"Njorjia..."

Njorjia looked at Konajo, who was smiling at her with a gentle sadness. In that moment, memories flooded her mind. She remembered their childhood together, playing in the fields, running around the village, and dreaming about the future. Then, she saw flashes of their teenage years, when they had both discovered their magical abilities and started training together. They had become inseparable, always pushing each other to be better.

Finally, she remembered the war. She saw the two of them standing side by side on the battlefield, fighting fiercely against the dark sorcerers. They had been an unstoppable team, their powers complementing each other perfectly. And in the end, they had emerged victorious.

As she stared at Konajo, the tears spilled out of her eyes. She knew that this was goodbye. But she couldn't bring herself to let him go. She had been there with him on the battlefield, and now she was here, alive and well, while his only claim to life was the spell she was binding him with.

Konajo's smile grew softer, and he reached out to touch her hand. "Don't blame yourself, my friend," he said. "We did what we had to do. We saved countless lives, and that's what matters. I'm proud of what we accomplished, and I wouldn't change a thing. Remember that."

Njorjia nodded, her heart heavy with emotion. She knew he was right. They had fought bravely, and their victory had been hard-won. But still, the pain of losing him was almost too much to bear. She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself. She knew what she had to do.

She reached out to touch the key hanging around her neck. Closing her eyes, she whispered a few words under her breath, and the key glowed with a soft golden light. She could feel the essence of her childhood friend, Konajo, stirring within the key, eager to be free.

"Remember our handshake, Njorjia?" Konajo asked, smiling weakly.

Njorjia's eyes widened in surprise and then a wave of nostalgia washed over her. They had come up with a special handshake when they were just kids, and they had used it to greet each other ever since. She quickly took his hand, and they exchanged the intricate series of twists, turns, and bumps that made up their secret handshake.

They sat in silence for a few moments after that, taking in each other's presence one last time. Then, without a word, Njorjia stood up and began to whisper the incantation. Konajo's smile grew wider and he closed his eyes.

The chains that had bound him began to glow with a soft light, and then they dissolved into tiny specks of light that danced around Konajo's body. The same happened to the walls of the cell, and soon the entire room was filled with tiny specks of light.

Njorjia watched, mesmerized, as the last of the specks faded away, leaving her standing outside the sacred door alone. She collapsed onto the ground, tears streaming down her face. The priest put a comforting hand on her shoulder, silently conveying his condolences despite his limited understanding of her situation.

As Njorjia got up, she turned to the priest and nodded, silently thanking him for his help. With a heavy heart, she left the temple, making her way back to the outside world. As she walked, memories of Konajo flooded her mind, from their childhood days of playing hide and seek in the forest to their triumphant battle against the dark sorcerers.

Njorjia's steps were heavy, but she felt a sense of purpose returning to her as the seconds passed. She had a duty to continue protecting her people, to honor Konajo's memory and all they had fought for. And with that thought in mind, she held her head high, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.