Epilogue

An elderly man stopped at the top of the hill. Bits and pieces of old debris still littered it, though most of the crystal quartz had been carted away years ago. There was an eerie stillness in the air, the lunar eclipse was close to its zenith, soon the earth would blacken, the sun and the moon would shine red and bright for a moment.

He sighed waiting to look up. Life had been long, and it hadn’t been his own. If he had possessed power over it things may have ended differently, and he wouldn’t be where he was now. Behind him to the south, the king, his old friend, watched from the palace terraces. He hadn’t imposed his company on his old friend this time as he had for so many years prior.

“You forced me to do it you know.” Had always been the king’s justification. Today had been different, there was no need to push his companionship on old warrior.

The bell would ring soon and then the old man could look. His skin tingled with anticipation in a way it hadn’t in years.

It’s silly to get so excited over a pipedream.

He almost laughed at himself standing there waiting. But he had been waiting for over sixty years. Groaning he knelt and touched the mountain’s peak, remembering the friend he had exhumed and placed here in the spot where the grass grew thickest and where yellow wild indigo, and chocolate daisies appeared in mass. It was easier to see both of them at the same time instead of prioritizing one over the other.

“It’s almost time old friend.” His hand went to the vial hidden behind his tunic a weary smile wrinkling his face.

A great din rang across the valley up the hill drawing his eye to the sky. “They told me it would be red, but it’s white just as she was. White and beautiful.”

“Yuji.” A voice called to his right. A rush of anticipation drew his eyes, which had long ago changed from blue to rich rusty red.

There standing in the tall grass, in the white light of the moon was the smiling face of Thaddea. She was dressed just as she had been that last time he saw her, her short wavey hair free around her shoulders a smile on her lips, not a thread of fear or sadness left reflected in her beautiful face. “You took your time.”

“He certainly did.” Mirk appeared beside her in the grass. “But that was how it was meant to be I suppose.”

“I’m sorry to keep you waiting for so long.” Yuji stepped toward them his bright eyes shining with thousands of gold flecks in the pale light.

Mirk met him halfway ears flicking irritably, aura betraying his satisfaction at seeing him. “I suppose it can’t be helped.”

Bending, Yuji took the chiding mongoose onto his shoulder. “Admit it you missed me.”

“I will do nothing of the kind.”

Walking away in the spring of youth he joined Thaddea, Mirk reclining in his old place looking pleased and restful.

The eclipse elapsed and light returned to the earth. A slow lazy breeze poured across the tall grass spilling up the hill. The sunshine poured down on the peak shining on the old man who had lain down in a sea of yellow wildflowers, directly between the two graves of his old friends, hand over his heart, a vial of yellow hair in his grasp. Features at last at peace.