Kelsey discovered herself mystified upon reaching her destination. She stood silently in the devastated remains of Keaparaberu. The battle scars had yet to even heal in this once stately location.

She felt for certain she would've ended up in the chapter regarding forgiveness. However, it appeared she had skipped that. She wasn't even sure why until she massaged her wrist in nervousness.

She quickly realized she didn't feel the charm bracelet anymore! Her heterochromia eyes darted to her wrist only to verify her worst fears. The mystical bracelet that was her exit key was gone! Frantically she attempted to think of how she could've conceivably misplaced it! Or even what part of the story it went missing! But, the point was without it. She would never escape this universe!

The portal potion's rule distinctly expressed if you failed to leave before the ending, you'd vanish yourself! Rapidly her anxiety was getting the better of her. She was as panicked as when her worst fears collided.

Her two biggest phobias were extreme storms and the dark. She was almost thirty-five, even if she didn't look like it. However, if she didn't have a nightlight? She went into a full-blown panic! If a violent storm knocked out the power? She'd be hyperventilating because she feared for her life and was stuck in darkness! This was her worst fear, times ten right now!

Sure, she had wished several times to escape her abusive friendless existence by living in the reality of her fanfics. However, she didn't want to cease to exist if the story concluded!

She broke down sobbing, knowing the end was drawing closer. She whimpered, thinking of her gorgeous black cat that she'd named after Zuko's true love. She cried about never seeing her doll Perdy again. She'd never get the opportunity to meet her friends in person! Her life may suck big time, but that didn't change the fact she wasn't ready to 'die.'

Unexpectedly she felt a delicate hand touch her forehead. "Shush, my child. It will be alright. Calm yourself and dry your tears."

"Alanna?" she whispered to see the divine female before her. The young Storyteller threw herself into the sacred spirit's arms without thinking. Alanna understood the young author needed a hug. After all, in this world, she was the Mother of Humanity. She knew everything about everyone and even those visiting. She already knew of their crises.

Alanna was already conscious of the young woman's plight, so she'd utilized her abilities to bring her back to the ruins of her palace. Then, taking a deep breath, she calmly spoke.

"I understand you fear the worst, young Storyteller. However, I've brought you here to assist you in going home. Since entering our domain, I've known that you required that bracelet to escape. Unfortunately, I cannot pinpoint when you misplaced it. However, my friends and I are here to assist you in returning to your world."

"How?" she questioned between her tears. "How can you help? Unless you can brew more of the potion, I'll never escape!"

She raised a solidarity eyebrow. "Why do you think I've called in favors to all the patron spirits of the Spirit World? You think we've no clue what's required for the potion?"

"You know?!"

"I'm surprised that you're even shocked. Again, I'm the creator of life within this universe. Furthermore, I'm the Daughter of Raava. My mother determines this world's savior within each lifetime. There is little that gets past the two of us, if anything, gets past us. So let's see," as she conjured up the ingredients checklist and then read them aloud.

"Ingredients

A branch from the oldest tree in the woods

A feather from the finest pheasant in the sky

A liquefied lock and key that belonged to a true love

Two weeks of moonlight

A spark of magic to activate all the ingredients."

"Now Oma and Shu know where the ancientest tree in the Spirit World is located. So they're fetching the branch as we speak. Agni already holds one of his daughter's finest feathers from her phoenix form. He'll be here shortly with it.

I've given my champion, Akiko, the task of securing the lock and key required. Also, I'm sure you're already aware that Tui and La will work together to provide the two weeks of moonlight."

"But what about the spark of magic needed? How are we to obtain that?"

"That has to come from you, my child. You've to figure out to utilize your gift for storytelling and manifest it into a spark to activate it all. I'll leave you for now so you can figure it out. In the meantime, my fellow spirits and I shall work on your ticket home."

It remained quite the conundrum of figuring out to create a spark of magic. She recalled how Conner did it in the Land of Stories book series. Yet how could she channel her imagination into that as well? She thought about it for the next two weeks until the potion was ready. But then, suddenly, she realized she'd been overthinking this for a fortnight. She request a favor from Alanna.

True to her word Alanna was able to summon all the characters she'd encounter throughout her journey. Taking a deep breath, she began to speak. "I couldn't leave this world behind without seeing you all one last time. I've dreamed of a way to see the worlds I have written about for years.

As Alanna explained, I'm merely an extension to your worlds and others. I'm the speaker who tells the stories needed to be shared within my own world. I want to thank you for how happy you've all made me. Most dreams never come true. And to have ultimately had one dream of mine come true? Well, that's more then I could wish for.

So for me to return to my world, I require your assistance. I was hoping you could focus on the joyful memories we've made. Let them fill you up, and then let it flow through me. Then I'll be able to activate the potion. So shall we?" everyone bowed their heads, thinking of their encounters with this outstanding storyteller and how she'd go on to tell more of their stories in the future.

Their energies pooled together until a multi-colored spark of energy formed. Then slowly descend into the brew. Finally, a brief rainbow shockwave knocked everyone on their butts.

However, it worked! She had the portal potion again! She sprayed a little onto her hands, and a new charm bracelet appeared. Fourteen book charms hung from the golden bracelet. A single antique key dangled there as well.

She gave all the characters the biggest hug she could manage. She thanked them one more time, then inserted the key into the final book charm. An enormous book shape doorway ripped open in front of everyone.

Alanna had to make sure no one else crossed its threshold. She only requested that their extraordinary Storyteller try to return one day. Kelsey promised she'd try to return another day. She wished them good luck and happy lives, then passed through the portal.

She then found herself in her apartment, glancing at her computer's clock? She'd returned the same time she'd left. So no time had passed while she'd been in the world of her imagination.

To her shock, there lay the original potion and a flask of the one they'd used to help her come home! So it did appear she could return one day or seek other stories out. But for now? She felt exhausted beyond belief, so she crawled back into bed so she could relive her adventures in her dreams.

The End.

Incomplete Self-Compassion

"If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete." Jack Kornfield.