((Here it is. The final chapter.
...You know I'm writing a sequel, right?))

An odd assortment of skeletons and otherwise stood before a very strange tree. Several among them were sobbing, holding one another. A dozen white sheep were gathered there, standing silently. Their hooves were brown, and they carried the scent of apples with them.

Kin, the green Voice of Fortitude, sat on the very edge of the cliff, his backside to the yawning drop behind him as he stared up at the face in the tree.
It appeared to be sleeping, for the most part. It looked like wax had run down its surface, hardening into thick strips of fibrous material and concealing what once had been teeth from view.

The heterochromatic leaves rustled in the breeze, violet and gold fluttering softly, held up by dark, green-tinged wood that was nearly black. The roots spreading out around the frozen feet were blue-black, anchoring the being into the ground.

Life was standing unnervingly still, holding a quiet conversation with Evolution, who kept peering at the now tree. It was in full bloom, dozens of flowers hanging from the branches. The sweet scent of apple blossoms filled the air, though not entirely natural.

The yellow and violet blooms glittered with unusually reflective pollen. A multitude of honeybees had gathered around, a new colony having decided to gather on one of the many branches. No one had the strength to try removing the young hive yet.
".. They're still present." Life finally lifted her voice, though she sounded distant.

Horror, Dust, Killer and Cross all fell dead silent, straightening to look at her. Their faces consisted of varying degrees of hope and terror. The goddess hesitated.
"I believe.. I can feel echoes. Very faint, but still there. For the most part, I feel Emotion. She is very tired. She has.. essentially been at war with herself ever since all of her fragments joined together."

She clasped her paws together, considering what to say next. It was Eve who took over the conversation.
"It may just be possible for your beloved halves to return, though it cannot be here. This.. this is an incredibly fragile state. It can be very easily shattered. Leaving them here is unsafe."

Silence reigned for a minute or so. Elva stepped closer, quietly setting her palm against the tree, over what had once been their hand. Now, gnarled tendrils melded into the surface of a leg.
"I can't feel these echoes." She stated flatly. "Only her pain."

"It requires age and experience to find such things, little one." Life murmured. The starchild scowled, but did not move. Beats slowly copied her, flinching multiple times before finally resting his hand on what had been a shoulder. He scrunched up his face and held his other hand near his headset, before lowering it again. He pulled away then, tapping her shoulder repeatedly until she stepped back too, to which he set his hand fully on her meager frame.

"What do we do." Horror sounded painfully hoarse, regarding the immobile tree.
"They must be moved." Eve explained simply.
"How do you move a tree?" Dust whined, a bit of hysteria in his voice.
"These roots are not developed." Life went on to say, crouching as she brushed her paw against a few tendrils. "They have not grown deep as a tree should. It.. it looks as though they simply anchored themselves here. It is likely not even one of them is more than a meter deep. It would not be difficult to transfer them elsewhere."

"Do you really feel them there?" Cross asked softly, clutching his twin blades uneasily. Life gave him a gentle smile.
"Do you remember the lights in the sky?" She asked instead.
"What does that have to do with anything? That's not what he asked." Killer snapped, grayish tears dripping down his face as he glared.

Life patiently ignored the outburst. "Those lights each came from one of us. Did you see one or two lights from this tree?"
Cross blinked at that question, shifting on his feet as he thought back.
"..Two. Mostly yellow and purple. They were like ribbons."
The goddess smiled, letting them figure out what that meant.

Dust simply choked on his breath, scrabbling to press a hand against one of the thicker roots. Horror whined, staring at the now tree.
"How the fuck do we get them out of here? Where do we take them?" Killer demanded wheezily.
"Where is it safe for them?" Cross questioned, a desperate plea in his lights.

Life frowned thoughtfully at the tree, and one of the strange sheep brayed softly.
".. Nowhere in Alagaësia is safe." She gently intoned.
"We can't just lea-" Killer cut off at the reedy whine from Horror. Dust spoke his thoughts in a low voice.
"They gotta go east with Blue n' Eragon, don't they."
"It is the safest solution I can imagine." Life admitted.
"Wherever they settle, it will be as far from others as they can possibly be. Even if we transferred them instead to Du Weldenvarden, those forests are too far north for an apple tree. The trees they do have are altered to survive the climate and are still well protected.. but moving them to one such grove would be cruel."
It was silent between them all for a while after that.

