Chapter 58

From LKT,

There is no announcement. Thank you for supporting LKT.

The note below is written by Lauren Kutterfly:

... Second to last chapter.

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Chapter 58

I landed with a smack on the floor. Again.

But this time, there wasn't a sense of loneliness in the air. Instead, I felt happy and joyful. Which was odd. Really odd.

I sat up like I did over and over agin, but this time, nothing on me hurt. That seriously confused me.

Someone groaned beside me, making me jump. I looked to my side and saw Noah sit up.

"What the-" he began, but stopped when he looked around and saw where he was. His eyes almost fell out of his sockets.

He jumped up, his sword already in his hands ready to fight.

"Noah...?" I said, standing slowly. Noah froze and looked down to see me. He gasped.

"Karen?!"

I lunged at him and tackled him into a hug.

"I did it!" I told him over and over again as we rolled on the floor. "I saved both worlds!"

Noah laughed and hugged me back. Everything will be fine. And it was.

A chorus of groans accompanied our rejoice. I paused and turned to see our parents beside us.

"Huh?" Levi moaned. "What the hell happened?"

"Levi?" my mom asked, rubbing her eyes a little. "Is that you? You okay?"

"Yeah," he grumbled. "Thank the gods the Titan didn't rip out my throat. Or maybe it did and now I'm dead."

Katrina and Erwin got up as well.

"Katrina," Erwin immediately said and crawled over to pull his limp and tired wife into his arms. He hugged he gently and asked softly,"You okay?"

Katrina nodded weakly. "Y-Yeah. I'm fine. It's just a scratch. No big deal."

I watched as she shifted her legs to reveal a huge red gash on her right thigh.

Noah gasped, announcing our existence to our parents. They all stopped in the middle of what they were doing and turned to face us.

As soon as my mom saw me, she broke off into a huge smile and lunged at me.

"Karen! Oh my gods, my little Karen-boo-boo!" she cried. "You're alright! You're alive!"

I squirmed in her arms. Getting called by my childhood nickname again by my mom with have to be addressed later. I need to escape her mental imprisonment first.

"Let... go..." I gasped. "Can't... Breath..."

My mom quickly let me go. "Oops! Sorry about that!"

But she was happy. I could see it in her eyes.

"Noah...?" Katrina asked, her voice cracking. Noah immediately rushed to his parents' side.

"Mom! Dad!" he said, frantically. "What happened?!"

Katrina swallowed and managed a weak smile. "D-Don't worry about it, honey. It's... j-just... a minor cut..."

Noah examined the gash on her thigh and shook his head.

"No, it's not!" he said and turned to look at Erwin. "What happened?!"

Erwin looked like he was about to cry. "I-I couldn't do a t-thing. The T-Titan came too fast and... slashed your mother..."

"Dear..." Katrina whispered, whipping some tears forming at the corners of Erwin's eye. "It's not your fault so... don't blame yourself."

Erwin swallowed hard, forcing the tears back.

"R-Right," he almost choked on his own words. "Sorry."

Me and my mom came over to the little family.

"Will she be fine?" my mom asked, worried as she eyed Katrina's wound.

"Her leg will be useless from now on, but other than that, fine," Levi announced.

"I can help heal her leg," a sudden voice said, making us all jump.

We all turned to look at who spoke. My eyes widened. I recognized the person.

Gotherma, still dressed in his robe but it was white this time, stood in the middling of the clearing that I just noticed surrounded by trees.

Gotherma smiled kindly, a real smile, and walked over to were Katrina laird dying in Erwin's arms. He bent down and pressed a finger to her wound.

At first, Katrina flinched but a second later, she relaxed and pale pink skin spread across why red blood was gushing out. Soon, the entire wound was gone as if it was never there.

Gotherma stood back up and smiled. "Are you okay now? Can you stand?"

Katrina stared at her leg in astonishment before realizing she had a question to answer.

She gave Erwin a look, who looked extremely confused and worried at the same time. But he got her message and I unwinded his arms, letting Katrina free.

Slowly, Katrina stood up. She didn't howl in pain once, nevertheless flinch.

Katrina was standing. She was fine.

Gotherma's smile widened. "Ah! I'm glad to see you're fine now!"

Katrina kept staring at her leg in amazement. "What... did you do?" She asked.

"I repaired it," Gotherma answered simply.

The wound was gone. Erased forever. Just llike that.

"Why are you here?" I asked, suddenly stating question I needed to ask.

Gotherma looked down. He breathed in an out once before saying,"My time in the Barrier has ended. It is time for new protectors to rise."

"New protectors?" Noah repeated. "Who will they be?"

Gotherma sighed. "This isn't my favorite part, but it'll be you and Karen, the hero of the Barrier."

Everyone stared at him like he went insane. Which I think he did. For a number of reasons.

"So... will you accept...?" Gotherma asked.

I looked at my parents. At Noah's. At Noah himself. He nodded.

I made my decision. Where you go is where I go.

"We accept," I answered. Gotherma's face lit up.

"That's great!" he said, smiling. "Thank you both for being the next protectors!"

He stepped back and a white portal appeared beside him.

"The choice to enter the Barrier now is yours," he said and pointed at the portal. "I'll see you all again one day. Good bye, heroes."

And with that, he shimmered and disappeared.

There was silence. Until my mom suddenly pulled me into a hug.

"I'm so proud of you," she whispered into my hair. I could tell that she was tearing up a little because her body shook, but these tears weren't tears of sadness. They were tears of happiness.

"Yeah, I know," I told her, smiling, and hugged her back. "I love you too."

Levi walked up to us and ruffled out hairs. I pulled bak from my mom to envelope myself in my dad's arms.

"And thank you, dad," I whispered. "For everything."

"No, thank you," Levi said firmly, but I could tell he was making some of his usual confidence. "For being the best daughter I can ask for."

I smiled and hugged him just a tiny bit tighter.

Katrina hugged her own son. "Oh, Noah," she cooed. "You grew into such a young and handsome boy. Not only that but you're also strong like your father. Go and protect the Barrier together with the love of your life. Go and be the hero."

Noah hugged his mom back. "I will," he promise her. "I will."

Awkwardly, Erwin patted Noah's head.

"Um, I don't know how to say this but... I've always loved you kid," he said, blushing slightly. "I know I've been a jerk for most of your life but know that I've loved you no matter what. Just remember that okay?"

Noah smiled and nodded. "Yea, thanks dad."

We pulled bak from our parents and steppe to either side of the portal.

"Remember! Stay together!" my mom called, reminding us. I rolled my eyes, but a small smile of laughter tugged at my lips.

Noah took my hand in his and smiled.

"Ready?" he asked.

I smiled.

"Ready."

After that, I saw white.

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