Hello Everyone and welcome to the final chapter of B.L.A.S.T.! I'm both very excited and nervous to be posting this chapter! Before we get to it, seeing as we are at the end I hope you don't mind if a take a short trip down memory lane.

Back in May of 2017 when I first posted this story I was taking my first steps into the world of fanfic writing, having only discovered the concept a few years prior, though it was not my first time trying my hand at writing in general. I was extremely nervous at the time. I had NEVER let anyone read anything I had written in the past out of pure fear, embarrassment, and self doubt. And here I was about to expose myself to the world with with my cruddy little story!? What was I thinking!? Was I really going to open myself to such ridicule!? Something I had spent my life doing everything I could to avoid! Well, as you can obviously tell I took the risk. My fears were somewhat assuaged by the anonymous nature of the internet and the fact that if it went poorly I could just disappear into the depths of the digital sea, never to be seen again. A funny thing happened though. People actually liked my story! I was shocked. In what was a very rare moment for me I was actually being praised for something I did! I wasn't being made fun of, I wasn't being told I was a failure, I wasn't being told I was some kind of freak or weirdo! The criticism I did get was fair and made some good points. I was blown away. I NEVER thought I would ever be told I was anything other then worthless. (In case you haven't figured it out by now I suffer from depression and a huge lack of self-worth.) I was heartened by this response and continued to write my story. Though even to this day I feel nervous everytime I post a new chapter.

Now at the time I first started this tale I thought it would take me about a year, at most, to write the entire thing. Here we are some fourteen years later and I'm just now getting to the end. Thing's like writer's block, stress, depression, equipment failures, family tragedy, and just plain old everyday life getting in the way. Not to mention the chapters getting longer, the complexity of the writing growing, changes to the story and my fear of screwing things up!

Over the course of writing this story I like to think I've grown as a writer, having learned both from my triumphs and failures. I don't pretend to think I know everything about the art of writing. I believe there is always room to grow. One thing I now for certain, something I've only really begun to realize these past few months, is that writing is something I am meant to do. It's part of me, who I am. And weather it's as a professional writer someday, just a fanfic writer or something else entirely, telling tales is what I am supposed to be doing.

Right, sorry if I got a little long winded there. I get a little sentimental at times like this. So, last chapter I said I was going to make an announcment about the full title for the upcoming sequel to this story and here it is!

B.L.A.S.T.: Shadows of the Past

There you go! I had a couple of strong contenders for the title, but this is the one I went with because I felt it best conveys what the sequel will be about in a number of ways. I hope you're looking forward to the continued adventures of these characters in what I hope will be an exciting story! Now you might be asking when I will be releasing this story, and the answer is, soonish. With this tale coming to a close I will be taking a short break from writing to recharge my creative batteries so to speak as well as get caught up on some video games. I won't be completely idle of course, I hope to launch a couple of other stories I've wanted to release in the coming months. But as for the sequel itself my plan is to release it sometime in December of this year. Keep an eye on my profile for any relevant news as I will post updates there!

Don't forget to leave a review! They really do help me a lot! Speaking of I would like to thank Penguin Lord0029 and Power of Magic for their reviews last chapter!

So with all that out of the way, I present to you, the final chapter of B.L.A.S.T.!

Chapter 31: In the End

The only sound in the air was the distant noise of the violent eruptions coming from Mount Illgoth. Dark smoke poured into the air as bright orange lava flowed freely from the crater at the top. The shaking of the ground had been nonstop for several minutes. At this distance from the volcano it wasn't that bad, but was obviously much more violent in the immediate area around the mountain. They could see the large fold in the middle of the valley that was letting the allied army get clear of the danger. The fold that Becky had left open so her friends could escape remained where she had left it, unused.

No one had moved from where the leader of the Guardians had left them. All of them watched the distant volcano, their minds and hearts filled with worry and fear for the safety of Becky, who had flown off on her own back into the depths of the mountain to try and somehow save Eldrin from destruction.

Kisarc stood with his arms crossed across his chest, despite being their enemy until a short while ago he watched intently for any sign of her return. Chase had his fists clenched at his side, feeling utterly helpless. Kaz and Trista stood together, holding each other as they keep silent vigil. Marna had her fist to her mouth, lightly biting down on one finger. Sarah looked utterly horrified, her mouth slightly open. Amy couldn't contain her nervous energy, bouncing on her toes. Lisa was on the ground. Resting on her knees, barely able to hold herself up with her arms. Tears ran down her face, guilt and fear flooding her mind.

"Please be alright, please please be alright." She muttered out. They continued to watch and wait. The tension almost broke when the giant fold suddenly vanished, briefly startling the group. For a second they were confused until it crossed their minds that the allied forces had must of managed to fully evacuate. There was a noise behind them and as one they turned to see Nella stepping through the fold followed by Will, along with Irma, Hay Lin, Taranee and Cornelia as well as the Oracle.

"There you guys are!" Nella said in a slightly panicked voice. She went over to Marna and gave her a big hug.

"You're all right!" Marna said in a relief filled voice.

"Yeah, the Oracle patched me up, no problem!" Nella looked around at the others, her brow creasing in confusion. "What's going on? We got worried when none of you showed up on Kandrakar. Why aren't you in your Guardian forms? Where's Becky?" Before anyone could answer her rapid-fire questions two more folds opened up. Out of one came Jenny, Samantha and Lillian, out of the other Caleb and Elyon.

"Sarah!" Jenny called out. She ran to her girlfriend and they wrapped their arms around each other.

"Amy, thank the light!" Samantha said as she hugged Amy. "I was so worried!"

"I'm all right." Amy said burying her face in Samantha's shoulder.

"Where's Becky?" Will asked as fear and worry crossed her face.

"She, she's in the mountain." Lisa said. She didn't turn to face the others as she spoke, unwilling to tear her eyes away from the violently erupting volcano.

"What!?" Will shouted out.

"She turned us back to normal and flew off before we could stop her." Amy said. "She said she was going to try and stop the explosion or something. We don't know. It happened so fast."

"Oh God…" Will said as she walked forward a couple of steps. Irma came up beside her and put a hand on her wife's shoulder. No one else said anything as they all took up vigil, waiting for some sign that Becky was safe. Time seemed to stretch on for an eternity as they watched and waited, no one daring to speak. Various degrees of fear and anxiety played across their faces.

The rumbling that had been ever present began to pick up in intensity. The Oracle raised a hand to usher everyone back towards the fold to Kandrakar. The ground began to truly shake beneath them. A few cries of dismay found their way into the air. Far off in the distance Mount Illgoth was visibly shaking, large chunks of rock and earth breaking free of the surface and tumbling downhill. Burning lava burst forth from beneath the rocky surface in several spots.

"Oh no…" Lisa moaned out. With an earsplitting boom Mount Illgoth exploded. Rock and lava were sent flying hundreds of feet into the air. A burning white torrent of magical energy enveloped the remains of the once mighty volcano, and vanished almost as quickly as it appeared. Mount Illgoth was gone, obliterated as if it never existed in the first place. Lava and shattered rock flowed into the mile long valley that had fronted the mountain. Smaller chunks of rock began to rain down around them, the Oracle quickly throwing up a shield to protect the group from getting hit by any of the burning rock. A stunned silence had settled over everyone, all of them shocked by the destruction they had just witnessed. Lisa slowly got to her feet and stumbled a few steps forward, her mind struggling to process what the volcano's destruction meant. She began to hyperventilate before an anguished scream escaped her lips.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Her desperate cry filled the air, a steady stream of tears cascading down her cheeks. She collapsed to the ground, pain filled sobs filling the air. You could feel her heart breaking as she, as all of them realized that there was no way Becky had survived.

"It can't be… it just can't." Will wailed in despair. She turned and began to weep into Irma's shoulder who was also crying.

"Oh Becky, no…" Amy muttered out. Samantha just shook her head in sadness as the two held each other.

