A day later.

After a day of nothingness and crying, Jim finally stood up from his bed. He looked around his room, the same as when Marina was last over.

He looked at his mirror and saw a boy he didn’t recognize. No glowing necklace, no sword of magma, just Jim. A door opened and closed down the stairs, and footsteps walked around.

Bags were dropping to the floor, and two people were talking. The guardians? Jim asked himself. “Jim!!! We’re home! And we brought your favorite snack! Humble Sticks!”

Jim sighed and tried smiling to look presentable to his parents. “Nice, Thanks, guys!” He walked downstairs, hair messy, clothes wrinkled, and face barely recognizable. “Jim, what happened to you?”

Rachel asked, fixing his hair and brushing off dust on his shirt. “Where’s that girl Marina?” Max asked. Jim froze, mad but calm. He sighed, knowing a real answer wouldn’t help.

“I don’t know. Almost like she disappeared.” He answered, knowing she had disappeared from his heart. He turned to the kitchen and tore a packet of hot cocoa, and started the microwave to heat it.

He turned back, barely walking, picked up the Humble Sticks from the bag, and tore them open. The microwave beeped, and steam popped up as Jim opened the microwave, and he began walking back to his bedroom.

“Don’t forget your homework,” Rachel told him as he bit the Humble sticks. “Yeah, yeah.” Jim muffled. He entered his room and sat on his bed. “What happened to him?“

“He used to be so happy with Marina, and now he's depressed.” He heard from downstairs. “ I don’t know, but I think it’s because his parents died half a year ago.” They sighed as they stocked up the fridge.

Jim laid down as he munched on the sticks. “Can’t believe they did this. I thought Marina was my friend.” He dipped the sticks in the hot cocoa, but all the liquid vanished.

“WHAT?” He mumbles with food still in his mouth. “Is everything okay up there?” Rachel asked, concerned. But he didn’t respond. He stood up, trying to find where the cocoa had gone, but then he felt a splash under his feet.

He moved his foot. Not a breath in sight, he saw it: a message saying “We need you - M” He sighed one second, and the next second a mini wave pushed him out of his window.

He screamed, knowing if he didn’t get saved, he would plummet to his death. Suddenly, a cloud was summoned beneath him, saving his life. “THANKS, EDON! Now you need me. AFTER YOU TOOK MY POWERS!”

He screamed, hoping they would hear him. A wave of water slithered by his feet, merging upwards, water became limb, and suddenly the one he thought was his enemy was in front of him… Marina.

“You take my powers, no, my personality, no, the Dr. Jekyll to my Mr. Hyd-” Before Jim could finish, Marina cut in. “This is not the time for jokes!” She said in urgency, grabbing Jim by his shoulders and summoning them in front of the other guardians.

“What happened to consent?” He asked, jokingly. “STILL! NOT THE TIME FOR JOKES!” Marina shouted back. “Enough with you two! A guardian has been kidnapped, so, no time for jokes or screaming.”

Tempus said, frustrated, but worried. Jim froze as the others walked away, eyes wide and lost for breath. “Someone got kidnapped?!” They all turned around in disbelief. “C’MON!” Marina shouted, waving at him to come.

“Where’s heatwav- ohhh. OHHHH!” They turned their heads back around. “YOU NOTICE THAT NOW?” They shouted in harmony. “Who’s the kidnapper?” He asked. Marina took a deep breath, knowing it would hurt him more than ever.

“I-it was Magmorak… He took over Crimson. Before you scream again, who knew a necklace could move through cell bars?” Jim grunted, still not knowing why they wanted him.