Guardian of Elements

Chapter 56 - Aftermath

Oh wind, rise and blow,

spread your long arms wide,

let us in your gentle flow,

through your streams we glide.

To the end of the world,

if we so desire,

you bring us to all,

what we might require.

Kate slowly opened her eyes. Grass under her felt warm, and for a moment, she thought that she was back home. Lazily, she rolled over and looked up. Birds were playing in an orchard of cherry trees, singing songs to each other.

She closed her eyes again and slowly stood up. Her body was weak and hurt a lot. It took her a moment to come back together.

"I thought you'd sleep forever."

Kate turned around after the voice and her legs almost gave up in the process. Behind her, she saw the white spirit of Andúril, hovering inches above the ground.

"Mother?" Her voice betrayed her, and she had to swallow several times.

"And who else, my dear?" asked Andúril in her echoing, heavenly fashion.

"But... How am I able to see you? And those birds, I can understand them!" Kate touched her chest. No, there was only her blue gem, tied to her collar again.

"I guess you still have residual powers of the other aspects in your body. It'll wear off, eventually." Her smile was everlasting.

There was a moment of silence, before she spoke again.

"But I must say that this new look suits you."

"What?"

Kate looked back at herself and found out in surprise that her fur was no longer blue. The flames of the Crystal's power had left it completely white. Her star marks were almost invisible now, but they were still there.

"Okay, I think I'll have to get used to this." She tried to find a part of her fur that wasn't white, with no success.

"Well, at least it might be a good camouflage in snow," her mother suggested. Kate smiled at the idea of her hiding from the others in the mountains. The others... Everything suddenly caught up with her.

"Where are the other Guardians? Are they fine? And where even are we?"

"We are in a small grove, west of the settlement. The others are nearby, they are still trying to understand what you've done," replied Andúril.

Kate herself was struggling with that question. She remembered everything, but it all seemed like a dream. Somehow, she had really done all that.

"I think I've brought back the past," she finally said.

Andúril didn't look phased by it at all. But Kate was suddenly sad.

"Mother, I could've brought you back. I had the power to..."

"Kate! Everyone, she's awake!" Lerinth's shout made her look at the group, which was swiftly approaching. When she looked at her mother again however, she was slowly fading away until she disappeared, and the birds were once again singing just melodies to her ears. She was again just the Guardian of Elements.

"Kate! You're fine, we were so worried!"

"What have you done?"

"That doesn't matter, the main thing is that she's all right!"