"Damnit Becks…" Trista said through clenched teeth. Kaz stood next to her, gripping his head with both hands, unable to form any kind of words. Chase just hung his head, thumping a clenched hand to his chest in a silent salute. Sarah and Jenny couldn't let go of one another, both crying into each other. Taranee and Hay Lin were both crying silently while Caleb held his sobbing wife Cornelia. Lillian stood nearby her arms just dangling listless at her side. Elyon was weeping into her hands. Kisarc had crossed his arms over his chest and hung his head in a silent gesture of respect to a fallen warrior. Like Chase, Nella and Marna had placed a fist to their chests as they to paid a silent tribute to Becky, tears flowing from their closed eyes.

"She did it." Nella said quietly after a moment. "I don't know how, but she did it. She saved Eldrin."

"Indeed." Chase said gently. "Her sacrifice will never be forgotten. All of Eldrin will remember her name and what she did for our world."

"Come, let us return to Kandrakar." The Oracle said sadly. "There is no reason to linger here any longer." With a gesture he opened a fold and everyone shuffled towards it. Lisa was the only one who didn't move. Will went to her and gently began to get her to her feet.

"Let's go Lisa…" She said weakly as she helped the distraught teenager to her feet. Lisa let herself be stood up, never taking her eyes off the smoldering remains of Mount Illgoth. She was on full autopilot at this point. Even so, something caught her attention in the distance. A small point of light among the haze of smoke. It sparkled and winked like a star in the night sky even though it was broad daylight.

"What's that?" Lisa said as she pulled herself free of Will's grasp. Everyone else stopped and turned. It took some longer than others to spot what Lisa was pointing at. As they watched the light began to move towards them. It was hard to tell how fast since it was so far away. But as it grew closer it became more distinct and brighter. A pinkish purple glow that was growing larger by the second, approaching them rapidly. As it did a humanoid shape became more evident and Lisa felt hope surge inside her chest.

"I don't believe it…" Nella said as she came to the same conclusion as everyone else.

"Becky!" Lisa cried out. Approaching at high speed was Becky, the light they had seen from a distance an energy shield that was wrapped around her form. As she got close they could tell her eyes were closed, seemingly unconscious. She slowed down as she passed over their heads and floated a few feet away from them. Lisa quickly followed. As she got close Becky lowered to the ground, gently landing on her knees. Her head hung down a bit, her eyes still closed and her arms hanging at her sides. The shield began to shrink and flow back into the Heart of Kandrakar which was glowing and floating in the air. Once it was gone it drifted back down and thumped against Becky's chest. There was a flash of light and Becky reverted to her normal form. No one dared move as they watched as Becky remained motionless in her kneeling position.

"Becky?" Lisa asked hesitantly as she took another step forward. For second nothing happened, but then the leader of the Guardians began to stir. She groaned and her eyes fluttered open. The first thing she saw was the worried visage of the girl she loved.

"Lisa?" Becky said wearily as she came awake. A huge grin broke out across the blonde's face.

"BECKY!" Lisa cried out happily as she flung herself on Becky, wrapping her arms around her, crying tears of joy as she buried her face in Becky's neck. "I thought, I thought I lost you! I thought you were gone!" She sobbed out. Becky hesitantly reached out and put her arms around Lisa. This seemed to break the spell around the others and with cheers of joy and triumph they surged forward and surrounded the reunited couple.

"How, how am I here?" Becky asked. "I thought for sure I was dead."

"That's what we'd like to know! What happened in there!? How'd you keep Eldrin from getting reduced to ashes!?" Amy blurted out. Becky spent the next couple of minutes explaining what she did. Opening a fold and surrounding it with a shield to try and bleed off the energy of the explosion.

"Ingenious." The Oracle said. "I do not know where you got the idea to try what you did, but it worked. I am impressed. As to how you survived, the answer lies with the Heart of Kandrakar. It protected you, encased you in a shield that saved you from the explosion. As I have said before, world hearts are mysterious objects that can display a will of their own. I doubt we will ever know for sure, though I do not believe any of us will argue with the results."

"Well, all I know is I'm grateful for whatever it did. I had no idea if my plan would work, I was sure I wasn't going to get out of there alive." As Becky said this Lisa pulled away from her and pushed her hard.

"What were you thinking!?" Lisa shouted out. "Don't you ever do that to me again!" She once again wrapped her arms around Becky and began to cry again. "I thought, I was sure you were… Never again Becky! You hear me!? I can't stand the thought of losing you! Just, no!"

"I'm, I'm sorry Lisa. I didn't mean to…" Becky blurted out her words. "It was the only thing I could think of, I didn't know what else to do."

"I get it." Lisa said, she gripped both sides of Becky's face and looked her in the eye. "But no more self-sacrifice, ever, you hear me?"

"Y,yeah… I hear you."

"Good!" With that Lisa pulled Becky in and kissed her deeply, throwing as much of her love and passion into it as possible.

"So, does that mean you're not mad at me anymore?" Becky asked hesitantly. "I know I messed up last night and I'm really sorry."

"No, stop right there." Lisa said holding up her hands. "You have nothing to be sorry for, nothing. I'm the one that should be apologizing. I let my fears get the better of me and I said some things I didn't mean. You mean the world to me Becky. I love you with all my heart and I should have never tried to hide that from anybody."

"Really?" Becky said, a sense of relief washing over her. "I mean, after what happened last night, I thought you didn't want to be with me anymore."

"No, no, of course not. I can't imagine my life without you in it." Lisa said. "I am so sorry I gave you reason to believe I don't love you."

"It sounds like you two had your first real fight." Will said. She took the opportunity to hug her adopted daughter, relieved that she was alright.

"Yeah, I guess we did." Becky said.

"That's normal Becky." Will said. "Couples fight, it happens. Me and Irma have had a few fights. It doesn't mean we don't still love each other at the end of the day. There are going to be moments where your tempers get the better of you. Where you disagree on things. It just means you're human, that's all." Becky nodded her head in understanding. She looked back to Lisa and smiled.

"I need to learn to not let every little thing that goes wrong seem like the end of the world. It's a problem I need to work on."

"We'll work on it together." Lisa said. Becky just nodded her head.

"So, wait, does this have anything to do with what happened at the party last night?" Sarah asked.

"Yeah." Lisa said with a sigh. "Stacey caught us making out last night. She's planning to out us to the whole school, probably in as an embarrassing a manner as possible. I… freaked out."

"Oh that fucking bitch." Trista said angrily. "I'm going to rip her a new one!"

"Don't worry about it." Lisa said, looking at Becky. "I'm not going to. Let her say whatever she wants. As long as I have Becky everyone else can piss off if they have a problem with us being together. That's how I feel."

"You really mean that?" Becky asked.

"I do."

"And you love me, right?"

"You know I do."

"Good." Becky reached into the pocket of her pants, gripping the small box concealed inside. She hesitated only a moment before taking a deep breath and forging ahead. "I was going to ask you this last night, before we were rudely interrupted, but maybe this is a better moment anyways."

"Becky? What are you?" Lisa stopped speaking when Becky pulled out a small square box with a rounded top. There were a few excited gasps among their friends when they caught sight of the ring box. Hay Lin let out a squeal of delight before being hushed by Irma.

"Lisa, I've thought long and hard about this. And while we're only fifteen, I know there is no one else I would want to spend the rest of my life with. You are my sun, moon and stars. Lisa Sonders, will you marry me?" Becky opened the box to reveal a simple gold band with a small diamond on it. Lisa let out a cry of delight and threw herself at Becky, wrapping her arms around her, planting several kisses on her face.

"Yes! A million times yes!" Lisa cried out joyously. "Of course, I'll marry you!" She backed off for a moment to allow Becky to take the ring out of box and slip it onto her finger. Lisa put her other trembling hand to her mouth as she just stared at her engagement ring.

"Way to go Becks!" Trista shouted out. "Welcome to the engaged club you two!" She took a moment to look at her own engagement ring before turning and smiling at Kaz.

"I know we're going to have to wait a couple of years before we can actually tie the knot. But I figure this will do for now." Becky said. Her face had gone all red, a huge grin on her face.

"No, no waiting." Lisa said shaking her head.

"What?" Becky said.

"I don't want to wait. The sooner we can get married the better. The sooner I'm your wife the happier I'll be."

"But Lisa, we can't get married yet. We're, we're not old enough… It's not that I'm against it or anything."

