Moving Forward

The snow upon the ground was shining with the reflection of the newly risen sun. Atop the snow-capped mountain, a grand pair of doors opened.

"Are you sure you have everything you need, dear?" Chase's mother was asking.

In the background, Dax was snickering at his friend's predicament. "He really is a little Suno if he lets his Mother baby him like that." The problem was that Chase wasn't the only one being fussed over – it was a fate all five of them had been subjected to.

Bren, having had more than enough of being cuddled, was currently hiding behind Jinja. The girl snorted. "Oh, shut up Dax. Let him have his moment." Had it been a few months ago, Dax might have graced her with some witty comeback – here and now, he hesitated to do so.

A few weeks had passed since Charlemagne's and Bookman's combined attack. Chase, Bren, Jinja and Dax had spent the time helping renovate the Temple and salvaging the ruined texts destroyed or sullied in the attack.

Bren seemed more cautious when he spoke these days, and tried to measure his words before flinging them into someone's face. Jinja, also, seemed less angry than before. Their time in the Temple had been comfortable and peaceful, for the most part.

Dax seemed a bit skittish still, like he expected the people around him to suddenly abandon him. His friends could understand, but they could not fix this problem as easily as any other.

Beyal spent much of his time with Zen and a few other monks that he was close to, but he had spent even more time with Jinja, Dax, Bren and Chase. He was recovering well and seemed happier than he had in a long time.

As for the Suno family, Jeredy and Ella had talked at length. No one knew what had been said – no one that is, except for the Suno couple themselves. They were the only ones that needed to hear. In the end, Jeredy would continue to travel and further his research, while Ella would stay back at the Temple, her home.

Team Tech-Core would go their own way.

"For the last time Mom, I'm ready. Stop fussing." It took a few more moments of convincing, but eventually Mrs. Suno seemed convinced.

Finally, and thankfully without any more fussing, the five friends began walking down the snow-covered path down the mountain. Team Tech-Core took the shorter route down, while Jeredy and a couple of friends he had acquired went a separate, longer way down. They wouldn't see each other for some months, but that hardly seemed to faze any of them.

Within a few minutes they were parting ways, but Chase found that he didn't mind. He continued on with his four companions by his side, utterly content.

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The End

AN: OK. That was the real ending. I don't know why I wrote this just now, even though this story has been finished for some time - but for some reason I had the urge to post it. Anyway, this is it - so would you care to review one last time? Please?