Raindrops splashed on my eyelashes, staring up at the dark stormy skies. I let the rain soak my hair, standing back with the mist, on the edges of the service. Black umbrellas across the graveyard, they circled around a center point. Drops pelting against my coat, I shivered. My last day in the future would be coloured by a sense of mourning.

Oliver stood beside the family. Looking up, he nodded at me. I gave a wave, slipping my hands in my pockets. There was something about approaching that felt wrong. I was there when she died. I shivered in the rain. The speaker hummed on, his voice carried through the air. My boots were soaked through.

A blur drifted across my view, stopping right beside me. I kept my eyes forward, clenching my teeth. I hadn't spoken to Murray since that day. He stayed silent.

I cleared my throat, "Are you going to just stand there?" The wind stung against my skin, brushing my hair into my face. I pushed it away. "She told me to tell you something...I don't even know if I want to now."

Murray faded into view, his grey cloak drenched in rain. Pain chipped his stony expression, he opened his mouth. "Gwen...was the one certain thing in my life."

I slouched my shoulders, shivering. "That doesn't excuse what you did to Lewis. He didn't have a choice."

"No one forced him to pick up the phone and call Kendall."

I nodded my head. "I don't understand why he did that." My fingers slipped around the USB drive in my pocket.

Murray sighed, "Why do traitor's do anything?"

I hung my head. It still doesn't make sense. "I don't know…."

Murray pursed his lips, fidgeting. "What did she say?" he murmured."You said Gwen wanted to tell me something?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Just that she never minded, any of it." I took a breath. "That's all she said." I flinched as they lowered the coffin into the hole.

He nodded his head. "She didn't deserve this," his voice broke.

An ache formed in my chest. "I did try...I tried to save her."

"I know you did." Murray kept his eyes forward. A bitterness in the air, shovel after shovel of dirt thrown in after the coffin. His chin quivered. "I was never going to shoot you."

I nodded my head. "I know." This may be our last conversation. I turned my eyes to my rain-soaked boots. "I'm leaving...and I won't be coming back."

Murray flicked his head around. "What? Why?"

I pursed my lips. "That doesn't matter, I've decided...I'm not going to change my mind."

"I'm not asking you too. I'm just surprised." He slipped his hands in his pockets.

Oh. I darted my eyes. "Ingrid offered me a council seat nomination...I think you should take it instead."

Murray snorted, "They would never consider that-"

"Make them consider it." I glared at him. "This was as much your plan as mine. You can't sit by and leave this place to crumble."

He raised an eyebrow. "So you're telling me what to do then?" He sneered.

"I'm telling you, you can't hide from this. Avarice needs you."

He snickered, tightening his posture. "Alright, whatever. You're the one who's leaving."

I turned on my heel. "Gwen wouldn't want you wasting your potential either."

His shoulders dropped. "I didn't mean…"

"I know." I walked backwards, tracking my heartbeat. "Just keep an eye on this place," I said. He gave a weak nod, as I stepped back, vanishing away.

In time maybe I'd forgive him. I couldn't shake his cold glare though, the madness in his eyes. He didn't have to kill Lewis. That was his to live with.

The world built back into a dark row of computers. Standing in the empty library, I flicked open the thumb drive. I won't get another chance to see what's on this. I moved to the computer, pausing.

That mark etched into the metal, a circle over a circle. This symbol rattled Emery before she left. My hands twitched. Lewis called it the truth...I don't understand.

I plugged the drive into the computer, slumping back in the chair. I tapped my fingers on the desk. The screen stayed the same. Nothing is happening. I pulled it out, plugging it in again. I blinked at the screen saver. Is it broken?

I clicked on the search engine, typing clumsy keys. Maybe I can figure this out. U- S- B- I typed, shaking my head. It will take too long to try and read. I rubbed my face, going to take out the drive again. The screen went black.

I rolled back in the chair, scratching my head. What on earth? A string of letters formed across the screen. Squinting, I sounded them out, "Did...he...send you?"

I scrunched up my nose, frowning at the words. What did that mean? I muttered, "Who do you think sent me?"

The words vanished, new letters filtered to replace them. "Alexander Wren, of course."

Wren? I stared dazed. This doesn't make sense. I clicked the mouse, trying to erase the screen. I don't understand. I muttered, "The...person who had this drive is dead."

A robotic voice came from the speakers, "Are you the next one then?"

I backed away from the screen, my skin crawling. The next one?

"Tell me about yourself...who are you?"

I shook my head. "I want nothing to do this," I hissed, ripping out the USB.The screen flickered, staying the same. "I can give you a new name…."

