Within a minute, the chaos subsided. The storm stilled, the ground no longer trembled, and even the shards of the Aether Crystal clattered uselessly onto the floor, drained of all magic.
All the students collapsed to the floor, their legs trembling. A collective sigh of relief escaped as the suffocating tension finally washed away. Each carried their own private thoughts, but no one dared to voice them aloud.
Luke and Nico rushed to Chast's side, their faces were filled with worry as they watched him writhe in pain
"Chast!" they cried in unison, but he didn't hear them, as if he were daydreaming.
And just before unconsciousness claimed Chast, they heard his voice desperately calling for his "...Mom."
Before anyone could react, a lavender haze spilled across the floor, coiling like smoke before bursting outward, spitting out a woman with eyes similar to Chast's.
Gasps rippled through the room. Students whispered in confusion, curiosity burning in their faces as they looked at the unknown lady.
But the professors and even Zayn froze where they stood, eyes wide. They couldn't believe what they were seeing. Was this real? Or a trick of the mind after the chaos?
Professor Valkiery's body weakened, her knees buckling, and she nearly collapsed. Professor Vrynth caught her just in time.
"Chastlyn..." she whispered, voice breaking, tears glimmering in her eyes. Her fists clenched as if she could will her legs to stay strong, but they betrayed her.
Zayn's emotions swirled happiness, longing, excitement, and pain. His gaze locked on Chast's mom before shifting to Chast, unconscious on the floor. After all the torment, the poor boy had cried out for his mother. And here she was.
Zayn's chest tightened, his heart aching. He strode to Chast's side and knelt, laying a hand over him as healing light began to flow.
Meanwhile, the woman stood dazed, spinning in place, her eyes wide with terror at the strange room surrounding her. "Where... where am I?" she stammered.
"Chastlyn!" Professor Valkiery's voice cracked as she rushed forward, pulling the woman into a crushing embrace.
"Chastlyn?" Chelsea and Luke echoed, blinking at each other in confusion. Then realization dawned, and their eyes widened in shock.
"The Chastlyn!?"
The words rang out, and the room erupted in gasps.
"Chastlyn Valkiery!?" the students exclaimed, their voices a mix of awe and disbelief.
As Professor Valkiery embraced Chast's mom, the woman struggled to break free. But the harder she fought, the tighter Professor Valkiery clung to her.
"Sorry, miss. Could you... let me go?" Chast's mom asked politely, her voice strained.
At the word miss, tears welled in Professor Valkiery's eyes. She tightened her hold and laughed shakily through her sobs.
"You're hurting me,"Chast's mom muttered, wincing.
Finally, Professor Valkiery loosened her grip and stepped back, her smile trembling. "Kate... Call me Kate."
Chast's mom blinked, caught off guard. "Ka... Kate," she said awkwardly. A faint smile touched her lips before fading into confusion. She glanced around the unfamiliar room until her eyes landed on Chast's body lying on the floor.
She gasped in horror and rushed forward.
"Chast!" Her voice cracked as she knelt beside him, her trembling hands brushing over him while Zayn continued his healing spell.
"What happened to my son?" she demanded.
Zayn was stunned. After almost two decades without seeing her, Zayn didn't know how to react to Chast's mom. He wanted to speak, but it was as if something was blocking his voice, lodged in his throat. He couldn't even bring himself to look her in the eye... not yet. He no longer knew how to face her or interact with her. After all the years she'd been gone, it felt like she was no longer the same Chastlyn he once knew. Yet despite everything, his feelings for her remained unchanged.
"He fainted," Professor Valkiery answered gently as she joined them.
"What!? Why?" Chast's mom shot a frantic look at Zayn. "Is he alright? Please, tell me!"
Zayn kept silent, focusing on his spell.
His silence only deepened Chast's mom panic. "Oh, God!" she gasped, gathering Chast into her arms. She pressed her forehead against his and whispered desperately, "Please... be well." Then she kissed his forehead.
A golden glow enveloped Chast, and his eyelids fluttered open.
Professor Valkiery smiled softly. "So it was you," she murmured. "You healed your son."
For the briefest moment, Zayn's lips curved into a smile, but it was gone before anyone noticed.
"Mom?" Chast asked as he blinked, then rubbed his eyes. His vision was still blurry, and he wasn't sure if it was really his mother he was seeing. Is he still dreaming?
"Yes, son. Mommy's here." His mom cradled his face in her hands, tears streaming freely until they dropped onto his cheeks.
"Mom!" Chast called out again. Excited, he tried to sit up so he could embrace his mother, but a groan escaped him as his bones cracked, as if he hadn't stretched in ages. Yet despite the pain, he shook it off and wrapped his arms around her, joy shining in his face.
He had longed for this moment. Throughout his stay at the academy, not a single day passed without him missing his mother. With every embarrassment he endured, every suffering he faced, it was always her he longed for—his mother's comfort, his mother's love.
He hugged her tight as he breathed in his mother's familiar scent—freesia, his favourite.
Author's Note:
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