The Gift of Goodbye

The afternoon sun shone brightly as a new era dawned on Eddeathra. Lauren stood outside the castle with Askari looking at the newly erected statue of Amias, Fallon, and Mlinzi. She turned to look at her friend. "I want you to stay here with Odi. He needs you now. I'll try to find some way back. I promise."

Odi and William approached her, each with a box in their hand. "We wanted you to have a going away gift so you'll remember us," William said, handing her his box. Lauren opened it and saw a small, round, red pin with a yellow star in the middle. "It's the crest of the Knights of Evermore," he said as Lauren took it and pinned it on her blue coat. "You are now one of us."

"Thank you so much," Lauren said. Odi turned and gave her his box. Lauren opened the brown container and gasped at what she saw. Inside was a silver chain with a shining crystal in the shape of a star connected to it. "Is that…"

Odi smiled and nodded. "When we were cleaning up from the battle, I noticed that one of the pieces from the shattered Starstone was in the shape of a star, so Will and I turned it into a necklace for you. Now you will be able to come back here anytime you want."

Lauren put on the necklace and hugged Odi. "Thank you. You will be a great king."

Lauren hugged William one last time. "I'll come back," she whispered. She looked at both William and Odi. "Till' we meet again," she said as she held out the Starstone necklace and a beam of light carried her away.

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Lauren opened her eyes and found herself standing in her front yard again. She looked in her pocket and found the golden flower. She ran inside her house. Her parents were still eating dinner which proved that time on earth stopped when she went to Eddeathra. "Mom! Dad!" she shouted.

"What is it, Lauren?" her mom asked.

"We have to go to the hospital now!"

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Lauren burst into the hospital room and found Sasha standing by Ben. She held out the flower. "Am I too late?" she asked.

Sasha took the flower. "No, you're just in time." Sasha took the flower and dropped it in some sort of pouch that was hooked into an IV. The flower dissolved into liquid and flowed into Ben. Lauren held her breath. It seemed like an eternity passed before Ben finally opened his eyes and looked at Lauren. "I knew you could do it," he whispered hoarsely.

"You won't believe what I had to do to get that," she said with a laugh.

Ben held up his finger that had a ring on it. Lauren looked closer and she saw that it was the crest of the Knights of Evermore. She gaped at Ben and he smiled. "Try me."

Lauren pulled Sasha aside. "I saw your father," she told her.

"What did he say?"

"He misses you and he hopes that you can return soon." Lauren moved to sit by a window that overlooked the forest nearby and sighed. Everything was finally alright.

The End

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The DARKNESS lingers, be careful who you trust.