The three of them stared down the deep canyon before them, their hearts pounding and worried looks across their faces. The sun was slowly starting to set, making the sky turn a fiery orange, mixed with red and yellow. They could hear the sounds of birds in the distance as a cloud or two slowly inched their way across the sky. However, none of that mattered now. All that mattered was the predicament they were in: being held at gunpoint over the Red Rock Canyon.

Sure, they weren't bound by any kind of rope, but given the circumstances, they knew running away wasn't an option. So here they stood, hands in the air while overlooking the bottom of the canyon, where the end of the line awaited them. They had managed to make it this far, but now, the group known as "The Illusions" had no more tricks up their sleeves.

"Get moving!" a voice demanded behind them, the sound of the firearm moving in their hands. "We ain't got all day, ya'know!"

"Well, looks like this is it," Trixie said as she swallowed a lump in her throat.

"I knew it," cried Lavender, her voice cracking. "I always knew it would end this way!"

"Really?" Fuchsia asked with a tinge of annoyance. "You always knew you'd be forcefully thrown off a deep canyon against your will?"

"Well...not really, no."

Fuchsia couldn't help but scoff and roll her eyes.

"Will you two shut up?" Trixie hissed under her breath, standing between the two of them. "I'm trying to find a way out of this and your bickering isn't helping!"

"What's the use?" Lavender asked as she wiped her eyes clear of the tears that were beginning to pool within them. "We've done everything that we could! No amount of magic can get us out of this!"

"So? That doesn't mean we stop trying!"

"Oh, joy! It looks like we've become the epitome of 'die trying'! Our parents would be so proud of us!"

"Can it, Lav! You're not helping!"

"Enough!" the voice behind them yelled angrily. "You're gonna jump, whether you like it or not! Now, get moving!"

The three of them took another step closer to the ledge, seeing the jagged rocks down below. Tears began streaming down Lavender's eyes as a worried look came across Trixie's, her eyes scanning for something, anything that can help them. All the while, Fuchsia looked ahead with a blank expression, eyebrows slightly furrowed.

"GO, NOW!" the voice demanded, a few rounds firing at their feet. Trixie flinched as Lavender let out a scream, which was quickly followed by her crying as the shots echoed across the canyon. Fuchsia, on the other hand, just closed her eyes until the silence dawned on them again. Then she reopened them, her gaze not changing in the slightest.

"Ha! You're joking, right?" she taunted without turning around. "You think you can scare me? I know you won't shoot us! You want us to jump, right?"

"You're in NO position to snap at me!" the voice shouted. "Now, get going!"

"It's no use. There no way out of this," said Lavender in a shaky voice. "I don't wanna die!"

"Don't talk like that," Trixie said through gritted teeth, trying her best to keep her calm. "We'll get out of this. We've made it this far and I'll be damned if this is how it ends."

It was then that Trixie shot Fuchsia a look and saw the blank expression on her face; it was almost as if she was thinking hard and deep about something. Seeing her gaze out of the corner of her eye, Fuchsia quickly offered her friend a quick smile and a wink before looking ahead again. At first, Trixie didn't know what to make of the gesture; why was she so calm and collected? What did she know that they didn't?

As those questions dawned on her, her eyes looked down, but not at the canyon. Instead, she overlooked Fuchsia, hoping to find the answers to her unasked questions. It was in that moment that she saw something, something that brought a smile to her face. Seeing this, Fuchsia lightly nodded and quickly smiled again.

"Alright, then" said Trixie as she took one final step towards the edge. "It looks like our time has come. We've reached the end of the line. We have no choice but to jump."

"Agreed," said Fuchsia, nodding her head.

"WHAT!?" Lavender shouted as a look of disbelief came across her face.

"I'm sorry, Lav," Trixie said. "It's what has to be."

"Finally," said the voice behind them. "You three have wasted my time long enough!"

"Wait, don't we get any last words or something?" asked Fuchsia, her tone sounding a bit irritable.

"Fine, whatever," said the voice. Based on the tone, they could only surmise that the statement was followed by an eye roll. "Any last words?"

"Yes! Please let us go!" Lavender pleaded as she began crying again. "I don't wanna die! I wanna go home!"

"Go to hell," Fuchsia said arrogantly with a smile. "You'll get no such pleasure out of me."

"I have no final words," Trixie said as she looked at to left, Fuchsia flashing a quick smirk at her. "However, I do have a final request."

The lack of a response prompted her to continue. "I request we jump together, hand-in-hand, as friends should. We came here together, we'll die here together."

They heard a sigh. "Fine, whatever. Just go, NOW!"

Slowly, Trixie extended her arms and took her friends' hands, all of them feeling the pounding of their hearts in each other's palms. Trixie's breathing began to intensify while Lavender continued bawling, tears streaming down her cheeks as she began hyperventilating. Fuchsia, on the other hand, remained silent, her eyes redirecting towards the cliff-face below them.

"Why does it have to be this way?" she asked, using her other hand to clear her eyes again. "Why couldn't we have just walked way?"

"Calm down, Lavender," said Trixie, trying her best to sound sincere. "No point in thinking about that now. Focus on the now. Trust me, everything will be alright."

"Trixie's right," Fuchsia said softly. "Just hold on tight and think of happy thoughts. It'll all be over before you know it."

Lavender sniffled as she tried her best to smile. "It's been an honor being your friend, girls."

Trixie only nodded at her as she held her hand tightly, giving a reassuring smile. Then she turned to Fuchsia, who was biting her lower lip. She quickly glanced at her before looking at the canyon, her grip beginning to tighten as hard as she could

"Alright, on the count of three," Trixie said, all of them bending their knees, ready to jump together. "One..."

"Mom, Dad...if you can hear me..." Lavender whispered as she lightly closed her eyes. "I love you. Please forgive me!"

"Two..."

"Grand finale," Fuchsia whispered through gritted teeth as she squeezed her eyes shut. "Let's go."

"...Three!"

With that, still hand-in-hand, the three of them jumped off the ledge, towards the end of their journey.