Finally, after almost a year and a half since I first started writing, here it is - the final edition to my first story. This is the scene that I have been looking forward to writing ever since the beginning, but for whatever reason, it was probably the hardest for me to write. Kind of ironic, really. Anyway, thank you all for reading!

Epilogue

Seven years...

Sometimes, it can be hard to imagine how much seven years can affect a life, a community, a world. The hours and days start stacking up and up and then, bam! A completely different person emerges from the shell of the by-gone era.

For the Hero and his companions, the next seven years couldn't have affected them in a more profound way. Following that momentous battle at Sienne, Tellius was all but re-conquered. The remaining bands of Zadonians surrendered almost immediately after the news of Amaros' death reached their desperate ears. Some were even seen praising Ike as much as the people of Tellius were.

Ike wanted to believe that after that battle, all could return to how it was. How truly naive he was then, when he looked back on it. After what had happened to them, it was truly an achievement that they were even able to rebuild. One does not just live and forget about death and destruction on that large a scale. Ike, for one, knew that he would forever be scarred by the death of his companions and his enemies alike. Such death was not necessary. And not a day has gone by since the day of Tellius' liberation that Ike has not had dreams and nightmares about Lethe's loving face as she passed on into the next world.

In some ways, he envied her. Ike was never the most spiritual person in the world, but it just seemed stupid to him to think that there wasn't something, anything, waiting for them at the end of this tunnel. Hopefully wherever she was now, she couldn't feel the effects of this war any longer.

And then there was Tauroneo. Ike had broken down again when Soren had told the story of the brave man who probably saved the lives of everyone in that room, at the expense of his own. And in the years following the war, Ike was one of the many who proposed a memorial in his image in the center of Nevassa. That proposal was later granted almost immediately.

Those who were imprisoned in Zadonia were released and on the first ships back to Tellius within the month after the war. Rulers assumed their positions and farmers went back to their land, each just beaten and worn as the last. There would forever be a void left in their hearts.

Some good came out of the war, too. Communications with Zadonia increased exponentially over the next couple of years. Trade had been established in that time, and Zadonia, even though the "loser" of the war, offered to help Tellius rebuild. Zadonia also became a much less aggressive country after Amaros, having imposed formal peace treaties between themselves and Tellius as well as with their neighboring nation, Dynastia. General Harod assumed the position of Commander of the army, but that was more of a formality now because it was hardly ever used. Occasionally, Ike would get a letter from Harod, to which Ike would always reply.

Just as Ike had been expecting, and much to his dismay, he became something of a trophy after the war; shiny on the outside and empty on the inside. People would come up to him, begging simply to let them touch his feet. He gave countless rally cries across Tellius. Ike thanked them for their high regard of him, but he thanked the goddesses more when they stopped.

And then, they were back.

"Ike, wake up!"

Ike woke up to persistent shoves to his shoulder as he dozed on the couch in the fort that he had come to know and love. Ike and many of the mercenaries had come here after the war. Ike, Mist, Boyd, Oscar, Titania, Mia and Soren were all that were left of the once-numerous mercenaries. Rolf had grown up and joined the Crimean Royal Knights, and he dropped by every once in a while. Gatrie could be found in bars across Tellius and nobody really knew what became of Shinon. He returned to the fort for a couple of weeks and then suddenly left one day.

Although, it would be wrong to call them mercenaries any more. They were given so much money from the various kingdoms around Tellius that there was no possible way that they could spend it all in their lifetimes. So, they didn't not work much anymore, for which Ike did not complain.

It was now around midday, and Ike had been enjoying a nice nap after a long morning of chores. Or, as Titania put it, "messing around." But Ike just smirked when she said that. It wasn't everyday that Ranulf came to visit. Ike intended to make use of these couple of days with him no matter what Titania said, for it would be two whole weeks until he came back again!

Ike awoke with a start. He had been having a very strange dream, dominated by grotesque blood red forms that Ike could not identify.

With a giant yawn, Ike got into a sitting position and stretched his arms up into the air. When he opened his eyes, he saw his seven year old son standing before him with the craziest look in his eyes. He was tall and lanky, just like his father at age seven. His hair was a pale shade of brown cut short and he, like his sister, had deep purple eyes. Ike had named him Jasek.

"Ike, come one, get up! We have to go, now!"

