I sob at the destruction surrounding us as we stand sheltered beneath the oak, a tiny island in the sea that used to be our home. Aislin and Emma are wailing beside me, and snow and ice falls, coating the water rushing around our tiny patch of land. Still the battle rages. Kai’s fire heats the air, and Jason’s howl fills the night. Odin appears, and the others flee. My eyes are locked on Loki, and he turns as if feeling my eyes on him. We are losing and we know it.

“NO!” I scream. I see the decision in his eyes and I know what it means. I figured it out days ago but didn’t say anything. He shakes his head. “I love you, please,” I beg him.

“For you. To save you. Only you. Remember me the way I was.” He appears in front of me. It is a plea, and I nod my head, my hand clutching at him. He kisses me as the world burns around us. “See you in our next life, my love.” My head shakes as he disappears before my eyes, not his body, but the essence of the man I love.

The power sweeps through him, obliterating everything but the anger and hunger for power. Falling to my knees, I shake my head and I hear an inhuman noise. It takes me a moment to realize it is coming from me.

Odin turns slowly to face his brother, his eye widening at what he sees floating above the water. Loki’s handsome face is twisted into that of a starving monster, one intent on devouring him. Kai lands behind us as Aislin, Emma, and I join hands. Jason paces in front as we call up our powers, releasing them, weaving them around our tiny island and joining with what is left of Mimi’s ward, trying to protect ourselves.

Lightning crashes around us as Odin tries to stop the inevitable. I shiver as an evil laugh emanates from Loki’s mouth, his lips stretching into a wicked smile. His arms rise up and out, a look of pure pleasure comes over him as the lightning hits his body. We all stand frozen, transfixed until a wave of power hits us like a tsunami, slamming us to the ground. The shield around us wavers, and rough hands grip my upper arm, hauling me to my feet and dragging me to the portal. I fight, I have to stay, I can’t leave him. Suddenly, Michael’s and Sean’s faces appear in front of mine.

“Ye can’t save him, Cora,” Sean yells through the howling wind. I shake my head, refusing to believe his words. “We promised him to keep you safe, even from himself.”

“Please love, come with us. I promise, I will do anything and everything to get him back to ye, pixie.” I stare into Michael’s bright blue eyes, seeing the truth there. They don’t believe there is a way.

“FATHER!” I slowly turn and see Raven, her ebony wings flared out, the wind holding her off the ground. Tears drip from her jaw as she slowly turns her head, eyes locking on mine, and I shake my head in denial. Sean moves to her side and pulls her into his arms. I fight as I’m lifted from the ground, clawing at Michael’s arms until the brightness of the Vanishing Isle replaces the darkness of the battle. He holds me until Morrigan locks the portal down, and only then does he set me down.

I look around, shocked at how few are here. No Guardians glide through the sky, and I see the heartache on Kai’s face as Aislin pulls him into her arms. Hades and Persephone lie still, blood coating their skin, together in death, and Jason kneels, head bowed, Emma at his side, silent tears dripping over those he had grown to care for. The hellhound sits at their heads, her mournful howl echoing around us.

“Danu? Freya?” I whisper. Morrigan shakes her head, and I race to her. It is a testament to our loss that she lets me cling to her as our tears mingle at the hollow of her throat.

“I’m sorry you’ve lost him,” she chokes out. We all have.

“I didn’t lose him, as he was never mine. He almost was but he wasn’t, couldn't be, because of what he had decided to do. I loved him as best as I could love someone who wasn’t really mine. But our time was filled with what could’ve been. God, it hurts. All I can think is he was almost mine. How selfish am I?” She hugs me tighter, and we stay like this until another arrives.

“Nestor,” Jason’s voice is filled with happiness as his friend walks toward us, his arms full with a box. Mimi walks at his side, her eyes still filled with sadness over Powaqu’s loss. So much loss, so much death. He stops and murmurs to Jason, and they both turn toward me. I stiffen as they start my way, looking up at Morrigan once more before slowly releasing her. I turn to them and wait.

“He called to me. His blood was crying out for my aid,” Nestor says, his honeyed voice has a hint of confusion in it.

“Who?” I ask, praying it was Loki as he stops, bending to lower the box to the ground. Straightening he looks at me, and I watch him for a moment before moving my gaze to Mimi.