"I'll go with 'em." Horror ground out, standing slowly.
"Me too." Dust said quickly. Cross nodded with a grunt. "I'll go."
"No one here really wants anything to do with us anyway." Killer growled out vehemently.
"What of the Varden?" Life pointed out. "They see you as heroes."
Killer's face twisted up in loss at the reminder.
"I don't know, okay? I just.." He trailed, helpless.

It was Eve who spoke her wisdom.
"Monsterkind is not yet ready for you. Not yet. They will have their need of you soon, but for now, you may help by returning the balances to what they should be."
She held out a hand then, twitching her slender fingers.

A moment later, a light emerged from the waxen bark, cyan and around the size of an apple. It pulsed, meeting her hand and turning a more aquamarine hue, rippling.
In the pause, it lifted from her palm, expanding to a pumpkin size as it circled the tree once in a single second.

An instant later, several dozen more spirits emerged, varying in color and size. A few of them were dark, muddied hues and resembled faint smoke. They vibrated angrily, but did not move to escape.
"What's happening?" Horror rasped, bewildered.

"The Astralle and Dakshen." Eve stated. "That was as they called them. Emotion is currently unable to maintain their own balance, but with our kind here, neither are the spirits incapacitated any longer." She gestured vaguely, and the spirits all disbanded, many shooting off in different directions. A few paused around the strange sheep, the creatures baying back without fear.

"Why are they here anyway?" Killer questioned, annoyed by the mammals.
"They are epimēlides." Life explained. "They see an important apple tree, so they must protect it."
"They could've used that protection before." Dust snidely remarked.
"There were no epimēlides then." Life sighed sadly, brushing a paw over one of their heads. The sheep brayed softly, looking up at her with knowing eyes.

"I don't see how sheep are protectors, though." Cross pointed out warily.
"We fail to see why skeletons should be crying over trees." An unexpected, accented voice startled them, looking over to see a feminine woman covered in white wool. Her hair was long and just as curly, skin startlingly green. Her pupils were slitted sideways, several of the sheep were gathered near her.

It was a startling realization that her lower half was less human, her hooves a darker green. They would have relaxed somewhat if it weren't for the fact that she was completely nude, only her wooly fur concealing her form.
"..Oh." Dust muttered in shock, staring at her green, angled, elf-like ears.

"There is much they do not know." Life assured the sheep woman. "Please forgive them."
The epimēlide nodded her chin at the goddess, squinting at the skeletons as she retreated around the tree. Another sheep stepped around the other side, still squinting.

Kin was the only one able to see the full transformation, being the one sitting mutely on the edge of the cliff. He made no comment, tail twitching.
Horror shook his skull, shoving his hands in his pockets. "You gonna try to stop us from movin' them?"

Several heads snapped toward him, staring unblinkingly. Horror stared back, utterly still.
"You understand our reasons." Life defended him, though no eyes regarded her.
"They wish to help. It would be better to cooperate with them instead, as difficult as it may be."
"Did you just call us difficult?" Dust asked.
"No." She stated.

"We do not like mortals." Another sheep nymph proclaimed, rising up on back hooves to take a more humanoid shape. "Especially ones so shrouded in death and violence as you." She spat in disgust.
"Insult us again and you'll add to those numbers." Dust warned, phalanges twitching.

Killer stepped forward, ring eyelights flickering as a few black tears ran down his face. "If you try and take Nightmare from us, you won't even hear us coming-" "Both of you, if you would please." Life interrupted.
"WE'RE NOT LEAVING HIM." Killer screamed at her.

The goddess blinked at that outburst, leaning back somewhat as she let it slide.
"I have no intention of separating you. You are better suited to care for them in your current state than others. I want you to cooperate."
"We cooperate just fine!" Killer argued snappishly.

"I do not mean with each other. I mean with them." She gestured to the not-sheep staring vehemently before facing them herself. "And I would ask the same of you."
"Why should we stoop to work alongside such creatures?"

All four skeletons bristled, and Life sighed, pinching between her eyes exhaustively.
She shared a look with Eve, who simply quirked an eyebrow.
"I believe I understand Nightmare now." She muttered before facing the epimēlides once more.

. • ° ° • .

They had a week in Ellesméra. Blue enjoyed showing off in that brief span of time, and if the others' behavior was any indication, the dragons and Eragon did as well. Saphira and Draco gladly showed off their sculptures from the Agaetí Blödhren, that of licked stone and bone wind chimes. Drakon and Papster were delighted at the artworks.

