AN: While I was searching through the stories I noticed that no one had written stories on The Book of all Hours series. If you've never read it I highly recommend it, but don't stat it unless you're ready to get a headache trying to follow the crazy storyline. This is the first fiction I ever wrote, so constructive criticism would be appreciated; flame if you have to, but then all my other stories will suck just as bad so it's pretty pointless. Hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing.
Summary: Reynard has finished the book and begins to live his life in peace until a traveler walks through their fold and shows Guy the truth: There are other Vellums then the one he knows.
Disclaimer: The Book of all Hours belongs to Hal Duncan, and the Dark Tower series belongs to Stephen King.
Warnings: Homosexuality, Violence, and lots of Character Death
2017…the year the apocalypse occurred. The bitmite swarms changed everything; we no longer adapted to the world and changed the world to fit our needs, rather the world changed itself. The bitmites...mankind's "greatest achievement". 'Living thinking machines', we thought, 'what better way to ensure our survival.' Programmed to fulfill our desires the Vellum split apart and the Hinter overtook everything. Unkin and humans created their Havens, but like the saying goes one mans heaven is another mans Hell. But I fixed it. I wrote the Vellum back into existence, I brought the order back, I gave Thomas his chance at life again, I did my part, I bound the book within a book, and now I carry it with me. It means nothing anymore, but I can't let it go. My crowning achievement as it was. All I want now is a little me time, time that I can travel through the Vellum with and learn as much as I can. I think that I at least deserve that much don't you? I'm sick of dealing with egotistical bastards who spout there bullshit and say "my way is the only way, and if you don't belive like me then you're against me". I'm sick of dealing with the problems of the Unkin, the self-proclaimed angels and demons of the Vellum. Most can't grasp that a normal human (not God, not Unkin, not Angel, and certainly not Devil) could write the blueprint for all reality. But hey life's a bitch and then you die.
They're seeing me off one more time. I plan to see as much as I can before I die. Everyone is there. They know that it's going to be okay now. Don and Anna, King Finn and Phree, and of course Puck and Jack (together for good this time). We drink and are merry, the children who are saved dance around us with their families on the sidelines happy to be alive and well, but then of course something (or rather someone) has to fuck it up. He walks slowly, but not by choice I think. Something is on him; it drags and leaves a trail in the dirt. I leave the festivities behind hoping to catch him before the others do. He's old, white hair, wrinkly, but it's his eyes that really stand out. The eyes of a man who's seen too much.
He has a bright white scar on his forehead that stands out like a sore thumb. Now that I'm this close I see that what leaves the trail behind is an old prison ball and chain. He's dressed in rags, his shirt a patchwork of different colors, fabrics, and cloths; his jeans ripped up the sides in an 80's style. There's a gold glint coming from his neck. We're standing an arms length from each other now and I see that what's glinting is a gold crucifix around his neck. He looks me up and down with a practiced eye, "Guy Reynard Carter. The Fox as your comrades like to call you." It's not a question, and it puts me on edge because I haven't been called that for years. My hand strays to book in my coat, it's an empty threat because I can't change reality anymore, but it gives me comfort to know that it's still there. "Relax boy, I ain't here to hurt ya or yer friends, hear me I beg." I don't know what to do, "So who do I have the pleasure of speaking to?" He laughs at this, and it actually sounds joyful instead of insane. "Ya don't know me, and chances are ya probably never will; but if things go just right you'll probably meet me at the end of it all." I don't like where this is going, because the last stranger to say anything even remotely close to that showed me a world I was better off not knowing about. "The end of what?" my tone is sharp and he notices. "Now it's not my fault that ya have to do this, ka just worked out this way. You'll see what has to be done as it comes along, and trust me when I say there is a lot to be done." I start backing up now, towards my friends, towards sanctuary from this man; I may not be a fighter, but my friends certainly are. He sees this and rushes through the next part, "Hear me I beg, don't do anything rash. There are other Vellums than what you know, other multi-verses that are in just as much trouble as yours was; and for some reason whoever is in charge liked how you handled the situation here so their sending you out to the others; to help them too." I feel the blood leave my face. Like I said before I'm no fighter, I am a scholar. I'm the guy on the computer in the heist movies, the one who comes up with the escape plans when something goes wrong. I work from the shadows, always needed but never seen. I start running back up the slope, but he's in front of me already. "I really am sorry about this, but it has to be done." I don't pay attention and move to push him out of my way, but my hand passes through him. I finally realized why he could move so fast, and what the ball and chain are for, "You're already dead?" He smiles, but his eyes start to water, "Goodbye Guy Reynard Carter, may your journey end well." With that he strikes my forehead and the world spins...
Afterword: Like it? Hate it? Let me know. Reviews appreciated. I would like to know if I should continue or not. By the way, some background knowledge of the two series is probably a good idea, and if you want me to continue I'll write in what has to be known. Thanks.