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In the time after Jolus the Malignant left the world of Aisis Lip, time slowed and slowed until it seemed to stop, and they just sat there: Doci with his legs beneath him and Kyra’s head cradled in his lap.  A moment that was a minute increment of time and yet also an eternity, immeasurable;

A period of absolute quiet and stillness.
    
Then time started up again, like an ancient machine that had received a jolt of life, and began the motions it knew so well.
    
Doci looked up, looked around the room, saw the empty throne and knew that Jolus the Malignant was truly gone.  He felt Kyra take a deep breath, but remain asleep – she needed the rest.
    
Through the hole where a door had recently sat on its hinges, a group of Ewlaps came running, led by the two who’d helped lead Kyra and Doci to this very room.  They were cheering and shouting with joy.
    
“Hurray for the Chosen One!  Hurray for the Guide!”
    
Doci couldn’t help but smile, as the simple Ewlaps made the reality apparent. 
    
Kyra stirred, opening her eyes and looking at Doci.  There was confusion at first then, when she saw his grin, she remembered all – for a change – and let out her own weak whoop of happiness.  She lifted herself up and they stood.  The Ewlaps ran to them and wrapped their arms around Kyra’s and Doci’s legs.  The Chosen One and the Guide laughed at each other.
    
It was a euphoric moment that felt as if it would never end, but all good times must come to pass, especially when there are plenty more to come.

    
As they walked through the passageways, hand in hand, along with the two important Ewlaps at their sides, they noticed a difference in the castle: it had changed from a living entity into one that was now dead and quickly starting to rot.  Where colors of reds, pinks, and greens had once been, were now shades of gray.  The two Ewlaps led them a specific way, this time without secret tunnels.  The deeper into the castle they went, the more Ewlaps joined them, until there was a long procession following behind them.
    
As they reached the ground floor and Kyra saw the hallway leading to two great doors at the end, the main entrance to the castle, she stopped them all, raising her arms and holding them back.  There was a commotion behind as many Ewlaps bumped into each other and let out childish giggles.
    
“Take us to the dungeons first.  We have some more Ewlaps to free,” Kyra said.
    
The Ewlap to her left looked at her in wonder and then nodded repeatedly.  He led the way to the left down many stairs to the dungeons.  Kyra turned and raised her arms above her head, capturing the attention of the many Ewlaps.
    
“Friends, first we must free more of your kind who still remain trapped in the dungeons below.  Wait here while we free them, then we will all leave this castle once and for all, together.”
    
There were cheers and hoots as Kyra walked down the stairs with Doci beside her.  When they reached the bottom, she saw the rows of cells on each side, large and filled with many Ewlaps who were watching them in confusion.
    
Kyra looked at them all in sadness.  She lifted her arms, making fists, closed her eyes and concentrated.  Then she opened her hands and at the same time there were a series of many clicks and the doors to each and every cell swung open.
    
The Ewlaps didn’t need any more prompting and ran from their prisons in the multitudes, crying their freedom, heading for the stairs and the light and open world above that they hadn’t seen in many years.
    
Kyra and Doci let them all pass and headed back up the stairs with their friendly Ewlap by their side.
    
“What is your name?” Doci finally asked the Ewlap who had done so much for them.
    
“Oh,” he giggled, “it’s Luma.”
    
“And the other who aided us?”
    
“He is called Pet.”
    
When they reached the top of the stairs, there was a new cacophony of cheer for them.  To prevent encouragement, Kyra and Doci let the way to the great doors at the end of the room.  As they reached them, Doci let out a strong kick in the center where the doors met, and they swung open freely, letting in a wall of bright sunlight and fresh air.
    
“Time to head home, Kyra,” he said.
    
She nodded and they began walking. 
    
The number of Ewlaps that walked behind them were so many that it was some time before the last left the castle, never to return.  The doors of the castle were left open and new tenants wouldn’t be arriving any time soon.

    
They walked across the wastelands this time, with the Ewlaps dutifully following.
    
“When do you think they’ll leave and go their own way?” Doci asked.
    
“In time they will,” she replied.  “They have been without a home for an age, but give them time and they will soon rediscover it, or find it anew.”
    
As they walked through what had been an entire stretch of death and suffering, they saw that it was now changing:  all the dead and dying creatures were gone, while the land fought to bring itself back to life with haste.  They could see trees growing leaves again, as flowers and grasses poked their little heads out of the ground, while the cesspools cleaned themselves and became clear ponds where life would flourish.

    
Two days later they reached the mountain range, where Eadmund’s palace sat atop.  Kyra brought the crowd of Ewlaps to a final halt.  They’d made it across the changed land, near the end living off the fruits and vegetables that the land had soon grown, as well as the supplies the Ewlaps brought with them.
    
“My friend and I must leave you now,” said Kyra, smiling at Doci.  “But listen to me when I tell you this:  you are now free, free to do as you please, and this will remain so until the end of time.  It is up to you to find a new land to settle on.  But if you wish to settle in this bountiful place,” she said looking around.  “That is up to you too.  The Ewlaps as a people now have their own choices to make and their own culture to rebuild and develop.  In time, you will become as great and prosperous as you once were.
    
“Pet and Luma,” she said turning to them, “for now you will be the leaders of the Ewlaps and help them as you helped us.  I have full confidence in both of you.”
    
Pet and Luma accepted their appointments and walked away with their people, deeper into the land that had turned into a paradise, where they recreated their civilization.  But that story is for another time.
    