I gripped my head, covering my ears. This needs to stop. I moved away from the screen, my eye catching a cup of tea on the Librarians desk. "I'm not talking to you," I said, swiping the mug off the counter.

"There is no escaping the truth…the last one understood that-"

I swung the tea over the computer. The screen warped, turning off with a hiss. Why would Lewis give this to me? I set down the cup, backing away. I can't explain this. I disappeared with the rhythm, leaving the library behind. My mind jumbled up, reaching away.

I appeared, back in the green in the cemetery. The crowd dwindled away. Oliver was left, standing in the rain. He lifted his head. "Phyn?"

I slipped my hands in my pockets, wandering over. Raindrops hitting my head, I tucked my hair behind my ears. "Oliver…hey," I mumbled. I have to say goodbye anyway.

He pointed back behind him. "There's a gathering at Gwen's family's house, I'm sure it'd be alright if you tag along," his voice petered off, he pursed his lips. "Is something wrong?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know if Raine told you, but someone I know showed up from the past. I wasn't expecting this, but...."

Oliver's eyes glazed over, he nodded his head. "You're leaving, aren't you?"

"Ya...I am."

He tilted his head, scratching his beard."So I guess that's a no, on the council seat then." The rain rolled down his forehead. "I'm going to miss having you around."

"I'm sorry, Oliver, I-"

"No, don't apologize. You have the opportunity to go back." Oliver frowned at his wrist. He turned the band of his watch, pulling it free. "I want you to have this." He held out the watch to me. "Something to remember us by, that you have friends separated by time."

I took the watch face, raindrops over the glass. A slight nick in the corner, the leather band pieced together. "Oliver, this is an antique."

He shrugged. "It was a gift from my superior, something passed down in his family."

I shook my head, handing it back. "I can't take this."

Oliver snorted, "Yes you can, it's a gift." He rested it back in my palm. "It would mean a lot to me if you took it."

"Really?" I blinked at it, fastening it around my wrist. "I'll wear it well, I promise."

Oliver nodded. "And don't worry about us. I'll keep Avarice moving forward." He slipped his hands in his pockets. "I am happy for you."

"But, I don't know…" Fear creeping in, I dropped my head. "I'm not sure...things might change here, by me going back. What if all of this gets erased? What something goes horribly wrong, and-"

"I don't think reality is so fragile." Oliver shrugged his shoulders, wiping the rain off his forehead. "I just don't. The things that matter aren't just going to be erased."

"You can't know that for sure."

"Neither can you, none of us are ever in a position to know how our decisions will affect other people. The only difference in this case is that this has already happened." He took a breath. "As I see it, no matter what it was real. It will at least remain a part of you."

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

I shook my head. "But I don't want this just to be a part of me, I don't want to ruin everything."

"But you might also make things better," Oliver hissed, wringing his hands. "Maybe my wife will still be alive in that world, my daughter." He locked his eyes on mine "If you belong there in the past, then go back. You can't control what will happen."

I squeezed my eyes shut. "But I'm sick of watching things fall apart, losing people-"

"That's why I'm not afraid." He wiped the rain from his forehead. "I trust that you'll try to make the world better, even if you don't."

I took a breath, loosening my shoulders. He's more sure than I am. "...I'm going to miss you, Oliver."

He laughed, "Of course you are, have you met me?"

"Uh huh, a little humility goes a long way, " I said, stepping back. "Will you say goodbye to the others for me?"

Oliver held in a breath. "Anyone but Raine, I'm not getting shot."

I rolled my eyes. "Promise I'll say goodbye to her, she won't forgive me if I don't." The street breaking off from the graveyard. The apartment isn't that far from here. I took a step back. It would be nice to walk. "But thank you for catching everyone else."

Oliver gave me a wave, turning in the opposite direction. "I'm going to see how Gwen's family's doing." He gave me a grin. "I'll be checking history books for you."

I snorted, stifling a laugh. "Take care of yourself, Oliver," I said, watching him wander off.

----------------------------------------

Sunlight peeked out from behind the clouds, shimmering off the rain-soaked streets. I walked along the pavement. Questions bouncing around my head, I shivered. How do I know I'm making the right choice? I stopped in the glow of a giant billboard. A picture of some sort of air filtration system, words underneath it, breathe easier with- I couldn't read the rest. I hung my shoulders, the ache growing in my chest. Hard to breathe when you're drowning.

That's what the voice said, that I'm drowning. I pushed my hair back, dragging my feet forward. I scoffed, "If you want me to listen...you should say something." Pigeons fluttering into my path, they kicked up rain water. "I don't know what this is? What do you actually want?" I whispered, bitterness in my throat. I hit the edge of the sidewalk, pausing for a moment, my head spun.