GB was more inclined to obsess over his unhatched children, studying them with gleaming eyelights as a few would twitch in their eggs. His brother would often settle down and try to think of names, though it became more of an excuse to bond with his brother when each one was shot down. GB wanted to see his children before naming them. Draco seemed to agree, humming deeply when he regarded the pile.

For the Riders, showing their siblings (both actual brother and brother in name) the various wonders across the capital took up much of that time, days rolling by as they fell into discussions. Carrot was fascinated by it all, gradually loosening up to share bits of the Underground with the humans.

But at the week's end, they were somewhat dismayed to find Blödhgarm messaging them that he and the Eldunarí had arrived at Ardwen Lake. Ink was still with them, though he frustratingly slipped off to help out random displaced people and creatures of the Multiverse. He seemed to need less rest than even the elves, though they only experienced waking dreams.

It was nice to find that Roran and Carrot, along with Arya and Fírnen, wanted to join them up to the edge of Du Weldenvarden. Of course, Carrot wanted to stay near his brother as long as possible, and it was clear Roran was of a similar sentiment- even if he'd claimed to be curious about the far side of Alagaësia. Katrina was staying behind with the baby, Ismira.

With dawn came the time to leave, Katrina sobbing as she said goodbye. The infant only sucked on her thumb, blissfully clueless. Blue watched from a few paces back until the woman dragged her cousin in-law and husband over to embrace him as well.

It surprised him greatly when she thanked him for everything. For helping Eragon even when he did not need to.
"It was the least I could do." He explained kindly.
"Your race is far too kind for Alagaësia." She'd responded, shaking her head with teary eyes as she let them go.
"We are made of hope. It is what we are." Was all Blue could say.

Even that didn't seem like the right thing to say, so Blue eventually accepted that they had to leave. He settled into GB's saddle in front of an awkwardly anxious Carrot, the skeleblaster wriggling now that he was with his eggs and carrying them off to new lands to grow in safety. He called out goodbye to the woman as he took off, Draco following with Cuaroc in his talons, Drakon and Papster climbing into the sky in excitement.

Saphira and Fírnen were among the last to take off, Roran seated behind his cousin as the dragons roared.
The thunder turned eastward and flew into the morning sun. There was a good chance most of them would never be seen in Alagaësia again.
Wyrda weighed heavily upon them, yet simultaneously pushed them onward.

It took almost three days, but late on the third day they spotted Ardwen Lake, big like one of the Great Lakes in the Multiverse. Such lakes no longer existed, now lost forever to the Void. It was an unsettling feeling.

There, anchored on the western shore beside the city of Sílthrim, sat an elegant ship with white masts. Blue recognized it in an instant. Wyrda was moving, things were falling into place, and more frequently was he reminded of the glimpses it sent him.

There were twenty elves on the ship, all willing to leave to help raise the dragons and soon Riders in uncharted lands.
When the dragons landed and those that rode with them settled into the city for a night's rest, Carrot quietly admitted.
"For some reason that boat looks familiar."

"That is because it is inexorably tied to Wyrda." Blue murmured then. "It was always meant to be."
"Does it really?" Carrot asked.
Blue only smiled sadly at that.

The next day, Eragon was able to remove two eggs from the not quite inventory to give to elves picked by Arya to protect. They would be sent to the urgals and dwarves to find a partner to hatch for. If they found none, they would switch places. After that, the young Riders would be trained by Arya and Fírnen until old enough to fly to wherever Eragon and Blue settled. They knew it would be far.

As everyone boarded the ship, named Talíta, the dragons circled overhead, holding their own conversations. Blue was mildly amused to find Drakon playfully nipping at Papster's tail.

The next couple of days were spent drifting across the lake, then the river, bubbling with the snowmelt. Birds and squirrels chattered and cried from the trees that surrounded them. The dragons became a bit distant in those days, Saphira and Fírnen often lying on the riverbank with overlapping talons.

Draco and GB were found outright cuddling, smaller found draped across the larger more often than not. Drakon and Papster started getting into odd play fights, a game to get the most nips on the other until one of them called to stop. Draco seemed particularly intrigued by this, watching as GB looked on in vague curiosity. Blue was starting to realize they might not be just games.
He didn't want to think too hard about that.

