December 31, 2024
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Dust II: Elysian Kingdom
Epilogue — Livin' on a Prayer
The aftermath of the final confrontation was bittersweet, to say the least. However, following Ginger's display of affection, everyone else present gave their encouraging words to the conflicted Dust, who simply accepted that he did all he could to end things the way he believed was just, but Longinus chose his own fate despite that fact. Ahrah in particular commended Dust for his admirable demeanor during all of the excruciating events leading up to this conclusion, while Cyrah added that their Sen-Mithrarin's sense of justice without bounds was highly respectable. Now, Dust had truly accomplished what he was born for.
Due to the success of the ceremony and Dust's transformation lasting for the duration of the full moon, he questioned Lady Tethys in regards to whether Cassius's soul was still dormant or had been restored. Since she regained her attunement to the Life Thread without any guise of corruption, the spirit was able to confirm that only Jin's soul was currently active, resolving that even without reviving Cassius's soul, Dust was able to regain his previous strength all on his own, which he humbly appreciated.
The group eventually returned to Lady Tethys's domain in the basement of Aurora Palace, where Elder Gray Eyes's body lay still since his passing. Sanjin ran ahead past everyone else to kneel before him and let out all his tears. They gave him ample time to grieve, before transferring the Elder's body back up the staircase and out to the small garden outside the palace walls. It was there that the Moonblood army and every Moonblood in the village had gathered with the heroes to give a proper sendoff to their honorable leader of over 200 years. Everyone had their chance to take as long as they wanted to say as much as they needed, with Dust summarizing all their feelings by giving the last farewell before Elder Gray Eyes was laid to his final resting place.
Recuperating after the burial, Sanjin and Corbin went out into the field around Aurora Palace to clean up the discarded armor left behind by Longinus's soldiers that ambushed them. As it turned out, their bodies were merely husks of corruption, no doubt created by the former king to replace the previously defunct royal army and used to spy on his enemies. The duo would have the armor pieces shipped out to Haley's forge, where she could easily melt them down and use their resources for a better purpose.
With the night of the full moon coming to a close, heralded by the sky beginning to shift with the coming of dawn, and after persevering through the ashes of what remained from Dust's first sacrifice all those years ago, true hope for the Moonblood race and the unification of Falana had finally graced their efforts.
A little over a week had passed, and everyone was already feeling a refreshed sense of purpose. With Baelrah in hand, Sanjin and a group of his soldiers journeyed back to Alcaeus Village to lead an effort in dismantling the longstanding prison, so that nothing remained of Toru's horrid leadership and the previous atmosphere of the establishment could be restored. Similarly, Corbin brought his sister Colleen on a scenic trip to the Kojose clan camp, to assist Cordera and Dangodo with rebuilding their Grand Pagoda, the typically rigorous process being alleviated greatly by Delvah's power over earth.
Meanwhile, Ginger, Reed, and Lady Tethys paid a visit to the caverns of Mudpot, where Ginger used Evah's abilities to carve out new streams for the flowing water so even more of the settlement had ample access, while Reed made new friends with some of the younger inhabitants, including one child named Bopo who was very familiar with Dust's travels. In the time that passed since Gaius's defeat, Bopo had become a geologist-in-training, studying the various rocks and crystal formations that could be found all throughout Falana's underground.
As for Dust, Fidget, and Ahrah, they spent the majority of the week preparing seats and decor in Aurora Palace's foyer for a grand meeting where Dust would address the entire village and anyone else in Falana who had been invited by their allies. When the task was done, they naturally made enough time to get some relaxation in, just as all good heroes should after a major adventure, but Dust did finally coerce the Nimbat out of the palace on the clearest, sunniest day since the full moon.
There was still one last promise to keep.
With his partner Fidget by his side, Dust walked out into the forested area to the west of Aurora Village, leaving Ahrah behind so he could take his own break and await the return of the other Elysian Blade heroes with his siblings. Carrying nothing but a small knapsack over his shoulder, Dust led the way as he and Fidget slowly travelled out to the very same glade where they first met over five years ago.
"Ahh! I love this weather," the Nimbat commented, stretching her entire body as she flew down the scenic path. "Even better when we have nothing to worry about!"
