Epilogue
"We did it!" Wolfie said as everyone landed on the Main Island. "The islands are all back to normal."
"The Silence is over and everything is..." Andy stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Bane and Celtic.
"Bane?" Nate approached them. He laid a hand on the Archer's shoulder.
"She's..." Bane couldn't finish the sentence.
"Celty..." Heat fell to his knees. Frost sat next to his brother, both at a loss for words.
"No..." Latias collapsed to the ground. Everyone was silent. Grim held Joy close to him as they all tried to comprehend.
"She warned us." Shadow said after a while. "But I don't think any of us believed it would happen."
"Where's Ellie, Awesome, and Rain?" Eme asked.
-on the Island of Light and Dark-
"What are you doing here, Rain?" The leader of the Dark Clan looked at his daughter. "And with them?"
"Saving this island... and the whole kingdom." Rain replied.
"This island doesn't need saving." The leader of the Light Clan spoke up. "Awesome, where have you been, Son?"
"Learning the truth." Awesome held Rain's hand. He was no longer afraid of what his father would think.
"This island needs saving more than any of the others." Ellie stated.
"And who are you?" Rain's father asked.
"The Mistress of Light and Dark. Keeping us as captives would be a mistake. Once the others realize we haven't returned, they will come looking for us." Ellie replied.
"I'm not worried." Awesome's father motioned for them to move.
"I refuse to budge one inch, Father." Awesome held his ground.
"If you will not stand with me, you will fall with them." His father responded.
"Stop this nonsense, please." Ellie pleaded. "This war has gone on long enough."
"You are not from here so what do you know about our war?" Someone in the Dark Clan asked.
"My parents were victims of this war. They left everything they had and knew because of this war. I was born on this island; a child from both Clans." Ellie answered. "Your own children are turning away from this place. There a bigger things out there, better thing, but you choose to fight amongst yourselves. Why? What is so important that you aim to destroy each other?"
"Hemera, to think we once called this island 'home'." Nyx and Hemera landed.
"Nyx, Hemera, what are you doing here?" Rain asked the two Rift dragons.
"We came as a request from Astraeus and Eos. We bring news of the Enchantress…" Hemera sighed heavily. "Grave news."
"What's happened?" Ellie asked; a sinking feeling in her stomach.
"…" Rain looked between Ellie and the dragons. She felt strong arms wrap around here.
"Ember has been stopped…" Awesome held Rain tight against him as she shook from the sobs. "Celtic is dead, isn't she?"
"The Enchantress is just a legend. A fairy tale told to children." Awesome's father said.
"She's real. She's flesh and bone. Blood runs in her veins. Her heart is good… her soul is beautiful. She seeks the truth… she puts others before herself. She's the wife of Sir Bane. She…" Rain tried to fight through the tears. She didn't want to believe that Celtic was gone.
"She's gone." A grief-stricken Bane said. Celtic was motionless in his arms. He made it to where Awesome, Rain, and Ellie were standing before falling to his knees.
"What's the point?" Rain knelt beside them. "Was it worth it, Celt? Huh? Was saving a world without you in it worth it?!"
"Rain…" Awesome tried to comfort her, but she brushed him away.
"No! It's not fair! She was so happy. She just married the man who meant everything to her. It's just not fair…" This time she welcomed the comfort.
"You still think that the Enchantress is just some fairy tale?" Ellie looked at the Clan leaders. "She gave her life to save yours. Did she waste her life so you could continue this senseless war?" Bitterness filled her.
"What do we do now?" Wolfie asked.
"We go on. We live our lives the way we were meant to. We find happiness. We make sure her sacrifice was not in vain." Nate answered.
"Interesting…" Nyx said.
"What?" Adriano asked.
"Guardian, close your eyes. Listen to what the elements are telling you." Nyx looked at Bane.
"…" Bane did as he was told. The more he concentrated, the stronger the connection to the elements became. "Oh…" His eyes shot open. He looked at Nyx and then at his wife.
"What?" Simen asked what everyone was thinking.
"She's still alive." Bane said. "It's almost like she took the Silence into herself…"
"How do we break it?" Rain asked. "How do we wake her?"
"Make a circle. Place her and Bane in the center of that circle." Nyx explained. "You will all need to channel your elements to Bane. Bane will channel them to Celtic."
"How?" Bane asked.
"The same way she gave the antidote to you. True love's kiss is a powerful thing." Hemera spoke up.
"So let's get started." Joy said.
"Not quite yet." Nyx said and then looked at the Clan leaders.
"The atmosphere has to be peaceful. There can be no trace of hatred." Hemera explained. "But… the longer she's in this state the harder it will be to wake her."
