Luke and Korra moved to follow, but I waved them off, leaving them behind in the warmth of the First Light Inn. This was a conversation I needed to have alone.
I crossed the bridge to the neighboring island, the silence of the realm pressing in on me. Scarcely had my boot touched the grass when Arantius materialized from the starlight. He didn't ask questions, merely offering me his hand.
The instant I took it, the world twisted. The ground dropped out from beneath my feet, replaced by the cool, polished stone of the Cathedral. I stumbled as reality stabilized, finding myself in the shadow of the Shard. Fate stood before it, her mana entangled with its pulsing light. She turned as we appeared, her golden eyes taking in my troubled expression, and simply opened her arms.
"Fate…" I whispered, my resolve crumbling. I collapsed into her embrace, burying my face in her robes. "I…I didn't know. I'm so sorry."
