"We got this," I informed Nya through my electronic bracelet.

I turned to Morro whose dark green hood was covering most of his face to make it more difficult for the other ghosts to recognize him... I don't know why I even tried and gave him a hoodie. "Are you ready?"

"Without a doubt."

We started sneaking between the houses of Stiix seeking the house where Anima and the realm crystal were. Morro was watching his steps every two seconds, carefully walking on the wooden ground of the city skipping the wet parts to not get yeeted out of the world.

We were literally above the Endless Sea. Water, the only thing that is capable of destroying ghosts, was everywhere. Why did Anima choose this place specifically to summon the Preeminent? She must have been out of her non-existent ghosty mind.

Ghosts were everywhere, guarding their precious Preeminent that hasn't even been summoned yet.

Morro and I hid behind the walls of the house Anima and the realm crystal were. I lifted my head up a little and saw Anima through the window, with her hands up in the air yelling at the octopus-like tentacles which were coming out of the portal the crystal created.

"Yes! Finally! You'll be free!" her evil laugh followed.

I muttered to myself "that's absolutely disgusting."

It seemed that I muttered too loud, because Morro grabbed me out of Anima's sight and whispered.

"Shhh, she might hear you."

No footsteps, she didn't even move. I whispered to Morro "we have to stop her now, this is our only chance."

"Yeah, but..."

"But what?" his sudden silence made me nervous about what he was going to say.

"But in case one or both of us don't make it out alive, I want you to have this," he got something out of his pocket and handed it to me. It was my old embroidered friendship bracelet we made together when we were kids.

"I thought I lost this," I said as I gaze at the f/c and white bracelet.

Morro had his bracelet in his hand, which was black and green. "I found it in my backpack after I left the monastery, I have no idea how it went there."

"You sure you didn't steal it?" I asked with a smirk. But he took my question seriously.

"N-no!" he whisper-yelled "I swear I didn't even though I wanted to have something to remind me of you-"

"Wait.."

Now he was looking away from embarrassment or something.

Anima's footsteps sounds reminded me of the current situation.

Right... We have to save the world.

I wore my bracelet on my right wrist, Morro wore his on his left wrist and put it next to mine.

I told him calmly "don't worry, we'll be okay."

"I doubt that, this city is above water so I'll probably be screwed."

I tried my best to not tell him about the future reflection, but I ended up speaking. What could I do except that?

"You won't."

"Why are you so sure?"

"I saw you.... In my future reflection...."

Confusion covered his face "future reflection? At the cave?-" his green ghosty face turned to a shade of red and his eyes went wide. "You're not saying..."

"Let's save the world first!" I changed the subject and kicked the window open and, made Anima jump surprised and I jumped into the house.

Anima glared at me, almost exploding from rage "you again?! Don't you give up?!"

"Nope, you have a problem with that?"

"Yeah, I actually do, now get out!" she sent the tentacles of the Preeminent towards me.

I dodged them, jumped back, kicked some but one of them got my right arm. I yelped, the sight of it touching my arm was disgusting.

The other got my left arm, my legs and one was around my abdomen, squeezing me like a fruit. I screamed from the pain.

Anima laughed "you thought you could stop me?"

"No.." I tried my best to speak clearly "they are the ones who'll stop you."

"Huh?-"

"Surprise !" Lloyd and Morro from behind her - Morro wasn't wearing the hoodie anymore because he wasn't hiding anymore - , Morro kicked her across the room and came to free me.

"I can't!" he said, still trying to free me "Lloyd come and help me!"

"Stay back," Lloyd said and formed a ball of energy then threw it at my direction. The tentacles loosened their grip on me and Morro was able to get me out.

I sat on the ground, breathing heavily with Morro by my side making sure I was okay when Lloyd took the realm crystal. Anima stood up and spoke to Lloyd.

"You don't want to destroy it, green ninja."

"Whatever you're trying to do, it wouldn't stop me from destroying it," he was about to destroy the crystal when Anima yelled.

"Your father is in there!"

Lloyd froze "my father..?"

Morro yelled "don't listen to her! Destroy the crystal!"

"He wants you to kill him, you don't want your father to die, don't you?" Anima said.

Lloyd was thinking hard, he looked at me with his face asking me for an answer, for an order as I was the leader.

"Destroy it," I said.

Lloyd looked back at the crystal but Anima continued "if you destroy it, you will never be able to see your father again."

Morro and I ran to stand by his side, he was hesitating. Morro told him "Lloyd! You know she's tricking you!"

I spoke "your father would've wanted you to destroy the crystal, to save everybody."

He stared at me for a second then nodded and started using his powers to destroy the realm crystal.

Anima didn't look sad or angry at all, that made me confused but I didn't have time to think about it as the last thing I saw before getting yeeted into the Preeminent's mouth was her smirking.

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Word Count : 1006.

Hello humans. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

I'm not sure if I'll make a sequel after I finish this book or not, I just wanted to tell you.

Anyway, thanks for reading!

Bye! 👋