"A vision? When? Why didn't you tell me?" Brinn was stunned by his words.

She knew the boy was eager to, even dead-set on getting to the Empress as soon as possible, but she had simply thought that he was wanting to make amends before it was too late. Either that or perhaps he would try to stop the human army by surrendering. A vision was not something that Alaron had ever mentioned.

The blue-eyed young royal shrugged. "I had it while I was being that beacon of light, and I did not tell you because you did not ask."

Brinn swallowed her anger. The elf was mistaken before; Alaron was as infuriating as ever.

"That light in the night sky was you? Amazing! Please tell us, what did you see?" Aurora asked, hoping it was something they could use.

Alaron closed his eyes, "I saw how to end this war. It requires three magical objects."

"Magical objects?" Reyan was drawn in by his words, causing him to hover uncomfortably close.

Nodding, the blond boy continued with what he had seen. "With magical chains of entwined gold, copper and pewter, the fighting will come to an end."

The Empress's eyes opened wide. She reached for her necklace. "Like the Fates' chain? But mine is only gold."

Relaxing his grip slightly on Lukoss, Zan broke in, "Do you remember, Your Majesty? The Fates' chain of the elves is copper! We saw it when Ithel rescued us from the Storehouse. Perhaps he or Zoltan has it here…" Zan remembered the sad news about the king and his voice trailed off.

Not noticing his pause, Brinn shook her head. "They do not have the Fates' chain," she told them as she reached for her neck. "I do. Father thought it would protect me if things went wrong. I can say that it definitely enhances my powers." The elf held out the rose-copper necklace.

"We just wrap the chains together? It sounds far too easy," the Empress sounded doubtful.

"That was my vision," Alaron confirmed, "but the chains are only meant to amplify a spell. I know which one should be used."

"Do you think you can cast the spell?" Aurora asked, looking at Brinn. She seemed like the most logical choice.

"If Alaron will give me the words, I think I could probably manage it." Brinn pulled her chin. "But we only have two chains. Where can we get a third made of pewter?"

There was a moment of silence. They looked out at the fighting. They were so close to being able to do something and yet so far.

"Reyan, have you seen the fairies' Fates' chain?" The fiery-haired woman looked up at the creature with the long white hair.

"I think I have," the old fairy responded with a grimace.

"Well, what does it look like?" Aurora ignored his strange facial expression.

"It's made out of some grey metal, but I'm not sure which kind." Reyan ran his fingers through his hair nervously.

"Do you know who has the chain?" The Empress was eager to find them.

"I…uh….yes." The fairy would not meet her eye.

Renat called from the ballista, "Hand it over! Stop wasting time."

Reyan shot the scientist a look that could kill. "Quiet, you!"

"Is it true?!" Zan couldn't believe that the crotchety old fairy would have such a treasure.

The white-haired fairy grunted. "That large portal of mine guards more than just my house. It guards our entrance to the Storehouse."

He pulled out a grey chain from beneath his clothes. It was the same weave as the other two.

"You old fool!" Brinn cried angrily.

"You should have said something sooner," Aurora chided him. But her heart was glad that they now had the three objects that Alaron needed. "What now?" She asked her son.

The young man nodded. "I will write down the spell. Oddly enough, I learned about it from Cafer. He taught me this to protect me from the other gnomes when we were in the land of magic. Looks like it will be used exactly as he intended," Alaron added with an ironic smile. "The spell is very similar to that ring of light I made except it knocks out enemies instead of just being protection. Think of it more of a pulse than a bubble."

"You sure it will work?" Brinn was trying to wrap her head around what she was about to do.

"I could only got it to work a little both in the land of magic and at the palace, but I am only a weak human. With your powerful magic and the chains to amplify it, the spell should be enough to waylay the enemy." Alaron was confident.

"Why has no one tried this before?" Zan asked. There was much uncertainty in his voice. Alaron wondered if it was him or the spell that the Guardian distrusted.

"Maybe they have tried, but when do you think the last time three of the chains were even together?" Alaron asked. "I know what I saw in my vision! It will work!"

