High school.

  Mia walks down the hallway, exhausted, her eyes red from crying in the Rift of Wishes. Students pass by her, but she doesn't see them. She's somewhere else entirely. Her history teacher, Mr. Radu, stops her. Radu:

  "Mia... you've been absent for three days. You didn't send any message."

  Mia freezes.

  Three days in Centopia had been only a few hours for her... or the other way around? Time is starting to behave strangely. Mia:

  "Sorry... had... problems."

  Radu studies her carefully. Too carefully. Radu:

  "It's not the first time. You're always tired, distracted, absent. If you need help, tell me.!" Mia bites her lip. She can't tell the truth. She can't lie either.

  Mia:

  "I'm fine. Just.. stress.!" Radu doesn't believe her. Radu:

  "Be careful, Mia.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Sometimes, when you run too much... something eventually catches up to you." A cold shiver runs through her. His words sound too much like a warning from Centopia.

  After classes.

  Mia opens her backpack in the park. Notebooks.

  Textbooks.

  Pens.

  And...

  a blue leaf from Centopia.

  Mia freezes.

  Mia:

  "No... no, this isn't possible.

  It wasn't supposed to come with me.!" The leaf pulses softly, as if breathing. Its color is identical to the light of the Rift of Wishes.

  She touches it.

  In that instant, she sees a flash:

  Onchao running

  Mo shouting her name

  Drake holding the 10th piece

  Samson looking at her with sad eyes Mia pulls her hand back, terrified. Mia:

  "What's happening to me...?"

  A boy from her class, Alex, appears beside her. Alex:

  "Hey, Mia.

  Are you okay? You screamed!"

  Mia hides the leaf quickly. Mia:

  "Yeah... just got scared!"

  Alex looks at her with concern. Alex:

  "If you ever need to talk.. I'm here!"

  Mia forces a smile.

  She can't tell him anything. But for the first time, she feels the real world beginning to mix with Centopia.

  Evening.

  Mia walks home.

  The street is quiet.

  The lights are warm. But then...

  Her shadow moves out of sync with her. Mia stops.

  The shadow stops a second later. Mia:

  "No... not now.."

  The shadow stretches, elongates, tears itself from the pavement...

  and for a moment, its shape resembles Drake. Mia steps back.

  The shadow snaps back to normal.

  Mia:

  "Drake... can you reach me here?" The wind blows.

  No answer.

  But Mia feels something clearly: Centopia is no longer separate. The human world is starting to crack.