Kingdoms United Academy [DRAFT ONE]

ii. EPILOGUE

7 YEARS LATER

     The four of them sat at a round table in the Under-realm palace.

     What were they doing there? Possibly discussing a trade alliance, or maybe just catching up after years of being apart. No one but Criss, Cinder, Crispy, and Linnea knew. Synistar and Lucy stood watch outside the doors. 

      Crispy had left the academy after Pythias's death. He was to be the next king, he decided, not for power as Pythias had sought but for widespread social and economic reform. Under his guidance, national policies sprung up to drive out the wildlife from areas of commerce and shelter, make healthcare of all kinds easily available, and start up commercial farming.

       The rest had continued going to school. None of the three had ever spoken to their parents further than a simple "how are things?" over the phone. Criss took a gap year before inheriting the throne, and visited Crispy to assist with rebuilding. Linnea and Cinder made their relationship official.

      Despite Cinder's constant jokes about it, Loretta had not been declared a war criminal by Helianthaea nor had she been blacklisted from visiting the country. The Ironforged officially declared themselves no longer an empire and relinquished their remaining Gryphon Wilds territory to the Everdawn which they had originally taken it from. 

      Crispy's Black Rot was gone, though he still occasionally experienced lightheadedness and motor issues. He'd spent a while closing the unstable Tethers and worked with Synistar to build a far more stable gate in one location that led to an isolated Ironforged fort far from any other town. After expending such magic, though the operation was risky, the rest of the disease had been surgically removed. He was now missing a chunk of the flesh in his neck, which faintly resembled a hand if someone were to look closely.

      Finally, the doors opened and the four young adults left. 

     Linnea grabbed Cinder's hand, to which Cinder responded, "That's pretty gay, bro."

      "We're literally dating?" Linnea asked.

     "Still gay," Criss stated. 

     Crispy was looking over at Criss's hand. "Can we hold hands?"

     "Sure," Criss responded. Crispy grabbed their hand and looked contented, though his face had a slight blue-green tint now.

     "Gay, gay, gay," Cinder chanted, pointing at the two.

     They continued chanting until everyone else joined in and the "gay" chant no longer had a single target. Rather, everyone was collectively saying they were all gay and forming a little gay circle of power.

     "Ah, right, we were going to buy those shark plushies," Cinder reminded herself.

     Criss nodded. "Yeah, we should probably get on that before the store closes."

     The four of them left the castle through the gate for another, though mundane, adventure. The quest for the shark plushies.