"We're not old enough by Earth standards, true." Lisa nodding her head. "But I think we can find a way around that here on Eldrin. Right Chase?" The prince just chuckled and nodded.

"I think we can arrange something." He said.

"So, let's do it. Let's make it official and get married."

"This is kind of crazy." Taranee said. "I mean, I'm not trying to rain on your parade or anything, but still. Are you two really sure you can handle something like marriage at your age? Will? What do you think?" Becky's mom let out a small laugh and shook her head.

"Is this what you really want?" Will asked Becky.

"More than anything I've ever wanted in my entire life." She said. Will looked into her daughter's eyes, searching through what she saw in there. She could see the fire, the determination and most of all the love.

"Well, the way I look at it, if they can fight evil warlords, monsters and risk their lives to save another world I think they can handle being married at their age, even if it's not normal by our standards. If it's what you two truly want, I won't try and stop you. You have my blessing." Will said to her daughter. Getting her mother's approval Becky turned back to Lisa.

"Alright, let's do it." Becky said happily. The two kissed again before resting their foreheads together. "I don't think I've felt happier than I do right now."

"Me too." Lisa said as she cupped Becky's face with her hand. "The only thing I really regret is that we can't have kids together someday."

"Well… that's not exactly true." Will said as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Hunh?" Becky said in confusion.

"I guess now is as good a time as any." Will said as Irma took her hand. "We have a bit of an announcement we were saving. I'm pregnant, by Irma." They let that hang in the air for a moment and let it sink in. Hay Lin suddenly let out another one of her excited sequels of delight as she ran up and hugged her friends.

"You guys did it!? You found a way to have a baby together!?" She shouted out happily. "Congratulations! I'm so happy for you two!"

"Wait, what?" Amy said scratching her head. "I don't, I'm so confused. Will is pregnant by Irma? How the heck does that even begin to work?"

"Let me explain." Will said. "When we first got engaged, well even before that I suppose, we knew we wanted to have kids together. But obvious biological issues made that kind of hard. We came to the conclusion that there had to be some magical means to overcome that. Cornelia and Hay Lin knew about it because we brought it up with them. Sorry Taranee, Elyon. We didn't mean to keep you guys out of the loop, it just wasn't a subject that ever came up with you two."

"Don't worry about it!" Taranee said. "I just really happy for you two!"

"Same here!" Elyon piped in. "Obviously you found the solution you were looking for!"

"Yeah, thanks to Lillian." Will said looking at Cornelia's little sister who just smiled and waved a bit. "We were having a conversation with Cornelia about the subject and Lillian overheard. She remembered something from her lessons in magic with the Oracle and suggested we talk to him."

"Which was an awkward conversation, that's for sure." Irma said. "Isn't that right Oracle, old buddy?"

"As I told you at the time, you two are not the first pair of Guardians to approach me about such matters." He said with an amused grin. "I was more than happy to prepare it for you." Becky thought for a moment and flashed back to Will and Irma's wedding.

"Wait! The Oracle's wedding present to you two! The one you didn't open in front of everybody! The one you were both excited about! That was it, wasn't it!?" She said.

"Right in one Becky." Irma said. "It's a pair of potions that allow two women to have a baby together. We used them the first night of our honeymoon."

"So that means…" Becky said.

"You're going to be a big sister." Will said.

"I can't believe it. I'm going to have a little brother or sister."

"Well, little sister. That's the one thing about using these potions. We can only have girls together using them." Will explained.

"That makes sense from a biological perspective." Taranee said. "No Y chromosome, no boys."

"Which we're both fine with." Irma said. "We're just excited by the fact we can have a baby together."

"That's, that's wonderful." Lisa said. She turned and smiled at Becky. "That means we can start a family of our own one day!"

"Yeah…" Becky was still in a bit of a state of shock, trying to process what she had just learned.

"That you're going to want to wait on." Will said with a pointed look.

"Well yeah, of course." Lisa said.

"So let me get this straight." Cornelia was saying in mock annoyance. "You two give me grief about fighting the bad guys while I was pregnant and here you are Will, walking into an active volcano just after you get knocked up! Talk about double standards!" She gave an over exaugurated huff which everyone laughed at. The stress and tension that had built up was finally evaporating and spirits were lifted. Chase suddenly got a serious look on his face, having forgotten about something important till just now. He went up to the Oracle with worry on his face.

"Celia!? Is she!?"

"She lives." The Oracle said with a nod of his head. Relief spread across Chase's face as he let out a sigh. "Her wound was severe, but she was brought to me in time. She is resting back at Kandrakar. I assume you wish to see her."

"Yes, please." It was here that Kisarc cleared his throat.

"And with that I think it's my cue to take my leave." The mercenary leader had been taking this all in, but not really making much sense of it however. Not wanting to disturb them it had let them go about their reunion and celebrations till the right moment to make his exit arrived. "I need to get back to my men and see to their needs. But before I do." He turned to Chase and bowed before him. "I wish to apologize for all the harm that my men and I did to your world in helping Logrim with his goals. I know that it helps little, but you have my vow that 'Iron Saber' will never step foot on Eldrin again. We owe your people a great debt, and I vow that one day I will find a way to repay it."

"I understand." Chase said solemnly. He held out his hand which after a moment's hesitation Kisarc shook. "Let us both hope for brighter days ahead."

"Indeed." He turned and looked at Becky. "If you would be so kind as to open a way home for me."

"Of course." Becky opened a fold back to Shoranoth. Kisarc nodded his head in appreciation. "You know Kisarc, you're not as bad of a guy as you pretend to be. You could do a lot of good if you put your mind to it. You could change your world for the better. It doesn't have to be the way it is." Kisarc gave a short laugh and shook his head.

"A fine idea, truly. But I think you give me far too much credit young lady. I am just a mercenary after all."

"Maybe, maybe not. Don't sell yourself so short." Becky just crossed her arms across her chest and tilted her head to one side.

"Perhaps. I suppose time will tell." The lizardman nodded his head at her. "Best of luck to you. You have my respect." With that Kisarc stepped through the fold which closed behind him.

"Let's take our own leave." Chase said. "I think a lot of celebrating is in order." As everyone looked at each other they knew he was right.

Once they were back on Kandrakar it didn't take long for the party get into full swing. Food was brought out, drinks provided. Everyone began to celebrate their success and many a toast was made. To the fall of Logrim, the saving of Eldrin, to Becky and Lisa's engagement, to Will's pregnancy, the fact that they all survived and many more beyond. Friends were brought in from Meridian and soon the council chamber was packed. Something Becky and Lisa were grateful for as it allowed them to slip off and find somewhere private to have a little fun. They weren't the only couple to do so either. A one point early on Chase excused himself to check on a certain blue haired seer.

Celia moaned a bit as she stirred and came awake. A small surge of fear passed through her when she didn't recognize the bedchamber she was in. That fear was replaced with confusion when the last events she could remember returned to her. She put a hand to the spot where Logrim had stabbed her. She saw the hole in her robes where his blade had entered her body. She shivered a bit at the bloodstains around the ragged tear in her clothes. But of the wound itself there was no sign, her skin smooth and unmarked by any kind of wound.

"How?" She asked.

"The Oracle healed you." Chase said. Celia jumped a bit but relaxed when she saw who it was. "Thank the light you're alright." Celia didn't say anything, she just clenched the blanket covering her in her hands, and biting her lip. "Celia, what's wrong? It's over, you're safe now." Celia just squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, tears flowing down her face. She broke down and flung herself at Chase crying into his chest.

"Chase! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry for everything!" She wailed. "I was a fool, a coward! I, I…!"

"Shh, shh, shh, it's alright." Chase said as he held her. "It's not all your fault. I have my share of the blame. If I had only seen what you were going through, I could have done something."

"No, Chase, you didn't do anything wrong!" Celia shook her head. "You've always been there for me! Saved me in more ways and more times than I can count! And what do I do!? I repay your love and kindness and that of your family with betrayal! I don't understand why you didn't just let me die! That's what my vision showed!"

"I don't care about some vision! I saved you because I love you!" Chase took her hand in both of his. "You mean everything to me! I could never see you harmed!"