A wilted plant stuck out through the concrete, reaching in vain for the sun. I crouched beside it, lifting up the stem. "Is this what you care about…?" The wind rushed through, birds flying past. Do you care about a withering world?

My head hurt, I slumped down onto the concrete. The sunlight stung my eyes, I rubbed my face. I will never get an answer. I let go of my breath. A mop of brown hair flopped in front of my face.

I jumped back, Raine blinking at me. "Hey, Phyn," she said, turning her head back upright. She put her hands on her hips. "Ya gonna explain yourself?"

I scrambled up off the curb. "What did I do?"

"Really? What did you do?" She cackled at me. "You knew you were leaving, and you didn't tell me." Her grin faded, she bit her cheek. "I had to hear it from Luca."

"I wasn't going to leave without saying goodbye."

Raine scowled. "And that's why you're talking to dead weeds on the sidewalk? You could've told me, Phyn."

I shrugged my shoulders, avoiding her gaze. "I know...I'm sorry, but I have to go back. I have to finish what I started-"

"And what about us, huh?" Raine huffed. "Are we just chopped liver now?"

"I'm leaving Avarice in capable hands." I motioned to her. "Oliver, Murray, you, even Ingrid. None of you need me to change the world."

Raine twisted a frown. "Of course we need you...I do, you're my friend." She stared at the pavement, her chin quivering. "How can I do this without you?"

"Because you're not a sellout, Raine." I pulled her into a hug, squeezing her tight. "You are a hero."

She huffed, resting her head on my shoulder. "I don't want to lose my only friend." She stepped back. "And I know that's selfish-"

"You're not losing me as a friend." I pulled her back. "As long as I live, if anyone asks me who my best friend is, I'll tell them it's Raine Reimer, revolutionary, ex-mercenary, and almost pirate."

She gave a weak chuckle, wiping a tear from her eye. "That's not fair…"

"It's not," my voice broke, a lump in my throat. "And I wish I could live in both worlds." I shut my eyes, a tear loosening. "But I have to go back...I know that may be hard to understand. I need to redeem myself."

She sighed, wiping her cheek. She gave a stiff upper lip. "I understand, but it hurts...like a hole in my heart."

I hung my head. "I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "No, that's home for you. You should go, I just don't want you too." She tilted her head back down the street. "Let me walk with you back...I know Luca's waiting."

"Right," I murmured. Following her shadow, we stepped out into the sunlit streets. The clouds slipped away, warmth returning. I'm going to miss this place, I never would've expected that. I walked around the puddle, Raine looking back.

She snorted, "He seems like a good one, though, Luca. despite my initial suspicions."

"He's not my boyfriend, Raine."

She chuckled, "Keep kidding yourself."

"I'm serious." I glared back. "It's not like that." Not anymore.

She raised her hands. "Fine, whatever, none of my business." She turned her eyes back to the road. "You're just different around him, in a good way." She smirked. "All bright-eyed or whatever."

My face went red. "Gosh, that's just great," I grumbled. Can't I just act normal.

"It's not a bad thing," Raine chuckled. "You're a grown-up, Phyn. Just flirt with the guy and see where it goes."

I shook my head. "It's not that, I'm not nervous...he's just someone I can't afford to lose." I fought away shivers. I can't face Merle alone.

Raine raised an eyebrow. "So you're going to hold him at arm's length forever? That makes zero sense." She kicked her foot through the puddle.

I lifted my face to the sun. "Maybe not forever, but this is enough right now." It's enough that I have him back.

"Fine, I'll stop," Raine grumbled. "But you're being all cryptic and weird. What are you exactly heading into?"

I swallowed my spit. "I am going back to fight the time-bender." I slammed my fist in my palm. "I have a bird-wizard to kill." I took a breath. "And after that...I don't know." I dropped my fists.

"Maybe I can help the world move past all this."

"I see." Raine nodded, the building coming into view. She flicked her head around. "Wait, did you say bird-wizard?"

I laughed, "Ya, the time-bender is half bird, half man. Biological blood-magic can do some crazy things." I kept walking, Raine raced to catch up.

"And you're going to kill this thing?" She blinked at me.

"I'll try...the time stopping thing is hard to get around."

She scratched her head, slowing as we reached the steps. "That's worse than Kendall."

"He won't know I'm back…" I walked up the first step. "I'll have the element of surprise, time to strategize-"

Raine hugged me again. "Don't die trying, be careful."

"You too, don't lose any more pieces, okay."

Raine growled. "Now that was uncalled for," she huffed. "I'm going to miss you."

