Ch. 25 Epilogue
This is the end of The Apocalypse Saga
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When Seijun left the ruins of Euco, Ophee wasn’t there to say goodbye. The last he had heard, she said she had something urgent to take care of. Instead, Lou was there to say farewell with a big hug and gentle words as though he was speaking to brittle glass.
“You’re staying here?” He asked Lou.
“Lot of grief here, my friend. Lot of loss. They’re going to need help in the weeks to come.”
Seijun nodded, “You mentioned a story - it feels like years ago now - but was this how it ended?”
“Hm…” Lou smiled, then nodded. Then, he shook his head, “I don’t know. I’ll let you know when the story ends.”
“I hope one day our paths cross again, Lou.” Seijun said, his face buried in the old man’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry, my friend, the Fates and I have been chatting, and I already know it. We’ll see each other again one day. Until then, you just take care of yourself, you hear me?”
Seijun nodded and smiled. He was tired. He just wanted to go home, but it was hard leaving behind everything that happened. Everything he knew. Still, Seijun disappeared back into the obscurity of being one man alone in a world of myths and miracles. He disappeared into forests, backroads, and abandoned rail lines. He disappeared beneath the crack in the sky, beneath the sun, beneath the moon. He was just another harrowed ghost quietly making its way through a broken land. Still, he was tired. He just wanted to go home.
But it was taking weeks. The journey back felt longer than the cross-continental journey Seijun had taken to stop the apocalypse with his companions. He was alone. For the first time since he left the Valley, there was no one to speak to. No one to grant him wisdom. No one to confide in. So, when he saw someone dressed much like the old man he had first seen when he left the Valley, he approached him.
“You coming or going?” The man asked Seijun. Seijun looked down at his beat-up armor. The battle scars and dents lacing the metal made him feel proud in a strange way.
“Coming. Coming home.”
“Oh. ‘round here then?”
“Yes. Not much farther now.”
“How ‘bout that. And what’s in that there bag?” The man gestured to a satchel Seijun had on his person.
“Just something from a friend.” Seijun replied. He changed the subject, “How is the scrap?” He gestured to the chunks of metal piled into the bed of the rover.
“Not as good here these days. Things have been quiet since the crack opened.” He gestured upwards. Even on the most overcast of days, Seijun noticed that the freshly torn crack in the sky – with its purple center and blue lightning-like edges that cascaded ubiquitously across all of Astra – seemed to always shine through the polluted clouds. It wasn’t just a crack in the sky; it was a crack in the universe. Still, the name ‘crack in the sky’ had been everywhere since that fateful day.
“Wars have been quiet?” Seijun asked, surprise in his voice. Could it be that peace was finally reigning over Astra?
“For now, yes. I think the governors, generals, lords, and the likes saw their lives flash before their eyes when that crack opened up. Think they’re scared to do something. Scared to move. We’ll see how long that lasts, won’t we?”
“We will. Indeed, we will.”
“Prayers are quiet too though. No one answerin’. Some say the gods are abandoning us. I say, ain’t no one ever answered my prayers anyway. No pretty so-and-so all over me as I walk the fancy districts in Paradia. Guess Oran-Koh, or Strala, or whoever the hell else never liked me like they liked some one or another.”
“No prayers answered?”
“You heard right. Word says holy places have lost their magic touch. Not an apocalypse like the oracles were warning. World didn’t end, but spirituality is all amuck. Something like that. Someone else would know better than me. I’m just an old man in the wastes.”
“Well, I thank you for the information.”
“And I thank you for the conversation.” The old man mimicked tipping a hat and turned back to his scrap heap. Seijun knew then that it definitely wasn’t the man he had met before. This one was all too polite.
He moved on, making his way closer and closer to the Valley. When he finally crossed the threshold into the forest, he felt a weight lift off of him. Seijun pulled off his mask and breathed in the air. He took his hair out of its ponytail and felt the tension in his scalp relax. As he walked, he felt more and more free. He just needed to make one more stop before returning home. He had to see his family.
As he stood in silence over the mounds of the dead that nature was slowly retaking, Seijun felt the tears fall gently down his face. He let out a silent sob as he breathed out. His shoulders heaved and his hands shook slightly. He took a stick from the forest floor and jammed it into the soft earth as deep as he could. Then, he reached into the satchel he had brought with him from Euco and took out an old gray hat. He placed the hat upon the stick and bowed his head.
“Let a part of you become one with this land. Let a part of you become one with my family.” He whispered. “Rest well, my friend.” For a brief moment, he considered taking Vey’s ribbon off the sword and joining it with the rest of their family, but he thought better of it. He didn’t want to separate from what little he had left of her. As he lowered his head in silence, he heard a noise in the distance. He shot to attention. It sounded like voices.
.
.
.
“This place is unreal! How long do think it’s been hiding here?” Phedla asked her mentor, Dr. Krin. Krin was an aging man. A xella historian who was born and raised in Ravyn’s End. He was the only Xella to join this group of refugees. Phedla knew he wasn’t long for this world, but she hoped this place would be a home where he could spend his final hours.
