Tia was speechless, she couldn't utter a single word as everyone listened to what the woman is telling them.
"She's lying, she must be."
Tia thought to herself as she studied the woman expression in front of her. She doesn't seem to be fazed by that look.
"I know this will be hard to believe, but NīRVANA. That place, don't exist."
The woman spoke and everyone was shocked to hear that. Tia's too was dumfounded with that answer.
"What do you mean? You told me earlier that, the place is sealed away?"
Tia replied as the woman gave her a confused look.
"What do you mean my dear? I was here since the morning."
The woman gave Tia a sad look as if she was hurt by what Tia said. It can't be. You're a liar. Tia wanted to say that, but she decided to keep her mouth shut. She was distracted by the fact that NĪRVANA doesn't exist, or that what the woman told them.
"I'm sorry with my choice of words. What I meant to say was, NīRVANA no longer exists. The way or path to it has disappear and nobody had found a way in or out from that place since long ago. I'm afraid this is the end."
The woman gaze softens as she gave Tia a sympathize look. Everyone was exchanging confused looks and was deep in their own thoughts probably thinking, what will happen to them now?
"So, what are we supposed to do now? If that place doesn't exist, what are we going to do?"
Enzo asked as he notice Tia expression turned sad. After all, going to NĪRVANA was to help Tia go back to her own world.
"Well, I say we just stay here. Not a big deal."
Red replied as he shrugged not minding to look at Tia. She was silent. She doesn't know what to say.
"What about Tia?"
Tammy spoke as she makes an eye contacts with Tia. It was surprising that she even asks that. Hearing that, everyone was speechless.
"What's wrong my dear? Is there any reason for you to seek for that place?"
The woman spoke as she stares at Tia confused.
"She believes that going to that place will help her go back to her own world."
Kyran suggest as the woman expression turned weird. It was hard to explain. She was silent for a moment.
"What made you so sure about it?"
The woman asked and Tia was shocked to hear that. It feels like her heart had been pierce with something as it was hurting. Tia turned her gaze towards the woman as she studied her expression. Tia doesn't understand why she can't reply to that remark, since she's starting to doubt herself for believing that NĪRVANA will help her go back.
"Why would you want to go back?"
The woman speaks as Tia stand there paralyzed to her feet.
"Because I don't belong here. I want to go back to my family. To my place. The place where I truly belong. Where I don't need to care about surviving in this horrendous world. Where I don't need to fear that everyday could be the day I die, the day I might lose a friend. I don't want that. I hate it so much. I hate that I can't do anything. It's suffocating me, why did this happened to me?"
Tia burst out crying as she was too devastated with the fact that the place, she's been looking for no longer exist and the woman who claimed to be her mother.
She doesn't know what to believe anymore.
Everyone was shocked to hear her confession, even Tetiana. She was staring at Tia with unexplainable looks in her eyes. It feels weird when she did that, but Tia doesn't want to think about anything for now. She decided to leave that place as everyone stayed with the woman.
"I can't believe that she's been feeling that way since the beginning, it must be hard for her."
Kyran sighs as he watched Tia walk away from them. Xian's too was worried seeing Tia like that, she must've sad that after all she will not find a way to go back to her place.
"It's better for her to know the truth sooner than later. She will be fine."
The woman spoke as she reassures everyone that Tia's going to be just fine. Hearing that made Xian feel somewhat confused and worried. How is she so calm when Tia is devastated that she can't go back home. She doesn't look like she cares about Tia at all.
"What you seek is what you lost."
The woman added as she walks away from there leaving Xian speechless.
Dumfounded.
He was shocked to hear that word again, the creature from before said the exact same thing to them on that cave.
It's horrifying how he almost forgotten about everything. It doesn't make sense at all. Everything seems weird, how is everyone acting so normal?
Xian was surprised to see that Aiden expression matches him very well, he seems to realize the same thing Xian did.
