Luke

I felt like a part of my soul had been ripped out when Nate died, and now hearing him tell her she had to let him go...we had to let him go, I didn't know how we could. The nine of us had been together for thousands of years, some even longer. How were we supposed to move forward as if it didn't matter? "Now kick some ass, my love," Nate told her. She nodded reluctantly, then lifted her eyes to the rest of us. A groan from Nikolai had us all tensing.

"It's time to finish this," Gray whispered. She pressed a kiss to Galen's head, tears rolling down her cheeks, "I love you so much, my beautiful boy. I pray you stay with us, but if the fates decide otherwise, just know you and your dads are the best thing that's ever happened in my existence." Galen swatted at her hair and gurgled happily in Silas's arms. He spoke softly to both of them in Greek as we all felt the grief move through us.

"You stupid, petulant child," Nikolai grunted as he dragged himself from the ground. "After all I've given you, all I've done for you, and this is how you repay me?" Black tendrils swirled around him as the air grew colder. His magic slammed into us before we could even react.

Owen let out a pained cry as he dropped to the ground, Sean rushing toward him. My head felt like a vice held it as I groaned in agony. Gray tried to shield Silas and their son, but in the process, her own body was ravaged by the demon's magic. Her skin tore like paper as he raged again, throwing another surge of magic at us.

"Do it now, Gray," Nate's voice sliced through the air as other spirits began to echo his cry.

Lifting her bloodied arms, Gray began to chant, "By the rhythm of time unbound, the wheel of fate shall cease to wound. From dawns forgotten to twilights new, I summon forth the paths. Past, present, and future unwind, free these souls from endless bind."

Nikolai let out a rage-filled roar and reeled back as if struck by an invisible force. "Don't stop, it's working!" Kota called out as he tried to help up Victor who cradled a wound in his abdomen.

I felt her begin to tug at all of our magic, pulling it into a single thread bound by her own as she threw her head back and began yelling into the air. "Through shattered dreams, through stillness deep, I break the chain, time release, the curse undone, the loop is broken, the soul is free. Maiden, mother, crone, set the wheel anew!"

A shockwave of light flew out from her, engulfing all of us as it traveled across the entire town. Each soul that was touched, gently faded from view, including Nate. Nikolai's screams filled the air as he burned into dust along with the entire town. When the light vanished, we stood in a field of wildflowers under clear blue skies. However, the moment of peace was shattered by Silas's cry, "No!"

Turning toward him, my heart sank. He held an empty baby blanket in his arms.

Galen was gone.

Nate

One minute I was standing in front of my eternal and my brothers, the next I was surrounded by white light and Galen was in my arms. "Hey little guy, I guess it's just you and I now, huh?" I told him as he gripped my finger tightly. "Only question is, where are we and what now?" I muttered to myself.

"Maybe I can help with that," a soft voice spoke, making my head jolt upright. Galen began to giggle and struggle in my arms, reaching for the female coming toward us. There was a bright aura around her, keeping me from seeing her face. "Hey sweetie, aren't you just the cutest thing ever," she cooed. "May I?" she asked, holding her arms out. I'm sure she saw my reluctance as she chuckled softly, and then stepped closer. I choked back tears. "Hello, my love," she said quietly as I handed Galen to her.

Author's Notes:  Only the epilogue is left.  Have you figured it out yet?