"For sure," Dust agreed. "Take it all in! Just gotta make sure we get back by sunset for the meeting."
"Yeah yeah, formalities," Fidget joked. "I'm just thankful to spend time with you that doesn't involve supernatural sword-fighting."
The hero smiled warmly at her. "I'm grateful for this time together too… C'mon, it's only a little farther."
"Good, I need to lay down sooo bad," Fidget yearned, despite not even flying for that long. "By the way, what's in the bag, Mr. Secretive?"
"Haha, you'll see when we get there, don't worry."
Eventually, the duo arrived at one of the small clearings between the abundant trees and shrubs, its grassy center framed by various patches of differently-colored flower beds. Perfectly concise sunbeams shone down brilliantly through the treetops onto the field below, illuminating a clear spot right in the middle for them to relax. The scene caused Fidget's eyes to slightly well up, while Dust's mind instantly cleared as he took in the serene environment, resurrecting visions of his very first moments of consciousness.
"This is the one, alright…"
"Just as pretty as it was back then…" Fidget whispered to herself.
After basking in the sights, Dust kneeled down and took the bag off his shoulder, removing a blanket with a regal pattern which he began to unfold. "Here, Ginger knitted this for us," Dust informed his partner, spreading the sheet across the grass.
"Aw, how sweet of her!" she exclaimed as she quickly dove onto her belly, stretching her arms and legs. "Ahhh, that's the stuff!"
Dust chuckled as he unstrapped his sandals and lifted the Elysian scarf off his shoulders, placing them off to the side before sitting down next to Fidget with his legs crossed. He then reached into the knapsack yet again. "Are you hungry?"
"Uh, yeah! Almost constantly!"
"Haha, then you're lucky I brought these!" he segued as he brought out a few apples, as well as a container of the Nimbat's favorite food, marshmallows.
"YESSS! I feel like I haven't had these in forever!"
Reaching for the treats immediately, Fidget stuffed a few of them into her tiny mouth, while Dust laughed again before taking a healthy bite out of one of the apples. There was a brief silence while they chewed and enjoyed their snacks, reveling in each other's company amongst the tranquil terrain. They finished eating before long, when Fidget yawned and sprawled out her body across the blanket with Dust following her example, laying his legs straight with ankles crossed and putting his hands together over his stomach as he stared up at the trees above.
The Nimbat was the first to speak yet again. "So, um.. are you.. doing okay?"
"What do you mean? I'm feeling great! Aren't you..?"
"Yeah, I am! I'm just wondering… Isn't it weird for us to not have, like, a blade to find.. or someone to fight..?"
"Oh, I get you. It's an.. interesting feeling," he admitted. "The whole time I've been alive, both now and back then.. it was for a defined purpose, a means to an end. I truly believe I wouldn't have returned if there was indeed no further threat to the Moonblood race.. but perhaps it really was Jin's soul remaining active inside me that gave me a second chance, to live a life free of stress. Not even the Elder or Lady Tethys knew the circumstances definitively, but it's alright, 'cause right now.. I'm relieved I can breathe without any urgency."
"Me too," she concurred. "I don't care about the reasons why.. I'm just happy you didn't have to leave me again.. and that you brought me back here…"
"Of course, Fidget… Anything for you," the hero humbly concluded, pivoting his head to the side and locking eyes with her. "I really wanted us to have a moment alone, so I could thank you for everything… I love you so much."
"I-I love you too, Dust.. you know I do," Fidget blushed deeply as she returned the sentiment, before letting out an elated sigh. "I.. I really can't believe we made it here… From our first journey against Gaius.. then five excruciating years without you.. and this last crazy adventure… We can finally.. FINALLY.. have a peaceful life together…"
He smiled graciously as he could feel his emotional resonance matching hers. He then turned his entire body to the side facing her, reaching out his hand to her petite frame and pulling her closer in a loving embrace. "..The life I've always wanted."
"Oh, Dust…" the Nimbat whispered, nuzzling her head against his chest with tears of joy forming in her vast jade eyes. "This time.. we really did do everything right."
"Everything we were supposed to do."
