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The Parting of Ways

As promised, the group of different realities hosted a banquet of sorts from everything in the St. Vincent and Wind of Change, as they waited for Federation rescue squads to come for resupply home. Before that, they had a couple days of mourning for those who had died, many of them came from the three spaceships that protected those on the planets from enemy spaceships. Eulogies were uttered by those close to them, and a burial in space for everyone involved, including the demon hunters.

The party was not a somber one, as they refused to be weighed down by deaths, and also the fact that most of those participating in the banquet had died once already. They started with a toast, then a party with different tones due to a mix of cultures. The music that blared in that post also attracted the attention of other settlements and people on that Patchwork Planet, and they turned up everything to maximum as the whole planet partied.

All reality-altering events had been undone, so everyone who experienced change returned to their last point of reality that they knew. Seraphor and Avila, who were turned into draconians for the duration of the fight and travel, returned back to dragons after everything was over. Similarly, Raithorakh, who chose to be a draconian as he crossed into the Draconian World, changed back to draconian, as did Richard, who returned to his familiar draconian form. They were glad that they were given a chance to enjoy their original forms, but they had found new lives as draconians, so they chose to be those.

Anubis, who was rendered blind during the course of the battle, had his senses returned to him, though he regretted his uselessness during the giant battle, and the fact that he could not see what happened, only hear and feel. He was glad about the survival of both Ifrit and Anarim, once Eshdar, his best friends. The three had endured hardships together, and in that hardship, they learned to understand each other, and regarded the other as brothers. Anarim lived out most of his lives without his friends, but he would always remember the cherished memories of his early life.

The party lasted for days, and what a party it was. They all became acquainted to each other, lightening each other’s burdens, and talked about the realities they were in. They danced, play, and even raced, forgetting the fact that only a couple of days ago, they were the only survivors of the realities that had ceased to exist.

On the fifth day, the Federation Relief Squadron came to the area of space they were in. Astonished with the patchwork planet and the inhabitants, they started to conduct an official research about it, writing stories of the exploits of the heroes that saved all realities, and designed a proper memorial for those who had perished in the fight. Finally, they repaired both St Vincent and the Wind of Change so they could travel with FTL.

In the midst of all this, after everything was over and the party’s wrapped, an Eternal, one who had given them the answer to the crisis at hand, came and congratulated the survivors, along with news of what comes after.

“Simply said, those who do not originate from this reality will return to their home realities, as they should,” he said. “But, there is a problem, however.”

“What is it?” asked Dairyu.

“The immediate problem of the erasure of the universe has been repaired, but damage had been done. The tears opening to different realities will not reoccur, except if you choose to be, but the side effect that caused the phenomena you called ‘Solids’ will need time to be fixed.”

“You mean…those who had died still lived on?” said Seiryu. “Including the horrors of the past?”

“That is, unfortunately, correct,” said the Eternal. “But, I have a feeling that you can minimize the damage, especially since there are none who come after. I predict three months, but you should be fine.”

“Three months,” said Dairyu with a sigh. “Three months of history lessons.”

“Other than the Solids, I guarantee that there will be no other lingering problems, if that’s how you say it,” said the Eternal with a smile. “Ah, well…I suppose it’s time. I suggest you say goodbye to your comrades. You’ll not be seeing them for a while.”

He vanished just as tears opening to different worlds opened for everyone. All around the patchwork world, cities and towns, including their environments, disappeared, leaving a hollow chunk of the planet that was once an out-of-place civilization. It was a magnificent thing to behold, and one that defied all law of astrophysics. Basically, it was as if they were standing on an asteroid, and only sustained by the Eternal’s machinations.

One by one, they crossed the tears after saying goodbye to each other. The first to leave was alternate Dairyu and his crew in the Azure Dragon. They said goodbye to their counterparts, and alt. Dairyu with his counterpart. They exchanged tips and advices, before they both hugged each other goodbye. Both Seiryus shook each other’s hands after some banter of sorts, and they parted with a smile.

