“There is no need for such melodrama. You needn’t worry about ceasing to exist.”
 
 
Tempest could sense its amusement again.
 
 
“I will not push your sovereign ability to choose. If you won’t accept my power in full, perhaps I can give you a memento. A piece of me that you can use. Through it you can wield some of my power. However, I will not be able to reach through it and wield you. I won’t even be able to speak directly to your mind, freeing you to make your own choices. Would that be of interest?”
 
 
Tempest huffed as she stood up again. Her head was still aching from the impact, but the pain helped her coalesce her thoughts a little better. Somehow, she was beginning to feel a little more bold in this surreal situation, maybe because she really didn’t have anything else to lose.
 
 
“Huh. Not really, Mr. Creepy Cave Puddle Thing!” She muttered, giving a weak chuckle. “Not unless you can simply bring Luna back right now!”
 
 
“Luna is beyond my reach at this time. But there is a much more accessible solution.”
 
 
Tempest crept forward a few paces. “Accessible?” Tempest ruminated on that. She felt like her heart had been wrung out, but she really had nothing to lose, and nowhere else to go. She figured she might as well hear this thing out. “What do you mean?”
 
 
“Simple. This world has turned its back on you. For all thoughts and purposes, you are essentially dead. And if you were to truly die, here and now, nopony would be the wiser.”
 
 
Tempest shuddered as she contemplated that. Again, she felt completely isolated and alone.
 
 
“I can help you step forward.”
 
 
Tempest sighed with resignation. “You know, if I’m going to be cooped up in here with you for the rest of my existence, you could at least be a little less vague. What are you trying to say?”
 
 
“My abode here is safely out of your timestream.”
 
 
Tempest’s brow furrowed. “My timestream?”
 
 
“My view of the passage of time is far different than your own. I can alter your exit point. On my choosing, you can either depart from my realm back to when you first came in, or you can depart a thousand years later. By then, Luna will have defeated the ward Celestia placed on her and she will be able to return. Therefore, you can exit my cavern and simply go to her. You can be reunited, and finally stand with her against Celestia, this time armed with my help.”
 
 
This time the puddle was wavering, looking blurry for a moment until Tempest realized it was her own eyes that were glistening with moisture, not movement within the puddle itself.