"I don't deserve your love." Celia said sadly. "I don't deserve forgiveness." Chase put a finger under her chin and raised her face to face his.

"You already have it." Chase said before leaning in and kissing her. To Celia it was as if she was getting a breath of fresh air after being trapped underwater for an eternity. "You didn't kill my father, you didn't conquer our world, you didn't terrorize our people. It was all Logrim, that is where I choose to lay the blame and guilt." He reached into a pouch on his belt and pulled out a gold bracelet adorned with green and purple gems. He slipped over Celia's hand and onto her wrist. "I love you Celia, and I ask you, will you be my wife, will you be my queen?"

"Chase, I, I don't know anything about being queen."

"You just need to be you. That's all, everything else will fall into place in time. Say you'll be mine forever and we'll build a brighter future for Eldrin together." Celia once again felt tears rolling down her face, but this time they were tears of joy.

"Yes."

At one point during the celebrations when he knew he wouldn't be missed the Oracle quietly walked away from everyone else and retreated to his private chambers. He had a matter of personal curiosity that he wanted to satisfy. Becky's idea to save Eldrin had been truly ingenious, one he would not have thought of himself. With a wave of his hand he opened a fold and silently stepped through. The ground crunched beneath his feet on the other side. The world he was on now had no name. It was just an empty rock of world that held no life. It was the place he had chosen to take the Heart of Exellis to dispose of it, a place that if something went wrong no harm would come to anyone or anything.

He quickly spied the spot where Becky's fold had appeared, it was impossible to miss. A deep gouge had been carved in the ground, as if a gigantic knife had been dragged across it. It went for a couple hundred feet, widening as it went. The Oracle could only imagine what a sight it would have been to see all that raw magical energy cascading out, beautiful yet frightening in its destructive intensity. But there was something more to the wound in the ground. There was a hint of green there. The Oracle knelt down and smiled at the plant life beginning to emerge from the ground where none had ever been before.

He got up and walked along the path of destruction, seeing more and more of the plant life, some in thicker patches then others. He kept going till he came upon something he didn't even know he was looking for. In the shade of a jagged, upturned rock outcropping was a gem hovering just above the ground. A purple cube with a string of copper wire spiraling up its sides. A new world heart. In the space around it the burgeoning plant life was the thickest and full. There were even a few flowers beginning to bloom, red and yellow and orange in color.

"Incredible." He said to himself. The Oracle took a look around, intrigued by the possibilities of what kind of life would grow and evolve on this now no longer dead world. He opened another fold and left, leaving this new world alone and giving it the space and freedom to grow into whatever it wanted to be.

The weekend after the battle passed quickly and soon Monday rolled round and the girls returned to school. Becky was nervous. It seemed like a lifetime had passed since that night at the party when Becky and Lisa had been caught by Stacey, yet in reality it had only been a couple of days. Admittedly a lot had changed and happened in that time. Becky was worried about Stacey, what was she going to do? Would she really go through with outing her and Lisa to the rest of the school? How would she do it? She wasn't worried so much for herself as she was worried for Lisa. She looked over at her and was at least a little relieved to see the relaxed look on her face. They got to the main intersection of a few halls in Sheffield and Lisa stopped Becky with a touch of the hand in the very middle. Becky turned and tilted her head questioningly.

"What's up?" She asked of Lisa.

"This seems to be a good enough spot." Lisa said cryptically.

"Good enough for what?"

"This." Lisa gripped Becky's head suddenly and pulled her in, kissing her deeply. No preamble, no warning, just an amazing kiss being shared by two people who loved each other deeply. It took a moment but the rest of the student body soon caught on to what was going on. They soon had a captive audience for their very public display of affection. Amy, Sarah, Trista, Samantha and Jenny were in that crowd, all five smiling at their friends. Amy even got out her phone and started recording the pair finally declaring their relationship in public. While their friends were happy for them there was a pair of girls in the crowd that had a different outlook. Stacey and Connie pushed their way to the front of the crowd. Stacey furious at being preempted on her plan to embarrass and humiliate the two girls. Not willing to be undone she stepped forward out of the crowd with Connie right behind her.

"Holy shit you all!" She called out. Her outburst broke the kiss between Becky and Lisa. They turned to look at Stacey, but continued to hold each other. "Becky and Lisa are a couple of lesbian sluts!" Stacey pointed at them while Connie added her own insults to the mix. Whatever reaction Stacey expected the one she got wasn't it. She was met with an almost complete dead silence. A few people just muttered and looked at her like she had gone off the deep end. "What's wrong with all of you!? They're freaks!" She called out in desperation.

"If being in love with an amazing girl makes me a freak, then so be it!" Lisa declared as loudly as possible. "Becky is the best thing to ever happen to me and I love her!" For her part Becky was too stunned to say anything, but a huge grin spread across her face as her cheeks went bright red. Once Lisa made this declaration a few people began to clap, then a few more, soon the majority of the crowd was cheering the couple. Sarah pulled Jenny into a huge side hug, her eyes watering up.

"What are you all cheering for!?" Stacey screeched out in a shrill voice. She went up and stuck her finger in Becky and Lisa's faces. "I swear! I am going to ruin you two!"

"That is enough Stacey!" Stacey froze and turned around to look at the scowling face of the head cheerleader, Brenda Masters. Becky had seen her around since the 'Dance Master' contest back in May, but hadn't really talked to her. There was a fire in the older girl's eyes as she stared down an intimidated Stacey and Connie. "I have had enough of your antics! You two are off the cheer squad, permanently!"

"You can't do that!" Stacey shrieked out.

"You bet your ass I can! As team captain I have full discretion when it comes to the breaking of the rules!" Brenda said. "The two of you were in clear violation of the squads no bullying policy just now, while wearing your uniforms no less! Which is full grounds for immediate dismissal from the team with a permanent ban in place!" She held up her cell phone, obviously Amy hadn't been the only one to do some filming. "And when I show Professor Knickerbocker the evidence I'm sure she'll agree with me! You're done! Both of you!"

"You! I won't! I'll make you!" Stacey just uttered out half formed threats before being dragged off by Connie back into the crowd. With the show over the onlookers began to disperse and Brenda gave a self-satisfied nod of her head.

"Good riddance." She said. "They may be good cheerleaders, but they are way too toxic to keep around."

"I can't believe that!" Amy said as she and the others crowded around. "That was awesome!"

"I can't believe you just kissed me in front of the whole school!" Becky managed to say finally.

"It was long overdue." Lisa said. "I need to stop hiding who I am and the fact that I love you from everybody. Especially from my parents. I need to tell them, today. But I'm still nervous about it. I was hoping you'd be there when I tell them."

"Of course babe, anything for you." Becky said as she gripped Lisa's hands.

"So that's it, Stacey and Connie are off the cheer team?" Jenny asked Brenda.

"Yep, I'm not about to tolerate the kind of crap they tried to pull a minute ago." The head cheerleader turned and smiled at Jenny. "I think you'll find that with them no longer around to influence the vote you'll have a much easier time getting on the team. You should really try out." Jenny's eyes light up at the prospect of finally getting her wish of being a cheerleader. "Heck, all of you should try out."

"What, really?" Becky was a bit surprised till she remembered that Brenda had tried to recruit her once before after the Dance Master contest.

"Yeah, I'm always on the lookout for new talent. From what I saw back during that game contest a few months ago you all have some moves."

"I agree with Brenda!" Jenny blurted out. "I think it'd be awesome if we were all on the squad together!"

"I don't know. I've never exactly seen myself as cheerleader material." Sarah said in a bit of a sheepish tone. Jenny ran up to her and grabbed her shoulders.

"C'mon! It'll be fun! I'll help you with your routine!" Jenny said. She turned and looked at the others "I'll help all of you! What do you say guys!?" Jenny was literally bouncing on her toes in excitement. Sarah just sighed and gave into her girlfriend's enthusiasm.

"Alright, I'm in. Why not?" Sarah said with a bit of a roll of her eyes. "What about you guys?"

"You know being a cheerleader was never my sort of thing, but I can just imagine the look on that bitch Stacey's face if we joined the team just after she got kicked out. I would love to see that! Sure, I'll give it a shot, why not?" Trista said.

