the same choice. I will always choose you because I am so helplessly in love with you, I wouldn’t have survived if something was to happen to you," he rubbed my back as my tears got absorbed in his shirt.

"I love you too Zeph to the point that it hurts my heart even thinking that I have to part from you. But I am a mess right now and I think some part of my heart died when I shot that arrow and killed him. He did so much for us Zeph, I owed him. We owed him, he didn’t deserve to die like that."

I whispered bearing my inner heart to him and he kissed my hair.

"I know Serene, take all the time you need to heal. I promise I will not let you go and I will divide your burdens. Have it in your heart to forgive me if you could for I am not leaving you alone, ever," his affectionate words made me cling to him and cried some more while he held me.

"Don’t ever let me go," I murmured.

"I won’t," he clasped my face and kissed away my tears, he kissed away my pain and suffering.

We stood there for so long and he listened to all my complaints, he listened to my laments. I knew we couldn’t bring Arlo back now, for he was long gone but we will keep his memory alive. For a part of me will forever belong to him and I made sure Zeph understood that.

It would take me some time to heal from all the trauma but our world was at peace again. I was back among my friends and most of us had made it through the tough times. Everyone around me had found love and I was hoping that our world will maintain peace for a while now.

I had a long journey ahead of me and didn’t know what lay in wait. But one thing was for sure I had people around me who will never let me face any perilous situation alone.

"Happy Birthday," he whispered as he gently kissed my lips and I beamed at him.

This was not the end of our adventures and life together, it was just the beginning. But whatever will follow has to be a story for another day. Until then peace out.

[Author’s note: This is the very first book I have ever written and it feels accomplished to complete it today. There are so many people who I want to thank, who were part of this journey with me and pushed me to write. Especially @MK Manyr, @Kezhar, and @Alicia_Ziegler @Lawerence_Oshim for sticking till the end and reading my book. Thank you so much for supporting me. This is not the end of the journey, and I hope I will write another book on these characters. I am writing another book called: "Elven Encounter with a Blood Seeker" if you find my work interesting then check it out. Thank you]