Kyra's breaths broke through the air, disjointedly, as she rushed toward the magnificent golden sheen of Wyrmrest Temple's walls, the building only a handful more strides away when her ears perked up to like, sensing something tearing furiously through the air. Her head immediately looked up to investigate when her eyes flew open wide, a gasp leaving her as Colin's body careened toward the ashen soil, crashing into the ground with so much force that the ash around his impact flew up into the air in a plume of matter.

Kyra slid to a stop, losing her balance and falling to her knees as she came to a stop, her face growing long as her jaw dropped, staring into the crater where Colin's body had landed, most assured that this was some cruel joke or a dream. Her breaths wavered, shaking weakly as she reached up to clutch her chest, a sharp pain suddenly crushing her heart as she slowly came to realize what had happened, her mind finally tearing free as she hurried over toward him, reaching out to grab his shoulders.

He'd fallen face-first, his arms tucked underneath him as if to break his fall, and as Kyra turned him over, starlight began dripping profusely from her eyes, a soft whimper escaping her as she saw his lifeless face. His hands fell away, from his chest, glass shards rolling off from his clothes as Kyra quickly reached down, holding two fingers to his neck, finding no pulse.

She began to panic, though she quickly pulled away, laying the side of her head against his chest, her ear straining as she tried desperately to hear the beating sound that had become her lullaby, her face weakening as she only heard silence. Her cries began, shakily, as she reached around his torso, holding him tightly as she turned her head, burying her face into his chest, her heart no longer beating in time with another.

She suddenly felt so lost as she quietly wept, her shoulders shaking weakly, even as Ascal's hooves approached from behind. He slowly stood up as his elven form returned to him, his own face turning sour as he watched the sight before him.

"By the goddess…" he muttered, just barely breaking through Kyra's nearly silent tears.

Kyra's fingers curled around Colin's clothing, pulling them against her face as her starlight tears stained them, when she felt Ascal's manly hand against her shoulder, attempting to comfort her as she wept, her voice weakly pleading, "Please… Please…"

The hand upon her remained still, save for its thumb, which gently ran back and forth along her shoulder, a weak, nearly deathly, voice slowly breaking through her crying, "S-Sorry."

Her head bolted up, turning toward Colin's face with all the shock in the world in her face, just noticing that it had been Colin's at her shoulder. She quickly reached her own hand up to grasp his, pulling it to her cheek as she smiled, unsurely, watching his eyes open, as if they'd been made of stone. As soon as they did, streams of tears ran down the sides of his face as he looked up toward his love, the warmth at her cheek sending away the chill of death from within himself.

"I-Is this…a dream?" he muttered, almost silently, staring up curiously at Kyra as the single gasp of a laugh broke her tears through the air.

"No…" she answered, smiling brightly, "And you're a horrible person to make worry like that."

Colin shook his head, achingly, "I wasn't trying to."

"I know," Kyra smiled, returning her head to his chest, "I know."

His heart began to churn once again, bringing a soft glow to Kyra's eyes before she shut them, simply becoming in tune with his beating chest, enjoying his arms achingly wrapping around her as he spoke up, weakly, "I died for a moment there. I know that much; I understood, for the briefest of moments, that I would no longer have you."

Kyra shivered at his words, though Ascal's voice emerged, bringing an air of comfort from his deep tone, "You must have needed to have done so in order to attain immortality."

"After all that, I hope that's the case," Colin grinned, his jaw creaking back to life, "And hey, Ascal."

The druid grinned, bowing his head in reply, "I surmise my relaying of Cenarius' advice was well-timed?"

"You couldn't have done better, my friend," Colin happily retorted, peering up toward him, "Good to see you've lost some weight, too."

Ascal happily chuckled, crossing his arms, "Ready for another journey up a mountain?"

"Not at all," Colin muttered, quietly, stretching his face up to bury within Kyra's hair, "Now, my journey with my beloved may truly begin."

He could feel Kyra's smile against his chest as Ascal nodding approvingly, "My Lady will be sure to keep an eye on you two. No doubt all the Aspects will; for one who stole immortality from them, surely you'll remain on their radar for quite some time."

He looked up into the sky, his eyes tightening as he stared at the stream of tears levitating further into the heavens, "Not to mention you still have Elune's eyes on you two as well."

