Ok, here you go, the epilogue, then it's on to Book 2: In Death, There is Sacrifice

EPILOGUE: CAMPFIRE WITH A STRANGER

Your eyes lift from the flames as they return to normal. You can't believe what had just occured. Today had been a normal day, just like any other. You were sitting by the campfire when you were greeted by a stranger who proceeded to sit accross the flames from you. This wasn't out of the ordinary, since in this area strangers come and go as they please. When the stranger- who all you know about is that he is male- asked if you would like to hear a story, you happily agreed. Entertainment was hard to find in these parts, and who wouldn't want to hear a good story? But as the stranger wove his tale he had instructed you to gaze into the flames. That was when this day became different from all the others. As the stranger spoke, the flames seemed to dance around the campfire, illistrating the story. You had seen Dylan create the F-series, you had seen the terror that was the scorpion, and now you had seen 9 jump from the plane. But the stranger was silent, not continuing the story.

"What happened?" you ask, "What happened next?"

Although you could not see the stranger, you could tell he was smiling.

"That is a story for another night. Don't worry though, I have nowhere to go."

You wait to see if the stranger would continue, and he did.

"I have many a tale to tell, many a yarn to spin. Look closely as I show you."

The stranger waved a hand over the flame, and you notice he wore a fingerless black glove on his left hand.

The flames rose up again, showing several boxes connected by lines. He pointed to the first box in a horizontal line.

"This is the story I told you just now, and see here?" He pointed to the other boxes on the line, three in all.

"There are two more stories to tell to this plot, and a third that takes place much later in time, but all are connected. You cannot understand one without understanding the one before it." He then motioned to two boxes that branched off from the second box, which you can only guess will be the second story.

"These two stories take place at the same time, and will greatly explain the time perioud between the second and third story."

At this point you interupt the stranger,

"How do you know all these stories? Who are you?"

The stranger put his hands to the fire, and you notice that his arms are of what looked like white fabric with horizontal blue lines.

"It is my purpose to know and tell stories, for I am a writer."