The Expedition, Chapter 19, Final

 She walked across the desert for hours, away from the battle. The sun fell below the horizon, and she saw the stars above her in the clear sky, reminding her that the stars would always shine bright in the night sky. And she would always be beneath them.

It was dark when she finally saw the outline of a mountain ahead of her in the distance. Above the mountain hung the moon in all its glory.

"I've seen many things," she whispered into the night.

She felt the sand beneath her feet.

" I should have been a better person and have many regrets."

The stars above her and the moon shining down on her.

"But I cannot lie to you, Fayla. I have never loved anyone as I love you. You are the most beautiful woman in the world. I would have asked you to marry me if you hadn't been killed today."

She looked up at the moon again and felt the tears welling up in her eyes. She kept climbing the mountain.

"You were my soulmate. And you will always be my soulmate."

The mountain in front of her rose higher as she climbed. She held her spear tightly in her hand.

She was going to die on top of this mountain.

She was going to die and be with her love.

"I'm sorry, my love, for everything that has happened. I wish I could go back and change it all."

The top of the mountain and the night sky above her.

"And I wish you were here now, with me."

She reached the top and saw the ruins of a city below. It was dark, but there was still a sense of peace that she felt.

"I have seen so much since we parted," she whispered.

The city was below her as she walked to the edge.

"I am so sorry I let you down, my love."

She planted her spear into the ground at the very peak of the mountain. She tied the scarf around her waist on the spear, letting it blow in the wind like a flag.

She placed her spear at the top of the mountain and held her hands together in prayer as the sun began rising in the distance.

"I am ready to die. I have fought my battles, and now, I shall face my final challenge. Goddess Kayala, guide me to the next life. Please guide me to the path which leads me to the spirit world. If you do, I will always remember your blessing. And if I am not worthy, please, grant me forgiveness to allow me to join my love in the spirit world. Thank you."

She stood up and smiled at the rising sun. She looked out across the desert.

It was a beautiful day.

"Goodbye, Fayla," Amelia whispered into the morning wind. "I love you."

The glorious sun broke the horizon.

And from the sun, a glowing figure floating upon the wind came from the light. Her hair was like fire, her robes flowing in the wind like beautiful fern fronds blowing in the breeze. And this figure was a woman.

The Goddess Kayala.

The goddess descended slowly, standing atop the mountain as Amelia stared into her eyes.

"Goddess," Amelia said, dropping to her knees and bowing her head. "It is my time. My final test."

"There are no final tests," the goddess said, "only trials. And you have passed them all. For you are the only one who can defeat evil."

She raised her head and stared at the Goddess.

"Why did you leave me?"

The Goddess smiled. "I had to."

"Why?"

The goddess knelt next to her. "So that I could find you." She held Amelia's face in her hands. "Because you are my child. I made you for this day. The day you would leave the tribe. The day you would return and destroy the evil that plagued our land." She lowered her hand, holding it out to the side. "You were chosen. It was my magic, and it flowed through you. It flows through your tribe. It flows through the world. And now, it flows through you."

Amelia felt a warmth filling her body. "I love you."

The Goddess smiled. "You have nothing to fear."

The goddess kissed her on the forehead.

"Goddess?" Amelia said, staring into her eyes.

The goddess smiled. "Yes, my child."

"Will I see you again?"

"When the world ends, we will all return to the stars, where we belong."

Amelia smiled. "I wish I could tell you everything that happened and I have seen. I wish I could tell you all about my father. But I don't know how."

"I know everything about you. I always will." She placed her hand on Amelia's head. "When you leave this world, you will know everything you wish to know. You will become as I am." She stood and held her hands out wide. "You will become like the stars. You will become like the night. You will become as I am and go to the heavens. And you will be happy there, for that is what I wish for you."

She held her hand out to her and smiled.

Amelia cried, tears running down her face. "I love you."

The goddess smiled. "You love another, come."

From the sun, the beautiful dragon Sapphire sailed from the light. Her scales shimmered in the morning sunlight. Her body floated upon the wind, carrying her in a slow descent.

The goddess turned and looked at her with a smile.

"And so, you have a choice," the goddess said, holding her hand out to Amelia. "Come with me. Live your life among the stars."

Amelia looked up at Sapphire and looked back at the goddess, taking her hand. "Or I could return to the tribe?"

The Goddess nodded.

Amelia looked at Sapphire and then back to the Goddess. She smiled. "I choose the tribe. I choose to stay."

The goddess nodded and hugged her. "You are a good woman, Amelia Von Zinzer. We shall see each other in a while then. Live your days upon this world, find happiness, and take my power as a blessing."

The goddess kissed her forehead again, then stood back and looked into her eyes. She smiled, and the goddess faded away. The sun was rising into the sky.

