_“No… This can’t be happening…” _

As she disappeared from view, I knew there was nothing else I could do.

I had to just stand there. I could only watch.

Accepting her fate was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. And go figure. I finally find the one who has torn apart my defenses, who has seen inside my soul, who has found a way to make me feel… well… complete. And I know I can do nothing. I couldn’t even tell her how I feel. _Does she even know? Does she feel the same way? _

I saw how she looked at me before we parted. Or was I just imagining it? What did we leave unsaid? And will it be forever left that way?

But, I guess I’ve played my part well.

“Why… “ I start to ask.

“You know why,” Cole interrupts.

Oh, how I hate him. If only the prophecy meant something else. If only I could…

_There’s got to be a way…_

_“There shall be one, brighter than the sun,_

_Who will deliver unto the ice-capped mountains _

_The warmth of all undone._

_Breath of fire through aura glow _

_Tears spilt through death’s sweet sorrow know_

_The lies unravel all below.”_

“No!” I said, almost shouting, “I don’t know why! There’s nothing in the prophecy about standing by and doing nothing!” In almost a defeated whisper, I added, “She doesn’t have to die….”

“Taryn,” Cole turns and looks at me, a deep sadness in his eyes, “I told you not to fall for her.”

“I didn’t…,” but I was foolish to think he couldn’t see it. I’ve been getting too close to her the past few months and he knew it. What he didn’t know was that I fell for her the second her bright green eyes bore into mine. Hell, _I_ didn’t even know it then. “There has to be a way around the seer’s interpretation. She’s been wrong before.”

“Once,” Cole said as he turned around to head back down the mountain, “But it was only because it wasn’t a complete prophecy. This one is, and there’s too much hanging in the balance for us to mess it up because you’re blinded by your emotions. We just have to hope that she isn’t, and trust her to do what needs to be done.”

I took one last look towards where she disappeared, imagining that if I just waited a minute longer, she would come back around the corner, with her smile that would light up the sky, and her deep laughter that makes her whole body quake. She would look at me and everything would be fine. But I knew better than that. I never needed anyone before I met her, so I just need to convince myself I don’t need anyone now. _Easier said than done._

With resolve, I pull my eyes away from the snow covered peak, heave a big sigh, and turn to catch up to Cole.

_Blinded by emotion… _I huff at that sentiment. If I were blinded I would….

_“Brighter than the sun”_

I stop dead in my tracks. I can feel the edges of an idea just outside of my grasp. Something is pulling, tugging, willing me to turn back. I can feel my aura start to stretch, spread out behind me. Almost unwillingly I turn around.

_“Breath of fire through aura glow”_

I don’t know how I know, but somehow, I know. We have only just touched the surface of her true power and while I believe she could save our world while giving herself in to her power, my instincts tell me that is not the only way. She does not have to die…

“Hey Cole…!”

Cole keeps walking ahead, either ignoring me or just not willing to keep conversing with someone lost in sorrow.

“COLE!” I run to catch up to him, grab his shoulder and turn him so he has to see, has to listen.

“Cole, what if everything we know about aural magic is incomplete? What if there’s more that we can’t see? What if we don’t know because there’s never been anyone quite like her in so long and that knowledge was lost?”

“Taryn… Please… Don’t do this to yourself”

“No, I know I’m right. I have to go to her. You don’t have to come, in fact, it’s better if you don’t. But I know what I have to do and it’s crazy but it’s the right thing. Remember our mother always told us to never ignore an instinct if it’s strong, if it pulls at our aura. We are this way for a reason,” At this point, I sounded like I was trying to convince myself.

“Taryn,” Cole shook his head regretfully, “It’s hard to say goodbye to someone you love, but I can’t let you ruin this. I can’t let you go to her just to see if she feels the same, all because you refuse to see the truth that the seer gave. She cannot afford that distraction. I’m truly sorry it ended this way, I really wish we could change it, but we can’t,” Cole started to reach out to me to try to comfort me.

I did not have to think for long to make a decision.

“I’m so sorry Cole, but I have to do this. It’s not to see if she feels the same, I just know I have a part to play in this. Please forgive me,” and before he could reach out to me, I gather my aura into a small black knot, reach my arm back and throw a swift right hook at the side of Cole’s head, releasing the knot to punch a hole into Cole’s aura, letting my fist connect with the side of Cole’s face. I am careful to aim to knock him unconscious without any long term damage, he is my brother after all. His eyes widened right as my fist landed and then he was out. He won’t be out long, I’ll have just enough time to get far enough away before he can mend his aura to do anything about it.

_This better work… _

I turn toward the ice-capped mountain peak and start running as fast as I can.

_Hold on, Karina, I’m coming…_

“I was the one who had it all, I was the master of my fate

I never needed anybody in my life, I learned the truth too late.” - Evermore