After almost an hour of agonizing cold and misery, the group reach finally began to reach the top. Leilani's skin was almost completely numb, save for her hands, which she had buried deep underneath her arms for warmth in case she needed to use her weapon. There were many fiends on Mt. Gagazet, and Leilani had finally had the opportunity to take some out with the group. After each victory, however, Auron had only kept walking towards the top. No one laughed, or smiled. There was no joy at all, only frozen emptiness as vast as the mountain itself. She shivered. She didn't feel right at all, and although she was suspicious that it was the upcoming departure from Spira, there was something nagging at the back of her mind, crawling up and down her back, that left her truly uneasy. They suddenly slowed at the peak of a cliff. Auron's head was tilted a little, and he held his hands out for everyone to stop.

"Sit still and be quiet," he whispered.

They looked around to see what was wrong, but suddenly a great blast of fire had them all ducking for cover. When they looked up from their positions on the ground, it was to see Lady Amira walking down the hill regally, but somehow unnaturally. She laughed so coldly it was like another burst of icy wind. Auron jumped up.

"You!" he snapped, readying his sword, but Amira only snickered more, coming to stand right in front of them. They all rose, readying their weapons.

"Tsk, tsk," she said. "I'd hate to hurt all of you. No, no, just one will do."

She looked evilly at Auron. "I think we should settle this," she said calmly.

"I think you're crazy," he spat. "You can't have me, so you'll kill me?"

"Why, yes," she said. "And here I thought that big head of yours was all just muscle. I am, however, merciful, and will spare your one-track life if you agree to join me."

She held out her hand.

"You'll be treated like royalty, and will want for nothing."

"What about love?" he said, with just the barest look at Leilani. No one else seemed to notice but her, not even Amira. Her heart beat faster.

"I can live with the fact that you do not, but perhaps, in time, you will come to enjoy my company."

"Over my dead body," he said.

Amira sighed.

"So be it."

She conjured an impossibly long sword out of thin air, and swung it right at Auron.

"NO!"

Leilani yelled and leapt forward, throwing the point of her whip forwards and wrapping it around Amira's sword.

"Let go!" she snarled, tugging her sword back. Leilani lurched forward, but didn't dare loosen her grip. Amira cast another fire spell at Leilani and she was forced to pull her whip away.

They backed up, snarling at each other. Auron came up behind Leilani.

"This is not your fight!" he snapped.

"It is too! Auron… I… I lied to you," she said quickly. "I'm sorry!"

Auron frowned, but Amira suddenly laughed.

"Auron, you need a girl to do battle for you? How pathetic."

Leilani scowled and Amira laughed.

"Come on," she said, "I have no qualms harming both of you, if you wish it."

"You will hurt no one!" yelled Leilani. She swung her whip towards Amira again, but she deftly avoided it and struck with her sword. Leilani dodged it. They continued for a few seconds before Amira finally ran out of patience and yelled, "If you do not relent I will kill you before you can even think about going back to your pathetic little home!"

But it suddenly occurred to Leilani where she truly belonged.

"I don't care about going home anymore. My place isn't there," she said, "But by Auron's side. Wherever he goes, I am destined to follow. I will protect him with my last breath."

"You, too?" she laughed. "As you wish." She swung her sword and Auron lunged forward to parry.

His move, however, made Amira change her sword's course, and the broad side of it smacked Leilani roughly aside. She tumbled down, dropping her whip, and the point smacked the side of the cliff as it fell. The mountain rumbled, and rocks crumbled away under their feet, snow avalanching from the top. The group all backed away to avoid it in the nick of time, but they were blocked off from Auron and Leilani. Suddenly, another piece of the mountain slid away, and Leilani lost her footing. She fell down, grabbing the side of the cliff at the last second, digging her fingernails into the rock, holding on for dear life. Amira's face lit up.

"Well, girl, looks like you'll be going, after all." She stepped over to Leilani, placing her foot directly above her fingers.

"NO!" Auron shouted, and Amira looked over in surprise. She brought her foot down a little more and Leilani's heart leapt into her throat.

"Now, now, she is just another girl," Amira said slowly. "Surely you wouldn't risk your life for her?"

"I would," he said, bringing his sword back up. "I am."

Amira scowled.

"Why?" she laughed, suspicious.

He took a deep breath.

"Auron, no!" Leilani yelled, but Amira crushed her fingers a little more. She gasped in fright and pain. She looked to Auron, who, strangely, smiled.

"I love her," he said.

Amira screamed in rage.

"What do you know about love? You would throw it away on a poor, powerless, helpless little creature such as her? Why not me, with my riches, power, and elegance? I can give you everything, and you would just toss it away like nothing?"

Auron shook his head, still smiling.

"The power in her heart is ten times more than you will ever have in Spira."

She screeched again, looking insane with rage.

"Love will defeat you," he said.

"Let's see if love can defeat this!" she howled, and raised her foot high.

Leilani looked at him with the most beautiful smile she could muster.

"I love you, Auron," she said.

Amira brought her foot down harshly upon her fingers and Leilani was forced to let go, falling off the side of the cliff and disappearing into the blizzard.

"NOOOOOOOO!"

Auron screamed in pure agony, and slammed Amira against the rock with his sword, bringing it to her throat. She threw him off of her and he lost his balance in the slippery ice, falling down and grabbing the same spot where Leilani had just been hanging. Before she fell… before she…

Amira hovered over Auron, a crazy, desperate look in her eye.

"Do you wish to join her?" she asked coldly.

Auron looked down behind him, but couldn't see much through the blizzard. He knew at the bottom, however, she would be lying… Waiting for him… He would meet her on the Farplane. Everyone was trying to climb over the mound of snow the avalanche had sent down. He knew they would be too late to help him, however. When he looked up, Amira was crying.

"Do you wish to join her?" she repeated.

"I do," he said.

"I hate you," she sobbed, and brought her foot down on his fingers as she had on Leilani's. His hand slipped. Before she stomped on the other one, he looked back at his friends.

"Goodbye," he said.

Amira crushed his other hand and he fell peacefully down through the blizzard.

Like the white mist.