Rollan thought that he would make it back. Instead, he'd walked away from her once more. He was right with one thing though, it was the last time he was walking away from her. Because this time, it had been for good.

WARNING: This can get REALLY SAD! (But I promise it gets better in the end)

-Rollan-

-The day before Rollan and Conor left for the quest-

"Why?" She asked. I didn't reply nor could I meet her eyes.

"You're leaving again," I could hear the anger in her tone, "Just like you always do. Why am I surprised? A thief always runs."

Again, I didn't say anything.

"Why won't you look at me?" She asked again and I could hear the slight desperation in her voice, "Why won't you talk to me-"

"I tried," I finally said, "I tried but how can I if you keep pushing me away?"

This time, she was silent.

I took a deep breath and tried to keep my voice even, "I know that if I keep trying, you'll always push me away. I know I messed up real bad, I messed up everything. But I promise, it'll be the last time."

I then looked up to meet her gaze, "Please, just give me time. I promise once I come back from this quest," I gave her a weak smile, "i'll be washed clean. We can start over...that is if you don't push me away. I just need more time."

I took a step back and her eyes met mine, "We both need time."

-Meilin-

"He's gone."

It only took two words for me to get hit by a flashback. There I was once more, looking at the fallen figure of my father as his life slowly drained away. That's when I knew that he was gone just as soon as I saw him.

"The time of the bamboo flowering comes to all. It is the life we lead that matters."

She remembered the old woman, Xue, telling her those same words when her father died. She was not going to believe that. Not now.

"Meilin," Conor's voice broke her thoughts but all she wanted was to lock herself into her room once again.

"What?" She was trying so hard not to let the tears fall that it added to the pain that was gathering in her chest.

"Before he...," he cleared his throat, "He told me to give this to you."

-Rollan-

-The night  of the storm-

Lightning cackled. Thunder boomed. The seas roared as waves kept on punching the ship. The rain fell harder, the wind howled. The worst sound of all, the anguished cries filling the night.

I stumbled through the hallways as I tried to get to my room but that didn't help with the ship swaying hard. I kept on banging myself into the wall as I tried to fight for balance. I must've looked like some drunk guy with the way I walked.

I finally reached my room, or more like crashes onto the door and falling face flat on the floor of my room. There I saw Essix, screeching at me angrily as if to say, 'In the name of my feathers, why the Haliwir did you lock me inside this room?!'

"I'm here, i'm here," I yelled. Even Essix's screeches were much louder than the storm outside.

I rushed (well, stumbled once again) towards the table and quickly pulled open the drawer, revealing a small piece of tiny rolled up paper. I grabbed it then stared at it for a while, not believing that this was actually happening.

Essix screeched so loud that it almost broke my eardrums. Well, it definitely broke my trance.

"Come on," I told her, opening the buttons of my shirt, "Passive state, now."

Under normal circumstances, Essix would've refused to take orders from me and would most likely screech on me but apparently, she didn't have much choice. Either risk flying through a storm or get trapped as a tattoo. You could say she chose the second option, after a couple more ear-splitting screeches.

Clutching the paper real tightly, I rushed out the room and ran through the hallways. Only when I fell a second time did I realize that the floor was filling with water quickly. Stumbling through the hallways, he finally (but clumsily) climbed up the steps to the upper deck. I would've slipped on the slippery deck if it hadn't been for Conor who grabbed me with strong arms.

"What are you thinking, coming up here into a storm with no rope?" Conor exclaimed as he quickly grabbed a rope that was tied around the mast.

"Sorry if i'd been too busy stumbling below the decks to hear that part of the rule," I retorted but took the rope as I quickly tied it around my waist.

"You don't even listen to rules," Conor snapped.

"Exactly! You should know that by now! Has the storm washed away your memory?"

-Conor-

How I wish it could've washed away the memory of that night.

-Rollan-

-Back to Rollan's POV-

Before he could retort back, I quickly cut him off, "Hey, promise me one thing, will you?"

"Rollan," Conor looked at me suspiciously, "You sound like you're about to do something stupid."

"I won't," I quickly told him as I forcefully passed him the small note into his hands, "Promise me you won't let this go. No wait, you have to swear to me!"

Well, Conor being the kind and innocent person he was, he doesn't swear but you know what I mean!

"Rollan-"

"Conor just shut up with the questions and give it to Meilin!" I yelled.