For a moment, both of them stared at each other without saying anything before nodded, agreeing to something inside their heads.
"Where are you going?"
Kyran asks he saw Xian walking away. Xian just told him that he needed some air and walking off before giving Aiden a final glance that seems to mean that they needed to talk. Aiden understand what he meant as he too started going off after a while telling his friends he needed some air too.
"Took you long enough."
Xian voice approach Aiden as he was sitting a bench, alone.
"I figured you would say that. So, what now?"
Aiden replied as both of them stared at each other confused.
When did we became so close?
Xian thought as he stared at the boy Infront of him in confusion.
"The woman said the exact same thing the creature did back then, what's your judgement?"
Xian said as he stands next to Aiden as both staring at a blank space. For a moment, Aiden was silent. He was deep in his thoughts as he has frowned plastered on his face.
"Its bad news. I'm sure of it. This place seems weird, and for some reason both Tetiana and Serina is acting weird."
Aiden replied as Xian raised an eyebrow.
"What do you mean by acting weird?"
"I don't know, I just have this feeling telling me that they are not who they used to be."
Aiden sighs as Xian did the same. Both didn't know what to say.
"It seems like Tia knows something. When you think about it, it's weird to act like that to your own mother when you finally get to meet the person you loved the most. She doesn't look like she missed her mother..."
Aiden added as Xian too can't stop thinking about it.
"So, what's your plan?"
Xian asked as he notices Aiden smiling.
"You know, this is actually the first time we had this kind of conversation."
"So what?"
"It's new. Also, weird. But anyway, we needed to find Tia. Ask her what she possibly knows."
Aiden reply as they both nodded in sync causing Xian to groan in frustration and Aiden with a laughter.
"Well then, let's go."
Both of them decided to look for Tia and for some reason, she was already in front of them. She looked troubled, it's like something is bothering her.
"What's wrong?"
Aiden asked as he and Xian approach Tia.
Tia flinched in surprised when she heard his voice when she saw Xian. Her eyes soften and she calmed down.
"Something is weird."
Tia mentioned as she looks around making sure that nobody is listening to them.
"What is it?"
Xian lowered his gaze as he matched Tia's confused look.
"Gally."
Tia whispered as both boys stare at her in confusion.
"What's wrong with her? Is she awake?"
"She's doesn't remember what happened."
"What do you mean?"
Aiden raised an eyebrow as Tia stare at him in confusion.
"Remember when I said that I'm meeting her?"
She asked as she looked at Xian and he nodded.
"What about it?"
"Well, I did meet her. And the woman was there."
Tia replied as she was silent for a moment.
"The woman? You mean your mother?"
Aiden added and Tia just nodded in response. Tia started telling them about her encounter with the woman, their conversation and all.
"But Gally told me that I've never visited her before, and she was sleeping."
Tia added as both Aiden and Xian exchange confused looks.
"The woman was... Different. She even knows about my family. My stepmother, Ian. She knows about everything. But when I asked her about my birthday, she told me that she shouldn't have told me about "that" and now everything is a mess."
Tia explained.
"Wait. I'm confused here. So, you're telling us that the woman is lying?"
Aiden raised an eyebrow as Tia gave him a confused look.
"I don't know. I think? But if she's not, then who's the other woman that I meet earlier? Why did she say all of that? And why would Gally lie?"
Tia added as the three of them stayed silent.
"This is frustrating. I don't think we could trust Gally. Or that woman. Or anyone for now, everyone seems to be acting weird. They seem to forget what they really came here for."
Xian said as Aiden agreed saying that Serina and Tetiana is acting weird too.
"For now, just don't talk to anyone and be in your room. Aiden and I will see if things are really weird around here or not. Lock your door and don't let anyone else in. Unless it's me, or him."
Xian added as he patted Tia on her head making her feel relieved that she still has him close with her. Aiden just gave them a smirk.
After both the guys left, Tia did what he told her to do and just stay in her room waiting for them to come.