Epilogue, Part II

With all the loose-ends now tied up, Aaron, Indigo, Lucian, Rachel, and Lionel dedicated all of their time to searching through ancient books and forgotten scrolls for any spell that could reopen the portal and bring Katherine back. Madeline helped as well, generously contributing all of her spellbooks and manuscripts that she had collected over the years. It took twelve months before Indigo and Rachel, with the help of the others, were able to decipher piece together clues and fragments from different texts and track down the entire spell. The book that held the complete spell was the last surviving volume in all of Crystallea. The spell involved a complicated ritual that called for complex magic formations and many rare ingredients with specific preparations. Rachel, Lucian, and Madeline worked on preparing the physical layout and structure for the ritual. Lionel, Indigo, and Aaron gathered the ingredients.

Lionel used his trading network to get a hold on some of the less exotic ingredients. Then he and Indigo set off together to gather information on and collect the more exotic ones while Aaron traveled across Crystallea alone.

"Be careful," Indigo said to him as they prepared to depart and head separate ways.

"If you need anything, just tell us. We'll figure it out together." Lionel added, holding the reins of his and Indigo's horses in his hand.

"Thank you." Aaron swung himself onto the saddle of his horse and nodded farewell to Indigo and Lionel. Then he galloped down the road without looking back. With his sword by his side and his cloak around his shoulders, Aaron hunted down the rare substances that grew only in a particular forest, or bloomed only during a few days of the year, or had to be picked and dried during a specific time of day.

He traversed snowy peaks that resembled the Northern Mountains for the thirteen-petal ice lotus. He crossed blistering deserts that reminded him of Dead Man's Chasm for the skin of the poisonous chameleon salamander (also known as the chameleander). He braved stormy waves and murky depths for the iridescent shell of a clam last seen two-hundred years ago. By day, Aaron galloped past rivers and valleys of unparalleled beauty with the sun shining above. At night, he sat by a lonely campfire and watched the stars twinkle, with the whisper of the wind reminding him of the laughter and conversations of times past.

Along the way, Aaron always helped out those in need and brought justice and peace to the weak. As one of the Destined Three, his name was already known far and wide, but his righteousness only made him more beloved by the people. Aaron never took any compensation, though the villagers and townspeople always gave him a warm meal and place to stay the night. If asked why he was doing good deeds or what his purpose was, Aaron always replied, "It's what the girl I love would do." Soon, a folksong became popular among the people:

"With her last breath, the spell is cast,

The hero grieves the tragic past.

But as sure as the sun will rise,

As long as the moon lights the sky,

This star-crossed love shall never die.

The hero walks his maiden's path—

Aaron still chases after Kath."

The folksong was there wherever Aaron went, along with the story of the final battle and the closing of the portal. The entire world knew that Aaron loved Katherine, which felt a little weird at first, but it also kept her name alive. Like all stories and legends, it slowly evolved with every retelling and became more exaggerated, as each storyteller added in more details to make it more dramatic, more heart-wrenching, more tragic.

But the central thread all the versions contained was the devastating scene where where Katherine sacrificed herself to save the world and Aaron could only watch as the love of his life slipped out of his hand. And every time Aaron heard a rendition of this scene, his heart broke a little more as he relived the moment. If he could turn back time, what could he do differently to prevent his and Katherine's fate? He didn't know the answer to that question. He didn't want to face the possibility that the answer was "nothing".

Once, when Aaron stayed the night in a village in the southern corner of Crystallea, the story was told and the song was sang again as the villagers all gathered to in the village square to throw a little celebration to welcome "one of Crystallea's most beloved heroes". A young woman told Aaron, wistfully, that she wished she could have a love story as moving as his and Katherine's.

"Would you really?" Aaron asked her. "I would trade everything I have to bring Kath back. I would rather we have a plain, average love story if it meant Kath didn't have to leave."

The young woman fell silent, and so did he. The villagers were singing the folksong again. The last line of the song echoed in the night, with a surprisingly sad tone. 'Aaron still chases after Kath.'

