Once Upon A Fae

Epilogue

"You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."

Mahatma Gandhi

Epilogue

Faith stood in the muddy field. Head turned up feeling the warmth of the weak spring sun upon her face. Taking a deep breath in, she searched for the well of her power and as she exhaled she slowly let the blue healing light out. Soft tendrils of comfort and peace caught in the breeze and encompassed the surrounding buildings.

For the last three weeks the new compound had been shrouded in a miasma of grief and guilt. Only Jaden and Micah were unaffected. The young were just pale apparitions of their former selves. Their laughter lost to the ravages of war. Screaming through the night and silent by day. Then there were their protectors.

The warriors that had accompanied them were broken in a way that Faith was unsure she could ever fully heal. Desolate, defeated. The face of each trainee etched in their minds filling them with a guilt that was not their burden to bear.

As for those that had been left behind they fought valiantly each day to ensure a brighter tomorrow. The warriors had started a secret exodus. All those that the council was targeting were being secreted to safety either through Valerius's village or the stronghold in the mountains that was now Faith and Dmitri's home. They were then set up in new places outside of the council's purview. Safe to live happy, care free lives.

News of the warriors traveled with the innocent that were sent to safety. Luch and Asa were busy organizing their medics as Shiraz planned battle strategy. But news of Dmitri's brothers in the Diablo Crèche was heartbreaking.

Ebon, Calix, and Zypher were broken from the devastating betrayals. Calix had joined Dmitri and Faith. When asked if he wished to stay and fight he had told Shiraz that the only honor to be had in war was protecting those that could not fight. Now he spent his days training the young in not only fighting techniques but also the history of the Warriors.

Calix was a shell of the proud warrior Faith had first met, only leaving the house to fight and train. His voice had been ravaged by Shiraz's battle bite and was now just a graveled whisper in the wind.

Zypher was lost in the wind. Connecting with no one he laid in wait for the true battle to begin. Hating the council almost as much as he hated himself.

Ebon was the most lost. He had idolized the commander. Had supported him in all things. His guilt now hung heavy in his heart. As reparation for what he saw as his part in the council's dealings he now fought harder then ever before. Taking risks with his and his teams lives. Trying to get all the injured to safety.

As for herself and Dmitri, they did what they could to protect themselves and the children from further threats of the council. They prepared for the new life they would soon bring into the world. But more importantly they lived each day to the fullest. With hope. With faith that tomorrow would be brighter then yesterday.

So as the sun broke over the trees, Faith tried the only thing she could think of. Enveloping the compound in a healing fog hoping against hope that the long process of healing could finally begin.

As she felt her powers wane she let her hands drop to her side. Today was just the beginning. It would take time for the jagged wounds that had been inflicted on her family to heal.

Turning, Faith began to walk back to the main house. In the distance the sound of saws running and hammers pounding broke through the silence of the dawn heralding new beginnings.

Through the kitchen window she saw another beginning. Jamie smiling up at his Dimi. It was small. It was quick. But it was a start.

Little steps. And with each step they took they would emerge stronger and more resolute. Protecting their people from the tyranny of a power hungry council. Building new lives centered around love and family. Building a new world centered around peace.

The End

Thank you all for reading.