By the time the duo wrapped up their meeting in the glade and they travelled all the way back through the forest to return to Aurora Village, sunset was mere moments away, signaling that the meeting was to begin soon. Dust and Fidget walked up to the palace doors where a large group was surely already gathering on the other side. As they came closer, there were some familiar faces waiting for them.
"Haley! Matti!" Fidget yelled as soon as they came into view.
"Heyyy!" the blacksmith girl shouted back, running towards them excitedly while her brother slowly waddled over behind her.
"Welcome to Aurora, guys!" Dust's face lit up as he met Haley halfway, opening his arms to wrap her in a warm hug, which Fidget squeezed herself into the middle of. Matti also patted both his sister and Dust on the back when he joined them.
"So nice to see you again!" Haley said as they all let go. "Congrats on saving all the Blades of Elysium! Oh, and thanks for having all that extra armor sent to us! I'm working on some killer stuff with the material."
"Awesome!" Fidget commented.
"Thank you, Haley," Dust nodded. "It's no problem! I'm glad it's being put to good use by a true master."
"Aw shucks," the rabbit girl grinned back, rubbing the back of her head. "..So, looks like it's about time to get in there, huh?"
Dust turned to the regal walls, recalling the moment when he first approached these doors after his regeneration. "You bet. Let's do this."
The hero put both his hands forward, slowly creaking the double doors open to reveal the massive crowd made up of Aurora Village inhabitants including Mayor Bram, several Moonbloods from soldier to homemaker alike, residents from the neighboring underground settlement Mudpot, and of course, allies met on the hero's various adventures — Nadia from Aura Village, Cordera and Dangodo from the Kojose clan camp, and surprisingly even the woman who first provided shelter to him, Erin.
Everyone in the crowd turned to the entrance as the doors opened, delight overcoming them as they erupted into applause for Dust's arrival. Slightly overwhelmed, he still smiled wide and waved around to them as he began walking through the center of the foyer to the back where the staircases led up to the indoor balcony, while Fidget flew over their heads to join him on the other side. Lining the railings up top were their remaining allies, the closest of them all — Lady Tethys holding Ahrah in the middle, Ginger and Reed to the right, and Sanjin and Corbin to the left, each of them holding the remaining Blades of Elysium.
Dust and Fidget gave each of them a quick hug before standing in the center of the lineup, sunlight illuminating the grand stained-glass mural of Dust's triumph at the Everdawn Basin behind them. The hero accepted Ahrah from Lady Tethys and turned back to the crowd.
"Thank you… Thank you all," Dust addressed the room at last. "Your support means the world to us in this time of transition. If anyone was unaware, the Moonblood race unfortunately lost their Elder of over 200 years during the past full moon, a result of the disgraced King of Falana meddling with the Life Thread."
Murmurs infected the crowd after that statement, but Dust continued his speech nevertheless. "There's no need for concern. We have taken care of the source of the problem, and everything has been restored to normal! With this resolution, it will be my duty to lead the Moonbloods into a future where they can live their lives as equals to Warmbloods; no more oppression from a royal lineage that refused to allow them true peace. To this end, I will carry on Elder Gray Eyes's legacy not only as Sen-Mithrarin, but as Master Gray Eyes!"
"And yes, we know this is like, the billionth title he has," Fidget hilariously added, earning some laughs from the group, "but you can just keep calling him 'Dust'; much easier!"
"Thanks for the clarification, Fidget," Dust chuckled briefly, before returning to his stoic demeanor. "At this point, I pray that we won't have to face any further opposition to the Moonblood race's survival, but no matter what threat does arise in Falana, we now have five capable Blade of Elysium wielders who can defend our way of life! I am eternally grateful for their resilience and dedication to the Moonbloods' cause!"
Dust then gestured his hands out to both sides to highlight each of the new blade holders, who basked in the glory of their achievement as they all smiled and waved at the crowd, clapping for them just as they did for the hero earlier. When the noise died down yet again, Dust cleared his throat and prepared his closing statements.
"I wanted to thank you all again for coming. You're free to stay as long as you desire," he offered, pondering for a moment before speaking again. "Nobody knows whether I will live as long as the previous Elder, nor if I will pass on to the Life Thread tomorrow.. but I swear, as long as I continue to draw breath, I will devote my entire being to protecting BOTH the Moonblood and Warmblood civilizations, as the new Sovereign of Falana!"
