The Newcomer
Epilogue
Falin walked through the streets of heaven.
He had just arrived, and already people began to recognize him. He was looking for god.
Well, he was told to look for him. He told the man there that he wasn't exactly from this area. He seemed to know what he was talking about.
He met Leo. He directed Falin to the castle where he'd fought Carthite not all that long ago.
It brought back many memories.
He slowly walked up the castle's many staircases. People began to look at him in awe.
Now about that he was clueless.
He reached the top of the magnificent castle. There was a huge throne. Sitting in it was a wizened old man. His beard was long, and he was bathed in light.
'Jesus…' Falin mumbled.
'No, but we are related,' God said, laughing at his own joke.
'Well, I was supposed to come here, wasn't I?'
'Oh yes, of course. I wanted to meet the man who saved the kingdom of good!'
Falin raised an eyebrow at that. 'Interesting…'
'Come off it! You noticed how the people reacted to you as they passed you!'
'Yeah well…why am I here, in any case?' Falin said, wanting to get to the point.
'I want to offer you something. Anything you could dream of.'
Falin thought of his dead family. He wanted to save them.
'Is that really what you want?' said god as if he knew what Falin was thinking.
Falin nodded.
'Then it shall be so. I will give you half an hour. Use it well.'
Hanna swept the dead leaves from the porch of her house. She saw her husband playing with her two daughters, and her son, she knew, was hunting in the nearby woods.
Then she saw the nine riders riding towards their estate.
For some reason she didn't feel scared.
Her husband stood, and ushered the girls inside. He then stood beside his wife.
The first of the riders spoke up. 'Five gold coins for your lady,' he said bluntly.
'No,' Dath replied simply.
The rider, Defter, curled his lip. He raised his bow.
An arrow plunged into his arm and he dropped the bow. A man stood from the tall grass and walked towards them.
'Hello men.'
'Kill him,' Defter simply said.
Falin held up a hand. 'Wait!' he said loudly and forcefully.
He notched an arrow to his bow, and shot Defter in the throat.
'I have nothing to say to you.'
The others looked on in wonder.
'Now, what if I were to say I could tell the future.' He pointed to a rider. 'You! Baethra! Go now! You will become a famous merchant. You will be loved by many.'
He reeled through the names and futures effortlessly. At the end he was silent. Finally he spoke up.
'Now, if you kill these people, an assassin will kill you. That assassin will be the boy who is out hunting in the forest. If you attempt to find him I will kill you.' Falin began to feel weak. His time was running out.
'If you wish to go, go now. If not, I will kill you.' His voice was cold and even.
They turned and moved away. When they were out of eyeshot, he finally collapsed. He didn't realise dying for a second time would be so painful.
'We thank you, stranger,' said Hanna, aiding the stranger into the house.
'I am dying. Please, just leave me here.' Falin lay upon the grass. Hanna thought she recognized him.
'Who's that mum?' the young Falin asked his mother.
'I don't know, but he saved our lives.'
Young Falin picked up the stranger's sword and swung it in graceful circles.
'You know mother? I think this sword was made for me.'
{And there we have it. It's finished. I'm thinking of continuing the story from there, tell me if you think it's a good idea.}