"I'm down, no question." Amy said. "I'm with Jenny, it could be a lot of fun."

"If Amy's in, so am I! Plus, I really like the outfits!" Samantha said.

"Well, I don't know." Lisa said. "I'd like to do it, but I've got gymnastics. I'm not sure how much of a conflict there is."

"That's not a problem." Brenda said. "Beth, Holly and Maria are all on the gymnastics team as well as cheer. The coaches worked out the practice schedules and all of that a long time ago."

"Ok, true enough." Lisa said. "Sure, why not? What about you Becky?"

"I don't see the harm in trying out." Becky said with a bit of a smile. "Could be an opportunity to make some new friends as well. Yeah, let's go for it!" She was starting to get a little excited about the prospect. Back during the game contest, she had been a little intrigued by the idea of being a cheerleader when Brenda had brought it up, but with Stacey on the squad it wouldn't have been much fun even if she managed to get voted in. But now it was different story.

"Great! We're having open tryouts in couple of weeks. I'll put all your names on the list." Brenda said. "I'll let you know the exact time. But first, I need to see Professor Knickerbocker about a couple of people engaging in a grievous case of harassment." She once again held up her phone and headed for the principal's office.

"I can't believe it! We're going to all do cheer together!" Jenny said happily.

"Well, there's no guarantee we'll even make it." Becky said. "I mean I know you've been working towards this for a long time so I'm sure you'll make it."

"Oh please! With a little preparation we've got this in the bag!" Jenny said. "And after all we've been through it'd been nice to do a fun group activity together that doesn't involve fighting an evil warlord and his minions." None of them had a counter argument for that. Already Jenny's mind was spinning with ideas for her friend's audition routines. She would work with them tirelessly over the next couple of weeks, using their various talents to help them stand out at the tryouts. When the time came they were able to make quite the impression and were voted onto the squad. Much like Trista had predicted, and to her delight, Stacey was absolutely livid when she found out they had joined the cheer squad.

The rest of the day passed rather normally. Though Lisa had a growing knot of butterflies in her stomach throughout. The notion of finally coming out to her parents was still a very frightening prospect to her, even with Becky there at her side. It was something she had been avoiding for years. But she was committed to it at this point, no matter the outcome. One look at her future wife was enough to solidify her resolve. After school she and Becky made their way to Lisa's house. Becky held her hand the entire way, lending as much reassurance and positive vibes as she could.

"You ready for this?" Becky asked Lisa as they stood outside the front door.

"As ready as I'll ever be. Let's just get it over with." Lisa said. She took a deep breath and opened the front door. "Mom? Dad? Are you guys home?" She called out.

"We're in the kitchen sweetie." Lisa's mom Helen called out. The pair found Helen putting away some dishes while Lisa's father David was looking at something on a tablet. Helen looked up as the two teenagers walked in. "Oh, Becky is with you. Hello dear. Did you two have a good day at school?"

"It was interesting." Becky replied. "We're going to try out for cheerleading."

"Really? How fun!" Helen said. She turned to look at Lisa and saw the nervous look on her face. "Is everything alright Lisa? You look like you've got something on your mind."

"It's because I do. There's something I need to tell you guys." Lisa said.

"Of course honey, you know you can tell us anything." Helen said as she sat down at the table next to her husband. David put his tablet down and looked at his daughter with a kind smile. Lisa tried to speak, but was having a hard time finding the words. Becky gave her an encouraging smile and nodded at her to continue. Lisa let out a deep breath and forged ahead.

"Ok, alright. So, you guys know how Becky is a close friend of mine, right?"

"Yes." Helen said.

"Well, it's more than that, she's a really close friend. She means a lot to me. Damnit, I'm not doing this right. Okay what I'm trying to say is. Dang it, I'm so flustered." Helen and David smiled and looked at each other. David gestured at his wife with one hand who just smiled at her daughter.

"What you're trying to say is that Becky is your girlfriend and you want us to know you're a lesbian." Helen rested her chin on her hand and just stared at her dumbfounded daughter with a self-satisfied smirk on her face.

"You, you knew?" Lisa managed to stammer out after a taking a moment to gather her wits.

"Of course we knew." Helen said gently. Lisa collapsed into a chair and Helen rested a hand on Lisa's. "We're your parents sweetie. It wasn't that hard to figure out."

"How? I never said a thing. Did I talk in my sleep or something?"

"Nothing as obvious as that. It was little things really." Helen said. "You'd let your gaze linger on a girl for a little longer than normal. You'd show more interest in an actress during a romantic movie then the male lead. You never once talked about boys from school. Then when Becky came into the picture it became really noticeable. You'd spend as much time as possible at her place as you could, wanting to be around her as much as humanly possible. And when the two of you are here together it's like you're glued together at the hip you stand so close together. It was obvious you two are in love and are dating."

"I, I can't believe it. You guys have known the whole time…" Lisa said shaking her head. "Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"We knew you would tell us when you were ready." David said, finally joining in on the conversation. "We could tell it was something you were still kind of struggling with and we didn't want to make you uncomfortable by talking about something you weren't ready to tell us."

"I can't believe it. I, I was so scared about how you would react if I ever told you the truth, and you already knew. My mind is so blown right now." Both of Lisa's parents chuckled at her statement. "So, you guys are okay with being in love with another girl?"

"Oh honey." Helen said. "We love you. It doesn't matter to us if you're a lesbian. We'll support you no matter what."

"Thank you." Lisa said trying to hold back some sobs.

"Besides, it's kind of a relief. We don't have to worry about you getting pregnant." David said. Both girls chuckled, though not for the reasons the adults thought.

"I'm really glad you accept me, and Becky." Lisa said. "It's honestly a huge weight off my shoulders. And it makes this next part kind of easier." She held out her hand to show off her engagement ring. "The other day Becky asked me to marry her, and I said yes." It was at this point both adults grew a little more serious and concerned.

"Lisa, sweetie." Helen said slowly. "We appreciate the fact that you two are in love, but the both of you are only fifteen. That's awfully young to be making such an important decision. You've both got a lot of growing up to do."

"In some ways, sure." Lisa said nodding her head. "But this is something the both of us have never been more sure about in our lives. We've been through some things together that have caused us to grow up quite a bit. And we'll tell you about them."

"Lisa, you sure about that?" Becky asked, to which Lisa just nodded.

"I hope once we explain it to you'll understand why we don't want to wait. Why we know this is right for the two of us. I'd really like your blessing, because I want the two of you there at our wedding."

"Okay, Lisa. We're getting really confused here, and I'll admit a little scared. What are you talking about?" Helen asked.

"Let me start by asking a question. Have either of you ever believed in magic?" As Lisa asked this Becky pulled out the Heart of Kandrakar from her shirt. Over the next hour or so Lisa's parents would go through a series of very conflicting emotions. Including being shocked, amazed, frightened, but most importantly proud. In the end they had to concede that the pair had matured in a lot of ways. And while they weren't exactly happy their daughter and future daughter in law had been forced to grow up so quickly, they did gladly give their blessing to the pair.

After the celebrations on Kandrakar were over Chase, Kaz and Nella all returned to Eldrin, there was much that needed to be done. There was the question of what to do with Logrim's men that had been captured. Elyon agreed to let them be housed on Meridian till trials could be set up for the officers and soldiers, as well as a location set up to jail them. Many towns and villages had been ruined in the war and rebuilding would take a very long time. Chase knew he was going to be busy for a longtime to come.

But first there came time to mourn the dead. Villagers and soldiers alike, numerous lives lost to Logrim and his greed and madness. Most importantly to the royal siblings was properly laying their father to rest. In a somber ceremony attended by their friends the king was honored and given a proper burial and interred within the royal crypt, the resting place of their ancestors. Chase, Kaz and Nella all shed tears as they got to finally say goodbye to their father properly as he was laid to rest next to their mother who had passed so long ago.

