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Epilogue: Farewell

Just a few days after Asha had admitted that Mark was working on a project, it was over with.

And so somehow Luma allowed Asha and Mark to bring in a 'surprise' to her as she sat on her bed, her feet swinging off the edge. Waiting for something that was supposed to make her happy for the first time in days. It was strange- she had done so much, but it was all over. Everything seemed bland in comparison to her earlier misadventures, and she had lost motivation to do the simple tasks and chores available to her now.

Simply put, Luma was bored and unhappy. And whatever simple thing Mark was doing for her wasn't going to change that, she knew that.

But still, there was an element of hope inside her- a small, hidden belief that maybe, just maybe, Mark had figured out how to bring her back to her family and past life.

Or, Luma realised, he could bring them to her. The possibility had barely registered in Luma's mind when she heard the brief, short knock on the wooden door, and it opened, slowly, as if it was a dream.

And so Luma didn't move when she saw her sister Cassidie, or her mom, or her dad. Instead, she covered her eyes, rubbing fiercely. It's just a hallucination, she thought to herself. Stop making up things that aren't real.

But when she opened her eyes, there they were. A gasp had caught itself in Cassidie's throat as she stared at Luma in astonishment.

"You're actually here." Luma whispered, her voice ragged. "For real?" The redheaded girl studied them as though to make sure they were still her family. Cassidie's bright blue eyes and strawberry blonde hair, her father's salt and pepper hair and slight smile, her mom's smile-wrinkles and dark russet ponytail.

"Yes." answered Cassidie quietly. "We are here. And so are you."

***

Cassidie couldn't believe it was real. It was all so strange, almost as if the whole story was something to belong in a storybook. And that was another thing- Luma was practically a hero now. She seemed different too, as though she had suddenly grown up a little too much when she hit 14.

She looked about the same- same wavy russet colored hair, although it didn't quite shine as much as it used to, although it wasn't like she would have had easy access to shampoo when she crawled through foreign cities or dealt with deities. Same eyes, too, and it wasn't like the rest of her had changed much. If anything, her freckles had lightened. But that was the only visible change.

But there was something different about her, and the way she spoke and moved. She'd become a little more thoughtful, a little more comfortable with the people around her.

Cassidie felt as though she was underwater as Luma spoke happily, explaining the strange set of events she had gone through to reach the point they were at now, the other people occasionally breaking in with more information to add.

The new people, too- there was Mark, the one who had tracked Cassidie's parents down to bring them to Luma, whom had quietly let them know how he was 'the first werewolf.' There was also two other teenage girls, one a darker skinned girl by the name of Asha the other a blonde by the name of Emersyn. Two adults, whom seemed to be a sort of couple, Kinglyn and Carressa.

It wasn't much, but Cassidie felt completely overwhelmed and unable to think properly. For once, it was Luma was acting the part of older sister, and Cassidie was the unknowing one

But Cassidie was certain of one thing. Luma may never return to their house, but Cassidie supposed that your house wasn't always your home. Maybe, just maybe, it was where you were happy. Where your family was. Where your friends were.

And watching Luma laugh with Asha and Carressa and Ema getting to be comfortable with one another, Cassidie knew that whatever the case, Luma didn't need to worry about not ever going back to their house.

They had reached their serendipity.

And so this tale has ended happily, despite the unusual odds stacked up against our young protagonist Luma. Or alternatively, our rather prehistoric protagonist Mark.

Perhaps the dreaded shard storm that started us off on the ever-going swirl of adventure truly was a stroke of luck brought upon us as we set off on the quest. As a narrator, I don't usually see this sort of luck or magic in a story.

And I am proud. Because somehow in the creation of this story, I became attached. Luma is my girl now, and this is a story that I don't think I could forget if I tried.

It's over, but not for good. Because I know that someday I'll end up back here, in this world, if only for a little while.

So goodbye, and farewell. I'll miss you.

A/N: I guess it's over. Thank you to whoever in the future is going to read this (Well, I hope someone in the future will read this. Completed works usually look more appealing, right?)

This epilogue is short, I know, but that's how it needs to be. And the last few chapters felt rushed, but that's because there was no story to tell at that point, I guess. Because this story has been a part of me for two years, I didn't want to drag it out. This is the end, although the end isn't necessarily forever.