Epilogue - V01 - (END)

After I gained my bearings, I was able to look around, the village was hidden, like it wasn't there, but I knew it was there, I touched the air and it shimmered as I moved my hand. To the naked eye, this might all just seem like fog, but I knew the truth. It was a village hidden by fog in time and space. I heard a noise from within the fog, almost like a portal had opened, I couldn't make out who or what they were, but they looked like two cats I very much knew.

Out of the fog appeared Kuro and Neso. I couldn't help but run towards Neso and bury my face in his chest. 

"Woah!" he exclaimed. The moment went on for a little too long, I could feel Neso and Kuro looking at each other with incredulous looks. Finally, Neso put his paw on my head and patted me softly, tears streamed down my face again. 

"I couldn't do anything for him," I said in between sobs.

"Wait a minute," I said letting go of my embrace. "How are you guys here!?" I exclaimed. "Did you just come from a portal?" 

"That's right!" said Kuro. 

"We talked it over with the elders, and they believe this for the best, you will need royal escorts after all -" they both took one knee. "Sensei," they both said that word like they would die for me. So many things were happening at the same time. They made me blush a little bit. 

"How did you know to come here, to this period, how would you know I would be here," 

"The elders saw you through a vision, they saw the Hopeless Lantern and used magic to track it within time and space, that's how we knew you would be here, for it might have felt like an eternity, but for us, only moments passed between your departure and our new found meeting," 

"Right - time is weird like that," I got uncomfortable. "Oh come on guys stand up!" I said a little flustered, they did as they were told. 

"If we may ask, where is Dragan sir?" asked Neso in a humble tone. 

"He's frozen, inside the void, but that space is purified now, so I guess no need to worry," I said giving them the short answer. 

"This is the stuff of legends!" screamed Kuro.

A beat 

"We need to find Zomearon, so I can make him pay for what he did," I explained with great candor. 

"Don't get excited just yet," said Neso. "If I may suggest, your nest move sir, what about reaching Velodran, it would be much easier to find Zomearon there, and we may hide in plain sight," 

"Dragan is waiting for me, so we need to find him as soon as possible," 

"And we will," said Kuro 

"I don't want to assume," I started. "But you'll be joining me now, is that right?" 

"Indeed," spoke Neso. "We were appointed as your official guardians by the council of Grimalkin, not by their accords but ours, we wish to serve you as your bodyguards if you may have us," 

"That be great help, thank you," I said. "It's just us now - against the world - I wonder what kind of fated adventures await us - " I said looking out towards the mountains. The sun was beginning to set. 

"Only time will tell," said Kuro. 

I still had so many questions that were left unanswered, but for now, I was just glad that I was left alive after that encounter. I was on the brink of death, I just knew it. If the mods hadn't stepped in, I would have certainly been a goner. 

In our final moments of peace, we admired how the sun peaked just from over the mountain, and the wind whistled slowly through the mountain range. The Grimalkin village goes about their day-to-day, and new opportunities arise, with bittersweet feelings. 

I know we must move on; for those trapped in time who are waiting. All is well and a new night breaks across Cronus, time moves onward, and our fate is written by our choices. 

Yet we must persevere, those are the sentiments I hold as we start our new adventure. I'm not sad, or happy, just bittersweet, a tinge of sadness in my body, thoughts of the one I've lost, but in his wake I've gained two new partners. 

Our fates have been intertwined for the good or the bad. I am still here, and I will always be thinking of you, this is not a goodbye, but a see you later.

Until we meet again; Safe travels, little one.

END V01