The next to go was the crew of Osiris. The Anubis from this reality shook his counterpart’s hand, noting that he missed the times when he could use his senses, but he did not lament its loss, for it was his choice. The still-blind Anubis wished his counterpart luck, knowing that he lost so much in his reality that he was basically a different Anubis. Like Dairyu, they both parted happily, promising that they would meet again if permitted, though each knew it was impossible.

Then, Ifrit and the others were the next to go. They voiced their disbelief of everything that had happened for the past days, as if it was a dream. Ifrit, however, said that they would not forget whatever memory they had made in that world, and that reality.

“I’ll write it as a story, so I won’t be branded as a lunatic,” said Ifrit, joking. “No one’s gonna believe that the deepest bowel of hell is outer space, right?”

“Let’s hope it’s a good story, and not something that will damn anyone reading it. You’re not exactly that good in English, are you?” said Albreich.

Ifrit then remembered that he could communicate with others easily because of the universal translator, and he laughed.

“Oh, well…I guess I can ask someone to translate it.”

“Before that, you gotta learn how to write,” said Anarim.

“Oh, yeah…I still have that.”

“Don’t worry, my friend. I’ll help with it,” said Albreich, patting Ifrit’s back. He then turned towards Dairyu and Pritchard. “And as for you two…I hope you’ll find good life until the end of your time.”

“And for you too, Albreich,” said Pritchard, shaking the demon hunter’s hand.

Albreich smiled, as did Ifrit, Anubis, and Anarim, before they crossed the tear with the rest of the demon hunters, and waved their hands as the tear closed in front of them.

Next were Seraphor and Avila. Both admitted that being draconian was not bad at all, but they enjoyed being dragons, since they still had children that would not believe their stories, as they were still young, or even anyone else, despite of all impossible things that they both had experienced.

“They might think I’m telling a story out of a book or something,” said Seraphor. “Still…they might believe me. I don’t know.”

“They won’t,” said Avila. “You’re kinda notorious for referencing something we don’t know. Dragon Realm clearly mess up with your head.”

“Hey! It’s not my fault!”

“Don’t worry,” said Avila, nudging him while smiling. “I believe you.”

They then turned to Raithorakh and Richard.

“You know,” said Seraphor. “We still keep your homes just as it is, in case you change your minds. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime.”

“Thanks, but no thanks,” said Richard. “Our home is no longer in Main Continent, Sera. Like you, I have children and wife. Kijte is in college, so I cannot just go and disappear like that.”

“Heh. You really are living your life there, huh? How about you, Ray? Found your place in that world?”

“Have I told you the reason, Sera?” said Raithorakh.

“No, you haven’t.”

“Ah, well, it is hard to explain, but…”

“He’s planning a space program,” said Richard to a surprised Seraphor.

“That’s one of many things…”

“And hoarding gold.”

“Not gold, Richard.”

“Easier to explain it to dragons that way. Anyway, we’ll really miss you. Say hello to the rest of the Order, and Avila, tell your father to be more sociable.”

“He is quite a sociable fellow, but still eccentric,” said Avila. “I hope you can meet him sometimes, Ray.”

“I don’t think that’s possible after this,” said Raithorakh. “But thanks.”

The two dragons then crossed the tear, and as they say goodbye, it closed in front of them.

Finally, a tear opened for Raithorakh and Richard, who did not immediately cross the tear, but exchanged some words with the crew of Wind of Change for a while, longer than other farewells.

“Remember to dismantle the portal generator after this,” said Raithorakh. “And destroy it. It’s not that we don’t want unwanted guests. It’s for your own sake, and the recovery of the realities.”

“We understand,” said Dairyu. “How about you? Will things return to normal back home?”

“Don’t worry. That is my home beyond the tear,” said Raithorakh. “We might need to give a little explanation to the agents, and a little housekeeping for historical problems, but we’ll manage.”

“Orthan will understand,” said Richard to Raithorakh. “I’m his boss.”

