Hey guys, anyways this one is Hascel's. The coolest old guy ever... well cept maybe Laguna... but I dunno.

oh also Faux: maybe you missed a bit but I did mention in Eternal Flame that some time had passed between when they had landed and the party. So Meru was back at that point. I guess I didn't mention that she came back from the forest... I kinda just assumed she would after telling everyone they were safe.

Anyways thanks for the review and sorry it took so long to upload again. Well hope you enjoy. It might be a while before I can get another one done.

Bright Thunder

I was tired. Exhausted, but I wasn't going to let them know. They needed to help Shana and get themselves out not worry about me. I am a warrior and I can push myself, in that moment it was all I could do.

"Rose!" I heard Albert shout. I didn't have the energy to turn to see. It took all my energy to stay in my dragoon form and continue to fly forward. Kongol and Meru were directly ahead of me and Miranda was next to me. She was breathing hard; it took me a moment to realize she was crying. I decided against calling out to her. She would hate that someone had noticed she was crying; besides it would take too much out of me, so I just continued to fly forward.

Although I had heard Albert shout for Rose I never realized that she was missing until we touched down in Deningrad. I landed and then immediately morphed back to human form. As exhausted as I was, I was amazed that I could still stand, then as if on cue I collapsed. Miranda had landed fairly close and rushed up to catch me before I fell.

"Hascel, you old fool. You should have said you needed a rest," she said as she put my arm around her neck to help support me.

"I'm sorry, Miranda. I wanted to make sure we were all safe," then remembering her tears I asked uncertainly, "We are all safe right?"

I heard her short intake of breath. Hesitantly she began, "Hascel… Rose… Rose didn't make it." Her voice was uneven and I could tell she was holding back more tears.

Dear Miranda you really do care. I nodded my head in answer.

"Come on Hascel, you need to rest," she said gruffly directing me up the stairs.

The Queen was standing at the top of the stairs. Miranda bowed her head as we approached. I would have done the same if I had been more aware of the situation and myself. "Your majesty Sir Hascel needs rest."

"Miranda the formalities are not needed and of course Sir Hascel is more than welcome here."

"Thank you, Madam," I said stumbling up the steps and into the palace. I found my way to one of the lower level guest rooms and collapsed onto the bed.

"Geeze, Hascel sure is sleeping a long time! When he wakes up he'll finally have to admit that he can't keep up with me!" Meru's voice chirped.

"Meru? This is how you speak of your elder friend?" this voice wasn't as recognizable.

"Guaraha, he's my friend. I can joke with him!" Meru curtly replied, "If you're gonna spend a lot of time with us you're gonna have to learn about jokes."

"Meru, you should keep your voice down. You are going to wake him," Shana pointed out.

"Gahh.. I'm already awake, and yes Meru you are right I can't keep up with you," I announced as I sat up.

"Bout time you admitted it," Meru said winking.

"Nice to have you back in the realm of the conscious," Albert chimed in.

I pushed myself off the bed standing for what felt like the first time in weeks. "What'd I miss?"

"A lot. You've been asleep for 3 days," Shana replied.

"Yup you missed some of the parties! The food is soooo good!" Meru added.

Food? I finally realized how hungry I was. "Well I could definitely go for some of that right now."

"You won't be disappointed. There will be another party tonight. I know that Deningrad has gone a long time without a cause for celebration, but we really do need to get back to our lives soon," Albert answered.

I smiled. Aww Young love, Albert you really just want to get back to Fleetz as soon as possible.

"We should get ready for the next party," Shana said deciding to ignore Albert's side comment. Knowing her she was just happy to finally be able to celebrate.

Meru, Guaraha, and Albert stepped out of the room, Shana not to far behind them. "Shana?" she turned to face me again. "When we landed, Miranda said Rose was…"

"Yes," she answered her smile slipping. Then she pulled it back up, but the hurt was still in her eyes. "You should get ready to Hascel," and then she left me to my thoughts.

Well Rose you found your redemption at least. It was sad to think of Rose in the past tense, but it was bearable. I could not imagine living so long as Rose was forced to live through promise and circumstance. So long and so alone. At least in her last moments she had found the love she thought she had lost for all eternity. I hoped saving the world a second time would prove to settle her mind on the matter of her innocence. Although she never looked at it that way, she had only been the victim of a cruel fate doing what she had to do for the world to survive. I found a strange sort of strength in Rose and it seemed it would live on in my memories of her.

I shook those thoughts from my mind readying myself for the party.

It was just as Meru had said: the food was exquisite! The party was a nice change of pace from the last few months we had spent in constant turmoil. There was music and dancing, joy and many compliments. I submersed myself in the excitement of it all.

I was surprised but all together please to see quite a few young winglies in the crowd. It seemed Meru had finally proved to her people that the humans weren't all that bad. Though for the most part I only saw younger winglies apart from her and Guaraha. It would take time before all the bitter feelings could be resolved.

Kongol was being put to test of strength by some of the young local boys. He seemed to enjoy seeing their smiling faces as he lifted an entire stone bench with all four of them seat on it.

Albert was chatting animatedly with Settie and Luanna, while Miranda spoke quietly with a smiling Queen Thersea.

Dart and Shana were the center of a large group of admirers. Although most of the girls had finally given up their silly hopes of capturing Dart's heart they still enjoyed hearing his shy accounts of our journey. Surprisingly they loved Shana even though she had stolen Dart's heart.

I wondered if Rose had told any of the others the secret of Dart's heritage. I smiled remembering my dear little Claire. Over the course of this journey I had finally found the closure I had longed for and something more. I had resolved to tell Dart once our journey was over, the truth about his mother, my daughter, but it could wait a little while longer.

I wasn't sure exactly how he would take it, but I am sure it would not be taken negatively. I just didn't want to add anything more to his mind at the moment, I could tell he felt somewhat responsible for what had happened to Rose and his father. Those were demons he would have to face down on his own. No not on his own, with Shana. Another pressing thought on his mind: Shana. He finally understood his feelings for her and they were figuring out the dynamics of their relationship. I'll leave them to it.

I wondered around aimlessly just enjoying the well-deserved chance to celebrate. Things had ended better than I had ever hoped and I could see the brilliance of my companions' futures glowing all around me: in Shana's smile, in the eyes of the young winglies venturing outside their forest, the slight strain in Kongol's arms as he lifted the boys and the bench over his head, in Alberts lively gestures and even Miranda's solemn expression. With my past resolved and their futures shining ahead of us all I realized it was time for me to finally stop chasing the past and resume my present.