AN: Well folks here we are, the final chapter for The Shard. I have had an absolute blast with writing this story and with experimenting with new character combinations. I hope that you enjoyed it. Happy New Year!

Epilogue

Helia hit the ground with a bang that made him cough to try and get air back into his lungs. He lifted his head and there, right before his eyes, were glowing bluebottles slowly dancing in the breeze. He tracked their beautiful movements, wondering what had happened before he heard someone call his name. His eyes widened as she approached and knelt in front of him, offering a hand.

"You okay?" Flora asked, her hair waving from side to side in the wind, skin pure and as perfect as he remembered it, her green eyes dazzled in the moonlight and he got to his knees and wrapped her in the tightest hug ever to ensure she was real. Flora returned it, a look of worry and confusion written in her features. When she leant back he placed his hands against her face and smiled, tears welling in his eyes.

"You're real, this isn't a dream."

"No, its not," Flora replied, "but Helia how much did you drink tonight? Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I am but what day is it?" Flora released a chuckle, her eyebrows furrowing when he didn't seem to be making a joke.

"It's Valentines Day, you just took me to dinner and now we are going home…why?" Helia's eyes widened as he got to his feet and charged forward. His right hand gripped Flora's tightly in his own as he ran, her protests a distant echo in his mind.

"Icy!" He stopped and yelled, looking around through the forest when something cut the moonlight from his body and she hit the ground with a thud.

"No! Icy!" Helia mumbled, lifting her bloodied form into his arms. "No, no it's going to be okay," he reassured, seeing the spark in her piercing blue eyes start to fade. "You need to take us back! Take us back!" He yelled, looking at her mark and seeing it burnt completely white. "No," his head shook, "no!"

"I did…what was right."

The words echoed in his head, around and around inside a giant circle. Was this really the right thing to do? Was this the future that he now wanted? Had he truly deserved this marvellous gift? Icy's hand raised and touched his cheek. Her eyes flickered to Flora who stood muted behind him, hands covering her mouth and tears in her eyes.

"She is your one true love…you y-y-ou d-deserve to b-be happy."

"I can't let you do this."

"This is h-h-how i-it was supposed to be." Icy's breathing shallowed, her eyes beginning to close.

"NO! Keep your eyes open! Don't leave me! Come on!" Helia yelled, shaking her weak and nearly lifeless form. "Why did you do this?"

"I… love…you," she sighed before every muscle in her body became limp. Tears flooded from Helia's eyes as he placed a kiss against Icy's lips, pretending that he held enough power in that one kiss to save her life. Flora willed herself to move as they parted, mouth wide and failing to understand what had transpired. She knelt on the other side of Helia, checking for vital signs for the mysterious stranger that had entered their lives as Helia slowly smoothed out the woman's snow white hair. His hand found hers and he held it tenderly as salt hit his lips, the rivers from his eyes flowing to their breaking point. 'I could have run forever' he realised, tracing a circle against her palm 'if I was with you'.

The sunset bathed the world in its natural orange glow. He looked down at the grave that had once been Flora's now with a new name and new occupant. Icy, beloved daughter, sister and friend, read the tomb and Helia drew comfort from Flora's hand on his back. She passed him the valentines rose he had spelled for Flora, the spell to make that single rose last forever and he bent down and placed it at the foot of the stone before standing back to his height.

Flora's arms wrapped around his torso and he placed an arm over her shoulders. "You never told me who she was," she whispered and Helia released a smile. He didn't know how to truly summarise Icy's character using only a few words. He couldn't possibly explain everything, at least not now that his life had returned to a normal routine. She was the strongest person he had ever met, she was brave, courageous, selfless, a character and person that he would never forget. She sacrificed herself to save others, had committed difficult acts in order to survive, had always strived to do what she knew was right even when the rest of the world believed it to be wrong, and lived a life of hardship and tragedy. But she was still the greatest beacon of light he had known - a light at the end of the tunnel. He wondered whether the two of them would have truly had a future together.

Look…" his voice softened. "As far as I can see it, we are all each other has. I know that without your abilities and your magic I would have died today. I would have been dragged to the wolves but I wasn't because you were there. So no matter what happens, I think we should still do this together, and it's not just because I'm worried that without you I'll die, although I am, it's because even though I don't know you and I don't know everything you've been through, I still would rather follow you on this wild adventure then go home and wallow in my self pity until The Shard are knocking on my door."

"She was a friend," he explained, holding Flora closer to his embrace and seeing the warmth held inside Icy's cold blue eyes shine back at him. The memory of her smile began to fade though the feeling of her lips against his lingered. He could still feel them soft, smooth, a perfect fit, like two jagged puzzle pieces that had lost one another reconnected and found their place in the world.

"The greatest friend I have ever known."

Magic could do so many things but it always had its limits. If he had the ability to collect all of the universes magic and put it towards one task he knew it would still not be strong enough.

Magic could heal, magic could kill, but it would never answer his final burning question.

Why?

THE END

AN: Thank you for reading and please review :)