"Just so long as you stay in touch," Colin motioned toward the druid.

Ascal shrugged, "My work is far from over. But yes, if the opportunity arises, I will certainly stop by. The smell of earthroot and the scenery of Stonetalon is quite pleasing, I've come to realize."

The druid began stepping away, bowing graciously low, "As it stands, I'm quite too close to the eyes of a god, myself, though this god would be content with seeing me severely punished for my misdeeds. I'm sure the eldest of Shadowmoon children among you will keep you two safe."

As he turned, his face lingered, his cheeks pulling upward humorously as he eyed the sleeping Vylira, his body suddenly vanishing in a plume of smoke as he took on the form of a crow, his wings making blistering haste as he zoomed off into the distance, leaving Kyra and Colin alone atop the ashen dunes.

Colin reached a hand up, softly tucking her lavender hair behind her long, meandering ear, Kyra's eyes simply closing gently to enjoy his touch as he spoke, "For a moment there, I knew I had lost you forever. I never want to feel something so gut-wrenching again in my life."

Kyra smiled, turning her head up to meet his eyes with her own, "I felt the same thing for a brief moment. At least, now, we won't ever have to worry about such a thing."

"Never again," Colin emphasized, tenderly, "Never."

High atop the tallest recess of Wyrmrest Temple, Alexstraza bent back away from the edge of the spire, content to turn away from where that human had fallen, crossing her arms with a frown, her eyes dimming unenthusiastically as she noticed the stares from her other cohorts. In particular, Ysera's eyes had fluttered open, just barely, as she peered toward her sister, earning a particularly woeful stare from her sister, as if knowing, already, that her ideals were about to be questioned.

"Why did you allow such a thing?" Ysera wondered, more curious than accusingly.

Alexstraza rolled her eyes before shutting them, studiously, "Who am I to question who Elune chooses, or doesn't choose, as her recipients of such things. If you're asking why I rejected all I hold sacred, in this single instance, I have done no such thing. As far as I'm concerned, I did what Mother was wanting."

She shrugged, her eyes opening viciously as she eyed Kalecgos, "And I don't need any smartass remarks about it either."

Kalecgos grinned, shaking his head, "Hey, I completely understand. Just make sure word of this doesn't get out; the last thing we need are pilgrimages made specifically for immortality."

Alexstraza turned to her sister, who stepped forward, "Do not worry. I will make sure such things will not occur. Except to those who understand, themselves."

Annoyed, Alexstraza buried her face into her hand, shaking her head, "Why do I take your certainly as a sign that you've had your hand in more than you've let on, Sister?"

Ysera eyed her critically, "So long as the pathways of time are not affected, what are you worrying your mind over?"

"Such irony," Kalecgos mused, "Is not a human living a thousand lifetimes the very definition of a perversion of time itself?"

Ysera's head spun slowly toward Nozdormu, the bronze-skinned man nodding to her before answering to her knowing glance, "That human- will not- live out- his days-"

Kalecgos quickly scrutinized the timeless lines across Nozdormu's face, trying to understand what he was getting at, but Ysera answered, sensing his confusion, "Where one of them goes, the other is sure to follow. Even to the death of his dearly beloved, Colin will follow her as she did for him."

Sighing, Alexstraza shook her head, "Such a cheap use of my abilities as Lifebinder."

"Are you sure?" Ysera questioned, "The lives those two have touched in their quest may yet ripple through the same eternity you aim to withhold from mortal men."

"I've seen where this leads, far too well, Sister," Alexstraza reputed, shaking her head, "All the goodness you propose will result from this, just as much evil and malice could just as well stem from this. I'm not going fault you for your misguided views, nor will I stand back when this all blows up in your face. Whatever the result, I shall remain at your side, dear Sister."

Ysera nodded in understand, leaving Kale his to snicker childishly, smirking as he pointed out, "She'll simply roll her eyes the entire time."

Alexstraza groaned, eyeing the young Aspect, "Once again, you seek to-"

"To be sure," he interrupted, "I shall remain at your side as well."

The Dragon Queen smirked, regally, before snorting a breath of hot air in relief as she finished, "See that that remains the case."