We all tried to psych ourselves up for the last encounter – at least we hoped it was the last. Once I had that cure in my hands, we were out of there. I decided my sense of adventure had now waned; I was ready for home. And boy did I have some tales to tell my father! The sudden image of sitting around the stove in our little cottage while I relayed all that had happened, made me feel very warm and happy. I hadn't realised how much I missed him until that moment.

"Are we ready?" Araellor asked us all. Everyone nodded their head, our dragon colleague included.

As before, Felenngosa led the way, careful not to trigger what she'd advised us was the early warning call: beams of energy that surrounded the platform, which, if broken, would awaken the elemental. For now, they were the things keeping Anomalus dormant and, us, therefore, safe.

Unfortunately, there was no way to avoid them, and as soon as she touched the outer rim, Anomalus stirred. Not only did he rapidly surface from his torpor, but we were also met by four guardians who had been far enough back from the exterior ring, that we hadn't even seen them until it was too late.

Once more we all pulled together, with Felenn taking the lead, expelling her frosty breath over the advancing guardians, enabling Araellor to fire the fatal cross-bolts to the first one while I zapped the second with an arcane blast. Our magical colleagues attacked the other three. We had to finish them off before we could start attacking Anomalus, otherwise, they would've been relentless in guaranteeing injury to us before we even so much as sniffed at the elemental.

Araellor signalled to me and pointed to the small dais behind Anomalus. I glanced over and saw a scroll placed in its centre. The cure!

I nodded my understanding, and once our opponent was finally out of commission, I made a dash for the dais. I was ready to grab the scroll when suddenly a screed of revolving runes materialised. They spun slowly around the scroll, their fluorescence ebbing and flowing with each revolution. A code. An eight-symbol access. I cursed under my breath. As if the fight to get here wasn't hard enough, some bastard had to go and add that final layer of security.

A roar from behind me sent shivers down my spine. I turned to see Felenn flop to one side. She's been injured. Badly. I started to run towards her but her voice instantly flooded my mind.

"No, Klara! Get the scroll!"

I faltered, torn between doing what we were there to do, or helping my friend.

Araellor shouted over. "Go, Klara! Get the cure."

My heart was racing, but I knew what I had to do. I turned back and studied the combination of spinning runic symbols as my colleagues continued to fight the last of the guardians and Anomalus.

All around me, streaks of power hummed and flashed; colours brilliant, bright and disorientating, firing through an infinite wall of ice and nothingness. Beautiful, hypnotic but confusing to the untrained mind. The sound bore down on me – on us all, with the exception of Felenn perhaps. The Rift was a potent place filled with a strange magical menace designed to deter all who entered without invitation.

The vibration and frequency pounded in my ears, drowning out all the sounds of battle behind me. Tentatively I reached out to the first spinning rotation. As my fingertips invaded the band of runic symbols, it flickered and altered, losing its familiarity. I ventured a little further and halted its revolution. I gasped. Oh my god! It's alphabetical.

"Is it a name? Of a spell, perhaps?" I heard Felenn's pained voice in my head. I'd completely negated to realise she'd hear my thoughts.

I was confused, I had not expected the runes to be concealing letters. And then it dawned on me. It was the common language alphabet – human! So Kel'thuzad himself must have placed the scroll, not Malygos or one of his dragonkin lackeys with this being the home of the Blue Dragonkin, as I'd naturally assumed.

As the first letter was 'K', I proceeded with the rest; my assumption based purely on the Lich's vanity - K E L T H U Z A... Ah, too long. The letters shimmered and then resumed their runic appearance. I had to start again. K I R I N T O R. The correct number of letters – but, wrong again. Once more, the runes appeared, and nothing else happened.

"Hurry!" I heard Araellor, with a corresponding holler from Garret.

I stared at the dais. What could it be? I tried again; maybe the first letter was ... Nope, it stopped at K again. So, what the hell could it...?

Klara, sweetheart. It wasn't Felenn's voice I heard. You know what it is. Be brave.

A cold shudder of realisation ran through me.

It couldn't be, could it? Shakily, I moved to the next letter, then the next, then another, until I completed the name.

The console flashed and fluctuated then started revolving at a ridiculous speed. I groaned, more from relief than disappointment. It seemed to have failed also, or perhaps I'd broken it!

