ELDRITCH NIGHT (Rough Draft)

Epilogue

"Tiller, you sure this is going to work?" I asked.

"No idea whatsoever," he answered, "Telvy assures me it will, but she made me work out all the calculations on my own, and she refuses to check my work. So, you know ... "

"Great," I patted him on the back, "I'm sure you've got it in hand. This coronation needs to go over without a hitch."

"And you're sure you have your part under control?"

"My training wasn't finished, but I can do this much," I sighed. "It's not much, but it will help Charleston survive while I go do what needs to be done."

"Fuck off, you think any of us are letting you go alone?"

"We'll probably die, you know? We'll be fighting literal gods and ... worse. Much worse."

"Look, I know you don't believe this, but I know one thing," Tiller's voice got deeper and took on a cadence like his uncle's, Father Belk, when he was preaching. "There is only one God, and he is a loving God. He wouldn't give us this challenge if there weren't any hope."

"Thanks, Tiller. I appreciate the words." I turned to leave, "Oh, if your master stops by, can you send her to the bridge?"

"Sure ... not like she ever talks to me, though. I'm only her apprentice."

"Fantastic. I'll be up there for the next several hours, but I have some errands to run before the ceremony tonight."

I made my way through the narrow passageways of the USS Yorktown. It was strange how what had once been my prison had become like a second home to the Charleston survivors. The old aircraft carrier was becoming a floating city that already had a fledgling economy.

As I made my way towards the flight deck, I passed several of the survivors. Each gave me a polite nod, but none talked to me. My strange appearance had given life to many rumors about my connection to Eldritch Night and everything that had followed. If only they knew the truth.

I wish I didn't.

I opened a hatch to a clear sky. The pillar of light still dominated the eastern horizon, but the fog had cleared enough that the natural light of the sun bathed the deck of the ship in cleansing light.

I breathed in and enjoyed the heat on my face. It was a small pleasure. One I had taken for granted in the past. As I stepped onto the grey deck, a large kingfisher circled my head before perching on my shoulder.

"Everything set, Fisher?"

The bird nodded before pecking at my ear. I pushed it away and it darted upwards and quickly disappeared. The bird spent most of his time scouting for enemies. It was a task I needed the survivors ready to take on sooner rather than later.

Already they had several promising warriors and mages, but they were sorely unprepared to take on the worst of the threats. There wasn't a person among them who could take on a Behemoth King, or even one of the tentacled beasts I knew lived far below the currently still waters.

Tonight, I would change that. It would give them hope and someone to rally behind. It would also give them a powerful weapon, if everything went right.

"Hey, Finn!" I heard Catayla's gruff voice. "So ... did you talk to Tiller?"

"He says everything will be ready. I trust him."

The smooth skin between her sapphire scales turned a subtle shade of purple. "No ... I mean about the other thing."

"Oh, yeah. He's just waiting for you to make the first move." I hadn't spoken to Tiller about it at all, but I wasn't going to play matchmaker for two grown adults. "I'd say go for it tonight, during the celebrations."