Run. Just run, Kyla told herself. She had laid her heart on the floor and risked everything to tell him the truth. Now the truth could destroy the illusion she lived in. Only one way out, she thought. Suddenly she stopped and realised where she was. Kyla was on the riverbank again. She back up and then ran and jumped into the deep. She sunk down to the bottom but did not drown. Even though it was night see could see perfectly under the water. Her feet landed swiftly on the river bed and she called out into the lake "Mother!" The woman appeared behind her and consoled Kyla "Do not send me back. Take my face from their minds, let them forget me." Kyla pleaded. "There is no time now, child. We must think about the storm that is brewing." Kyla looked at her mother in dismay. Then she placed one hand behind Kyla's head and placed her thumb on Kyla's forehead. Her eyes began to glow pure gold and Kyla's eyes turned black. The fish in the water started in encircle them and both mother and daughter radiated pure light. Then there was a blast in the water and the fish were scattered to reveal her hugging Kyla's limp body. She cradled Kyla in her arms and whispered to her "To carry this burden, is to carry the fate of these people. For that, my beautiful Neuriel, I am sorry ….for I may lose you too soon."
Harriea sat on the bridge and dangled her feet in the lake. She wondered what drove her father to become a blacksmith. She pondered about traveling the world and having enjoyment in her life for once. She looked at the sun standing high in the sky and thought about following it one day. She looked down into the water and thought about following it to see where it leads. The more she looked into the water, the more clearly she could see it. Then there! Lying in the bottom she could see a body. Without a second thought Harriea dived in. She was the only person in her family who could swim, besides Fergus. She swam closer to the body and then she could see it was Kyla! Harriea grabbed her and swam to the bank. She pulled herself and Kyla up onto the bridge. As she looked at Kyla she saw a foreign mark imprinted on her wrist; 3 lines entwined in each other but at the end they were separated and frayed. Harriea had never noticed this before. In a flash her eyes opened and for that a second they seemed bright purple. "Where am I?" Harriea helped her to her feet "You fell into the water." Kyla remembered everything she had seen, all the death with little hope. She held back her tears and cursed at the wind. "What is it?" Harriea asked Kyla "Is the Company still here?" Harriea seemed puzzled by the question "No, they left as soon as the sun rose. The youngest dwarf seemed discomforted to stay here." Kyla looked towards the mountain and recited an ancient blessing under her breath, for she wished them all the luck in Arda, for she knew how it will all end.
Kyla sat in the fields with Emilia. But Kyla couldn't sit still so they began walking to the blacksmiths to see Fergus and Harriea when she plucked flowers from their places and threw them into the air. Then she picked up an unusual flower. It was special for it would change to suit the mood of the holder. She tucked it into her belt next to her knife and it turned green. Grief. She sighed and carried on. Suddenly she was pushed onto the floor. "Fergus get off me." Kyla moaned and slipped from under him. Fergus laughed and pulled her up but the envy in Emilia's eyes burnt bright. "Nothing but sharpening sword-"Fergus said "and cleaning tools" Harriea added. They wiped the oil off their faces and their clothes in the river. "Tree?" Emilia asked. They all nodded. The tree was a tree in the forest with large branches that sprung nearly as high as the sky. Kyla and Harriea climbed up onto their branches while Fergus gathered some apples from the nearby trees. Emilia sat down at the bottom sharping sticks with her knife. Kyla could see Emilia's face which was stained with tears. She slid off her branch and sat in across from her but she didn't acknowledge her. Kyla took the knife from her hands and placed the flower in them and it turned blue. Sorrow. "Why be sad?" Kyla asked her but she already knew. Fergus always noticed Kyla and hardly talked with Emilia. Inside, Emilia's heart was melting for she had always kept her feelings for Fergus hidden but in that moment she sat and told Kyla everything and for once Kyla wasn't surprised. Kyla started to say something but Harriea stirred in her branch. She had fallen asleep. "Emilia I bet he feels the same." "Who?" Asked Fergus who was back. Kyla grabbed an apple he was carrying and took a bite "I said I must leave for now." Kyla walked away but he grabbed her arm, she turned and he gave her another apple. Out of the corner of her eyes as she walked she saw Fergus finally talk to Emilia. And as the sun set that day, Kyla stood on the same hill as she had the day before and looked out into the vast plains beyond and as a bird landed on her shoulder she knew, It was time….