The symbols vanished.

And the scroll was finally accessible.

I trembled, mindlessly refusing to accept the correct combination. But I knew with the utmost certainty that no one else would have been able to work it out.

I felt a hand take a firm grip on my elbow. Araellor stood next to me. I looked up at his bloodied face. I was in shock. "Klara! It's free. Come on!" He shook me again, pulling me from my torpor.

I shook my head as if dispersing my momentary loss of clarity and secured the scroll in my knap-sack, then slung it over my shoulder.

We both turned to see our two mage colleagues and Felen still battling with Anomalus. All manner of thaumaturgy was flying through the air hitting the gigantic elemental with brute force. It was working but Anomalus was not going to be beaten easily – or without taking others with him. My eyes slid over to Felenn, her injured wing lying motionless across the icy platform while she continued to blast the elemental with frost fire. The effort was draining her.

Fury from the depths of my soul escalated to untethered proportions and reciting the strongest incantations I knew, I cast a barrage of stinging arcane, frost and fire bolts at the tapered elemental. It appeared he hadn't expected an attack from the rear. His anguished roar filled the cavern shaking the very platform beneath our feet. I kept channelling my spell as Anomalus turned. Red, hateful eyes locked onto me, his fury matching my own, But now everyone in our party attacked and those red eyes began to pale.

The elemental was rendered useless, unable to react, and almost like a genie, it whittled down and withered to a mere speck. All that remained were the esoteric armbands which had once tethered the beast to the platform and its forcefield.

Everyone was exhausted, all panting, gasping, crouched over from the exertion. I glanced at each in turn, but I sucked in a huge breath when I saw Felenn. No!

I moved over and knelt beside her. The wing I'd noticed earlier was indeed ruined, blood oozing from where it joined to her back. Those dragon amber eyes were fading, losing their light.

I touched her snout tenderly as if I feared causing her more pain. "You must get up, Felenn," I said aloud. "We have to get out of here."

A snort of air from her nostrils stirred some powdered ice. "I cannot, Klara. I am done."

"No!" I cried out, my voice breaking and eyes welling. "You can't be. You're the strongest of us all."

Felenngosa lightly shook her massive head. "Appearances can be deceiving, my friend." Her voice was soft, gentle and resigned.

"But you have shown me how strong you are, not only in your dragon form," I uttered between sniffs. "You have a good heart, a strong mind..." Tears flowed freely.

"As do you, Klara. But it is my time, and I will fly in the Twisting Nether with my kin once again."

I crumpled, I couldn't believe she was so calm, prepared to die. Not Felenn. I felt hands grip my shoulders, gentle, and comforting, but within that touch was the message – she's gone. I shrugged Araellor's hands away.

"Felenn, you cannot give up..." I whimpered.

A soft laugh came from her lips. "I'm not, Klara. I'm embracing the inevitable. However, I ask one thing of you."

I simply nodded. To agree verbally somehow finalised her passing and I couldn't let go of her. Not yet, at least.

"Please tell Kalecgos, I have failed in my task."

I wiped the tears from my eyes and digested her words. "Hang on," I uttered as the hidden details behind her story unfolded. "Kalecgos? He was the mage who found you when your parents..."

"Yes," she confirmed. "He knew I was kin."

"But ...what are you supposed to have failed in? You've come here with us; you've fought and helped us find the cure..."

"That was not my task. I was meant to ascend to the top portal and confront Malygos. To try and persuade him to return to the fold. To stop seeking vengeance on the Kirin Tor and other magic users."

I stilled. It seemed there was so much more to this young Adept than I had realised, or that she had not confided in me. On one hand, I felt betrayed, as if the friendship we'd built wasn't real. Yet, on the other, I knew that was not the case, and I felt an insurmountable respect for her. She was, without a doubt, one of the most remarkable individuals I'd ever met.

I swallowed back more tears. "We can help you back to the Shield, then once you are well again, you can carry out the task."

"No. Listen to me, Klara. My time for joining my kin amongst the stars is upon me, and I'm not afraid of it. In fact, I look forward to being reunited with them all. But know this, Klara Elmsworth, I am honoured to have known you."

I choked back more sobs, her words tearing me apart.

"Please do not mourn me," I heard her say in my head. "Working with you has been a joy, never underestimate the impact you have on others. Now, it's time for you to go. Leave this place and do what you have to do. And remember what I told you, okay?"

