When Aria, or me, heads back to Earth, feel free to play "The Call" by Regina Spektor. The song actually relates to what's unfolding in the scene.

Epilogue:

"Never Say Goodbye"

After saying a round of goodbyes, Aria met up with Frodo outside Crickhollow. There, Frodo used the hilt device to create a portal. Aria went through the portal first, followed by Frodo. The two hobbits arrived in the limbo world Flaminus, just outside the elven city of Glamïre. Aslan was waiting for them, as was the Emperor-across-the-sea.

"You have done well, hobbits. You've come far on your separate journeys, but now you must part for a time," said Aslan.

Aria sighed in regret. "Does this mean I won't come back?"

The Emperor-across-the-sea chuckled. "You will, child. One day soon."

"Come. The way back is just outside the Ketterwold Forest," said Aslan, leading the way.

Frodo told Aslan, "I know I was warned what the Feral Mountains would do to travelers. I never expected to survive the mountains, nor find the Torch of Light."

"What's done is done, Frodo. You did very well in your task," said Aslan.

Aria noticed the wild flowers were kept at bay. She knew only one guardian responsible. "Rhyme."

"What?" asked Frodo, concerned.

Aria said, "I was just saying that Rhyme is keeping the wild flowers from coming after us."

"She must like you," said Frodo.

"I'm surprised she didn't mention you, Frodo," said Aria.

Frodo chuckled. "What? At least that's one less guardian I need to worry about."

When they came to the opening, where the lone wooden door stood, Aslan told the two hobbits, "This is where we part ways. I shall wait until Aria has left, before I regroup with the Emperor-across-the-sea."

"At least I get to come back," said Aria. She turned to Frodo, "I guess this is goodbye."

"What goodbye? We'll see each other again," said Frodo. He said, saddened, "I shall be watching you, even when you don't know it. We'll meet again at the unexpected moment, but I would keep my eyes open, if I were you."

"I guess we'll never say goodbye," said Aria.

Frodo shook his head. "No, we won't. I'd hate to say goodbye. It would sound too permanent, and that's not right."

Frodo and Aria kissed for a long while. They embraced soon afterwards. Aslan waited until Frodo and Aria released before roaring at the wooden door. It opened, revealing nothing on the other side. Aria walked towards the door. She looked back at Frodo and Aslan. Aria showed tears, before giving the two a grin.

As she walked through the doorway, Aria's garments changed back to her pajamas that she wore when she left Earth the second time. From the other side of the doorway was her bedroom. Aria looked back at the doorway, but found her closet standing there instead. She closed the door as she walked into the living room. It was morning and her dad was still in his pajamas. Aria's family dog greeted her with a wag of her tail. Her dad finished his phone call, before turning to Aria in baffled bewilderment.

"Aria, where have you been? You've been gone for three days," said her dad.

"Has it only been three days? I thought it was longer," said Aria.

Her dad hugged her and gave her a kiss on the head. "I'm glad you're back. Where's Frodo?"

"I guess he has business elsewhere. Did anyone call me, or ask for me while I was gone?" asked Aria, curious.

"There was a group of people that came, and a woman that looked like Maleficent – except she had these huge brown wings. They were asking for you, but I said you weren't here," said her dad.

"I've been with Frodo and we had an adventure," said Aria.

As she started explaining her tale, her dad listened intently. Aria wondered if he was truly listening to her story. In spite of being back home, knowing that the villains were looking for her, Aria knew her adventures had only just begun. She knew the only way she would see Frodo again was to keep her eyes open; the same for her mind and heart. He would come back to retrieve her. The only question remained was when.

Here ends the third part in the Epic Struggles series.

This story was fairly difficult to work on, since I was doing my best to keep the conversations natural, knowing there was a self-insert in the story. So far, I think I did a good job. The last part of the Epic Struggles series will have a self-insert, me, returning to the story. It's called The Final Stand and should finish the series, since the villains are still out there and the prophecy about Frodo and Aria's fate, as well as their job, should also come to completion.

As for acknowledgements on this story, I would like to thank ValueMyHeart for reading and reviewing this story. I'm glad the insert with her and SweetDarkSilence worked out well. I want to thank BoricudaPinkRanger for favoriting and following this story. I also would like to thank all the readers who have been keeping up with this series. I really appreciate it.

The next two chapters are bonus chapters, only this time they're all the deleted, alternate, and extended scenes that were left out of the story. Some or most of the deleted scenes help shed light to situations in the story that weren't explained well enough. Some deleted scenes I enjoyed writing and found them quite funny or moving.

See you in The Final Stand.

Aria Breuer

Update - 9/27/2023: So now, we have the title for the last fanfic of the first version of my Long Series, in which the Epic Struggles Series was at the forefront. So, with this fanfic nearly done, I'm going to be rereading the entire first version of my Long Series and seeing about writing the last fanfic for the Epic Struggles Series - Version 1 - titled, The Final Stand. In the meantime, enjoy the bonus chapters for this fanfic, finishing off this fanfic with a bang! :) Enjoy! :)