"Father, put aside whatever started this war." Rain looked at her father.
"Do you even remember or know what started this?" Ellie asked.
"…" Both leaders were silent.
"We don't even remember what started it… and dragons have excellent memories." Nyx said. "The Rift dragons used to call this island 'home'. We lived among the Shadow and Mirage dragons."
"What happened?" Someone from the Light Clan asked.
"Dragons are pacifists by nature… only violent when defending their territory, herd, or human. Both Clans tried to get us to side with and fight alongside them. When we refused, they started capturing us and forcing us to fight. That's when we decided to leave." Hemera explained. Suddenly, there was what sounded like an explosion. Not too long after the boom, two dragons landed.
"Sonnet and Irish?" Simen asked in disbelief.
"We grew into our adult forms." Sonnet spoke. "Together, we can tell you what happened many lifetimes ago."
"Bane, you and Celtic were chosen for multiple reasons. The elements saw the goodness in your hearts but you are also the only two people who can claim blood-ties to each clan." Irish said. "Bane, your very distant ancestor was the very first leader of the Light Clan. He married into the Dark Clan. Their child married into the Plant Clan. Their child married into the Metal Clan… the next generation was the Cold Clan, then Lightning, Earth, Water, Air, and finally Fire. Your grandfather was from the Air Clan and your grandmother was from the Fire Clan."
"That's some lineage…" Nate replied.
"Celtic's lineage is very similar. Her very distant ancestor was the very first leader of the Dark Clan. He married within the Dark Clan, but their child married into the Plant Clan. Their child married into the Light Clan… then it was Earth, Metal, Lightning, Air, Water, Cold, and Fire. Her mother was from the Cold Clan, her father from the Fire Clan." Sonnet added.
"That's all interesting, but isn't it a bit random?" Simen asked.
"So there was a time when things were peaceful between Light and Dark?" Ellie asked.
"Yes." Irish said. "But new leaders took over. The new Light Clan leader claimed that the Dark Clan was responsible for the death of his son. The Dark Clan leader said that they were innocent, but no one in the Light Clan believed it." Irish continued. "The Light Clan leader had already been spreading rumors that the Dark Clan was evil and did nothing but lie."
"Who was responsible for the death?" Shadow asks.
"Nobody knows for sure, there was no real investigation done." Irish answered.
"The Dark Clan was convicted without a chance…" Awesome didn't see much change between then and now. "Things haven't changed much." He looked at his father.
"After a while, the war grew more and more violent. Dragons left the island for a long time. It wasn't until Ellie, Awesome, and Rain were born that the dragons returned." Sonnet said.
"The Rift dragons will never return to this island." Nyx said. Hemera agreed. "There's too much bloodshed marking this island. Both human and dragon alike."
"Was the Dark Clan responsible for the death?" Adriano back tracked.
"No." Irish said.
"You just said that no one knows for sure." Awesome's father countered.
"Let me rephrase. No one knows who was responsible, but it was not the Dark Clan. Those who did a secret investigation believe it was only made to look like it was the Dark Clan. They believed it was someone from the Light Clan who stood to profit from a war between the Clans." Irish clarified.
"Can we put the past away?" Ellie looked between both Clans. "There's no point in tearing families apart for something that happened lifetimes ago. We are all humans; we choose to be good or evil. We have all risked everything to protect what is good in this world."
"It will be hard to just stop something we've done all our lives." Rain's father said.
"The new generations will help if you are truly willing to make amends." Awesome said. The Clans looked at each other.
"Why should we stop doing what we've always done to save this woman? What has she done for us?" Someone from the Light Clan asked.
"She has done more than you will ever understand." Rain replied.
"Allow us." Sonnet said. Irish and Sonnet stood facing each other. An image shimmered into view. It was an image of Celtic as a child, facing the ridicule of the other children on the Island of Fire and Cold. The image shifted and she was now about ten. She was standing at the graves of her parents. Bane recognized himself in the images.
"Bane, is that…" Nate asked. He recognized the younger Archer as well.
"I always watched over her it seems." Bane replied. The image shifted again. Frost and Heat were now her only friends; her only family. Shifting again, the image showed her awakening as the Mistress of Fire and Cold. The battle played out and then shifted into her awakening as the Enchantress. Kululu appeared as the images changed into the battle against him.
"What does this have to do with us?" Someone from the Dark Clan asked.
"We're getting there. But you all still thought she was just a fairy tale, even though she's right in front of you." Sonnet replied. The images shifted into the not-so-distant past. The Silence spreading through the kingdom, and then, finally, the images changed into the moment Celtic destroyed Ember's crystal and the Silence with the help of her friends.