Eventually the ship drifted out of the woods and onto Eldor Lake, which was even bigger than Ardwen. Shortly thereafter, a storm blew in and waves soaked the deck for an entire day.
Everyone else was miserable, but Blue couldn't help but stand in the pouring rain and grin at the rejuvenating nature of it. Shapes flashed in the dark clouds, illuminated by lightning in brief seconds. Creatures of the storm. The wind drove the ship forward, pushing it further than it ever could have gone without it.

The weather cleared and they sailed past Ceris, whereupon the Edda River flowed into the open plains. Despite stating that they'd stay until the end of Du Weldenvarden, Arya and Fírnen remained on the Talíta. Everyone spoke just a little quieter, as if sensing the approaching farewells.
It seemed to make Carrot even more nervous, afraid to leave his brother.

Thankfully the bubble of silence broke when they spotted the trading post on the merging point of the Edda and  z Ragni, Hedarth. Carrot had gone frightfully silent upon learning the name.

To their surprise, an enormous gathering of dwarves stood on a newly built pier. The surprise turned to excitement when they split up to reveal their king. Orik raised the hammer, Volund, over his head as he hollered across the water.
"You didn't think I would let mine foster brother and friends leave without saying a proper goodbye, now did you?!"
Blue barked out a laugh of surprise as Eragon called back. "Never!"

They docked long enough to leave the ship before the Talíta departed to anchor at a calmer section of water. Thus the party of dwarves cheerily greeted them, Orik proudly showing off four enormous Nagran roasting on thick trees. He gleefully pointed out the largest as his kill.
The dwarf king then happily revealed 13 barrels of the dwarves' greatest mead for the dragons.

The feast then began, silent as was dwarven tradition as Orik tested the meat and declared it good. Voices swelled around them and Blue excitedly rambled about his own time spent with the dwarves to his brother, going on to introduce him to those that came up to him as well.

That evening, Orik had a servant bring him two caskets filled with gold and jewels and handed them to Blue and Eragon each, calling them small tokens of their friendship. He then went to Saphira and gifted her a silver and gold ring for her talons.
"It is a special ring, for it will not scratch, nor will it stain, and as long as you wear it, your prey will not hear you approaching."
The dragon was delighted by this, letting the king fit it on her right paw, middle talon.

He then approached GB with a band of silver accented with gold, a single blue gem embedded in its center. He'd stated that it was more of an armband, though its enchantments were the same. GB gleefully clasped it around his left ulna, going still when the king turned to Draco with a matching- if not larger and more gold- band.

The dragons thanked him for the gifts, Draco having his on his right ulna, sitting down by GB's left side so that they might compare their gifts more closely.
Papster cooed a little at the sight, GB slapping him with a wing as Drakon chortled good-naturedly.
They ended up staying the night.

Despite intending to leave at dawn, Orik was already there, leading them to breakfast. It wasn't hard to give in- none of them really wanted to leave.
So they started talking, eventually being guided to the rafts the dwarves had used to bring the giant boars down from the mountains. The king managed to rope them into staying for dinner. After that, bards performed for them.

Orik then encouraged lightly, sadness in his eyes. "Stay another night. It's dark and no time for traveling." Blue winced, regarding his brother as Eragon glanced at the full moon with an equally pained smile.
"You forget, it's not so dark for me as it is for you. No, we must go. If we wait any longer, I fear we may never leave."
With a barely audible sigh, Orik spoke. "Then go with mine blessings, brother of mine heart." And hugged the human.

He then brought out horses from the stables, horses for the elves, and definitely bred by them as well. Blue took that chance to hug the dwarf king, Orik pounding a hand over his spine before letting go.

Wordless farewells spoken, Blue slowly climbed onto his given horse, not used to such riding. Sure, he learned once when Black found those willing to give lessons and decided it would be a fun activity for the three swaps to take part in. The memory of Razz encouraging his white speckled black stallion to jump the fence and gallop down the road brought a smile to his face. Blue only jolted when Carrot climbed after him, acting nonchalant despite glancing at Roran. Blue understood, then. Not leaving, not just yet.

The four horses raced alongside the river until the lights of Hedarth faded from view, whereupon they slowed. Their voices were quiet, talking about whatever light subjects crossed their minds. There was no use bringing up hard subjects, not now. So they were gentle with their words as they rode.