Amelia turned, and Sapphire smiled and nodded. "She is beautiful."

"Thank you for everything you did," Amelia said, bowing her head.

"Come," Sapphire said, lowering her body. "Get on my back."

She jumped onto the dragon's back, and they flew back to the temple in the mountains. Amelia turned to watch the sunrise and then turned around to look at the world beneath her, full of hope.

The two flew across the desert to the mountains.

"You were my best friend, and I will miss you," Amelia said.

Sapphire growled and nodded, "I know."

The dragon circled the top of the mountain, Amelia watched as they flew by, circling the temple, and she felt a peace she had never felt before.

The battle with her father and the battle against the death cult were all finished.

She was home.

And she would stay.

They landed, Amelia jumped off Sapphire's back, and the priestesses of the temple rushed to her and greeted her. She embraced them, telling them that they would be okay. She felt a strange urge to walk into the temple. The head priestess followed her inside. She felt drawn to the large mosaic of the sun, with the Goddess floating in the sky. She placed her hand on the mosaic, on the Goddess' heart, and smiled.

The walls rumbled, and the mosaic pulled apart to reveal the largest room full of treasure she had ever seen.

"What is this?" She asked, looking at the priestess in shock.

"This is the treasure of the Goddess Kayala," the head priestess said with a smile. "This was why the Death Cult was after the temple. It was not the temple that would bring them victory; it was you."

Amelia looked back at the room of treasure. Strewn across the piles of gold were hundreds or thousands of genie lamps.

She pulled out her lamp, rubbed it, and brought forth her genie.

Shayana's eyes went wide.

Amelia smiled. "Homes, for all the genies trapped in your lamp. Take them all. Take them back to their homes."

Shayana smiled. "It will take a while to return all the genies."

Amelia nodded. "I know."

"Thank you," Shayana said, hugging her tightly. "You are truly an amazing person." She leaned up and kissed Amelia softly.

Her lamp poured endless smoke, and the genies began to venture forth, each picking a lamp in joy. Even the sorceress Trey came forth, a bit bewildered but smiling at her ability to leave the lamp.

The genies laughed, danced, and smiled, the celebration sweeping up Amelia and bringing her to the courtyard. Amelia laughed and cried as she watched all her genies.

"It will take time, but we shall return them to their homes," Shayana said, standing beside her. "And it is thanks to you, Amelia."

The genies began to fly into the sky on flying carpets, casting their magic upon the land, raising floating islands from the sand, with glorious waterfalls pouring forth and bringing green life to the desert. The tribes surrounding the mountain cheered. They looked up into the air and saw their world being transformed into something better, more beautiful, and more glorious than anything they could have ever imagined.

Amelia smiled. "This is the beginning of a new age for our people. A better age."

Shayana hugged her and nodded, "It is the Age of Amelia."

Amelia turned and saw Sapphire waiting for her.

Sapphire raised her wing.

Behind it stood her love Fayla, untouched and unhurt.

Fayla ran to Amelia and hugged her, kissing her passionately. "I love you."

"I love you," Amelia said. "It's so good to see you again."

Amelia leaned back and looked Fayla in the eyes.

"You look like the Goddess."

Fayla smiled. "She is in my heart."

She looked at Shayana, who stood nearby with a smile. "We must thank you, Shayana."

Shayana shook her head. "I am but a genie. You are the one who did this."

The two women embraced.

Amelia looked out over the land covered in water and green grass and smiled.

Sapphire lowered her body for the lovers to ride her. Amelia climbed onto the dragon's back and took her spear, pointing it toward the sun. She flew into the sky, over her home. She looked back down at the water below them, seeing the children swimming and the people of the tribes drinking and eating, a giant celebration spreading across the land. The thousand bells of the temple began to ring.

"You did it," Fayla said with a smile. "You saved them."

"No," Amelia said, holding the dragon's neck with one hand as she pointed to the genies, still flying into the sky. "We did it. Together."

Fayla laughed. "I love you, my warrior."

"And I love you, my warrior princess," Amelia said, kissing her softly.

Sapphire roared with laughter.

"You two will drive me mad," the dragon said.

Fayla smiled. "I love you, Sapphire. And all the people love you too."

Amelia smiled. "We shall be here for many years. We can live a long time."

"It is time," Shayana said, rising beside them on a flying carpet. "For now, it's time for us to go. The new land is waiting."

Sapphire nodded. "And we shall return."

The genies returned to the sky in a vast swarm of dragons, leaving the world and flying toward a new land in the sky, full of adventure and the spirit of a new age. Amelia looked at Fayla, and the two women held hands as they and their dragon flew into the sky.

The world below them disappeared. The sun was at their back as they flew toward the new world.

And the two lovers were forever in love.

A new age had come.