Again, I only nodded. I was bereft of words, the sadness of the moment engulfing me, breaking me. Once more, I felt Araellor's hands touch me. I didn't shirk him away this time, allowing his fingers to gently squeeze my shoulders, taking some comfort from the connection.

"Go now," Felenn pressed, her breathing laboured, her words softly caressing my mind, becoming an echo. "But before you do, I must give you a little friendly advice." There was a hint of a smile in her words. "Klara, he cares for you. Don't be afraid to open up to him."

I blushed. Now was not the time for me to ponder over such considerations, but I appreciated her wanting to ensure I would at least try to mellow towards Araellor. She was such a diplomat and a matchmaker, it now seemed. 

Gently, I stroked her snout and planted a small kiss on her brow as her body shuddered; the end of life, now very close.

I felt compelled to say something, a eulogy of sorts, but I didn't possess the skill in such matters.  Still, when I thought of our journey together - since we first met in Dalaran to this excruciatingly sad moment, I allowed my heart to guide me and uttered the only words that came remotely close. "Thank you, Felenn Morrowread of the Blue Dragonflight. I've learned so much from you in a very short time. You are a very rare individual, unique, a great teacher, and a truly wonderful friend. I'm more than grateful, and extremely humbled by your gracious nature. I will always remember you. Fly high, strong and proud with your kin, Felenngosa."

Garret, Aden and Araellor stepped back, each awarding her a mark of deep respect. And as they straightened from their bows, Felenn's last breath dusted my cheek.

The bridges we'd crossed to get there were now free of adversaries, but traversing those narrow walkways again was going to be a considerably harder journey. 

Leaving my friend behind, having only gotten to know her in the last few days, was one of the hardest things I'd ever had to do. Blinded by tears, I felt Araellor guide me safely across the treacherous paths.

We passed all those we'd slain, their bodies lying in a myriad of morbid positions. I felt angry that they shared this place with Felenn. As if their bodies should have been cleared from the fortress, leaving it pristine and chaste; a shrine for my friend.

On reaching the portal to the exit, we all stood around in silence, occasionally looking back from whence we came. 

What the others were thinking I had no idea, but I couldn't shake the feeling we were wrong to leave my friend behind in that frozen crypt. 

A choking cloud of melancholy wrapped itself around me; I hadn't expected to feel the weight of such a loss. It was a testament to how much she had impacted my feelings -  toward her; to elves in general, I guess. And strange though it seemed, I found myself missing her as if I'd known her my entire life, like a childhood friend, someone close, who I cared about very deeply.

"Hey," Araellor said softly, only so I could hear. He smiled sympathetically. "Come on. Standing here won't do you or us any good. Besides, Felenn wanted you to get back to the Shield. To safety."

"I know," I answered after a deep, shuddering sigh almost wracked my body. "It's just... Well, although Felenn and I trained together, it is only during this excursion that we have ... had... become close. And oddly, it now feels like we've been friends forever."

He smiled and brushed a wayward strand of hair behind my ears. "She had that way about her, I think," he replied. "I know Garret and Aden thought highly of her too. She was a very kind person, and one who I'm glad to have met also."

I agreed silently.

After a few moments more, he asked if we were ready to leave. The two magi nodded, as did I. They were about to step through the portal when I stopped them. All three looked at me in turn, each sympathetic, understanding. I realised they thought I was hesitating again, reluctant to leave my fellow Adept and of course, they were right. But there was also a practical reason.

"We – we're inside," I said quietly. The blank looks would have been hilarious had it not been for the fact we'd just lost one of our team. "We can use magic in here, remember? So why don't we portal to the Shield instead of having to trudge our way back through the ice and snow?"

The relief on Garret and Aden's faces was almost tangible. Araellor just smiled as if he'd expected me to think of that. "Have you still got the cure?" he asked.

"Yes." I patted my bag just to make sure.

"Then in Felenn's name, let's go."

"Will I do the honours?" Aden offered.

It was unanimous, and with that, we stepped through the portal he conjured.

______________________________________________________________________

Did you need some hankies? I certainly did. I loved Felenn. I hope she has indeed left her mark, and helped Klara to look at things (and elves) in a different light. 

Thanks for reading :)