A Song Goodbye

She continued her path for what seemed like both a long and a short while, focusing entirely on having her Power connect her to the trail. A coping mechanism to deal with the pain, not healthy but not very dangerous either. For now, she allowed herself the indulgement. Before she knew it, she found herself in front of a giant tree. There was something familiar to it. She sensed her surroundings and it came to her.
This tree was real yet fake. The rest of this place was simply fake, an echo of an entire world. But that was not the familiar feel. She could sense his Power here, not mere traces from an echo, but the real thing. Slowly she stepped forward, starting to understand, not wanting to find out the truth that she now suspected. Still, she put her hand on the tree and it came to her.
Here he had fallen. Despite his slipperiness, his enemies had still caught up to him. That part was known, that five had gone up against him and only two had returned. But now, through this tree, she could feel how they had managed to catch him. They had used his own blood against him. With the need to protect his son, incapable of escaping together, he had been forced to reach for Power beyond his ability. It had consumed him, torn him apart alongside them. And his rage had touched upon every trace he had left behind, filling all with madness.
She closed her eyes, letting the memories flow through her. She felt his every emotion, the rage, the pain, the sadness. The fright as the fight hurt his child. She let it all come to her, join her, and with that all of the Power in this place. And in this whirlwind of emotions, she sang a song without words. A song of rage, of pain. Of sadness and fright. And of hope and resolution. The Power whirled around and through her, the entire world collapsing into her. And as her song ended, she realised the paths she had to take.
The child still lived. Hurt, damaged, outside of the reach of the eyes that had searched for his father for years.
The culprits still lived. Hurt, damaged, outside of the reach of the eyes that had searched for them for years.
To find and aid him. To find and kill them. Keep alive his legacy and honour his final sacrifice. Make an example of those that dared to go through such lengths. Heal him. End them. Teach him if he so desired. Make them suffer for an eternity. Now that she was on this path, the choice might be final. She could not guarantee that she would be able to complete both.

Revenge is a two-sided blade. It can cut you as deeply as it can cut others. So do not let a thirst for blood consume you. Yet do not let fear consume you either. Sometimes, revenge is simply part of who you are at that point in time. And sometimes, it is irrelevant to the matter at hand. Choose your own path, do not let it choose you. And sometimes, cut down those that dare defy you in a way better than they deserve.

She kept taking the Power in. More, more. She could take it, she was ready. She could not keep it all, not yet, but she could consume it, use it. Wield it as she desired. The entire echo of a world stilled, until naught but silence was left.
She opened her eyes. Around her she perceived herself four more times. Eyes as resolute as her own. They had been severely injured, were still running, hiding. Even in the best case, they would not prove a challenge. Two echoes each would suffice to take them down. Her own attention, her real attention, would be on the boy. She stepped forward. The echoes paired up and moved away from her. Each taking their own steps away from this fading world, to either hunt or seek. Until their paths would cross again and they would become one once more.