Yes. He's still chasing. He hoped he wasn't too late to catch up and bring her home.

* * * * *

It took four years before all the ingredients were gathered and concocted just right, whether that meant eighty-one days of continuous grinding, getting it burnt to a crisp by lightning, or whatever peculiar way the ancient ritual called for. By the time all of this was accomplished, the altar and platform finished construction as well. It required a specific type of stone from a little-known corner of Crystallea, which took a lot of manpower and material sources to transport back to Roseland, the heart of Crystallea and their hometown, where the ritual would be taking place. Today.

Standing beside his best friend, Aaron looked at the altar, high in the air. These past five years hadn't been easy. Not a day had gone by where he didn't think about Katherine and miss her. He missed her laugh, the smile in her eyes, and the way her sword flashed in the sunlight when she practiced with him. He missed her. Traveling across Crystallea had given Aaron the time and chances to really grow and mature. He was no longer the boy who was sometimes hotheaded and often rushed into things. Now, he was calm and more rational; even Indigo commented that he changed a lot when she and Lionel returned from their journey.

Standing directly across from Lucian and Aaron was Indigo and Lionel, who stood side by side and held hands. Indigo looked nervous, and Lionel was talking softly to her, soothing and reassuring her. They had been an official pair since returning from the Northern Mountains and were practically inseparable. Aaron was happy for Indigo; she had found the one she truly loved and who loved her back. Lionel was a great person; he would treat her well. However, watching the pair always brought a pang of heartache for Aaron. It reminded him of what could have been—if only he figured out his feelings sooner; if only he confessed to Katherine earlier; if only he was able to save her. For five years, his only hope of redemption was the ritual. It had to work. It must.

Lucian had asked him if he was ready. "Yes, I'm ready." Aaron finally answered. Lucian patted him on the shoulder.

Rachel walked up to the four of them, dressed in the same sorceress dress she had worn with Ashley at Hamberg. At the outer edge of the circle and standing with the Elders was Madeline. She waved at the five children—no, not children anymore, young adults—encouragingly. When they were all working together on the ritual in the beginning, Rachel asked Madeline if she would conduct it.

"Oh, no, dear." Madeline declined immediately. "You have to be the one to cast the spell."

"Me? But you're far more powerful and experienced than I am." Rachel was very worried. "I'm the healer, not the spellmaster. What if I mess it up?"

"You are part of the Rosewood Seven, and this is your prophecy. I cannot help you cast the spell," Madeline explained. "But have no fear. I have complete faith in you, Rachel. The prophecy must be fulfilled, so I am sure you will be able to cast the spell perfectly. In the meantime, we can practice spells together."

Even now, with four years of practice later, Rachel still looked a little nervous. Her hands were tucked in the sleeves of her dress. "This is it, guys," she said as she looked at her friends. "Five years of work has all boiled down to…this." She gestured at the platform and the altar.

Indigo smiled encouragingly at Rachel. "You got this, Rachel. You've studied hard and practiced a lot with Madeline. You're going to do it perfectly."

"Oh, I don't know, I still feel like I'm not good enough." Rachel fidgeted. "What if I get up there and it doesn't work?"

"It will. We've gathered all the ingredients and prepared it just the way the book said. We've built the altar exactly how it was meant to be. The spell will work." Lucian said firmly, trying to instill confidence in his girlfriend. Rachel gave him a small, grateful smile. She was with Lucian every step of the way in his recovery and supported him unconditionally. But Lucian was her anchor too, and no one could believe in her and support her more than him.

Rachel took a deep breath. Her gaze landed on Aaron. "Ready, Aaron?" Aaron nodded and stepped out. As Indigo, Lionel, and Lucian watched with nervous anticipation, Rachel walked up the black quartz steps, with Aaron following half a step behind. Augustus's cloak, tied around Aaron shoulders, swished lightly as he stopped at the top. Rachel continued to the altar and took her place behind the obsidian bowl. After a brief moment, she raised both arms into the air. The onlookers quieted. Rachel began the ritual.