There Abeke stood, her heart breaking once more as hurtful flashbacks come back. The pain was just too much. She just felt...alone.

Conor couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't bear the pain as well as seeing her pain. He really wished he could help, wished he could mend her broken heart. But how can he when his own heart was broken?

SPOILER ALERT: BURNING TIDE

WARNING: PREPARE FOR PAIN!

Make sure to check out the Reilin one-shot I've done before this one.

- - -

-Abeke-

"He really was a hero," Rollan murmured.

The four friends stood in front of a tomb, a sharp-looking blade laying in front of it. It had been two years since the Wyrm was defeated and here they stood in front of the one who made it almost possible.

"No," a Redcloak spoke who stood some distance away from the team, "Others may call him that but not him."

"Then who was he, Devin?" Conor asked.

Ever since the Wyrm's defeat, Devin and Conor had met once more. Devin had apologized, wanting to sort things out and Conor had forgave him, knowing there was no point in holding a grudge.

"He was no hero but he was no villain as well," Devin replied, his voice firm, "He was a king from the beginning and he was a king till the end."

Abeke gulped as she glanced once more at the words engraved on the tomb-stone. There, engraved on the stone, read:

King Shane of Stetriol

Her lip trembled and she took a deep, shaky breath as she closed her eyes.

Bad idea.

As soon as her eyes closed, the memory returned, so clear in her mind as if it had just happened yesterday. A vicious snarl, a flash of red, and there he was, dying before her very eyes as the Great Leopard slowly took the life out of him.

"I...I'm sorry, Abeke. I'm sorry for everything..."

"Abeke?" She was jolted back to reality at the sound of Meilin's voice.

Tears were already blurring her vision as she willed herself not to let them fall. She glances at the others and saw concern and sympathy on their faces. Conor looked the most worried but there was something more she couldn't quite figure out.

"I...I just need some time...alone..." Abeke replied, her voice almost wavering at the last word.

Alone.

That was exactly what she was feeling right now. As if a part of her was torn away.

The others only nodded before they walked away, making sure they gave her some space. Once they left, the feeling returned, much stronger than before. She knew that she wasn't entirely alone, but there was a hollowness in her heart that couldn't be filled.

She glanced once again at the tomb, not realizing that tears were already running down her cheeks until a sob escaped from her. More sobs escaped as she closed her eyes, trying to push the pain away. She knew she couldn't, it was just too much.

She remembered having the same feeling when her own mother died. She cried herself to sleep at night, singing the same lullabies her mother used to sing to her.

Her father once told her, "Not all things will ever be the same way it used to. It's best to leave the past behind us and just...let it go."

It took a long time for her to finally let her go.

Now feeling the same pain all over again, she knew for sure this was not something so easy to let go. She finally gave in and cried, letting the tears fall, letting the sobs escape from her mouth. She closed her eyes and kept on crying, not caring how long it had been.

She then felt someone's arm around her shoulder and warmth immediately surrounded her, calming her down a bit. She slowly opened her eyes to meet those familiar, green eyes.

Without a word, Abeke crashed her head into his chest, crying uncontrollably as she felt him wrap his arms around her comfortingly.

-Conor-

He could almost feel her pain as if it was his own. He could feel his own heart slowly falling apart. He knew both their hearts were breaking, only it was for different reasons.

He just couldn't stand seeing her so broken and hurt. He just couldn't stand not trying to comfort her. At that moment, he would do anything just to see her smile once more. Anything, even if it meant hurting himself.

After minutes of standing there, hearing the pain in her sobs, she soon stopped and whispered so quietly that Conor almost missed it, "Thank you..."

"I'm always here, Abeke," Conor willed his voice not to break from the pain, "Just know that I will always be here for you."

"Thank you..." she repeated and Conor thought he heard something else, though he hadn't caught it. They stood there in silence once more, Conor's heart breaking apart.

-Abeke-

"I'm always here, Abeke," Conor had said, "Just know that I will always be here for you."

"Thank you..." Abeke whispered, then added silently, "Thank you...for loving me."

She hadn't noticed it before but because of this simple action, catching the pain and hurt deep in his voice, she finally knew. Glancing at the tombstone, she knew it would take time for her to move on but perhaps that might've sped up a bit.

She felt warmth slowly filling in the hollowness deep inside of her. Change happens for a reason, and she's starting to see why.

- - -

Is it just me or did the author kill Shane because he shipped Conbeke more? (lol) I don't know why but one of my theories for the next books is that Conbeke is going to sail.

Another theory of mine is that Shane reincarnates back to life as a Spirit Animal, somehow finds Abeke and makes her move on. Thus Conbeke sailing.

I don't know but i'm looking forward to seeing the next books.

As a reader, the ending sucked and I hated (and still do) the author for that. Being in the writer's perspective, that's quite a powerful, emotional ending that got us like, "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"