Following that line, Dust took a final bow, receiving one last round of applause that filled the foyer, and everyone on the balcony joined them before gathering around Dust in a group hug. The crowd's praise continued as ribbons and confetti were released from the ceiling to fittingly commemorate the start of the new sovereign's reign.
A revitalizing day had truly arrived for civilization in Falana as a whole.
Nightfall engulfed the land once again. The meeting was enjoyable for everybody present, full of laughter and longing. When the excitement finally died down, Dust took his time to personally say goodbye to every single guest. In particular, he promised Nadia that he and Fidget would stay another night at Hotel Clarity. He promised Cordera and Dangodo they would pay another visit to the Kojose clan camp once their Grand Pagoda was completed. He promised Bopo and his mother that he would guide the young Mudpot citizen into deeper parts of the caverns to help with his geology research. He promised Haley and Matti that they would continue to provide any assistance with supplies to their forge whenever possible. The last guest he said goodbye to was Erin, without whom Dust might not have survived the harsh conditions of the Blackmoor Mountains to even be standing here today.
With the crowd gone, Fidget gave Dust a kiss on the cheek to end the night, as she would be departing in the morning to take a much-needed trip back to the Nimbat forest to visit her tribe. Dust held her tiny paws in his hands and returned the kiss on her nose, leaving her blushing happily before darting to her room. As for the Blades of Elysium, Dust and Sanjin brought them up to the Elder's chamber at the back of Aurora Palace where elegant cushions were prepared for each of them that would provide luxurious comfort, leaving them ready for action at any moment. Ahrah summarized his siblings' feelings by giving praise to Dust for guiding them down the right path, just as expected from his fated swordbearer.
Before heading to bed, Dust checked in on Ginger one last time.
"Hey, you're still up?" he asked as he peeked through the doorway, seeing the Warmblood girl sitting at her corner desk with a dim lamp illuminating the small area around her. Fidget had already been fast asleep, tucked lovingly into her covers.
"Oh yes, but only for a few more minutes," Ginger informed as he fully entered the room. "I was just getting my diary entry done…"
"I didn't know you kept a diary. I.. don't suppose I could read some?"
Ginger giggled softly. "..There's Jin coming through again."
"Haha, well you know… I understand if you want to keep it to yourself, I respect that."
"Normally I wouldn't let anyone see, but.. I think I can make an exception this one time, for my brother."
Dust was elated from her response, giving her a kiss on the cheek. She blushed and smiled gratefully as she handed him the tiny notebook, which he flipped open to today's page and read to himself.
~Full Moon 12, Day 9~
Today was relatively quiet up until the sunset meeting at our precious Aurora Palace. I had everyone invite anyone who Dust made an impact on during his travels; I knew it would warm his heart to see everyone gathered together in a celebration of our accomplishments. It was such a humbling experience for me as well. I'm blessed beyond belief.
It's crazy to think that we had to live through five years without Dust. We thought that after his first triumph, the Moonbloods would have their time of peace at last, and for a while it really was going great, but we had no idea another threat would befall all of Falana, nor that Dust would return to us to put an end to what that dreadful king started. It truly was a miracle, even in terms of Moonblood magic.
I'm incredibly excited for our future together. Although Dust only harbors the soul of Jin inside him, I still consider him my brother in every sense of the word. I've loved him since the day he was born, I'll love him until my last breath, and I will love him even after our souls return to the Life Thread. While he may be the Sovereign of Falana, Dust is still free to have a life of his own, without any more fateful obligations to keep him constantly engaged. Free as the wind.
Now, the Elysian Kingdom can officially begin.
[The End. Whether you've followed since the beginning over 10 years ago, or just discovered this fanfic today, I truly thank you all for reading ;_; I honestly did not believe it would take me this long to complete it, but I am incredibly happy that I committed to it despite the haphazard updates and was able to finish it, something that does not happen for me very often in terms of projects. So much has changed over these last 10 years, but this world and these characters mean so much to me, so I knew I wanted to get this fanfic done no matter what happened. Now it's time to move on to bigger things, so please follow me on Twitter/Bluesky at AvalonGameArts to join me on my video game development journey. Thank you all once again. ~Master Avalon]