Time seemed almost to stop. Like the entire world and all that inhabit it had grinded to a halt. It was strangely bittersweet, a silence like this; almost like a blissful equilibrium. If a pin had dropped, it would have echoed for miles around. Tenzin's blood turned to ice and his breath haltered.

"Go on, get the fuck out of here!" Lin cried. "I'll take care of this".

As she spoke, Tenzin noticed a faltering in her voice. A wavering that he had never before heard coming from a woman so surely.

At that moment, she caught his eye. They both stood motionless, as though they had both been turned to stone. An eternity seemed to pass, as they looked at each other – an onlooker may have caught a flicker in the eyes of Lin.

Tears began to well in Tenzin's eyes as Lin began her descent.

"B-but" Tenzin stammered, still stunned, looking all around, bewildered by what had just happened.

"Fly, Oogi, fly!" screamed Pema, desperation apparent in her voice.

"We can't just sacrifice her, Pema!"

Pema whirled round in a fit of rage, but stopped suddenly. She had seen it. The look on Tenzin's face was quite apparent, even if it had only lasted a brief second.

"You don't still…"

But before she could finish, Tenzin launched himself into the air and down towards Lin…