"…" Both Clans were silent as they realized what had been done for them. The image disappeared and the two dragons turned to look at the Clans.
"Now do you understand what the Enchantress has done? Do you understand what this whole group has done for you?" Nyx said.
"I am willing to end this war, if you are." The two Clan leaders looked at each other. "I think a show of good faith would be to allow our children to follow their hearts. To allow them, if it is their wish and desire, to get married one day."
"Agreed." Rain's father stated. He turned to Ellie. "I give you my support and loyalty, Mistress."
"As do I." Awesome's father agreed.
"Now can we wake her?" Joy asked. They all looked at Nyx and Hemera.
"Yes." Nyx answered. They all got into position.
"This feels weird." Heat said as he stood between Andy and Frost. "This used to be her spot."
"Start with Plant. Fire is second. Then it's Earth, Cold, Lightning, Water, Air, Metal, Light, and finally Dark. Once the Generals have channeled their elements, the Mistresses… and Master General… will channel theirs. Guardian, once you can feel all ten elements, you must channel them to her." Hemera explained.
"Will it work…?" Bane started to doubt. Rain and Ellie looked at each other and sighed.
"Not this again…" Ellie said. Bane looked at her.
"It was the same doubt and fear Celtic had when we were trying to wake you from Blue's spell thing." Rain answered his look.
"What if her true love is someone else?" Bane questioned.
"Do you really think she would have married you if she loved someone else?" Awesome asked.
"But what if he's already dead?" Bane thought back to Justin.
"Justin?" Joy asked. Bane nodded slightly.
"I could see that…" Wolfie said. Eme gave him an evil look. "What?"
"Bane, trust me, you're the one she wants." Nate spoke up. "You always have been and you always will be the only one she wants."
"Okay." Bane said. He thought for a moment as he looked at Celtic. He traced the scar around her eye and thought back to the time she had been poisoned and then attacked. He had almost lost her too many times before. He had made a vow to himself back then… that he'd always do everything he could to keep her with him. Now he had to make sure he kept that vow.
"Plant brings life." Grim said as a plant power orb hovered in his hands.
"Fire brings warmth." Andy held a fire power orb.
"Earth brings guidance." Simen was still getting used to this power as an earth power orb appeared.
"Cold sooths the fears." Frost held a cold power orb as he tried to focus.
"Lightning electrifies the emotions." Wolfie tried not to play with the lightning power orb.
"Water calms the spirit." Eme shivered a little as a water power orb splashed her.
"Air blows away the doubts." Shadow said trying to control the stubborn air power orb.
"Metal bring strength." Adriano, like Simen, was still getting used to the powers. He found that the metal power orb was rather heavy.
"Light brings the beginning of a new day." Even Awesome squinted at the brightness of the light power orb.
"Dark brings the stillness of the night." Rain felt the truth of that statement as a dark power orb appeared before her.
"Plant that grows, metal that strengthens." The plant and metal power orbs hovered over Celtic and Bane as Joy channeled her elements.
"Earth that guides, air that blows." Latias channeled her elements and the two power orbs joined plant and metal.
"Lightning that electrifies, water that calms." The water and lightning orbs joined the four already hovering about Celtic and Bane. Bane could feel the six elements come to life inside him.
"Fire that warms, cold that soothes." Heat's face betrayed the calm he was trying to portray. The elements obeyed him and the six orbs became eight.
"Light of day, dark of night." Ellie channeled the last two elements. As soon as the dark power orb was in place, Bane kissed his wife.
"…" When he felt the elements weaken in himself he pulled away and waited.
"Were we too late?" Grim asked. Everyone, including both Clans, watched with baited breath.
"It's my fault." Bane said. "I'm not…" He stopped when he felt a hand on his cheek.
"If you say anything about not being my true love, Archer…" Celtic looked up at him.
"…" Bane was too shocked to speak. After blinking through the tears he managed to find his voice. "Celtic?"
"Hi." Celtic held his face in her hands. "Bane…" She kissed him and then wrapped her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her and held tight as he stood up.
"Celty!" Awesome stopped Rain. "What?"
"Let them be right now." Awesome shook his head.
"Oh, right…" Rain laughed at herself.
"Um…" Heat cleared his throat. "There are a lot of people here… and a lot that would also like to hug her."
"Right." Bane said. He was still reluctant to let her go though. Frost and Heat were the first two to hug her. Everyone else has their turn but Rain's was the longest.
"Rain…" Awesome pried her off the Enchantress after a few minutes.