But it wasn't all trouble and sadness. There were many joyous reunions as well, as friends and family were reunited over the whole of Eldrin. Even for Case and his siblings. In the days that followed Arms Master Rendelle, the man who had taught Chase, Kaz, Nella and Marna how to fight, returned to castle safe and sound along with several of his students. Missing members of the Royal Guard, the army and castle servants were found safe and sound. Friends all thought lost in the chaos. Not long after Master Rendelle returned a small ceremony was held for Nella and Marna, attended by their friends.

"We stand here today to honor two who have shown unparalleled skill and courage in the most dire of situations." He intoned as they stood in the training hall of the castle grounds. "When I took these two in to be trained in the ways of the blade a few years ago I had a feeling they would go far. Little did I know how far. I am sorry I was not there to witness their battle to help save Eldrin or to stand at their side. But when I heard of what they did and helped to accomplish I knew that I could not hold back bestowing this honor." He opened a wooden box and pulled out two gold circle badges. One adorned with a sword pointed down, the other a spear laying horizontally.

"Marna. In recognition of your abilities, your determination and your accomplishments, I name you master of the sword." He intoned as he pinned the sword badge to her chest. "Nella. In recognition of your abilities, your determination and your accomplishments, I name you master of the spear." He said as he awarded the young princess her gold badge. When he was done all those gathered cheered and clapped. The two friends clasped hands and raised them in triumph while smiling at each other.

Roughly a week and a half after the victory over Logrim a huge crowd of a couple thousand people were gathered in a plaza in the city just outside the castle. An ornate balcony looked out on the populace that had gathered to witness Chase's coronation as king. The sun was high in the sky as Chase walked out to massive cheers. Becky and the others were there as guests of honor. The ceremony was also being attended by several dignitaries including Lord Wogen, who the girls had not really seen since they had first met him along with Chase and his siblings. The din died down as Chase raised his hands and when the onlookers had quieted down, he addressed them, his voice magically amplified, carrying out across the space.

"I am humbled by your response." He said. "And heartened by your presence. This past year has seen some of the darkest times our world has known in centuries. We have known tragedy and loss in ways none of us could have imagined. We were subjected to horrors that we could not believe were possible. And while our foes have been defeated, we still have a long road ahead of us as we begin to pick up the pieces and start to rebuild. It will not be easy, but I pledge to you as your king that I will do all in my power to ease these hard times. This is my duty and I will not ignore it!" A new round of cheers broke out as the populace rallied around their new king. When the cheering ended Chase continued.

"Yet despite this darkness some good has come out of it. We must acknowledge those who came to our aid in our darkest of hours." He gestured to Becky and the rest of the gang. "These young ladies risked much to help us and were ultimately responsible for our salvation. If not for their bravery we would not be here now, our world utterly and literally destroyed. Their names and deeds will live on and they will be honored. Their statues and stories will be added to the Hall of Heroes for all time. We owe them a debt that can never be repaid." Cheers broke out again as Becky and her friends were celebrated for their heroism. Many of them blushing under the praise.

"We must also thank our new friends and allies from the world of Meridian. Who in our time of need welcomed many of our people with open arms, providing them with food and shelter. Who stood beside us as we fought against Logrim and his army. We will forever be grateful for all they have done on our behalf. Queen Elyon has already agreed to open trade between our worlds as well as pledging to assist us in our recovery." Once again the crowd erupted in cheers as they welcomed the alliance with Meridian who had proven to be trusted friends to the people of Eldrin.

"It is also my pleasure to introduce to you at this time my soon to be wife and your future queen." He gestured back to the archway that marked the entrance into the castle as Celia nervously stepped out onto the balcony. She was dressed in a pale green gown trimmed with silver thread embroidery which set off her flowing blue hair. She nervously waved to the crowd as she stepped up next to Chase and took his hand. "Celia is a kind, gentle woman who selflessly threw herself in front of a blade meant for me. If it were not for her, I would not be here. She has long held my love and admiration and I consider myself lucky to have her at my side. I know she will make a fine queen and will help rule with compassion and grace." There were more cheers as the people had something else to celebrate.

"You didn't mention my crimes." Celia said as the crowd continued to cheer.

"Because they don't matter anymore." Chase said. "I have made it clear to those that need to know that you are forgiven. You nearly giving your life to save me helped."

"Still, I don't think everyone will welcome me with open arms." Celia said sadly.

"Then we'll just have to work twice as hard to prove you are where you belong." Chase said with full confidence. The cheers were dying down again and before turning back to the crowd Chase planted a kiss on Celia's cheek.

"I have one more item of note. I must recognize my sister Nella, who wields Eldengraft, the sacred weapon once carried by the Great Queen Ardella. She has shown great courage and determination during the entirety of this war, proving herself more than worthy of inheriting our ancestor's legacy." He motioned forward and his sister stepped up to the front of the balcony. She looked a little nervous as she stood there holding Eldengraft in one hand while waving with the other. She seemed a little uncomfortable being in front of so many people. It was either that or the formal gown she was wearing. A deep royal blue velvet number with gold trim. She also had a slim gold circlet on her head, making her look like the classic definition of a princess. Something she very much hated.

"I look ridiculous." She mumbled to Marna. That answered that question for Becky who caught what she said.

"Lady grumpy would be proud." Marna shot back with a snicker. She was dressed similarly to Nella in a pale-yellow dress.

"I swear, when I get out of this thing I'm burning it." The two of them were shushed by Kaz as it was now time for Chase to be finally crowned. Macen had been awarded the honor to be the one to place the crown on Chase's head. He came forward carrying the crown in both hands. With a pleased smile on his face he stood in front of Chase.

"In the name of the light, by the grace of Ardella and by the will of the people I crown you king of Eldrin." Macen intoned as he placed the crown on Chase's bowed head. As soon as it was on the aged steward went to one knee. "All hail King Chase Rolvac! Lord of Eldrin! Long may he reign!" All around on the balcony and in the plaza everyone followed suit and repeated the phrase.

A couple of days later Chase and Celia were married. It wasn't as grand as one would expect from a royal wedding, but considering the circumstances it was understandable. As soon as the ceremony was complete Chase took a gold and silver circlet from a pillow being held by Kaz and placed it on his bride's head, officially crowning her as the queen of Eldrin.

That wouldn't be the only wedding to take place. The very next day, in the castle gardens, surrounded by a small grove of trees Becky and Lisa were getting married. Both girls were dressed in simple white sun dresses. Flower crowns adorned their heads. They smiled shyly at each other as they stood before the same minister that had married Chase and Celia the previous day. It was a much smaller and intimate affair then the royal wedding had been, attended by their friends and family, which was fine with them. They had already decided to make it a much bigger affair in a couple of years when they could legally get married on Earth, even if it would just be for show. Lisa's parents had struggled at bit at first with the whole concept of magic being real and other worlds existing, but had been gradually adjusting to their new world view. Tears were forming in Helen's eyes as she watched her only child take her vows. Will was in a similar state.

"We come together today to join two souls as one and to honor their love for each other." The priest began. "We ask the light to bless these two with happiness and joy as they begin their life together. We ask that their troubles be light and their blessings many. We, their loved ones ask this humbly." When he finished he gestured to the pair to complete their part of the ceremony. Lisa took a deep breath as she took up the blue ribbon tied to her wrist and began to wrap it around Becky's forearm.

"I, Lisa Sonders, do hereby bind myself to you for all time with my mind, my heart, my soul and all the love I possess for you. I ask the light to warm our union as you do warm my life." When she finished Becky took up the ribbon tied to her other arm and as Lisa had just done started to wrap it around Lisa's arm.

"I, Becky Vandom, do hereby bind myself to you for all time with my mind, my heart, my soul and all the love I possess for you. I ask the light to warm our union as you do warm my life." When she finished she let out a hard breath of air before both of them chuckled nervously a little.

"I hereby declare these two bound together in life and love for all time with the blessing of the light. May you both be happy for all your days." When he finished everyone cheered and clapped as the two of them shared their first kiss as a married couple.

"I hope he's right, I want us to be happy." Becky said as she rested her forehead on Lisa's.

"We will be, and if for some reason we aren't we'll work at it till we are."