He grabbed Ike's hand and began tugging as hard as he could.

"What's going on?" He remained steadfastly in his seat on the couch, rubbing his eyes with his free hand.

"Uncle Boyd told me you would teach me to spar today!" Jasek said eagerly. "Come on, we don't have time to waste!"

"Boyd said that, huh?" Ike said bitterly, with a small smile. "I think I'm gonna need a word with 'Uncle Boyd' later."

"So..." Jasek's shoulders dropped in disappointment. "So we're not gonna spar?"

Ike got onto his feet and put a hand on his son's shoulder. "Not right now Jay, but I promise I'll teach you later today. Why don't you go play with Philip while I go do some grown-up stuff?"

Jasek looked up at his father, nodded slowly and rushed off quickly down the hall and out of sight. Philip was Mist and Boyd's six year old son, and the two of them were often seen together. They spent most of their time together plotting some kind of prank on the various elders of the fort, Boyd typically being the main target.

Ike yawned again and began walking in the opposite direction that his son had run off in. Down the familiar hallway he walked, remembering all those months ago, at the end of the war against Ashnard, when the group had returned here. They were merry for all of about a week until they were engulfed in war again.

At the end of the hallway was the door out of the fort and Ike opened it to the breeze and sunlight outside. It was truly a welcoming sight. The field surrounding the fort had changed somewhat, but not for the worse. The flowers were blooming and new trees were sprouting all over.

Right in front of him, some ten feet away, were Mist, Boyd and Titania, playing with two year old Rosie, daughter of Boyd and Mist.

"Boyd!" Ike called with a grin. "I've got something to say to you."

Boyd turned to Ike, as did the other two. "Ah, Ike!' Boyd said as Ike got close. "So, I'm guessing Jay asked you then? Are you going to do it?"

"Well, I kinda have to now, but I can't say that I like it."

Boyd laughed. "Oh, come on Ike, Greil was teaching you to spar before you could walk. He looks up to you, it's time that you show him what you love to do the most."

"Yeah, you're right, Boyd." Ike grinned, then in an undertone added, "For the first time in your life."

Boyd frowned. "Take Philip with you. I saw him and Jasek butting heads earlier, which is probably a bad sigh for me."

Ike smirked. "You're scared of your six year old son?"

"I've been far and wide with you Ike, fighting off the most powerful nation in the world, and I can honestly say that nothing scares me more than those two when they start scheming."

Ike laughed. "Alright, I'll take Philip too then. I'll see you guys in a bit."

As he turned to leave, he saw everyone waving goodbye to him, including the little bundle in Mist's arms.

As he reached the fort's entrance, Ike called back, "She's beautiful, Mist." Mist looked back at him a smiled as Ike turned back around.

Ike walked back into the fort and down the hall with all the bedrooms in it. One of them was slightly ajar, and Ike caught a glimpse of the two kids, close together and whispering fervently. Ike smiled inwardly but passed the room by. There was one other person that Ike had to get to first.

The door at the very end of the hall was closed, as it normally was. Ike's daughter, Angela, was a stick-to-herself kind of girl, and Ike couldn't blame her. In his own youth, Ike used to enjoy the serenity that only his room could offer.

Ike knocked and opened the door to find his daughter sitting on her bed, a pencil on her hand and a bundle of parchment on her lap.

Angela took mostly after her mother. She had shoulder length orange and a short, petite figure. She could pull a temper tantrum ever once in a while but she was usually very charming. Her eyes, like her brother's, were deep purple.

"Hey Angie." Ike said with a small smile as he walked into the room. "What are you up to?"

"Hi, daddy." She replied, and then held up her parchment for him to see. "I'm drawing a picture, look."

Ike walked over and sat next to her on the bed and examined the picture. It was simple and contained only three figures. A man was on the left. He was tall and had blue hair, Ike presumed that this was him. In the middle was a short little girl with orange hair, Angie. And on the right was a womanly figure with vivid orange hair that reached her shoulders, her mother. They were all smiling and holding hands.

Ike felt himself smile. "Her hair wasn't that long." Ike said softly. "Your mother's. But you're absolutely right, she did have bright orange hair."

She frowned. "Since you know so much, why don't you draw it daddy?"

Ike laughed, "'Cause I am nowhere near as good a drawer as you are. Are you finished with this?"

"Yes I think so. Why?"