“Cleanest air recordings I’ve ever seen. A freshwater source. Actual fauna in the ecosystem. The wood of these structures date back centuries. We could have a field day just documenting all of this.” Phedla’s voice deflated. “But there’s no one here. No one to tell us the story of this place.”
“It appears it has been here longer than any of us. I wouldn’t be surprised if this place existed for hundreds of years. It has only been recently abandoned though.” Dr. Krin said, his voice hoarse and distant.
“It’s amazing.” Phedla said as she inspected the inside of the hut Dr. Krin chose to rest in. “Before anyone tears anything down, we need to record all of this. We need to investigate. Understand. We have to see what this civilization left behind –“
“Phedla.”
“Yes, Dr. Krin?”
“We’re not archeologists and historians anymore. We’re refugees. It doesn’t matter what was here. It matters that we’ll be safe. Finally safe.”
Phedla shook her head, and her hair bobbed back and forth. She disagreed, but didn’t want to argue with her aging mentor.
“Dr. Krin! Miss Phedla!” A young boy named Bale came running into the hut where they were speaking.
“Bale, what’s wrong, bud?” Phedla asked, taking a knee next to the boy.
“There’s a big hut in the center! I saw a man come out of it with a sword! He disappeared into the forest!”
“Really?” Phedla asked. She turned to Krin, “I’ll go have a look.” Phedla walked towards the large hut in the center. She tried the door, and it opened with ease. The inside was far more advanced than she expected. The ground was a web of black tile with a single pedestal in the center. There wasn’t anything she could inspect from a cursory glance, so she closed the door to look around for the mysterious figure.
She made her way to the outskirts of the abandoned village and looked through the tree line. Just as she began to squint to see between the trees, she heard a rustling somewhere above her head. Phedla looked up and saw a man staring down at her in leather clothes with a short sword on his waist. He had a sorrow in his eyes that she couldn’t place, but he didn’t say anything as they made eye contact. He was thin, his features were sharp and his eyes were bathed in mourning. Still, he didn’t say anything when their eyes met. He merely watched quietly, seeming to calculate something about her. Did he think she was a threat? An invader?
After a moment of silence, she spoke up, “Is this your home?” She asked. He didn’t look much older than her. Maybe a couple of years, but he had a look as if he had lived a hundred lifetimes. “We fled Ravyn’s End. We’re looking for somewhere to stay. We’re willing to give whatever we have if you would let us stay here. I promise, we’ll be respectful. We’ll take care of the land. We’ll follow whatever you think is best. And if you don’t want us here… we’ll move on. And – and I promise, we won’t tell anyone.” Phedla gave a light chuckle, “I bet keeping a place like this secret is important. It’s so… special here. Unlike anywhere else I’ve ever seen. Ever heard of. Sorry, I’m rambling… just… you have a beautiful home.”
She could see the gears turning in his head. Still, he didn’t speak.
She continued, “We just want to be safe. We don’t want to cause any problems, I swear.”
The man nodded. Then, a gentle smile appeared on his face, “I’m sorry you lost your home. If you take care of what was my people’s, then I welcome you. I won’t be far.”
Before Phedla could respond, the man disappeared into the thick of the forest. She was left standing there, looking at where she last saw him. She wondered who he was, what this place was, and why he was the only one here. She supposed she may never know. Though maybe one day, she could ask him.
.
.
.
Every morning as the sun rose, Celie Green loved to sit under the ancient willow tree. She would eat fresh fruit and get ready to work the fields she had spent the last 5 years cultivating. Through hard work, sweat, and a little bit of magic, her and her auntie Gee had worked together to make the most successful farm on the west side of Astra. They didn’t always make the most sales - caravans didn’t exactly come to Cain often – but they kept themselves fed and were able to trade with the locals. Though a storm cloud had fallen over both her and her aunt’s mood as of late, she still couldn’t help but feel content. This was almost everything she could ask for. Almost.
When she finished her breakfast, Celie leaned back against the tree and sighed. She crossed her legs and cupped her hands together. She began to feel it. She loved the way she connected to it. It made her feel safe. Understood. Even that unsettling crack in the sky couldn’t take away how good life had been since she came here. Even everything she ran away from couldn’t take away from it.
“I see you’ve taken a liking to the heart.” A voice broke through the silence. Celie jumped. She was a short woman but was more than strong enough to handle herself. She reeled around to see a woman about her age standing on the other side of the tree. She was dressed in a brilliant blue dress. Her hair was a mess of unkept curls forced into a messy bun. She was holding a large floppy hat under her arm as she crossed under the shadow of the tree.
“Who are you?” Celie asked, not letting her guard down.
“A friend. Well, actually, a friend of a friend.”
“Trouble believing that.” Celie said in her gruff voice. “Don’t have many friends these days.”
“You and me both,” The woman said with a laugh, “but may I sit with you? Just to rest my legs and talk a little. You wouldn’t want to turn little old me away, would you?” She asked with a pouty lip.
