"Will. Will. Wake up. Its time."
Will opened his eyes and looked up at his old mentor. They would both have appeared very grim to anyone passing by. As it were there was no one around. The two had made sure of that.
Will was leaning on one of the many empty houses and was staring up at Halt. Both were on their mottled cloaks with their hoods drawn up, but they didn't need to see the other's face to know what it looked like.
They were both scared, grim, and determined. Halt was the first to take off his hood and Will followed his example.
"Its finally time, huh? I must say I never thought it would be like this."
Halt smiled the smallest of smiles and allowed a tear to leak out of his eye and down his cheek.
"Me neither Will. Me neither"
Will stood and grabbed his bow and arrows. He slung his quiver onto his shoulder and stood next to his teacher.
"Remember the time that you made me sit in that tree till morning for singing Greybeard Halt? That was great."
Halt smiled, "Yeah it was."
"Thank you Halt."
"What for?" Halt stared at the young man beside him in confusion. Will turned to him and let Halt see his tears.
"For everything. For saving me when I was a child, for taking me to Redmont. For protecting me. For taking me as your apprentice and teaching me everything I know. For walking Alyss down the aisle and for saving my life. For comforting me when I needed you. For being my father. Thank you."
Halt felt the lone tear trace a path down the dirt and grime on his face. He nodded once, "Thank you Will."
That was all he had to say.
They both turned and faced the hoard that had trapped them in the small town. It was time to take a last stand against the ghost hoard.
All the opponents they had killed had been summoned back to life by a sorcerer and given one job. To eliminate the Rangers.
The two stood back to back as the hoard began its approach. They fired arrow after arrow, fighting off the dead.
They were perfectly in sync. They both knew when to turn, when to duck, and when to lend a hand.
Soon they ran out of arrows and had to fight with only their sax and throwing knives. Still they were in perfect sync. They both knew how this battle would end.
They knew that they were going to die so they were taking as many as they could with them.
"Will, I guess this will be our last adventure huh?"
"Afraid so."
"It's been a good one"
They sustained a large number of wounds when the hoard ended its attack and the remaining ghosts disappeared. The two rangers fell to their knees.
"Think they're going to wonder what happened to us Halt?"
"Yeah. I think it's going to drive them crazy."
Will let out a gurgling laugh.
"You always did love driving people crazy didn't you Halt?"
Halt let out a breathy laugh,
"Yeah. Yeah I did."
"You think they're going to remember us Halt?"
"Yeah. I think they will."
"Do you think she'll tell them about me?"
Halt didn't need to ask to know who he was talking about. He was wondering if Alyss would tell their three children about him.
Halt felt tears streak down his face,
"Yeah I think she will."
Will laughed another gurgled laugh as a funny thought struck him,
"Do you think they'll write stories about us one day?"
"Yeah I don't see why not"
Will coughed, "I bet you'll be the main character don't you?"
"Who knows. Perhaps. Could be you."
Will next words could barely be heard,
"Think we'll see them again? Think they're worried? Think they'll be sad? Think they'll look for us? Think we can watch out for them? Do you think that there is a heaven? Think ill go there?"
Halt heard the young man whom he'd come to care for more than anything in the world and thought of as a son ask the flurry of questions and smiled sadly. He said what he had often said to the young Will in his time as an apprentice.
"What is it with you? Is everything a multiple choice?"
He heard a quiet thump and a sudden coldness on his back and knew without having to turn around that his friend – his son – had died.
He looked up at the sky to stare at the moon. And thought that maybe. Just maybe. He saw someone reach out a hand and beckon him forward.
The form came closer and Halt couldn't decide if it was a vision or an angel.
Laughing brown eyes twinkled down at him, unruly sandy hair stood at all angles and the pain that Will had felt in life was gone from his face.
It was the Will Halt had come to love as his son. And the Will Halt had to answer,
"In answer to the multiple choice; Yes to them all."
Then he too fell.
They were never found. Stories were written. Children were told of their father who they learned many thought was larger than life. Alyss gave them no illusions. Horace became king and ruled the kingdom with Cassandra.
They missed the two rangers with all their souls and searched for them for years. All that was found were letters the townsfolk had found saying their farewells to their friends and family.
Tug and Abelard never stopped serving their masters.
Pauline became the chief courier advisor for the Rangers. Crowley didn't smile as often but died with one leaving some to believe he had finally found them as he died.
Gilan Married Jenny and named her new inn Ranger's Rest in honor of the two. Erak visited Araluen and paid his respects carrying friends from distant lands.
The rest of the rangers sang A Cabin in the Wood for the two and buried two golden oak leaves.
George? George wrote the tale of his friend. The Ranger's Apprentice.