Eclipse: Time Thief (Romantasy)

Epilogue 1

None of this was real. But life in my world had taught me none of that really mattered.

Even now that so much time had passed and everyone had reached the after-life, I still would think about what Dr. Henderson had done to my world, my people, and to me. I could feel the blade cutting through her chest when I killed her. Would I do the same today? Was I still that same girl I had been?

I smirked and chuckled to myself.

Life was a strange thing. I never would have thought that I could lose track of years, but I had, and I didn't care to figure out how many had slipped away from me in the after-life. So much had happened in our world before we passed on. Peace had been a nice change in this new realm. Although, I only wanted peace for so long when there was so much work to be done.

Nash held my hand as we walked through the yellow meadow for the gathering of all those we loved. It still felt strange that they didn't have all their memories like we did, but I had come to accept it. At least Nash and I remembered everything from our life. It'd been difficult waiting for Nash to regain his memories, but it was worth it. We'd fought so many battles. He deserved the peace I had never had. The peace of not remembering until he was ready. I was just thankful it didn't take him long to find me again.

As we approached our friends, Dr. Drake met us and took our hands. "It's the day. How do you feel?"

"Nervous," I said.

"I was nervous my first time too."

Leif and Wren came to my side while I looked across the field for the kids. Rune picked flowers with his youngest daughter and smiled at me when I waved. Our lives had become full of so many people. "Good luck," Wren said and looped her arm through mine. "I hope you enjoy your new job."

"You better," Leif said. His eyes looked deeper. Like maybe he realized I was holding something back from him but didn't want to say in front of Wren. Even though they remembered everyone they loved now, they remembered little about our life so far.

"Things tend to be pretty enjoyable in the after-life. I'm sure we'll like it just fine." I watched Nash as he slid his arm around Elsie.

Leif flicked my arm. "We should do some sparring before you go."

I grinned. That was something I would have to do. But first I made my rounds until I found my oldest friend sitting on a bench on his own, looking so content to watch everyone. Piercey had always been an old soul. His weathered fingers laced over his knee as he watched everyone in the meadow. We could be whatever version of ourselves we wanted to be here. A person's appearance often changed naturally depending on who they were with. Lovers might be young in one moment like when they first met and then the next middle-aged with their adult children. People could even become who they never had the chance to be, like children who died young, but found their adult forms here in the after-life.

Piercey was always the same though. I wasn't surprised that he chose this version of himself, this older and wiser man.

"Hello, friend." I sat down beside him.

He smiled at me, the wrinkles of so many past smiles deepening. "Max."

Like me, Piercey never lost his memories. We were potential candidates, but we hadn't chosen to continue toward enlightenment as a team. After all we'd been through, we deserved to choose our own path. And he loved it here in the after-life. All he'd ever wanted was peace. Now he had it.

"You're going off to battle." Piercey's eyes glimmered.

"Not quite."

"Not like the old days, but still, a battle."