Celie let her guard down, “Sure. Not much to offer you though.”
“That’s okay.” The woman sat down next to Celie. She took a deep breath in, then let out a shaky breath. She brought her knees to her chest and rested her chin between them. “Wherever I go, the heart is with me, but… it feels special to be here in person after all these years. Even if she keeps moving around!” She said the last sentence yelling up at the tree’s canopy.
“You’ve been here before?” Celie asked.
“Once upon a time. I was born and raised here – well, not completely raised, but mostly. Long time ago, I used to walk these mean streets – not much left of them now – causing trouble, finding secrets, becoming me.”
“You sound like someone else I knew from here.” Celie said.
“Huh, must be a Cain thing. Or maybe he and I did that together.”
Celie gave the woman a wary look.
“You’re Miss Green, aren’t you? Hero of the Calt, Peacekeeper extraordinaire, gardener in exile?”
“Yeah, that’s me. What’s it to you?”
“I’m Ophee. Daughter to Ling, elected sorcerer of Euco, most powerful witch in all of Astra if you ask the right people. But around here, they knew me as Ollen.”
“Ollen? You mean –“
“Yep, that Ollen. Ash Kash was my best friend for almost 14 years before I left him behind. I saw him before he died. He was thinking of you until the end.”
“What do you mean? He died in the line of duty.”
“Don’t act like you didn’t feel it. You can feel through this tree. Guess that’s because you’re a real sorcerer. You could feel him after he died. The heart told you, didn’t it?”
“I – I didn’t believe it.”
“Well start believing. He’s gone now, but not before he gave one last middle finger to the world. Defiant to the end.” Ophee said with a harsh laugh.
“A troublemaker to the end.” Celie corrected.
“Call it whatever you want. That’s my Kash though. He saved the world – with some help. He wanted me to give you a couple of things though. Consider it his final will and testament.” Ophee reached behind her and pulled out an envelope and a revolver. Celie took both.
She stared at the revolver in awe, “I knew he kept it.”
“Yeah, he wasn’t exactly good at keeping secrets, was he?” Ophee said with a laugh. “Be careful with that thing. It’s got some pretty intense power coursing through it. As crazy as it sounds, I think –“ Ophee lowered her voice, “I think he accidentally made an object of power. Not an apocalyptic level one, but he imbued this thing with magic with every breath he put into it. It’s way more dangerous than it was before. Just make sure you’re aiming that at someone you really mean to.”
“Thanks.” Celie said as she stared in awe.
“Don’t thank me. Thank Kash.” Celie broke the envelope’s seal and looked at the folded paper inside.
“Did he remember me? Did he really?”
“In the end he did. That lady in Paradia really messed his head up. He was disconnected from Astra itself. His memories were twisted. With a little help from the heart, I was able to help, but… it doesn’t feel like it means much given that he’s gone now.”
“No. No, it did mean something. It did.” Celie insisted. “He got to die knowing that I was there for him until I had no choice but to leave. I know its selfish, but… that means something to me.”
“I like that. Nothing wrong with being selfish now and then.” Ophee said with a grin. Her grin faded, “Tell me, how’s the old lady, huh?”
“She’s… good. Bullheaded as ever.” Celie said with a roll of her eyes. “Won’t slow down no matter what I tell her.”
“That’s the auntie Panshin I know.” Ophee said with a laugh. “Wonder if she still thinks about me.”
“I think you’re one of her biggest regrets. A child of war she couldn’t save. That’s what she called you when you came up before.”
“Not that it matters to her, but she wasn’t meant to save me. I was meant to save me. And I did.” Ophee nodded with pride. “Give the old lady my best, would you? I wouldn’t put it past her to try and make a citizen’s arrest if I said hi myself.” Ophee laughed as she got up off the ground. “I’ll leave you to the letter. You deserve closure more than anyone else. I hope this gives you what you need. Now, I’ve got to go. There’s a grand city on the horizon that needs rebuilt, and I need to be there for my people. It’s a new day in Astra.”
Celie gave a weak smile and nodded, “Thanks. It was nice talking to you, Ophee.”
“Likewise. In another life, Miss Green.”
Celie looked down at the letter, then back up to Ophee, but the witch was already gone. Celie took a deep breath as she opened the letter.
Celie,
I couldn’t stop dreaming of a sister that I didn’t think was real. Adventures that I thought I did alone. Memories that didn’t mesh with what I thought reality was… but Ophee helped me see that she was real. You were real…
The End.
Thank you for reading The Apocalypse Saga, a story six years in the making.
Reflection and discussion to come next week along with an update on what’s next. Thank you for being here, and thank you for taking a chance on my nonsense.
One last thing: How about an unofficial (though maybe one day official) cover reveal?
See you next week.
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 an amazing tie up to a fantastic serial
Awww... this is the PERFECT epilogue! So happy for Celie, and Seijun and Ophee! I do wonder what's become of Providence Monroe but perhaps that's a tale for another day!
Anyway, congratulations, and great job! It's been so much fun to follow along and I can't wait to read more of Astra!