Ok, so, earlier than anticipated, I guess I just want to move on. Don't get me wrong, all my stories have a place in my heart (even if some were kind of cringy after re-reading them…), I just want to be done, ya' know? This is the most amount of chapters I've ever done for a story before, maybe not the biggest word count, but still. This chapter won't be light hearted, but it won't be overly sad. Oh, btw, slight spoilers for the final story here, nothing that wouldn't have been unsee-able though. The final goodbyes can be said in the note at the bottom,

Epilogue, Reflection; many years later…

The wind blew across Shadow, his scarf fluttering in the wind. Fall, such a bittersweet time of the year. A tug on his shirt brought him back to reality. He chuckled.
"Uncle Shadow, why are you so sad?" the young dragoness princess looked up at him.
"Just thinking of an old friend, little one," he replied he wasn't that old, in his thirties in human years, but dang, he felt old.

"Shadow, this is supposed to be a happy day! Stop your moodiness!" Crescelia shouted from another room. Shadow shook his head, smiling.

"You should go back and help your mother," he smiled at the young dragoness.
"Ok!" she hurried off, a wide grin on her face. Shadow shook his head, looking back out onto the sea.
"Still thinking about her?" Dust asked.
"Don't we all? It's been, what? Let's see here…over 15 years since we last saw her, Limestone was devastated for so long," he replied.
"Come on, let's head back in, like Crescelia said, it's a special day," Dust replied, floating into the kitchen.

"…Calcite, wherever you are…stay safe, ok?" he said to the wind, sighing and heading back in. No one noticed a couple tears sliding down his face, or his scarf that flew into the wind.

Phantom had arrived, his youngest in arms. As all the friends and their families talked at the large table, Shadow picked at his food, watching a Dust entertained the young ones. He finally stood up, silencing most at the table.
"I'm taking a walk," he said, being sure to grab his katana on the way out. Boy, that held many memories.

"Settle down, listen to this tale…" he heard Glory start as he left.

"A tale of heroes, villains, and beasts," he closed the door.

He walked along the street. Listening to music, watching the dancers, smelling the pumpkin pie. A large crowd was gathered around a certain spot. It was play of a particular large battle here with the Grim. Shadow himself was in that very battle, he remembered pushing his powers of shadow and fire in that battle, he and his team barely made it out with their lives that day. Children around him gasped as they gazed on the "hero". He was one, no doubt, but one of war. Calcite was so much more. He smiled with a sad gaze at the sky. Loud footsteps interrupted him, the actors stopped, as did the music and dancing.

"OUT OF MY WAY!" a thundering voice commanded. Shadow turned around, blade already in claws, he froze at what he saw. The deity known to him as Steel, was sprinting down the roads of the night kingdom's biggest city. Shadow took off after him.
"Steel!? What's going on?!" Shadow yelled, having to push his cybernetic legs to the max, as well as a shortcut, to catch up, for a few seconds. Steel slowed only slightly. Something was under a bundle of blankets in his arms.

"No time to explain, where's the nearest medic?!" he replied. Shadow blinked.
"The nearest?! A couple blocks away is the nearest hospital, why?" Shadow replied, he didn't see any blood…
"She's not responding!" he replied.
"She?" Shadow grabbed onto the blankets. "Oh my gosh, Steel, the lady is simply unconscious. Probably recovering from a coma…" He facepalmed.

"Oh…" Steel slowed. The warrior deity was terrible at these things, he only knew how to deal with cuts and gashes. Wait…now that Shadow took a good long look at the dragoness in Steel's arms…

"Calcite?!" He exclaimed.

He had hurried to the palace, Calcite in his arms, after retrieving her from Ste-Saevus, as he had learned. He kicked at the door.

"Who is it?" Phantom called out.
"Who else would it be you dimwit?!" Shadow crossly replied.

"Geez, great example you are…" Phantom replied, opening the door, Shadow ran in like a blur. Running to one of the free guest rooms.
"What was that about?" Phantom remarked, still standing with the door open.

"You're not going to believe who I just found," Shadow barely breathed out to everyone at the table, after coming back from the guest room.
"I can take a guess," Glory glared at him, then at something behind him. Shadow blinked a couple times before turning around.
"Calcite?!" He exclaimed, falling back onto a chair, which in turn threw him on the ground. In front of every shocked dragon at the table, was Calcite, in torn clothes, scars, and an eyepatch on her right eye, a bow strapped to her back.

"Hey," she remarked tiredly.

"Just kind of woke up from a long sleep…could you keep it down?" she continued, making some coffee.
"That's all you have to say?!" Most every exclaimed. A glass dropped in the doorway leading to the room.
"Sis?" someone breathed. Calcite turned around just as she was wrapped up in a hug by Limestone.
"Hey bud, life treat you well?" She chuckled as she rubbed his head.

After many heartfelt conversations and 3 cups of coffee later, Calcite spoke up.

"So, I'm assuming you're all curious, right?" She asked, everyone nodded.
"First off, I want to say one thing, it was a scary experience, and it was a happy ending…in a way," she started, a couple tears made their way down her face.
"Two close friends and warmates were taken from me that day, anyone recall that saying? 'Heroes never die', that may be true for their legacy, but not always in battle. We don't always get full happy endings," she sighed.
"…" everyone was quiet.
"So what are you going to do about it?" Shadow stood up, slamming his left claws onto the table. Everyone looked at him. Calcite was shocked and confused.
"I don't quite understand," she replied.
"That's not what the Calcite I know would say," he retorted.
"The Calcite you knew died 14 years and 11 months ago," she shot back.

"Really? Though you're missing an eye, I see the same dragoness in front of me," he replied, glaring at her.
"So, what are you going to do about it?!" he shouted.

"Shadow…" Crescelia started, but he ignored her.
"I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT!" She shouted back.

"Yes you can! That's not what Calcite would say! What are you going to do about it!?" He pushed on.
"Probably something stupid!" She angrily shouted.
"You've already done that one too many times! What are you going to do about it!?" Shadow clenched his right claws.
"Then something extremely crazy and stupid!" She replied.

"That's the Calcite I know!" Shadow exclaimed, walking over to her. He put his right claws on her shoulder.

"Go get cleaned up, visit a monastery, I don't care, but when you come back, know you have my elements," he remarked.
"And my gun," Deathbringer and Glory said at the same time.
"And my fire," Peril remarked.
"And my support," Shellshocker put in.
"And my gun as well," Snow added.

"And all our encouragement," Limestone smiled. The door opened,

"And my sword," Saevus added. Calcite broke down, sobbing openly.
"Th-thank you, everyone," she replied, Shadow knelt down and hugged the broken dragoness.
"Heroes die, but legends live on," Shadow said.

So, that's it. It's been quite the experience writing this story. I can say this is the most amount of OCs I've ever put into one story. It's possible I might write some small oneshots for this story when I need a small break. But hey, if anyone wants to write their own little story about what happens after this, just ask me, and let me know when it's up, I'd love to see what you come up with! But, this is the end for now, but remember, a story never ends, and legends live on…have a good day, night, or anything in between, and I'll see you, next time…bye!