The door waiting behind me, I stepped back. It's hard to go. Raine nodded her head, stalking down the steps. "I hate goodbyes…" Raine sighed. She raised her chin. "So, you know what? Go kick some bird-wizard." She pointed back at me. "No regrets."

"No regrets," I whispered. Turning around, I slid open the door. Time to go home. I stepped inside.

Daylight filtered in the dusty space, my boots creaking on the wooden floor. A couple of bags sat on the table, along with a jacket, a jar. Wandering closer, I froze. Inside the jar was a bloody feather. Encased in the glass, shimmering with color. It was almost alive. I reached for it, heat radiating from inside. I lifted up the jar.

"It's still charged," Luca said. He leaned in the doorway, his arms crossed. The sun reflected off his eyes. "If you pick up the feather, while using your ability, there will be an interaction."

"Then I should be cautious." I set the jar down carefully, pulling my fingers from the glass. "How do we make sure we end up in the right time period?"

Luca gave a nervous chuckle, "I think you may be able to control it, in the same way you teleport to a particular place. Like thinking of an image or memory, but I don't know for sure."

My eyes went wide. "You don't…?"

"When I came here, I used your hair sample to draw me back to you. Like a marker, looking for an identical match." He scratched his head. "But there's nothing like that in this case. In theory this should work? This time there's an option of trying again, which is a bit of a safety net-"

"Wait? You came here without any way to get yourself back?" I blinked at him.

Luca stiffened. "I used up most of the sample in analysis, I only had enough for one interaction...so there was no room for error."

"That's insane, Luca. What were you thinking?"

An ache leaking through his eyes, he shrugged his shoulders. "I was desperate, and meticulous. I didn't make this decision lightly." He walked past me, rummaging through a pocket.

"But it was still a huge risk," I said, following.

"Ya…I know." He pulled out a notebook, flipping pages. He avoided my eyes. Stopping on a page, he handed me the book. "I set up the room I left from very specifically." The pencil sketched out chairs overturned, a table on it's side. In the center of the room, an hourglass stood, all the sand settled at the bottom. Luca pointed at the picture. "I turned the glass over just before I left...I don't want to risk what could happen, if we end up in a time where we already exist." He frowned, nerves caught in his voice, "It's best if we go back sometime just after I left."

I nodded my head, studying the lines. This should be enough. "I'm ready, when you are," I said.

He swung a bag over his shoulder. "Right." He rubbed his palms, picking up the jar. "You can keep an eye on the picture. I will hand you the feather."

I nodded my head. Luca unscrewed the lid, lifting out the brilliant feather. The light catching my eyes, my heart pounded. This is it.

I took a breath, focusing back on the picture. I opened my palm. The rhythm thundered in the background, focused, quick. This song will carry us.

Luca's fingers locked around mine, the blood burning onto my skin. Fire built up into a storm. My fingers reeled, my blood screaming. Everything unraveled, the chaotic power about to explode. I let the song rage on.

Luca swung his arms around me, holding tight as the energy threatened to fling him back. The world ripped away, the energy corroding my vision. We fell into darkness.

Crashing into black waves, the emptiness stole the air from my lungs. Luca's arms, locked tight around me, a semblance of warmth in this dark abyss. Eternal night. We sank deeper, Luca trying to fight against the water. Swimming up, we only fell faster. My lungs screamed. The motion slowed, tossing us around.

"So you want a real remedy?" the whisper, like thunder, rattled the night. My heart stopped. The darkness sifted away, an echo dissipating. I reached back towards the voice, getting pushed away. Slow motion, the colors rushed back.

I collapsed to the floor, crumpling into a heap. The air pushed out of my lungs, still tangled up in Luca's arms. My eyes squeezed shut, breath on my cheek. I cracked my eyes open. Luca caught his grip on the floor, leaning over me. His eyelids half open, his mouth an inch from mine. Frozen for a moment, he parted his lips.

I slowly let a breath go, turning my head to the room. "Did...we make it?"

Luca blinked, moving back from my arms. He sat back against his desk. "We did," he breathed, picking up the hourglass from the floor. I crawled over, sitting up to the same room from the picture. The crumpled page tight in my fist, loosened my fingers. We made it to the past. I sighed in relief.

Luca rubbed his temples, his gaze burned on me. "What was that?" He shook his head, face locked in terror. "That voice…?"

I lifted my head. "You heard it too?" I crawled closer. He nodded his head, swallowing the lump in his throat. I took a breath. "Then I'm not insane…" Good. I breathed easier, my eyes lost on the ceiling. The voice nearly answered my question.

My breath shaky, my eyes fixed on the doorway. A gentle candle glow waited around the corner. Could it be possible to save the world? I held my breath, a certainty settled in my mind. "We have to try," I breathed, "I'm going to try."