The old man shielded his eyes from the intense light, and when it finally faded, he saw Ty's body lying motionless on the ground, apparently unconscious.
In a surreal turn of events, Ty found his spirit ripped from his body, hurtling through a tunnel of shifting lights. He traveled endlessly through this kaleidoscopic passage until he abruptly came to a stop above what appeared to be Earth's atmosphere. He then swiftly descended toward the planet, his spirit's journey taking him closer to the ground.
As Ty's spiritual form collided with Jade, they were both suddenly enveloped in a white void. Jade, caught off guard by this abrupt transition, stumbled and fell into the snow, momentarily passing out from the shock.
Regaining her bearings, Jade spun around, her confusion and frustration evident as she cursed, "What the fuck is going on now?!"
"Jade! It's me," Ty called out, this time not appearing as a skeleton but in the form of a 6'0" tall guy with black hair and crystal blue eyes.
Jade, recognizing him despite the drastic change in his appearance, remarked in surprise, "Weren't you some skeleton the last time we spoke?"
Ty, acknowledging her unasked question with a sense of urgency, expressed his remorse. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you against Erebos, and I'm sorry I haven't figured out how to get back to Earth yet. I can't even say I've made good progress," he admitted, then added, trying to lighten the mood slightly, "Though I have to say, your new hair makes you hardly recognizable."
Jade's demeanor shifted from one of cold confusion to a mix of tears and a warm smile. "It's taken you long enough to at least check in with me, you know. I wasn't sure if you'd died somehow or what!"
Ty, looking down with his hands clasped together, continued, "I apologize. It was never my intention for that to happen. It feels like it's been 2 years now since I've been gone. How many days has it been since 'I died,' by the way? I was told time moves differently depending on the dimension."
Stunned by Jade's heartfelt words, Ty felt a surge of determination. "Of course, anything to get back home," he affirmed, his voice strong with resolve.
But their moment was abruptly cut short. The spiritual void around them began to collapse, its fragments dissipating into nothingness. As the space cracked and fell apart, Ty was torn from Jade's arms. His form started to fade, but he had one last crucial piece of information to share.
"I forgot to mention before Erebos punched a hole in me again, he mentioned that he saw a vision of you and the red-haired girl being killed. There's an invasion of Earth coming, so, whatever you do! Don't die, you hear me!" he shouted, desperate to convey this vital warning.
Jade, absorbing the gravity of his words, focused intently on Ty's fading form. In a swift, decisive movement she noticed she had a crystal in her hand in this form, she extended her palm open, and a pink glowing crystal shot out, sticking to him falling into his skin.
Her eyes softened into a warm smile, imbuing the crystal with a sense of hope and connection, even as everything around them faded to black.
Jade slowly regained consciousness, finding herself back on the snowy ground. A woman and a man were by her side, helping her to her feet with concern etched on their faces. "Ma'am, are you okay?" they asked. "We saw you pass out from the other side of the street and came to check on you real quick."
Regaining her composure, Jade replied, "Oh, sorry about that, it happens sometimes. How long was I out, anyway?"
The couple exchanged a glance. "Oh, uh, it was maybe a minute at most," one of them answered.
"Ah," Jade murmured, nodding her thanks. "I'm fine now," she assured them before walking towards the café.
As she approached the café, her eyes caught sight of a blue-haired female acting extremely awkwardly in the spot where Ashiki was supposed to be sitting. This unusual sight piqued Jade's curiosity, hinting at another twist in her day that was already filled with extraordinary events.