Finally, they ascended a low hill where their ship resided on the opposite bank. The sails were down, gleaming faintly in the moonlight. The deck was crowded with hooded figures and faintly gleaming gold leaves, likely watching them. Looking out, they could see the river spreading out across the unending plain, a wobbly line of line against the darkness. Blue felt his brother stiffen up behind him.
Despite that, they urged their steeds forward, even slower than before.

Eragon pulled his hood up then, staring at the scene with haunted recognition. He knew. He'd seen it too. When they arrived, they all got off their horses without a word. The elves emerged from the ship, forming two lines and setting their spears to the gravely earth, standing like statues.

"This is where we part, then?" Roran spoke for all of them, Eragon holding out his casket of gems. The boy nodded, and Blue faced his own brother. Carrot had his face slightly scrunched up, staring down at him.
".. I'm sorry I wasn't a better brother to you." He whispered.

"Don't apologize. You're my little brother. I'll always love you, no matter what." He straightened the slightly stained hoodie with a small smile. "We will see each other again. You know me." He explained while checking him over.

Finally, Blue met Carrot's sockets. "You know how to find me."
"I.. I don't.." He whispered.
"Yes you do." Blue assured, pulling him down to reply. "You know my name in magic. You can find me."
"What if I forget-" He shushed him.
"You won't forget." He murmured in wingdings. "You never do."
"Bro.."

"I want you to promise me something, Papyrus."
"What?"
"You will find me when you are ready. And only then."
"How do you expect me to know when that is?"
"You will know." Blue assured confidently. He knew because he felt it in Wyrda.

Despite the piercing ache in his Soul, Blue stepped away, Carrot trembling but watching him go without a sound. Blue joined Arya and Eragon then, and together, the three of them strode up the elf lined path and onto the ship.

There, the Wyrdvrangr stood with hoods up, surrounding the unusually still treeskeleton.. except something was different.

Blue understood. He knew. A part of him knew the moment he realized they hadn't appeared the moment they reforged the pact between dragons and Riders. He held his breath, hearing nothing but pounding silence.

"Hate got them." Dust whispered, stepping to the side to reveal several silvery white sheep laying on the roots, chunks of earth clinging to the tendrils.
"But they'll come back. They just need a safe place. You don't mind, right?" Horror asked faintly.
Blue shook his skull. "No." He murmured.

He turned to look back at his brother and Roran left behind on the shore. The ship began to move, drifting down the river without wind, without oars. He could see Carrot's orange tears from the shore, silently crying.
Beside his brother, Roran threw back his head and screamed.

The long howl echoed across the night, seemingly magnifying the loss.
And yet, Blue did not cry. His Soul ached, but no tears fell. Not yet.
He moved to the prow next to Eragon, only a few feet away as the boy stood directly beside Arya, watching the river ahead. Blue just stared back at his brother, that wail still echoing around as he heard the pair nearby whisper to one another.

Then he heard a step, turning slightly to see Arya moving away from Eragon. Her eyes briefly flicked to him as she raised an arm over her head.
"Farewell, Eragon Shadeslayer. Uniter Stareyes." She spoke softly.
Then Fírnen dove in from above, sweeping her off of the ship, winging back towards the shore those left behind still stood upon.

A moment of utter silence washed over them, then above, Saphira keened out of grief.
The sound shook Blue into a sob, leaning over the railing as he fought back a scream of his own.
He had no idea when he'd see his brother again. He had no idea if he'd ever see Nasuada again. He no longer had a home. His family was homeless. Cicállaé.. Cicállaé had become a tree.
Were Dream and Nightmare still in there?
He didn't know. Blue didn't know.

But.. he did know some things. He was looking for a new home. For himself and his people. For all the others lost in this strange young world. He was going to heal what was broken. He was going to unite the new and old, unite what remained of the Multiverse with this world.

GB weighed comfortingly in the back of his mind as a small figure emerged from below deck. Horror quietly approached as well.
Eventually, Blue moved to stand closer to Eragon, and they, as well as Ink and Horror, silently stared out at the unknown lands ahead, where a hundred new stars gleamed in the night sky.

This was a new beginning. A chance to start over, to do things better. It was also a chance to heal. Something more literal, it seemed in Cicállaé's case, at least. And most importantly.. they were not alone.

"... This is a new chapter in our story." He breathed.
And thus, they drifted along the river, leaving behind one story to begin another.
What a story it was going to be.

Until we meet again.
Zeradelsída awaits.
End of book one.