"Because I'd like to keep it, if you don't mind."

"Well, I guess so." She said with a frown. Ike smiled and put the picture into his pocket.

"Now, I got something I need to show you." Ike said. "Come on."

Ike got up and offered his hand to his daughter. She took it and asked on the way out the room, "Where are we going daddy?"

"You'll see." Ike led her down the hall but stopped at the door which he knew Jasek was behind. He pushed open the door, and the two behind it jumped about two feet in the air in surprise.

Ike laughed at their reactions and could hear Angie giggling too. "Don't worry, you two, I'm not here to punish you. Jay, I have something I need to show you. Sorry that I have to take him off your hands, Philip."

"Aw man..." Philip sighed as Jasek trudged over to his father.

"Hey, listen, I'm going to teach Jay how to spar a little later today. I'll let you come along too, if you do something for me."

"Really?" Philip asked giddily. "What do I have to do?"

"All I ask is that you pull off a good prank on your father while I'm gone. Can you do that for me?"

"Oh boy, can I!" Philip hollered in delight. "I got just the thing, thank you Uncle Ike!"

Ike grinned. "Well, I'll leave you to your planning then. We'll be back soon."

Ike stepped out of the doorframe and closed the door, glimpsing Philip proceed with renewed vigor the brainstorming of prank ideas.

"Ok, let's go."

Ike led the way out of the fort, with Jasek and Angela right on his heels. They treaded off the path and towards the trees ahead.

"A-are we going into the forest?" Angie asked, her voice trembling a bit.

"Yeah, but not very deep in." Ike replied.

"But you forbade us from going into the forest." Jasek said. He too was not as confident as he usually was.

"I give you permission this one time, and anytime that you should choose to return to the place where we are going. Just please tell me that you are going there before you do go." Ike sighed. "Come on, just a little further."

Sometimes, he wondered whether he should be showing this to his kids at all, let alone at their age. But in the end, he had come to the conclusion that they should know, that they had the right to know. Who was he to deny paying their respects to their own mother?

They reached the clearing in a matter of minutes. Ike smiled when they got there and he saw their reactions. Mouth agape they observed the scene before them with deep interest.

It seemed like only yesterday that Ike had shown this place to Mist for the first time all those months ago, and she had displayed a similar reaction to the scene as the two next to him are displaying.

It was a wonderful little meadow. There was a small pond in the center of the scene, and trees had mysteriously stopped growing anywhere within ten feet of the pond, creating a small clearing. It was the perfect place, in Ike's opinion, for Lethe to be laid to rest, and still be within Ike's reach.

Ike smiled down at his kids. "Like it?" He asked, although their faces already told him the answer.

"Wow." Angie said silently, as Jasek stared on in silence.

"I used to come here all the time as a kid." Ike said. "That pond always helped me to relax. If anything was wrong, anything at all, I would come here to make things right again."

For a few minutes they stood together in silence, observing all that was going on around them. Birds were chirping away and wind was causing little ripples in the water.

"Is this...Is this all that you wanted to show us?" Jasek asked. Ike could tell that he was getting bored, but didn't want to disappoint Ike.

"No." Ike sighed. "Listen kids, this next part might be kind of hard. Don't worry; it is hard on me too, very hard. Take my hand and we'll tackle it together."

Ike offered one of his hands to each of them, which they took immediately. Ike began to walk towards the water. Ike sighed, and then said slowly, "Jasek, Angela, this is where you can come to talk to your mother...This is where she is buried."

Previously unseen to the twins before now, a gravestone was planted right on the water's edge, facing them. Her eternal resting place.

They continued walking and the kids seemed to be taking it well. But Ike could feel a tear drifting down his own cheek. They were too young; they did not even know their mother.

But as they got up close to it and kneeled before it, the full gravity of the situation sunk in. Ike could feel himself losing it, and on either side of him, he could hear his kids weeping too. Ike spread his arms wide and allowed them to snuggle up into his side. He gave them both a slight squeeze and then looked up at the gravestone.

There was no name on the gravestone nor were there any dates. Ike believed Lethe wouldn't have cared for any of that stuff. Instead there were a few choice words etched into the stone, written by Ike himself:

Even if the candlelight gives in,

Still burning is the fire within

"Your fire is burning brighter than ever, Lethe." Ike said silently amidst his kid's sobs. "I only hope that you can see it."