That was the last night that Adaline was going to see Simon, and it made her sick to her core. She was going to have to say goodbye to him for who knew how long and didn't work properly the entire day. Though she tried to concentrate on staying inside her designated tent, she couldn't help but have a stroll outside at night during the usual campfire time.

"Hey!" Simon exclaimed when he saw her approaching him standing near the fire, warming his hands up against the heat. "Wasn't expecting to see you here tonight. Considering...."

She wrapped a comfortable shawl around her to keep the chills out. "I wasn't sure that I was going to come either."

He beckoned for her to sit down in their usual place against their favourite tree and they shared her long shawl. She sighed in relief as she took in every little detail of that moment. "What are you thinking?" He asked when she started to nibble her lips.

"Nothing."

He gently poked her arm with his elbow. "Come on."

"It's just...." She forced herself to turn her head left and look into his blue eyes, which seemed darker against the light of the fire, which only contrasted his light hair. "I can't believe that you will be leaving soon."

"I need to get chosen first, Lady Addy."

She smirked at his pet name for her. She only allowed him to call her that way, and that was only when they were together. "We would be fooling ourselves if they don't choose you. You are the best trainer in the entire country. They would be stupid to not choose you."

"Thank you," he said. "For everything."

She looped her arm around his and rested her head on his shoulders. "Your shoulder is the best pillow ever. Did you know that?"

He broke out laughing. "I know." He smiled. "Are you okay? You don't seem to mind the-"

"I'm only comfortable with you and father and you know that," she revealed. "You know that I don't like it when...." A shudder went down her spine. "What am I going to do when you leave? You are the only one who knows me."

"Adaline," he started. "there is someone out there who is going to make the great Adaline turn her head and believe me. It is going to be worth it."

"Do you always give advice or is tonight special?" She asked, looking up at him.

"I'm special," he joked.

They sat in silence for some time as they watched the flames of the fireplace play with the surrounding air. "I was thinking about how fire is the most beautiful thing to exist and yet, it can cause destruction with just one touch," she revealed.

"Would you rather be looking at the ocean?"

"I know you would," she scoffed.

"Oh definitely!" He sighed at the memories that flooded him. He missed the ocean and the smell of salt in the air. He wished that his life had been different but he wouldn't have changed anything. He didn't want to think about what could have been because nothing good would come out of it.

They refused to talk about the possibility of their separation and talked about everything but that. They knew it was time to head back when the embers gave out and the sky turned lighter, making the stars fade away into a timeless oblivion.

The next morning arrived to Adaline's displeasure and nothing helped her shake off the feeling that something was going to happen. She felt the hair behind her neck stand up but it wasn't that cold. She had goosebumps run across both her arms even after she wore her coat. Maybe it was the words of the woman she had met yesterday. Do not trust anyone but yourself. Why had she said that? Who was she anyway? 

When Adaline asked around about the woman, in a discreet manner of course, nobody could recollect her presence in the first place. There was something very wrong about the situation and so, she did the only thing that she could and walked over to the edge of the town near the Unsea. She sneaked out of the borders of the camp and made her way to the log of wood that always waited for her to catch up with the speed of the train inside her head.

Adaline could not sit down. She walked round and round the log and made sure that she kept her distance from the border of the Unsea. She was standing on a cliff that edged near the entrance of the town. It was a safe place, for it was at a perfect distance from the territory of the volcra.

She played with stones and thought about how her life would be if Simon left. What would she do? He was her family! They had been together ever since he was adopted from Keramzin. She couldn't imagine her life without him around to be her friend and her anchor.

She should have been heading back to camp where they might need her but she needed some time to think, but being near the sound of waves did everything but help her think. She was distracted by the sound of nature but it kept her peaceful....and that was enough.

The sound of a branch breaking made her turn around in eagerness. She was hoping that it would be Simon but it was none other than Kol, who was probably sent to see where she was by Simon.

"Miss."

"Kol."

Kol didn't talk much but that was expected by him. He was the youngest at the orphanage and had volunteered to be of assistance at the Army. Adaline and Simon took it to themselves to look out for him but he never gave them any reason to. He always stuck to himself. He was half-Shu and had been bullied at the orphanage because he had been the only biracial child there, and it didn't help that he looked like Ravka's supposed enemy after their war with the Shu Han.

He started walking towards her but didn't stop there. He was intrigued by the waves and the height at which they stood over the sea. "Kol, come back." 

"I'm not scared of heights." He smiled in relief.

"You were bullied again?" She asked him as she rushed forward to pull him back from nearing the edge of the cliff.

Right then, everything happened all at once. Adaline heard the breaking of a low tree branch behind her and one quick turn around changed her fate. The man she had seen earlier on one of the coaches - the one with electric blue eyes who turned to look at her - was making his way towards the clearing. His eyes moved from her to the sky and they widened in shock.

Adaline turned around and her feet felt stuck to the ground. "Kol! Come back!" She screamed as she ran towards him despite the sounds of the loud flapping wings that were coming their way.

"No!" The man shouted, reaching for his rifle. He would have started to run towards them but it was too late.

A volcra that lived in the Unsea came their way. Adaline had a million questions running through her head because that region was safe from any attack from the volcra. They weren't even near the shores of the Unsea. But the most important question at that moment was to figure out how to get Kol to get away.

"Adaline!" He shouted for her when he realised that the flapping sound was coming from what he feared the most.

"I'm here and I'm not leaving you," she whispered under her breath.

Only one thought entered her mind. She had one decision before her, and she took it. She wrapped herself around the ten-year old and mumbled instructions about running as fast as possible once she distracted the creatures. "Save yourself. Run. And do not look back." She shielded his body with hers.

She closed her eyes shut and waited for the flesh on her skin to be ripped apart and for pain to surge in. She was ready for whatever was going to happen. All that mattered was that Kol got to safety. Instead, a strong warmth sensation filled her body. Her hand tingled with a very unfamiliar feeling that she realised was edged into the back of her mind. "As if from a dream," she realised.

There was a loud screeching noise and the sound of flapping increased. Adaline did not know when she let her grip on Kol go or when the dark spots filled before her eyes. She did not hear Kol screaming for her and did not feel the strong set of arms grab her arms. She lost the reality of the situation as she fell into the darkness of her mind, losing consciousness every second of the way until finally, she was floating in a blissful sleep.