“Do you weep for me, my teacher?” She whispered. I pressed my lips to her shaking hand and was transported back to when I first met her thirty years earlier.
“Yes, majesty. I weep for you.” I replied.  “And I weep for my soul. I failed to protect you, and I deserve damnation for it.”
My queen smiled, her blood-spattered face serene in the red haze of blood and smoke. “No, 
Lukas, you have fulfilled your duty. And you will serve me again in the glorious halls of our gods.”
“With all my heart,” I whispered. 
Tears glittered in her eyes, “Call me by my name?” She asked, her voice quiet, weak. “Like you did when I was a little girl.”
“Anna.”

At the end of the world, a mage held his student in his arms as the light left her eyes. At the end of the world a mage stared down his attacker. At the end of the world, a mage died. 
And woke up thirty years before the end of the world. 
He's been given a second chance. 
And this time he's going to do it right.

The sun was beginning to peek over the horizon when we trudged back into camp. Rowan sat at the fire, prodding at the coals. 


He waved us over when he saw us, holding a finger to his lips. 


"Brilliantly." Anna said, "Unbelievably well. Lukas destroyed a spiritbreaker, and I cured a spirit and then hugged the forest spirit!"


I sighed. "Oh princess, I wish you hadn't said that." I raised my hand. "Before we commence with the yelling, Rowan, we really should send the princess to bed."


"Did I miss something?" Anna asked, looking at Rowan and then back to me. 


I shook my head. "No, highness, you did perfectly fine. Why don't you go and catch up on your sleep, we'll leave once you wake."


Anna stood, confused. "Alright…" she said, "Good night, master, good night, Rowan."


"Good night, highness." Rowan said, his voice light, but his smile didn't reach his eyes. 


Chapter 43 - Chapter 42