“Well, if that’s the case, then, I won’t have a problem of it. Thank you, all of you, for a chance for adventure. We severely need it.”

“And thank the ancestors we survive,” said Richard, smiling.

“Yeah.”

They then cross the portal, waved back towards the crew, and as the tear closed, smiled for the last time towards the crew of the Wind of Change, grateful of everything, and grateful of the quest of a lifetime, one that they would never, ever forget.

Dairyu sighed, knowing that everyone from different realities, their unconventional comrades of arms, had finally gone back home. He then turned towards Pritchard, who was supervising the dismantling of the command post.

“What are you going to tell his relatives?” said Dairyu. He knew it had been three days since Lunera’s death, and that his body was in a coffin headed to Terra, along with many others who wished to be returned in their wills and testaments.

“The truth, of course. That he died honorably, saving the universe,” said Pritchard. “It’s truly a shame that he is the final victim of this battle, but…we can’t turn back time, can we?”

“I’ve never bothered to ask, but, how long have you known him?”

“Since the Academy days. I was sent to study in Luna Base when I met him, a local who never saw Terra and could not step foot on it, despite of being a draconian. I was perplexed by his height. Lunarians are quite tall, but he was a draconian, so he was very tall, almost like a giant, at least for me. We became quite good friends, and we even got posted on the same ship when we graduated. In fact, I persuaded some people to let him be my first officer on St. Vincent, instead of on Pineapple Express.”

“He was drafted for the inter-galactic journey?” said Dairyu, surprised. “A Lunarian?”

“There are other Lunarians on that ship, too. I was frightened that I would never be able to see him again until my death, while he would still live on in suspended animation for three hundred years until the ship reached the First Fleet. I thought that St. Vincent, being a hospital ship, would be the safest place for him. I was so wrong.”

“You couldn’t have known this would happen, right?”

“Yes, but still….” Pritchard sighed. “Well, I suppose life is quite a mystery, after all. I hope he’s resting peacefully in that fifth dimensional plane, conversing with his ancestors or anything he believed in.”

“Don’t worry,” said Seiryu. “He will.”

“How about the big girl, though?” asked Dairyu, referencing St. Vincent. “It hurts to know that she’s beyond repair.”

Pritchard sighed. “It is sad. I’ve been in command of the ship for 5 years, and truth be told, she is unwieldy and is clearly a big target in sensors. The fact that she was a hospital ship made it worse. But, like those who died honorably, I will make sure that she’s remembered forever, as the hero of the universes.”

“Anything to remember her with?”

“Nothing much. My cabin’s in pieces,” said Pritchard with a chuckle. “Anyway, we still have this shuttle, and the Relief Squadron has already evacuated St. Vincent. It’s time for me to give her the final rites, as we captains say when the ship under our command retires.”

“Will it be a spectacular end?”

“Oh, it will be. She had survived the end of all realities, saw it returned, and survived to save the remaining crews to tell others of her exploits. St. Vincent will be remembered forever.”

“And she will be. I won’t hold you, Pritchard. Do what you must do. See you back home.”

Pritchard nodded and walked back towards the shuttle, smiling and waving his hand towards the draconian. It then flew away towards the crippled, but still able, St. Vincent, to give preparations for her final rest. Pritchard had made sure that her hull, one that showed her name, would be taken in as a memorial, along with the surviving plaque commemorating her maiden flight. When everything of significance had been taken care of, Pritchard would set the self-destruct sequence of the ship, overloading the ship’s reactor, and let a silent light show danced in the darkness of Sector Z0’s space. But he would do it after Dairyu and his crew returned to space.

“I suppose we’ll go back, too,” said Dairyu. “And let Amhyr know.”

“Don’t worry, Dairyu,” said a familiar voice. “He already knew.”

The black Orient turned to see a white-furred wolf sitting near him. It looked at him with intent. At first, Dairyu thought it was the wolf goddess that had been communicating with Rose, before he realized that it was Rose.

“Rose,” said Dairyu, surprised. “You’re back!”