"Oh, right… I'll give her back now." Rain laughed. Celtic found wrapped in her husband's arms again.
"Enchantress, I know you've been through a lot, but you need to figure out this kingdom." Nyx said.
"I don't really want things to change. The islands will continue to govern themselves, and each Clan leader will oversee their respective Clans. The Mistress, along with her Generals, will continue with their normal lives but will also be members of the Court. Any dangers or major changes that affect the entire kingdom will require the Court to meet." Celtic explained. "I trust the Clans to be able to govern themselves in peace and, if confrontation arises, be able to work through it in a civil, peaceful manner."
"Now what?" Adriano asked.
"Now we go back to life as usual." Joy replied. "I'll help you with the Metal element dragons until they get used to you."
"I'll do the same with the Earth element dragons." Latias said to Simen.
"So we're free to return to our islands?" Bre asked.
"Yes." Nate answered. They all said their goodbyes and made their way home. Frost, Heat, Andy, Celtic, and Bane remained on the Island of Light and Dark for a little while longer.
"So, Celtic, where are you and Bane going to live?" Frost asked.
"I'm not sure." Celtic looked at her husband. "You still have so much work on the farms."
"You have the dragons to care for." Bane replied.
"What's Heat going to do?" Andy asked.
"I was hoping that I could continue to travel around for a while longer." Heat replied.
"We could always go back to what it was until we work something out." Bane suggested.
"Oh…" Celtic wasn't sure what to say.
"Excuse me… might I say something?" Zazara stepped forward.
"What are you doing here?" Frost asked, recognizing her.
"I… this island is my home…" Zazara replied. "I regret my recent actions… but I was hoping those could be forgiven."
"You protected us from Ember after the crystal shattered." Bane spoke up. "What is on your mind?"
"Farming is usually a solitary task?" Bane nodded at her question. "I could take over the farming…"
"Go on." Heat said.
"Bane and Celtic could live on the Island of Fire and Cold." Zazara explained. "Bane… or both… could travel to the Farm Island every few months or so just to check in."
"Could work." Celtic thought out loud. "Bane could still oversee the farming but wouldn't have to be there all the time."
"Sounds like something worth considering." Bane replied.
"Yeah…" Celtic looked away and the walked over to Claddaugh and Sonnet.
"Bane, no offense, but sometimes you just don't think before you say something." Rain said before joining Celtic.
"Huh?" Bane was confused.
"You suggested keeping things as they were until something is figured out…" Awesome tried to explain. "Now, when something is offered, you hesitate."
"Oh…" Realization dawned on Bane. He made his way over to his wife. "Celtic?"
"…" She didn't face him. Rain took her leave.
"That's not what I meant." Bane lifted her chin so she had to look at him when she opened her eyes. "You know I have to think things over. I don't usually jump into things."
"…" Celtic took a shaky breath. When she didn't say anything, she felt his lips brushed hers.
"I keep hurting you…" Bane rested his forehead against hers. "But why can't you believe me when I say that I'm never letting you go?"
"I know." Celtic sighed and then opened her eyes. "It's just… people tend to leave me regardless of what they say. It's hard to believe that anyone could be different and want to be around me."
"Celtic Star, believe it." Bane kissed her. "I want to be with you forever. What do you think about Zazara's offer?"
"I think it's a great idea. You could take a week or so to train her. Then we could visit every few months. I have to check in with the Main Island about that often anyways." She replied. "It's ultimately up to you, though."
"Come." Bane interlocked his fingers with hers and they headed back to the others. "Zazara, I think we'll take you up on the offer."
"Great!" Zazara was getting her wish. She would be on her own, but she would be a part of something bigger too. "When do I start?"
"Tomorrow." Bane laughed. "Looks like Heat can still travel."
"Sweet." Heat replied. He said his goodbye to everyone before turning to his brother and sister.
"Don't be a stranger." Frost hugged his brother.
"Take care of yourself, Heaty. Visit every once and a while, okay?" Celtic hugged him. "You will remain Master General of Fire and Cold. The elements will still obey you."
"Take care of each other." Heat looked at Bane and Celtic before heading into the vastness of the kingdom.
"When things are established, you have to visit." Celtic looked at Ellie, Rain, and Awesome. "Or send word so we can come visit you." The three nodded.
"We'll send an invitation to the wedding whenever it comes up." Awesome teased. Everyone laughed but they knew he was only half joking.
"We're looking forward to it." Bane said. They all said their goodbyes before Bane, Celtic, and Zazara headed to the Farm Island. A new era of peace was beginning: the Kingdom of the Elements.
The End.