Hey everyone. I have finished the last true chapter of this story. There will still be an epilogue chapter but I'm going on vacation now so I can't publish it for a while. For now, enjoy this chapter!


Conor had gone to the Evertree with the intention of saving Abeke. He had been sure that once he reached the tree he would know what to do. But now that he was at the tree he was stuck. He had no clue as to what to do.

He turned around, staring at the tree, then looked up at the sky before back at Abeke. He froze.

Shane was standing behind his horse and Abeke had woken up. She was sitting in surprise and it seemed as if she whispered something to Shane, who nodded smiling brightly. But before either of them could do any other thing Conor was sprinting towards them. 'Stay away from her!'

Shane looked up, shocked. But not as much as Abeke.

'Conor, no!' She exclaimed, jumping off the horse. She was too late to stop Conor however, who was already pushing Shane away and standing in between him and Abeke protectively.

'Wait,' Abeke repeated. She rushed to stand in between Shane and Conor, hands held out to both boys. 'Don't fight. I don't know what's wrong but just don't fight.'

'He wants to kill you Abeke,' Conor growled.

'I would never kill Abeke,' Shane exclaimed. He took in a deep breath. 'Listen Abeke. I will explain.'

Abeke shot one glance at Conor, warning for him to stay silent clear in her eyes. He pulled his lips together tightly but didn't say anything. He would obey Abeke and convince her Shane wanted her in a creepy, obsessive way. He would fight for her if necessary, he always would.

'You have the illness Abeke and the only way you can be healed is to choose a side. Me or Conor. One of us is your love and due to this immensely rare circumstance you have to choose. The universe, fate, didn't do it for you, it's all on you.'

'Will you come back to life if I choose you?' Abeke asked, intrigued. Conor couldn't believe his ears. Shane beat him to talking however, saying. 'I don't know. Possibly.'

'No! He won't. He said so himself.' Conor turned to Shane in anger. 'You told me she would have to choose between the living and the dead.'

'Yes, between me and you,' Shane told him.

'That's dead or alive,' Conor stated.

'Conor,' Abeke started. 'Please, Shane doesn't mean anything bad this time. It is on me.' She turned to look at Shane before glancing back at Conor. 'And you're not helping by screaming and becoming angry.'

Conor was tongue tied. She was right, he realised. His anger for Shane wouldn't save Abeke. He had to do it differently.

'Abeke, listen,' Conor started. The girl turned to look at him. 'I'm angry at Shane and I just let that get the best of me. I shouldn't have, but let me tell you of a dream I had in which he visited me only a few days ago. He is dead and I am alive. You will have to choose between me and him, so technically between death and life. I don't want you to choose me only for life. If you truly love Shane... then choose him.' He couldn't believe he had just said that but he had. 'But know this. He said that he would do everything in his might to get you. He hasn't changed or learned his lesson, he will still use force to get what he wants. He might not be evil but he isn't good either. And I want to protect you from a disaster in death, when you have committed yourself to him and realise he hasn't changed.' Conor turned to face Shane, eyes meeting. 'Now tell me if I am lying.'

For a few seconds Shane met his eyes with a neutral expression on his face. Then his face contorted in rage and he growled in anger. His eyes flashed and he charged forward, towards Conor. Faster than possible, for the distance between them was something close to twenty meters and Shane was on him in a few seconds.

Conor let out a cry as he was brought to the ground, clawing around but for some reason he couldn't hit Shane but Shane could hit him. He cried out again, Shane's fists hitting him everywhere. He sobbed, trying to curl up into a ball to ease the pain but he couldn't move. He was paralysed.

And then, it all happened in a flash, Abeke jumped between them. Shane must have hit her, because she just dropped over Conor's chest, rolled off him and lay motionless.

Shane jumped up, staring at Abeke in shock. Conor slowly sat up, turning his head to Abeke. She really lay motionless, not the slightest hint of breathing. A line of blood trickled along her neck. 'Abeke?' He tentatively asked. He reached out. Her body felt ice cold and burning hot at the same time.

'She's choosing,' Shane spoke up. 'Subconsciously.' His voice was strange, like two emotions were battling for control in it, two emotions Conor couldn't place. And he didn't like it.

'She's dying!' He exclaimed, struggling to his feet and standing in front of Abeke with raised fists. 'She's dying and all you care about is if she's choosing or not.'

He turned around, dropping next to Abeke's body. He reached out, pulling back his arm when he touched the ice cold and burning hot skin. But he clenched his teeth, taking Abeke's hand in his. 'I'm sorry,' he whispered. 'Maybe I've been a jerk and only focused on you and hating Shane all the time. But he really... no. I'll stop. Just please don't die Abeke. I don't think I can live on if you die.'


Meilin didn't know when they stopped kissing and started just holding each other again. Right now, they were just holding each other tightly, protecting each other from the heavy winds. It was only then that Meilin realised all those heavy winds were gone. She sat up slowly, looking around in surprise. 'Rollan,' she said. 'I think... we're save.'

The boy sat up as well, looking around. 'Is that...' He lifted his hand, pointing towards Conor's horse. Next to it lay Abeke, and Conor sat next to her, holding her hand lifted to his lips tenderly.

'Conor?' Meilin called out. There was no response. She scrambled up, hurrying over to her friends.

But she stopped a few meters before the two. From a distance she hadn't bee able to truly see how they were doing. Conor was bloodied, bruises and wounds covering his body. And Abeke. Abeke lay so still, she couldn't be alive anymore.

'No,' Meilin got out. Rollan had stopped just behind her and she heard him intake a sharp breath.

Conor slowly lifted his head. 'She's dead.'

'Shane killed her,' Meilin murmured.

'Why?' Rollan exclaimed quietly. 'He seemed to have change-'

'It wasn't just Shane,' Conor muttered. 'It was me too. Our fighting killed her.'

Meilin and Rollan were speechless, watching as Conor bent forward and placed a tender kiss on Abeke's lips, a final display of how much he actually cared for her.

For a few long seconds they all stood in silence. A deep, rasping breath made them all look up in surprise.

Meilin stared in shock as Abeke took a few deep breaths before opening her eyes. She stared at each of her friends in turn before softly asking. 'What happened?'

Meilin covered her mouth with her hand in relief, smile breaking over her face at seeng her best friend alright again. 'You nearly died.'

Abeke frowned deeply. 'I... can't remember anything,' she admitted.

Rollan stepped forward, laying one hand on Meilin's shoulder comfortingly. 'It's over and it's alright. That's what matters.'

Conor finally came out of his shock. 'What- how-? You weren't breathing anymore,' he exclaimed.

'I think you saved me,' Abeke said.

Conor looked truly astounded. He opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again but decided against it and shut it firmly. Abeke smiled weakly and reached over to take Conor's hand. Their gazes locked and both of them looked happy.

Which made Meilin turn her head to look at Rollan. He was standing half behind her, looking at Conor and Abeke as well.

'It's over isn't it,' Meilin whispered.

Rollan looked sideways. 'I think so. No one else is going to fall so gravely ill again.' He bent towards her, giving her a simple kiss.


So what did you think of the last chapter? Like it? I hope so. Keep looking out for the next chapter in two weeks.