“Not for long, unfortunately,” said Rose. “I am no longer a three dimensional being. I will return, sporadically, to meet each one of you in the Wind of Change, and those that are not here. It may take a while, and I might screw up the timetable, but I’ll be sure to see you all.”

“So, you’re a goddess now?” said Capisa.

“In a sense of word. Not like Leviathan, though, Capisa. I am a patron god, not keeper of the afterlife. Anyway, I’m here to say goodbye to you all, and to say thank you, personally, to everyone, to give me, a girl out of her time, an adventure of her lifetime. Dairyu, Seiryu, Capisa, Xsatuki, Dajar, and Calventis. Thank you.”

Everyone nodded, smiled, and waved their hands, as Rose smiled and disappeared. Capisa turned to Dairyu and said, “You know, this is the best experience I have ever got, ever since I met you on that planet.”

“Yes, it is. But, it is time for you to find your own adventure, without me bothering you in your life. As do everyone else.”

This surprised everyone on the ship, but not Seiryu. He had a feeling Dairyu would say this one way or another. He kept it until the end.

“When we get back to Terra, I will lay down my sword and my armor,” said Dairyu to the crew. “And retire the Wind of Change. This girl is finally able to rest now, as do her owner.”

He then turned towards the rest of the crew. “I suppose you all have plans after this? I hope you do.”

“I’ll return to my people,” said Calventis. “My pilgrimage is complete, and it is time to help father, and to prepare for the succession. I hope all of you will be my witness.”

“I think I’ll go with Capisa,” said Dajar. Then he turned towards Calventis and smiled. “But, I think I’ll work with Cal, if it is possible.”

“I will go back to my old life,” said Capisa. “But, uh…I might take a more…grounded job this time.”

They all smiled to each other, knowing very well that they had known something to do for their lives…except Xsatuki. His status was different from the rest of the crew as he only joined the crew because it was to grant immunity for him, a captive of a pirate ship that was also considered a criminal in Saurian law. He realized that, if he chose to leave the Wind of Change, he would be apprehended, as he would no longer be under Dairyu’s protection.

Dairyu, aware of this, walked towards Xsatuki and said, “Don’t worry. Terrans like someone interesting, and you fit the bill.”

“Won’t they complain about space? I’m not exactly…space-saving, you know?”

“Ah, don’t worry about that. I’ll think of something. You’ll manage. In fact, in my country, we believe that snakes bring good luck when they are spotted in shrines. There are some white snake deities in our mythology, too.”

“I’m not exactly a white snake, you know.”

“Nah, don’t worry about that. But, eh…it’s going to be hard for me. I don’t have any homes, and my ancestral home is turned into a museum. Also, there’s the matter of Natsu…”

“Wait a minute,” said Seiryu. “Why are you roping my mom into this?”

“Because, Seiryu, I promised to marry her when this is all over. Or, did you forget about that chat back in the station?”

“Oh, that. So, you’re really going to be my dad?”

“Kinda awkward when you said it like that, but yeah, I’m ready, if only for three months. I still need to arrange her return to Terra, though. We’re practically homeless until then, and I don’t want to live the rest of my life on a space station.”

Seiryu nodded and chuckled.

“Now, let’s get this girl in space and begin our farewell tour, eh?”

“Yeah,” said Capisa, smiling. “Let’s.”

He then went back to the pilot seat, with Seiryu beside him, turning on all systems and engines, but was halted by Dairyu.

“Oh, and don’t forget to dismantle the interdimensional portal when we get the chance,” said Dairyu.

“Alright, then.”

They resumed their flight, and as they reached space, Dairyu said, “Come on, girl. Let’s go home.”

As they leave the planetoid, it slowly drifted away, and finally, after the ships reached a safe distance, the chunk that remained of the patchwork planet was finally caught by the nearby black hole’s gravity, and was pulled into it, leaving no trace of the battlefield to decide the fate of the universe.

And so, the Wind of Change flew away, back towards Terra, with a couple stops in between, for the final journey to her and Dairyu.