Incoming arrows glanced off the shield that Utku was maintaining, reminding them of the urgency. The enemy was getting closer.

"We have to try," Aurora said. A servant brought her some paper, and Alaron began to scrawl out the words of the spell for Brinn to read.

The elf's eyes grew wide. "This is light magic! Only the Fates have this magic innately. It will be very draining…but I think I can do it."

Brinn took the necklaces from Aurora and Reyan and slipped them onto her neck with the copper one of the elves. Careful to avoid her wedding necklace, the other three chains she twisted together in the manner that Alaron specified. Stepping back, everyone on the mound cleared a path.

After a moment of practice with her hands, Brinn's eyes glowed as she spoke in the ancient tongue. The spell was long and it took all her focus as she fumbled across a few unfamiliar words. The chains around her neck began to shine brightly. When she finished, a ring of endless light circled around Brinn and pulsed. The air around her seemed to grow lighter and swirl as if wanting to act, but lacking the energy.

"I don't have enough power!" Brinn cried with her hands held out to maintain the spell. "What should I do?"

Reyan huffed and landed next to her on the ground. "And you say I am the fool. Share the load, you selfish elf!" He unwound the glowing pewter chain and placed it around his own neck. Then he grabbed the elf's hand and the circle grew wider, pulsing more brightly than before.

However, it was still not enough. The earth rumbled with power waiting to be released. The elf and fairy felt like they were being crushed under the pressure, but they would not give up.

"They need another or they will fail!" Lukoss shot away from the Guardian toward the circle, but as he reached for the golden chain, his hand received a searing burn on his palm.

Zan pulled Lukoss back and pushed him toward an elven soldier to hold. "The necklace needs a human." The Guardian tried to get the necklace from Brinn, but was also denied.

"It needs a royal," Alaron corrected him. "I guess he was right. He did warn me." The boy's eyes were sad, but not surprised.

"You knew?" Aurora was taken aback. She shook off her shock and narrowed her gaze. "We must finish this. I will go." The Empress stepped toward the circle, but Alaron stopped her.

"You and I both know why you can't," he said gently.

'What does he know?' the beautiful woman's lips parted slightly.

"I made this mess, and I will be the one to help fix it," the young man continued.

Suddenly Aurora realized the detail that the Maker withheld from her when she got the healing water. Alaron would be healed, "But the magic of that spell will kill you!" she gasped. The rumbling of the ground intensified as the two magical creatures struggled to maintain the spell.

The prince shrugged with a resigned smile. "I am sorry…for everything. Tell Mairwen and father I love them. I love you too. I hope someday you will forgive me." He forced her backwards as he stepped into the pulsing ring.

"Alaron, no!" The fiery haired woman tried to break into the circle after him, but it would not admit anyone else. It pushed her backwards just as the prince had done. Seeing her about to collapse, Renat was barely able to break her fall.

The blue-eyed boy reached for the spymaster's neck and took the golden Fates' chain. He placed it on himself and then grabbed both Brinn's and Reyan's hands and entwined his fingers with theirs. The circle of three now complete, the chains all began to hum loudly.

Alaron could feel his body fill with a warm, sharp pain. The magic was drawing from him again, and because he had had the healing water, there was a new well of power within him. He needed to tap into it. The only time he had been able to open it before was with strong emotion.

In his mind's eye, he could see Mairwen on the battlefield. She needed saving and did not even realize it. The prince could also see Devrim. He too, was fighting for his life. And he knew that Aurora needed him to end the war. His entire family needed him. Alaron wanted to help them. The boy had been spared to do just that. He was the key. Or more accurately, his love was the key.

Alaron focused on that love now, blocking out all the jealousy, greed and hatred that had clouded his mind and judgment. 'Love,' he repeated in his head, 'I love them.' With that thought, he could feel the power flow out of him with great force, faster and freer than ever before.

The circle around the three figures stopped throbbing and shone in an ever increasing brilliance as the power built. Then, all at once, a mighty pulse of light and force burst out in every direction. For a moment, the world stopped.