A couple of days after Becky and Lisa's wedding found Nella alone in her bedroom as she was stuffing some of her belongings into a backpack. Sitting on her pillow was a folded letter. She was dressed in some simple traveling clothes, her more fancy attire put away in a closet. She had a bit of a sad look on her face as she went about her packing. She had put this off for long enough. The only reason she hadn't done this sooner was because she had wanted to be there for the weddings. But with them over as well as all the other important ceremonies there was no more reason to put it off any longer.

"Going somewhere?" Nella looked up in surprise to see a smiling Marna leaning against the doorframe. She no longer wore her brown servant's dress. She now had a simple purple tunic along with a pair of black pants. She wore her sword at her side and pair of brown gloves covered her hands. When asked about the change she said she had outgrown her role as a castle servant.

"Yeah…" Nella said as she turned back to her bag and continued to pack. "After everything that happened, I don't know, it's all different now. I'm not sure how I feel about this place now. And I'm really not sure how I feel about Celia." She stopped what she was doing and went over to where Eldengraft was leaning in a corner next to a window. She looked out as the sun was slowly sinking below the horizon. "I can't be here, at least not right now. So I'm going to travel the dimensions, try to find myself again, figure some things out."

"And you were just going to do it without saying goodbye? You were just going to leave me behind?" Marna didn't sound angry, she just looked at Nella with a raised eyebrow.

"I left a letter." Nella said sheepishly, gesturing to the note on her bed. "If I told Chase or anyone they would just try and stop me."

"And me?"

"I, I didn't know if you would still want to come with me." Nella admitted. "After everything that you went through, I didn't know if…" Nella just trailed off. In the weeks since Logrim's defeat she had been trying to find a way to confess her feelings to Marna, but hadn't been able to work up the courage to do so.

"Well, that's silly. You really think I would ever give up on our adventures together.?" Marna let out a sigh and just shook her head. "I don't blame you Nella. It wasn't you. We did what we had to do. In the end it all comes back to Logrim."

"I'm sorry."

"You should be." Marna said playfully.

"Well, we can wait a couple of days to leave. Give you some time to prepare."

"No need." Marna reached behind the wall and pulled out a pack of her own.

"How did you?" Nella asked, astonished her friend knew what she was planning.

"You forget, I know you better than anyone." Marna shrugged the pack on and finally walked into the room. "Just like I knew what you meant when you gave me this." She reached into her shirt and pulled out Nella's mother's locket. She had gotten it back from Becky who had been holding on to it for safe keeping. "You think I don't know an engagement gift when I see one? Of course I love you. Of course I want to marry you someday down the road."

"So, you do love me then?" Nella asked.

"Of course. Haven't I always said we're partners for life? What did you think I meant by that? I thought you knew how I felt. I've always known you love me." Nella got a huge smile on her face before she threw herself at Marna, the two of them sharing their first kiss ever. When they broke apart Nella grabbed the letter she had written and ripped it up. She then went to her desk and began writing a new one. "What are you doing?" Marna asked.

"Well now that the two of us are leaving that first letter doesn't work at all. Have to rewrite the whole dang thing. Give a minute." Nella hastily scribbled out a new letter and placed it back on her pillow. She then scooped up Eldengraft. Her heart and mind felt ten times lighter than it had just a few minutes ago. She was about to go live her dream. She was going to go on adventures with her best friend, the person she loved most in the universe. She opened a fold to someplace random. "You ready?"

"You bet!" Marna said excitedly. Nella grabbed her bag and pulled it on over her shoulders.

"Let's go see what's out there!" With that the two girls crossed over into the danger and excitement of the unknown, hand in hand.

Epilog

Five Years Later

The sun was just beginning to set on Eldrin, a cool breeze on the air hinting at the colder months that were drawing near. Becky stood next to Lisa as they waited for the return of a pair of friends who had been absent for a long time. Nella and Marna were finally coming home. It was hard to believe that it had been nearly five years since they left on their travels. On occasion a small fold would open up above Chase's desk and a letter would pop out. It was their way of letting everyone know how they were doing and hinting at what they were up to. Becky had been glad for the contact of course, but in her mind, it just wasn't the same as having the pair there and she was looking forward to them finally returning.

Much had changed in the intervening years since their departure. Such as the area where they all waited now. A large paved plaza referred to as the traveling grounds. A special area just outside the castle that had been built as a spot for interdimensional travel between Eldrin and Meridian. Large scale transportation circles as well as specially designated spots for folds allowed for easy travel between the worlds for trade. The area was empty right now with the exception of Becky and the others. They had all gathered to welcome back the missing members of their family. A family that had grown over the years. Becky let out a grunt of surprise and looked down to see her little four-year-old sister Jenna smiling up at her with her arms wrapped around her legs. Becky laughed and ruffled her red hair. With a shriek of delight she ran off to join Hay Lin's oldest child, Ashley, who had been born shortly after Jenna. They weren't the only little kids running around either. Rebecca, Caleb and Cornelia's daughter who was now five was there. A social butterfly of a little girl she got along well with the younger kids. Taranee's three-year-old son William giggled as he chased after the girls. Becky and Lisa were laughing when they both let out grunts of surprise as they were simultaneously tackled. Looking down it was Hay Lin's three-year-old twin daughters, Brandy and Mandy. Becky still got a kick out of that. Only Hay Lin would make her twin daughter's names rhyme.

"Awnt Bwecky! Awnt Lwsa!" One of the twins called out happily. The other just smiled up at them. The two little girls were quite attached to Becky and Lisa.

"We're gonna getcha you little munchkins!" Lisa said playfully as she crouched down and made grabbing motions at the twins. Becky made a playful growl at them to which the two girls laughed at and ran off towards their mother who was holding her youngest child, Eric Jr, who was a couple of months shy of turning two. Hay Lin had always wanted a large family and wanted more kids then the four she already had.

"Hey Becks, how's collage going?" Trista asked coming up.

"Not bad." Trista was the only one of the gang to not go to college. A couple of months after Logrim's defeat she had found out she was pregnant. Finding out she was going to be a teen mom was a shock to say the least. But she figur4ed if her mom could do it so could she, plus she had Kaz beside her. A few years later she would have her second child with Kaz. Her two boys were with her right then, four-year-old Ace and one year old Jacob. After finding out she was pregnant she and Kaz had decided to go ahead and get married instead of waiting like they had originally planned. Breaking the news to her mom had been rough, but they had gotten through to it. Feeling like they had no choice they had told her about Eldrin and magic. Trista's mom who was a reporter hated sitting on the biggest scoop of the century and grumbled about how it would have won her a Pulitzer, but did so for the safety of her daughter and grandkids as well as not letting Earth fall into total chaos from learning the truth of the universe. Instead of going on to higher education Trista instead bought and took over her the dojo she had trained in. She had gotten the money after winning a few martial arts tournaments both in the states and abroad. When not busy running her business she was either taking care of her kids who she adored or attending to her duties as a princess of Eldrin. It kept her busy, but she was doing well.

"Hey guys." Sarah said as she and Jenny came up to join them. "Any idea when they're supposed to arrive?"

"Should be any time now." Lisa said with a shrug. Sarah was studying music and business management in collage. She and her band 'Mirror Vision' continued to play together and were working on their dreams of making it big. They hoped an upcoming contest would help them towards that goal. She hadn't spoken to her parents in the last five years, and part of her figured she was better off for it. She still did keep in regular contact with her older brother who was getting married in a few months. She still lived with Jenny and her family which was working out well for the two of them.

Jenny was studying game design and computer programming with hopes of getting into the video game industry. Will was mentoring her and helping her learn about the business and to build a portfolio of her work. Cheerleading was still part of her life as well. She and Becky had become co captains of the squad after Brenda graduated high school and when they got to collage both of them had joined the collage cheer squad. It was something they both enjoyed greatly and had a lot of fun doing.

"Mind if we join the party?" Amy said as she and Samantha walked up arm in arm.

"Wouldn't be one if you guys weren't here." Becky said jokingly. Like Sarah, Amy was pursuing her dreams of being a singer. She was also following her passion for cosplay on the side as well. With the help of Hay Lin she was making her own costumes and modeling them online, she sometimes even made music videos while wearing them. It was getting to the point where she was even starting to get recognized by people. Even so she continued her studies in collage as a backup, just in case.

