SO THIS IS GOODBYE.

CHAPTER 71: SO THIS IS GOODBYE.

ALEENA'S POV.

Tension brewed as both sides stood ready for battle. Caspian and his team were ready to fight to "rescue" me from The Forsaken, and The Forsaken were ready to prevent that from happening, and they all had good reasons.

"It's either you let us walk out of here, or your people are going to get hurt," Cormac threatened.

Malcum laughed scornfully at them, shaking.

"Have you forgotten what happened during our last encounter?" Malcum asked. But Cormac said nothing in reply. He just had his usual nonchalant smirk.

"We were counting on that," Caspian said, and then Cormac rushed at them. The Forsaken fired a bolt of thunder at Cormac. He raised his forearm and a barrier was formed, shielding him from the impact of their magic.

Malcum's eyes widened in shock, while Cormac smirked.

"You weren't expecting that, were you?" Caspian smiled wickedly.

"Seize them!" Malcum ordered angrily. Suddenly, his men began choking before they could make a move. They held their necks, gasping for breath.

Malcum looked around terrified. I, too, was terrified at that point. Looking in our direction, he saw Mara stretching her right hand at them.

"The scarlet mage," he said, realizing who she was.

"Enough of all this!" I yelled as I walked and stood between both parties.

"Aleena, this is our chance to leave," Caspian said.

"Well, I'm not sure I want to," I replied.

"Why, Aleena? What have they done to you? You're even dressed differently now," Caspian asked as he walked closer to me and placed both his hands on my shoulders, looking at me keenly.

"Please, let the fighting stop, and I'll tell you why," I pleaded.

"How sure are we she's not under some mind-bending spell, and she's not just trying to manipulate us? We found her all alone in that house, and she's dressed differently," Cormac reasoned.

"I'm not, people. Please, trust me when I say that I'm not under any spell, please," I requested.

Of course, I'd think the same way Cormac thought if I were in his shoes.

Caspian looked at me for a while and then sighed. He turned and looked at Cormac and Mara, then he nodded at them. Cormac sighed and got a bit relaxed. Mara also brought her hand down, freeing the people from the torment she had them in.

"Thank you," I appreciated, relieved as well.

"So, tell us why you think you're not sure you want to leave?" Cormac requested.

"Because she has roots in this place," Mara said. I looked at her in surprise.

"How did you know that?" I asked.

"I don't know. I could sense it," she replied.

"You're right," I said, turning sober. "Please follow me."

I began walking back to the cottage where they found me. The trio looked at themselves, and I could tell they were nonverbally telling each other to be careful. They followed me back into the cottage.

"So, why are we here?" Cormac asked. I walked over to the fireplace and took the portrait of my mother and handed it to Caspian.

"Who is this?" he asked.

"Lady Lyla. Aleena's mother," Mara answered. Caspian and Cormac looked at me in surprise.

"Her mother was kin to me, even though we were not blood-related. But some families are bonded beyond the blood that courses through their veins," Malcum said as he stood by the door. Then he walked in slowly.

"When we came, we needed to make a statement, but also get one of our own," he added.

"That was quite the statement you made. Do you know how many lives were lost that day?" Cormac said angrily as he advanced toward Malcum.

"That was the consequence of their choice," Malcum replied unafraid.

"Hey. That's okay," I said, pulling Cormac away from Malcum.

"I heard about this place, Havenville. I didn't know how true it was. The spirit access here is so pure," Mara said smiling in awe.

"It is," Malcum commented.

I looked at Caspian and he seemed a bit sad as he looked at the portrait. So I walked over to him.

"You take after her a lot," he remarked. I smiled softly at what he said.

"I'll understand if you want to remain here. I know I'd give anything to want to be with my family once again. So, if you choose to stay, I'm going to be okay with that," Caspian said.

"As I'd hate to admit it, I concur with what he said. There's a lot of filth out there. It's nice to be where you find peace. So, I'll be okay if you choose to stay," Cormac agreed as well to my surprise.

I then turned and looked at Mara, and she smiled at me.

"The choice is yours, Lady Aleena," Mara said. I nodded my head.

"Well, I guess this is it, huh?" I said, smiling.

"Take care of yourself, Aleena," Caspian said as he hugged me. I could sense that he was fighting tears.

Breaking our hug, Cormac walked over to me.

"We have a very long life ahead of us, so I'm quite sure we'll meet again," he said, then I hugged him, tightly.

"I'm sure we will," I said, still holding him.

"Are you trying to get me all mushy?" Cormac asked, and I laughed, breaking the hug, and then he stepped away.

I turned and looked at Mara.

"I'm sure I'll be seeing you around," she said. I just chuckled in response, then they walked out of the cottage.

I followed them out and watched them walk away in the direction they led me when they were about to escape with me. Mara opened a portal and walked in, as well as Cormac.

Caspian turned and looked at me one last time, smiling. I smiled back at him, and then he walked in, and the portal closed.

I sighed. My heart broke. I thought it would have been easy to just let go, but it sure wasn't. The pain of the thought of not seeing them again was heart-wrenching.

Malcum walked over to me and placed his hand on my shoulder, not saying anything to me.