Not Letting Go

Bolin looks at the group of people trying to take her back and felt the urge to kill them all. He didn't want her to go back, he didn't want her to leave him. But... he also knew that he couldn't do that, or she would come to hate him.

He grits his teeth and tries again, "It would be best if she remained here so that she can find the pieces faster. What if something happens to the connection that was made?" Lyra waves him off and says, "Once a bridge is made, it can't be undone. It's fine."

Bolin feels his heart racing as everything in him screams. It felt as if a beast was trying to claw its way out of his chest, making him extremely uncomfortable. What else could he say? Her usefulness for him was no longer needed. She had her way home...

____________

LYRA

I slightly narrow my eyes on Bolin before turning away and shrugging it off. Vanir and the others begin chanting, causing the air around us to lightly spin. When I see the rip opening, my heart jumps for joy.

Mago cries out, "We're finally going back home! I can use my old mirror! I bet it needs a good polish." A faint smile pulls at my lips but when I hear Li Jie say, "Can't you just stay here?" I turn and give him a sad smile.

I shake my head and say, "It will be easier to deal with everything once I'm back in my world with my tools and weapons." Li Jie looks at me in conflict before shifting his gaze back over to the rip. It was now fully open.

Vanir turns to me and says, "It's ready! Let's go home!" The other council members all begin to step through, one by one. Vanir holds his hand out with a smile. I reach out and take his aged hand and walk over to the rip.

I glance back at Li Jie and Bolin as I say, "I'll be back before you know it." Li Jie slightly nods with a frown, but Bolin remains silent and still like a statue. I refuse to look into his eyes. I was a coward when it comes to emotions and even though I couldn't fully understand what I was feeling, I didn't like it. I turn back as Vanir releases my hand and steps through.

I lift my foot and step in when suddenly the entire rip warps and explodes! I fly back, hitting a warm solid chest as the air around us thrashes violently for a few moments. When everything settles, I look up to find the rip gone!

Bolin's strong arms around me tighten as he lowers his head and softly asks, "Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?" I numbly shake my head as I stare at the empty space with a dumbfounded look on my face.

How was this even possible? Wait, no. I need to try it again.

I push away from Bolin and quickly stand up. After watching the others open the rip, I knew what to do. I lift my hand, opening the rip once more but as soon as I try to step through, I'm thrown back once more!

Stupefied, I gape at the empty space without understanding. Why couldn't I leave!? Bolin had caught me the second time as well but this time he says, "For some reason, you can't go back. Don't keep trying or else you might hurt yourself."

Li Jie quickly nods and says, "For once, I agree with him. It isn't safe to keep doing this." I ignore them both as I stand up again. I walk over and open the rip once again with a steely expression on my face. No, this had to work. It had to!

Once the rip is open, I'm shocked to find Vanir pushing against it with a worried look on his face. When he sees me, his face lights up before quickly scowling and saying, "Something's wrong. As soon as I stepped through, the bridge collapsed."

"We opened it back up but none of us can pass through it, can you come through?" He asks with fear and uncertainty in his bright blue eyes. I grit my teeth and say, "I've tried twice but each time I'm thrown back."

Vanir blinks in surprise before frowning in deep thought. He looks me over with a tilt of his head before saying, "It sounds like something is preventing you from coming back. Can you feel anything?"

I remain silent for a few moments, trying to think but if I had to be honest, I can't think of anything. Well, maybe it was the Artifact? I frown as I look up and say, "Maybe it's the Artifact. That's the only thing I can think of at the moment."

Vanir's frown grows as he slightly shakes his head and says, "That shouldn't be possible." After several long minutes of silence, Vanir speaks up again and says, "It can't be helped. We will try to fix things on this end but in the meantime, finish collecting the Artifact pieces just in case."

Even though I don't want to agree, I know I'm not left with many choices. I give him a grim nod and say, "That's what I'll do then. In the meantime, if we need to speak with each other, we can open the rip." Vanir nods in agreement and quickly says, "Don't worry Lyra. We'll do everything we can on our end."

Mago cries out, "Noooo I want my big mirror! This isn't fair!!"

I ignore Mago as I nod and give him a small smile. I look around the edges of the rip before trying once again to walk through. It instantly throws me back and just like the two times before, Bolin catches me but this time there's a slight smirk on his handsome face.

I give him a dry look as I say, "Thanks." He smiles down at me, his dark eyes sparkling as he says, "My pleasure. No matter how many times you fall before me, I'll catch you."

Mago, "..."

My eye twitches as I sit up with a strained smile on my face. Why did he make it sound like that!? As if I was falling for him! I stand up, brushing off the nonexistent dust as Bolin says, "We should head back to my place. We can keep working together to get you home while collecting the Artifact pieces."

That would work... No matter where I am, as longs as I call up the bridge, I'll be able to speak with Vanir and the others so it shouldn't be a problem moving around.

What he says makes sense, so I nod my head and turn to Li Jie. I give him a small smile as I say, "Please tell everyone I say bye. I'll be back later." It looks as if he wants to argue or something but swallows it when he glances at Bolin.

He nods his head and says, "Just be careful." My smile grows as I say, "Where's the fun in that?" His face drops as Bolin smirks. Bolin wraps his large hand around my waist, pulling me close as the dark shadows burst from him, swallowing us whole.