Samantha was studying art in school. Having fallen in love with them she hoped to be a comic book artist one day. She still studied magic with the Oracle alongside Jenny and would sometimes visit Eldrin, even though she considered Earth to be her home now. She still lived with Hay Lin and Eric and continued to work at the 'Silver Dragon' as well. Like Becky and Jenny she was doing cheerleading still.

"Hey Lisa, you excited for the Olympics next year?" Samantha asked.

"You bet!" Lisa responded with a big smile. Lisa was already preparing for her second Olympics. She had never planned on competing on the world stage or being a pro athlete or anything like that in the first place, but with a lot of encouragement from her coach, her friends and family and of course Becky she had decided to go for it. Not only had she won several gold medals but she and Becky had made some really good friends among some of the other competitors during the games. Now looking towards competing one more time she was hoping to use whatever prize money she won to open her gymnastics studio someday down the road. As part of fulfilling that dream she was studying sports medicine in collage.

As for Becky herself she had discovered a love of writing and story telling a long time ago and was working on her English degree. What she really wanted was to be an author someday, though she got embarrassed to admit this outside of her circle of friends and family. She did get a fair amount of praise from her professor, but despite this she remained humble about her skill and acknowledged the fact that she might not make it as a writer, so her plan was if she didn't she was looking to be an editor for a publishing firm. Either way she knew her future career lay with the written word. Outside of school she not only participated in cheerleading but she also volunteered in a mentoring program for foster kids, spending time with an orphan girl. It was her way of trying to pay it forward, she knew what it was like to live a loveless existence and wanted to do her part to help someone in a similar situation, not wanting anyone else to feel what she once felt.

Looking to one side Becky spied Chase and Celia who was holding their newborn son Anton. She bounced him slightly in her arms while making soothing noises and smiling down at him. Chase had his arm around her shoulder as he looked down at his son with nothing but pride and love in his eyes. Chase had been working hard over the last few years in the restoration of Eldrin from the war with Logrim. It was taking time, but he continued to do what he could for the sake of his people and be the king they needed and deserved.

Everyone continued to talk and laugh for several more minutes when a silvery slash appeared midair. Everyone quieted down in anticipation, waiting for the missing members of their family to appear. They didn't have to wait long. Nella came running through pulling Marna by the hand both of them with huge smiles on their face. They weren't alone either, three more young ladies stepped through after them.

One of them had short purple hair and striking silver-colored eyes. She wore a simple white robe with blue fur trim and carried a rough wooden staff topped with a multi-faceted green crystal. She looked around with a nervous, shy expression on her face.

The second was a tall beauty of a teenager. She had long slightly wavy black hair that she had draped over the left side of her face, hiding one of her hazel-colored eyes. She was dressed in tight fitting black pants and a shirt as well as a grey cloak with a hood that was pulled down. She had a pair of short swords strapped on both sides of her hips. There was a kind of deadly grace about her that was conveyed in the way she moved.

The third girl had wild curly red hair and brown eyes. She had a steampunk aesthetic going on when it came to her clothing. A pair of metallic goggles with green lenses sat on her forehead. She had a short brown skirt and a white shirt with puffy shoulder sleeves. She didn't seem to be carrying any weapons, at least not any noticeable ones. But she did have several pouches, holsters and vials of different colored liquid strapped to her waist. She gave off the same sort of bubbly energy that Hay Lin had.

"We're home." Nella said with a smile. She had grown up a lot in the last few years. Where once was a young girl young girl of eleven now stood a gorgeous sixteen-year-old teenager. She had grown out her hair down just past her shoulders. Marna had grown as well. Like Nella she had gone form a cute young girl into a beautiful young woman. You almost couldn't recognize them they had grown up so much.

"I can see that." Chase said playfully. Both siblings laughed before Nella ran up and gave her brother a hug, followed by Marna.

"Becky!" Nella cried out happily as she gave her a hug as well. "I've missed you so much! I've missed all of you! It's so good to be home."

"Hello Nella." Celia said nervously as she stepped forward. There was some trepidation in her voice, afraid her presence might spoil this reunion. Nella just smiled and gave her a hug as well, careful to not squish the baby in her arms.

"Celia!" She said happily. Celia was a little surprised but gratefully returned the hug.

"You don't still hate me?" She asked.

"No." Nella said with a shake of her head. "It took some time, but I learned to let it go. I realized I couldn't move forward with my life if I didn't." She looked down at the baby and clapped her hands once excitedly. "Who's this little guy!?"

"Meet your nephew, Anton. Well, one of your nephews." Celia said, tears of relief and joy forming in her eyes.

"One of my nephews?" Nella asked. Kaz and Trista came forward with their two boys. Nella just laughed and shook her head. "Really Trista, you let my no-good brother talk you into having kids with him?" Trista just smiled and shrugged. Kaz punched her playfully in the arm. Everyone else just laughed. Chase looked over at the three others who had arrived with Nella and Marna.

"Where are my manners?" He said. "Who are your companions?" Nella turned her head and nodded towards them.

"They're friends." She said simply.

"Well, then they're friends of ours as well. Welcome to Eldrin ladies. Know that you are welcome here as long as you like. I'm Chase, Nella's brother."

"I'm Elise." The purple haired girl said, not really looking at any of the others, her cheeks going slightly red.

"And I'm Beatrice." The girl in all black said.

"You can call me Luna." The bubbly redhead said. Introductions were soon being made all around and as they were Becky noticed a shiny gold bracelet on Nella's wrist.

"Nice bracelet Nella. It suits you." She said.

"Thanks, Marna has one as well." She nodded to the green haired girl who just smiled and raised her wrist to reveal that she was wearing an identical bracelet. Becky looked between the two, a huge smile coming to her face.

"Wait, so does that mean you two?" She started to ask.

"Yeah, we got married about a year ago." Nella answered Becky's question like it was no big deal.

"Sorry we didn't wait till we came back home so you could all be there." Marna said as she came up beside Nella, clasping her hand. "It was, well, we both felt it was time to make it official, so we did." Kaz laughed and threw his arms around their shoulders and pulled them in.

"It's about damn time you became our sister officially!" Kaz said. "I always knew you two would end up together!"

"Indeed." Chase said happily. "Though in truth you always were part of the family to begin with."

"It looks like we have even more reason to celebrate now!" Will said excitedly.

"Party!" Trista cried out throwing her hands up in the air, her two sons mimicking their mother. Cries of agreement went out all around as the entirety of their group made their way back towards the castle in order to truly begin celebrating the return of Nella and Marna.

Becky and Lisa were in the back of the group, walking hand in hand. At that moment Becky couldn't help but contemplate everything that had happened to her, that had led her to this moment in time. A road filled with twists and turns and surprises and unexpected encounters. A road that had led her to a family she never thought she could have. A road that had brought her to the love of her life. It certainly hadn't been easy at times, and there were sure to be hurdles and pitfalls along the way going forward. But with everyone beside her, especially Lisa, she knew she would get through it somehow. She must have been staring off into the distance because Lisa stopped and looked at her.

"Everything okay babe?" She asked. Becky looked at her and smiled.

"Everything is great." Becky said with a smile before giving Lisa quick kiss on the cheek. Lisa blushed ever so slightly. Nothing more needed to be said right then. It was unspoken. They had each other, and in the end that was all that mattered.

And with that, The story comes to what I hope was a sasitfactory ending. I know I did some, odd things, there and that I'm taking a bit of a risk. What with Will getting pregnant by Irma as well as Becky and Lisa getting married at fifteen. But this how I long envisoned where this would all end up, what felt right for these characters and where the story was leading. Plus it helps to set up some of what is to come in the sequel which will begin shortly after where the epilog left off! Plus I hope you're intruiged by the three new characters I introduced there at the end! Let me know what you think with a review, or you can always drop me a PM if you have any questions!

And with that we come to the end of the tale, for now! Weather you're a long time reader or new to this story I want to thank you for going on this journey with me and hope you will continue on in the future! It's been a long road to get to this point, but I wouldn't change it. (Well, maybe a little. lol) Hope to see you again!

Till then, this is shocklance, signing out.