Winter's Burn

• EPILOGUE - SENKA •

Aeron and Senka didn't spend much time apart after Will's death.

They found comfort in being near each other, knowing that someone else was going through the same thing. It didn't take long for them to grow inseperable. Aeron held Senka as she slept, keeping her mind clear of any nightmares. Senka had used her powers to essentially freeze William's body in time, so they didn't have to rush to get him where they knew he had to go.

His mother.

She had been living in the dark ever since he left almost 2 years before. For all she knew, he'd been dead this entire time. She had grieved him once already, and the poor woman would have to greive him again.

It didn't take much discussion between the two girls to know this was the right thing to do, the only thing they could do. She had to know. They both knew she needed closure, even if it would crush her.

Aeron held him in her arms as they walked toward the house on Will's suburban street. Senka knocked on the door, silently wishing she wasn't home. Her wishes seemed unanswered as the door opened to reveal William's mother, Lucinda Dommers. A passing conversation Senka had with Will led to her knowing his mother's name, and his address, although he never expected to be back there. Confusion covered Ms. Dommers' face when she looked at the girls, and utter horror when she saw the body in Aerons arms, the same one she hadn't seen in years. Of course her first reaction would be panic.

"Who are you!? What have you done to my son!?" She ran toward Aeron, who had a numbed, sad look on her face, and attempted to be as intimidating as possible, trying to tower over her.

Senka spoke before she could obliterate Aeron with a single stare. "Miss dommers, my name is Senka. This is Aeron. We need to explain what happened. Please, let us explain."

And explain they did. Aeron used her powers to calm herself down enough to talk. The girls spent close to 3 hours in Will's living room, sitting on a couch as they explained how they ended up where they were. She was tearing up by the end of the story, looking toward her son before cradling him in her arms and letting out the same sobs that Aeron and Senka had days before. Pure, unadulterated loss. They stepped out together to give her a moment.

Aeron knew the feeling well, but for Senka all of this was new. She hated the way her body shook when she thought of him, desperately trying to hold back tears that were long gone. She wished she could forget the cold, dead look of his eyes, she wished she had enough power to heal him. Aeron held her close as she came back to reality, not even realizing she had been crying. Aeron shushed her as she realized the shadows around them were bending with her magic, letting them go before they could cause damage.

Will's mother walked into the room where the two girls were, still wiping away fresh tears. "Thank you for bringing him to me. It must have been so hard for you three, out there alone." Senka nodded, wiping away her own tears. "Aww, honey," his mother cooed as she approached the huddle in the middle of the room, wrapping her arms around both of them. It only reminded Aeron of how her mother used to hold her. Senka found it much more comforting. "Do you two have anywhere to go?" Aeron nodded. Her mother was out there. Senka did not. She didn't know what she would do after this. She could live back in the forest, but she had grown so used to living with humans. The forest seemed like her only option, though her hesitancy showed on her face. "If," Will's mom spoke again, gently. "If you would like, you can stay here. The only other room we have is Will's, but I'm sure you two will have room." She was clearly still upset, wiping her tears and attempting to get herself together again.

Aeron answered for herself and Senka. "That would be amazing, thank you."

Senka and Aeron stayed with William's mother while they all greived. After Aeron began the search for her own mother, going to meet her after about a month, Senka decided to stay with Ms. Dommers after Aeron was gone. She got a phone, able to communicate with Aeron while they were apart, and stayed in Will's old room. She didn't move any of his things out of it. It was almost comforting, reminding her that he was always with her.

One of the first things that attracted her attention when she first entered it was the giant computer setup in his room. When she turned it on, she discovered a starting screen to a game called 'Dungeon of Terrors'. She played it for a while, before the game crashed about halfway through. William had never finished it. It was strangely poetic. A life taken too soon, a game never completed. Doomed to shut down halfway through its life. Senka didn't notice she was crying until she felt a tear drop onto her hand. Huh, she thought she had run out at this point.