He looked at Aqila, who was still as a statue, "Are you alright?"

"I think so," she shifted, "my best is all I have to give. If the Universe chose me, who am I to refuse the call? I just feel bad about wishing for my training to end. Now, it's staring me in the face, and I feel like I need more time, just to be your student."

"Turn so that our knees are only a few inches apart. Lightly form a fist with both hands and bring your hands to your chest. Never hold your breath. Focus on your mind's eye. I will talk you through everything that is going to happen." The paid closed their eyes shut. Aqila could hear Zeroun talking to her using his mind's eye, "Focus on your mind's eye. Can you see me?"

Speaking through her mind's eye, she replied, "I can see you."

"Good, now we are in the back of my mind, and we will talk and travel to the front. Once we get to our destination, your mind will be ready to receive the sight of the past."

It would seem as if the pair were walking, a pathway lit with a bright white light. Though they were physically sitting with their legs folded in Kashmala, in another space, they were operating entirely through their mind's eyes. Aqila walked beside her mentor, torn between curiosity and sadness.

"I know you may not know what to say, but I want to take the last of my time to tell you that this partnership has been a highlight in my life. You were so young when I came to retrieve you from the temple. Now, you have blossomed into a remarkable young woman. I am thankful that your parents shared you with me."

"This has been an incredible journey. You've given me so much love and care to pair with the wisdom and training to become a seer. I do not know my parents, but you were likened to a father and mother figure. You were everything I needed, exactly when I needed it. I am thankful for you. I'm really a little worried. I have never heard of a seer being a legend too. When I was in Avala fighting with Tiber, I felt like something was happening to me. Something that I didn't understand."

"That poison would have killed any other. The only way for you to recognize your place in the grand scheme of things was to take your mind off of being a seer. Once you did that, other abilities that you always had welcomed the freedom to come forth in great magnitude," Zeround explained.

"I could always separate oxygen by itself and manipulate it?"

"Yes, to be honest, many Storms can do that. They just never pushed the ability to its limit. Aqila, you would run outside in the rain when you were younger and then come inside and "shake" yourself. You would be dry afterward. You always thought it was from shaking, but you were pulling the oxygen from the water. You never noticed you were doing that. Like I said, that ability is not unusual among Storms. Aqila, I know you're worried about being a Legend, but don't be. As long as you continue to seek guidance through the Universe, your legacy will be a great one."

"Zeroun, how come I'm afraid of death? How come you're not? We are walking here, and we both know this is the end. You are ready to go, and I want you to stay," Aqila's eyes began to water again at the thought of her mentor dying.

"You know how we always talked about people being afraid of what they don't understand. This is one of those things. Now, you should be worried about doing something unintelligent and prematurely ending your life. But, once you have reached your purpose and it's your time, death is nothing to fear. Death is a part of life. It comes at life's end. I have lived three hundred years and learned and enjoyed the journey. Today is the end of the physical me. My body has expired. I have touched many people through having visions. I will live on through the things I have done in this lifetime. The spirit of me will live on through my deeds. Now, as seers, our lives are unique. Once I die, you will have access to all of my memories. It will feel as if a part of me is still vividly here. I am dying for you to live. We come from the earth and return to the earth. We live because others died, and we die for others to live. If you look at it spiritually, you will understand the purpose of death like you understand the purpose of life."

"Did your mentor teach you this?"

Zeroun smiled and closed his eyes, "This lesson Basir taught me. I was your age when Basir went into exile. I would see him from afar. I wanted to talk to him and tell him that I had visions about his future, but due to his exile, I could not. I read the sign that the Universe had forgiven him. He was nearly one hundred years old at the time. He thanked me for reading the stars, and he stepped into my life as an additional mentor to me. He would visit my mentor and me, and we grew close. I was with my mentor for thirty-five years. I was disheartened by her death. I, like you, was ready to live but not ready for her to no longer be a part of my life. Basir taught me about the cycle of life and death to this degree. He compared life to the moon, its waxing, and waning. We don't see the new moon, but that doesn't mean it's not there. When the physical life dies after having grown full, the spiritual life takes on a new birth, a new moon, in the lives of the people you touched."

