Chapter 52 - An Emotional Parting

When Amanda was free from the power of the red crystal, she looked at the masters with tears in her eyes. The words were difficult to express, but found the strength to say, "Goodbye masters."

Taara was the first to hug her and they both cried while standing in front of the others. Brody followed, wrapping his arms around the two.

It was an emotional parting that Amanda was not prepared for, but to be with Christopher, she had to give up the red crystal master. She did not want to meet the blue crystal master and end up leaving Christopher for him.

After the master of the wind and earth let go of Amanda, Abasi extended his hand and said, "I hope you will not regret this decision."

Amanda shook her head and said, "I am certain. I love Christopher. I won't regret it."

She took Abasi's hand and said, "You can no longer bully me, Abasi."

Turning to Trisha, she saw her eyes were watering. They also embraced each other and did so for nearly a minute. After letting go, Amanda asked, "Can I please... can I please keep my memory of you? I promise I won't tell a soul."

Since Amanda was powerless. Trisha could easily control her mind and heart. She could forget about her past if it was Trisha's will.

Trisha looked at the other masters and they too agreed. Amanda was one of them, regardless of her decision.

"We will let you be with our memories," confirmed Trisha.

Gazing back at the masters, she said, "Will you - will you still see me?"

"We will," said Taara. "I will argue with Abasi if he doesn't."

The masters spent another five minutes just hugging each other until Trisha finally decided it was time to go. Trisha could not hold the red crystal for long. Her chest was beginning to feel pain. She needed to let it float from within the cave.

They bid goodbye to Amanda one last time before all of them disappeared from inside the dark chamber.

When Trisha and the others returned to the hidden cave in Brazil, she first released the red crystal, letting it afloat above the pool of water in front of her.

She watched with an aching heart as the crystal remained in mid-air, glowing without a host to live in.

The other maters did the same. They watched the red crystal in silence, still hurting that Amanda will no longer join them in their battles.

After seconds, Trisha broke down in tears. The truth was, Trisha felt she failed Amanda. It was her job to find the blue crystal master, yet she failed. She failed miserably and let Amanda down. She yelled, "this was my fault! I failed Amanda!"

"Why?! Why? This has never happened in the past? All the masters always found each other!" Trisha questioned the red crystal. She curved into a ball, down to the ground, and covered her face.

The other masters comforted Trisha, soothing her of her with her frustration, but minutes passed again and she still felt the grief. Suddenly, she sat up, letting the other masters step back. She said, "I can't accept this. I just can't!"

Trisha raised her hand and asked of the spirit of fire, "Fiena, it is I once more, the master of the heart. Lend me your power."

The red crystal returned to Trisha's body. She looked at Abasi and ordered, "Bring me back to Pelagy."

With a frown, Abasi protested, "But Trisha - "

"Just do as I say!" Ordered Trisha.

"No, Trisha! Amanda has already decided!" Taara also objected, trying to hold Trisha from going back. Brody also did the same.

"I know what I have to do now! Trust me on this, masters! As your leader, trust me!" Trisha spoke loudly, forcefully pushing them away with her hands.

Looking back at Abasi, she ordered once more. "Let's go back to Pelagy now! Back at the castle where Amanda is."

Abasi could not fathom what was going through Trisha's head. However, she was their leader. He could only trust her decisions. Against his will, he took Trisha back to Aeros. They reappeared at Amanda's room, but Amanda was nowhere in sight.

The two masters jumped through spaces to find Amanda. They lingered in one corner to another only in a fraction of a second, leaving no chance for any people of Aeros to fully recognized their figure.

When they found her walking hand in hand with Christopher, headed for the courtyard, Abasi and Trisha rested in an empty tower of the castle. They both watched Amanda for sometime before Trisha raised her hand.

She let out the red crystal and instructed, "Fiena, the spirit of fire. I refuse to abandon your chosen master. Take the smallest part of you and keep me connected to Amanda."

The spirit of the red crystal was in agreement with Trisha. Right at that very moment, a piece of the crystal, the size of a sand, broke off. Only its bright red light determined its presence.

Exactly as Trisha requested, the small piece of crystal traveled in the speed of light, finding its way to Amanda.

Amanda was walking nervously to the courtyard, hand in hand with Christopher. When she told him his father was arriving, she was utterly nervous. Out of the blue, she gasped, nearly screaming.

She paused for a second, feeling something penetrated her body.

"What's wrong?" Christopher asked, turning to a panicking Amanda.

"I - I." Amanda looked around the castle walls. She looked up to the towers and the sky but felt nothing. She directed her gaze to Christopher and said, "Nothing. It was nothing."

Little did Amanda know that Fiena, the spirit of the red crystal, entered her once more, but it was because of its insignificant size that she felt almost nothing.

A piece of Fiena, the size of a sand, nestled in Amanda's body. It was small enough to keep her connected with the masters, yet it was not enough to let out the flaming powers of fire.

From the tower where Abasi and Trisha hid, they looked down at Amanda, who turned her back and proceeded to walk. Trisha said, "When the time is right, I will find you, Amanda. Call on me anytime and I will find you."

Trisha was determined to find the blue crystal master at all cost and when she does, she could easily locate Amanda. This was the reason for her to leave a small piece of the red crystal behind. Moreover, should Amanda be in trouble, she easily call out to her.

The two masters disappeared quickly, recognizing the need to let the rest of the red crystal out of Trisha's body.. As they faded away from the tower, Trisha said, "Goodbye, for now, Amanda."