Before he could reply, I was immediately knocked off my feet (not for the first time) and was sent skidding across the floor. I saw another wave coming down towards me as I slide towards me and I had enough time to think, 'Oh no' before I swallowed a mouthful of saltwater. 

Word of advice, when a huge wave comes at you, don't try to scream.

All I could see were bubbles and water sweeping all around me, tossing me around like a piece of ball. There was then a hard tug around where the rope was tied around my waist and I found myself looking down at the ocean.

-Meilin-

-Present-

At first, all I did was stare at the piece of paper that was on Conor's hand. I then slowly took the rolled up paper from him and slowly unrolled it.

Hey, um, Meilin,

Saying dear Meilin seems like i'm writing some cheesy love letter to someone and you should know that from experience, i'm not one for romance.

The reason you're reading this letter is probably because I wasn't able to tell you myself. I won't try and make this really dramatic and all since I don't know what to say so i'm just going to spit it out. 

I'm really, really sorry for everything that happened in the last few months. I'm sorry for ruining us by being a total idiot and i'm sorry for breaking this team apart. Most of all, i'm sorry for walking away and for failing to keep my promise of coming back... 

I know that you're never one to forgive easily and i'll understand if you never do when you read this. I'm almost hoping that you don't forgive me because then I know that you care. And when you care, it hurts and I don't want to hurt you.

If I do hurt you, then i'm sorry once again. I'm sorry that...i'm sorry for everything.

Just know that that ever since I met you guys, it has been the best years i've had in my whole life. Best of all, I get to be with you... Ah, that sounded cheesy. I'm really breaking many promises now, am I?

I just... I love you.

And that's when I finally broke down.

-Rollan-

-Back to the ship scene-

I tried to move my body so it would face towards the ship but I immediately froze as I felt the rope around my waste loosen. I look down at the rope and saw that it was loose that if I try to move, i'm surely going to fall.

"Rollan!" I heard someone yell from the ship, probably Conor.

I then saw another huge wave that was headed straight towards the ship. Knowing I had only a few moments to act, I ripped open my shirt and desperately yelled, "Essix!"

There was no light. Essix was still a tattoo over my heart. "Essix, please come out!" I begged as I stared at the wave coming closer. 

I didn't want Essix to drown with me but I already felt her decision right inside my head, 'I'm staying right here!' I Wish she could've added something sweet like, 'I'm staying right here as a tattoo over your heart.'

"Rollan!" I was sure I heard Meilin's voice but I already knew it was too late. Either the rope loosens and I plunge into my death or the wave drowns me.

I closed my eyes, waiting for the wave to hit me.

- - -

What I didn't expect was the wave to be water that was as cold as the waters of Arctica.

I jolted awake, sitting up so fast that my head banged into something hard. That's when I realized that I was not hanging from the side of a ship and is instead on my bed, inside my room.

"He's awake," I heard a really familiar voice, a voice I haven't heard for a while.

And standing right there was Meilin, well a young-looking Meilin, who's looking down at me with an eyebrow raised. She held a blue bucket, the thing that I had bumped. Essix was perched on her shoulder, her eyes filled with laughter.

"Finally woke up," Meilin said, "Sorry to ruin your beauty sleep. Thought you needed a little ice bath." Well, that explained the cold water but I didn't care.

That's when it hit me. It hadn't been 5 years but a year since the defeat of the Wyrm. I wasn't dead, either was Essix, and standing right inside my room with a bucket that was filled with water was Meilin.

Before I could think, I jumped out off my bed and had knocked her into a hug, "Oh Great Tellun, I love you!"

She froze as soon as I said that and that's when I realize what I had just said and I broke the hug, "Er, I mean, uh." Just when I woke up, I had once again messed up.

At first, she didn't say anything before speaking, "I'm just going to talk to you about that later but first." She took a deep breath then glared at me, "You. Just. Got. Me. Wet. With. Ice water."

Well, apparently I messed up on something else for I did not realize that I was still dripping wet with ice water, "Oh, uh." I then smirked at her, enjoying the moment, "Thought you needed an ice bath as well."

"I swear on Rumfuss' broken sentences that I am going to kill you, Rollan!"

  Usually, whenever Meilin gets angry, that was my cue to run but I was tired of playing as the thief.  

"Quite insulting to Rumfuss, don't you think?"

Well, you could say that ended well. I prefer this then drama, drowning, and writing cheesy letters.

- - -

Bet you didn't expect that coming now, did you? (Maybe you did.)

Anyways, I was planning on just ending it on part one and leaving you guys on a huge cliffhanger but never mind!