"When you talk like that, it is comforting and inspiring. I don't feel that dread anymore," Aqila reflected.

"That's how I felt when Basir explained it to me. Like he would say, you will still have emotions and miss them, but you don't have to stay in a state of grief. The one who passed would have wanted you to keep living as if they were still beside you. When Basir passed about seventy years later or so, I took those words and etched them into my soul. I rose every day to see what the Universe would send my way, taking on everything as if he was still with me. He was much older than me, but after my wife, he was my best friend," a single tear dropped from Zeroun's face, evidence of how much Basir's friendship meant to him.

"That's something special. Your friendship literally has surpassed a lifetime through me," Aqila exclaimed, "I am the successor of you and Basir. This really means the world to me. To be here right now, learning the Universe's lessons while accepting the torch you are passing to me. I'd be grateful if I could learn, grow, and evolve into a fraction of anything likened to you. You took my dismay and showed me where a blessing was laid and how to be thankful for it."

"In the Universe, nothing exists without purpose, not life, not death, nor any of us. You are the first seer to ever be a Legend. Why? I really do not know. However, it is not my job to know. That is for you to live and discover for yourself," Zeroun chuckled, "I guess we are going to have to call you something other than Aqila the Seer."

"I guess so," Aqila smiled wide, "what about Aqila the Seer and Windmaster Legend?" They eyed each other for a few moments trying not to smile. Suddenly, the pair burst into laughter.

"That's a little on the long side. I think people will fall asleep as soon as you say and...."

"I guess you're right, so what would you suggest," she raised her eyebrow at her mentor.

"Hmm, I need to think about it some more." The pair continued to walk in silence. Aqila wasn't sure how far they had traveled or what part of his mind they had reached. After talking to Zeroun about what would happen, she felt less afraid of the future.

"Feeling better now?"

"Yes, I am not afraid anymore," this was the truth. Still, Aqila knew she would greatly miss her mentor's physical presence. The brightly lit pathway began to dim, and she knew they were nearing the front of Zeroun's mind.

"I'm glad that I was able to say something that eased your mind. This is not an easy plight. The best things in life never are. However, they are always worthwhile. Well, here we are. We have reached the point where I end, and you begin," he turned, looking Aqila in her silver eyes. "Thank you, Aqila. Your very existence has taught me so much. You love, and you fight without fear. This has been a remarkable experience. Thank you for sharing my last years with me."

Aqila swiftly pulled Zeroun into a hug. She felt his chin on her head. Although they were in their mind's eyes, she could hear and feel the soft beating of his heart as if they were in the physical world. "Thank you, Zeroun. I love you so much, and I'm going to miss you. I promise to do my best so your sacrifice will be worthwhile."

Zeroun let her go and gently pat her head, "I know, Aqila. I know." He clasped his hands onto hers, and his eyes began to glow. "My last lesson for you is this, the only way to truly die is to be forgotten by those you love. In the physical sense, this is farewell, my dear Aqila the Legend Seer." His eyes began to glow white, and Aqila felt a crashing wave of energy throughout her mind's eye. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. She felt her physical eyes burning as if they had been set on fire. She saw images, faces, and time periods that she had never seen before. Her hands trembled inside Zeroun's. It took every ounce of strength and discipline not to let go and run from the sensation. However, she steeled her nerves and held on. They lasted like this for several minutes, and then Zeroun disappeared from her mind's eye. Aqila felt another presence with her, but it was not her mentor.

"So you are the new seer," a thunderous voice called to her.

"I am Aqila the Legend Seer. Who are you? Where are you?"