She smiles sadly before he answers, “Remy.” I feel the blood drain from my face. I have been refusing to think of those in the city -- Remy and all the others I care for like Charlotte and Jack. My heart pounds and fresh tears fall. Remy. “He isn’t in the city, Cora.” My eyes fly to his golden ones, my mouth opens, but he holds up a hand. “He asked me to get these to you.” He holds out his hand, and I recognize Remy’s handwriting. “And he said to tell you that he has loved you always.” My hand hesitates, stopping millimeters from the paper, the smell of paint and turpentine floating from it, and I smile. Closing my fingers around it, I slide it from his hand.

Slipping my nail under the edge and sliding it down, I cut it open before pulling the folded paper from it. The envelope floats to the ground forgotten as I unfold the pages, and a worn blue ribbon is tucked in the folds. I lace it through my shaking fingers, remembering the day I wore it in my hair.

Cora,

I hope the God did as I asked and waited until it was over to give this to you. I’ve written this letter a thousand times since I met you that day in the Square. You can’t imagine how shocked I was when you set up your table. It was the velvet cloth waving in the wind as you settled it over the other scarves that finally drew my eyes. I couldn’t believe it when I focused on your face as you thrust out your hand. Your beautiful face. Before you go any further in this, please look in the box, unwrap the paintings in order, front to back. They will explain better than I can. Only save the last two for later. You’ll know when.

I’m tempted to finish reading his words, but my gaze strays to the box at my feet. Lowering myself to my knees, I drag the box closer. It is a huge box, almost bigger than me, and my brows furrow as I pull the first painting out, tearing the paper from it. My lips part as the image comes into focus. It’s me, younger but me. The background is blurry but reminds me of the bayou. A year is written at the bottom, twenty years ago. I would have been five which means Remy was nine. Nine years old and he painted this. I glance at the box putting the painting down. I meet Aislin’s eyes as she sits beside me. She smiles just a little then looks at Emma, who has taken her place on my other side. I reach for the next, unwrapping it and finding another image of me. Painting after painting of me. Me laughing, crying, dancing, smiling, and even one of me sleeping. Each one gets more beautiful. Not me, I don’t, but his talent increases, the details more fine. Until I reach the last three, I rest my hand on the final two as I lean the third on my knees.

Michael watches me, judging whether or not I’m about to fall apart. I am, I feel it bubbling just below the surface. I know what these are… a goodbye. My eyes fall shut as I pull the paper from the last one he wants me to open. Emma gasps, and I draw a deep breath as I slowly raise my lids. A tear slides down my cheek as the painting he had started that day becomes clear. I had teased him about painting me sad. I realize now what he had seen.

There I am, on a tiny island beneath a giant oak, a hand flung out reaching for Loki. That day in the Square, he had only started on my face, sad and wistful at the same time. He had seen this day, the destruction, the death. I stare at Loki, his eyes red lost to the power, and a sob breaks from me.

“Lass, look closer,” Michael’s voice whispers through my pain. I look at him through the tears and his finger is right above the paint, pointing at those red eyes. I scrub away my tears and look again. Tiny flecks of gray.

Handing the painting to Aislin, I pull out the letter again.

I told you not too long ago we all have secrets, and I’m no different. I have seen you almost my whole life, painted you as long as I can remember. I was sure you were my destiny, but we both know that isn’t chachimos, the truth. So many times I wanted to tell you, to warn you but I know you understand. Knowing is both a blessing and a curse, so I watched and waited until I saw him. He strolled through the square, he looked at the art, listened to the music, but he searched for you.

I know you’re devastated, you think you've failed. You haven't though. It might not have ended the way you wanted, but you have saved us. Doesn't seem like it now, but you all saved us. I've taken my sisters and cousins to the mountains. The rest of the clan would not come. Like you, I have lost almost everyone, but the future is not lost. I know what you saw in the last painting is terrifying for you. I’m not sure what it means but I do know one thing.

You were his only thought. I have never felt a love like his for you. It is eternal and all encompassing. He sacrificed everything for you -- the world and himself. His last fading thought as the power swept through him was you. He had only one regret… Not getting eternity with you.

But dry your eyes. I have a story to tell you.

Long before Loki and his kind came to this world, others traveled here on a last adventure in their seemingly never ending life. But it was ending. After hundreds of thousands of years, they were dying, not like us, but just fading away. They made a magnificent home and they lived with us, taught us wondrous things, things that slipped away as they did. Their knowledge and creations were lost just as they were until finally all that is left are legends. Or so we thought. Look closely at the painting and you will find the way to save him. The tablet will hold it.

Save him. By saving him, you save those of us that are left. We will rebuild. I have seen it. If I have seen the rebuilding, well…

Goodbye. I will not see you again, I fear. It is time for the next chapter.

Remy