"I am Emet the First Seer. Your mind's eye is not strong enough to reach me, for you would have to look to the beginning of the Universe to find me. However, what your eyes cannot see, your mentor has groomed your mind to focus and understand. You are now a full seer. Air in the physical sense is the breath of life. Our element reigns the mind, and our purpose is that of truth. As a seer, you had the power to reveal the truth to those who seek it. You were born with the sight of the future. Zeroun has gifted you with the sight of the past. As you apply events of the past to the present, your future sight will grow in leaps and bounds. We are all with you. Every seer who has ever held the torch, you have access to their memories. When your consciousness returns to the physical world, you may feel alone. As the first seer, I am here to reassure you that you will never be alone."

Aqila opened her eyes. She was no longer in the realm of her mind. Her consciousness had returned to the physical world. Zeroun was still sitting with his legs folded like she was sitting. Suddenly, his unconscious body fell forward. Aqila caught him and carefully laid his body out on the ground. The reality of her mentor's passing was hitting her hard. She wiped the tears that fell from her face. She felt an image pressing in her mind's eye. It was of her and Zeroun, their last laugh before Aqila became the Legend Seer. She sighed, "Everything's going to be alright." She looked to the clear sky and sighed again before walking towards the house to prepare Zeroun for burial.

Midday came quickly as Aqila completed preparing Zeroun's body. She had covered him in salt and let him stay in the salt for an hour before wrapping his body tightly in linen and cloth bandages. Aqila proceeded with her plans to bury Zeroun. All seers were buried together in the Valley of Truth. She would not have Talon back until tomorrow, so Aqila drew her plan for a proper burial for her mentor. Time seemed to drag on forever as she went from feeling okay to fighting back the tears on and off. She let her day pass her by, unable to find anything within to push her forward. As much as she did not want to feel sadness, she could not void her heart from feeling a little lost in a world without her mentor.

Aqila immediately became alert to the sound of wings flapping nearby. She smiled, recognizing a familiar Great Gray and Harpy Eagle. The winged creatures made a graceful landing at the edge of the mountain.

"Aqila! You're safe," she was immediately enveloped in the strong arms of Saar.

"I wasn't intending on bothering you, but Saar insisted on seeing for himself the evidence of your safe retrieval," Kavi walked over, pushing his brother away.

"Thank you," Aqila whispered, unable to make eye contact with either of them.

"What's wrong," the brothers asked in unison.

Aqila wiped her eyes, "Zeroun passed this morning," she choked on her sobs.

Kavi gently pulled her into him and held her close, stroking her hair in an attempt to comfort her, "I'm sorry, love. I didn't know. Was he unwell?"

"No, it was time for him to pass, and let me become the Seer," she whispered.

"I'm sorry, Aqila. Is there anything we can do to help," Saar asked, his eyes brimming with concern.

"If possible, I need to take him to the burial site today."

"I'll take you," Kavi replied.

"Well, I can see that you're in good hands, and this really wasn't a good time for just catching up. I'll head back if you two are okay."

Kavi nodded, signaling for his brother to head off. "Where's his body?"

"In the house," Aqila replied absent-mindedly. Kavi went inside. Moments later, he carefully carried Zeroun's body and placed him onto Sterling.

Walking over to Aqila, he said, "Take Sterling so you can properly bury your mentor. I'll catch a ride with Saar. You can bring her back to me whenever you're finished. I will be at the temple."

"Thank you, I really appreciate this," Aqila looked down.

Kavi gently lifted her chin, "Anytime," he briskly walked to catch up to Saar, who was about to leave on his Harpy eagle. The brothers waved at Aqila before leaving her mountainside home. Once they were no longer in sight, Aqila sighed before mounting Sterling, ready to take the long journey to the Valley of Truth. As the gentle wind danced through her hair, she heard Emet's voice, "We are always with you."

She replied from her mind's eye, "I know, but I can't help but miss him. I didn't think my heart would hurt like this."

"I never expected for you to feel nothing. It would be ignorant to think that your heart would not hurt. However, you will find peace once you have returned him to the earth, and once you have obtained peace, your heart will heal itself."

She took a deep breath as Sterling carried her and Zeroun to the valley.