Kyra turned and held Doci close to her, then they lifted up into the air, flew high above until they crested the top of the plateau and disappeared from view.
    
The drawbridge was already lowered when they reached the moat, which was strange.  As they crossed into the fortress, Ketu was there.  He said and thought nothing, but from the look on his face, they knew.  He turned and they followed through different passageways until they came to Eadmund’s room.
    
Kyra knelt at his bedside, while the King lay in bed, moving very little.  He was now very old and very sick, with little time left to live.  She held his hand in hers.  His eyes were half-open, his face a pall of exhaustion.
    
You have done well, Kyra, he thought.  You truly are the Chosen One.

Eadmund’s voice in her head sounded just as frail and near death as he looked.
    
Thank you, she replied in her mind.
    
And my duty, after all this time, is finally completed.  I am very glad to have met you, and only wish we could have spent more time together.  But I am glad you returned.  I feel that Jolus the Malignant is no longer with us in Aisis Lip.  But know this: he is not dead, he is merely not here anymore, in Aisis Lip.

Kyra was the only one receiving this telepathic thoughts.

I don’t know where he is now.  I just summoned the power and opened up reality like he did when he first arrived; I didn’t think about where it led to.
    
That is not important now, he thought.  What is important is that he is no longer in Aisis Lip.
    
A wracking cough seized Eadmund and his whole body shook and shivered.  Kyra gripped his hand tighter.
    
How I wish I could be with you for the celebration in Enchantus, but is seems time will not let me.
    
I am honored to have known you, Kyra thought.
    
King Eadmund smiled at this and then closed his eyes and breathed his last breath.  It was a fitting end to a great king: his greatest enemy had been bested and now he settled down for his eternal rest.

    
Ketu led them out of the palace, to the edge of the plateau.
    
What will you do now? Doci asked through his mind.
    
I know not.  Maybe a new king of the Mesolans will be appointed.  Perhaps not.  We no longer have a need for one.  But Doci, Ketu turned to him as he thought this.  You are welcome back here any time, and to our library, to research the history of Aisis Lip and the history of the Encholans.  And of course, you too, Kyra.  I would welcome either of your company always.
    
I thank you, Doci replied.
    
Kyra nodded in appreciation.

    
Kyra was too saddened and exhausted to use her powers to fly back to Enchantus, and it still would’ve been a long journey if she had done.  She was in need of a very long rest.  So they walked along the same path they’d originally taken from Enchantus, and the journey seemed much the shorter because they knew where they were going and where the path would end.
    
As they reached the Valley of the Altar, Doci prepared himself in meeting his family again.  A long time had passed since the day he’d looked back from the wagon at the tears on his mother’s face.
    
“I just wanted to say,” Kyra said, facing Doci, “thank you for standing with me until the end.  Without you I wouldn’t have been able to stop Jolus.  The Scriptures is wrong: I am not the only Chosen One, and you are not just a Guide; we are both chosen.”
    
Doci smiled at this and took Kyra in his arms and held her tight.  He felt a nervous flickering in his stomach and wondered if their friendship would ever change into something more.  They’d been through a lot together and Doci cared deeply for her.  He hoped there would be more.
    
Kyra had similar thoughts going through her mind as they parted.  They held hands briefly, looking into each other’s eye.  She leaned forwards and kissed him softly on the lips, feeling that warmth and relishing the taste of his mouth.

Then they went their separate ways.  Doci would  joining her soon at the Enchantus palace, along with his family, for the great celebration of their return.

    
When Kyra finally made it back to the palace of Enchantus, she cried a lot; she couldn’t help it.  It had seemed like an age since she’d seen her friends, almost to the point that Enchantus seemed like another world, much like the one she’d originally come from.
    
So when she saw Marie, the tears fell nonstop.
    
“Welcome back, Kyra,” Marie said and took her to her feathered bosom. 
    
In the elevator on the way up to Enchantus Alta, she continued to cry, so happy to be home.
    
When she saw Queen Anita, and saw her mother’s face looking before her - her memories of her family stronger than ever - she cried aloud and accepted the Queen’s welcoming embrace.
    
Then she rested and she slept and she rested for many days, and it was not until a week later that the great celebration for Kyra and Doci started.  The food was plentiful as were the people from all around Aisis Lip.  Even Pet and Luma arrived in time and told Kyra and Doci of their new home and how happy they were. 
    
It was a great and joyous time for Enchantus and Aisis Lip, one that likely rivaled and exceeded the victory at the Bloody War.  The festivities lasted an entire week and the last party goers had to be escorted from the palace.
    
That night, Kyra went to her room and her bed with another well deserved rest before her; the celebrations had exhausted her almost as much as the quest had.
    

Epilogue

After a few hours Kyra awoke and knew not why.  She lifted her aching body and walked out of her room and down a specific hallway.  There was no one about and Enchantus was in absolute silence.

She reached the specific section of wall and waved her hand in front of it.  As the Chosen One, she now had access to all rooms within the palace except those where people slept and lived.

The wall cleared and she walked into the room.  Before her was the raised table upon which the Scriptures sat.  She turned to the familiar page and read the last lines:
    
She is the Chosen One.  You must trust and believe in her fully, only then do you stand a chance of salvation and victory.

All this had now come to pass, as was foretold in this book. 

Kyra turned to the very end of the book, where the most recent entries were, penned by Demto.  The latest entry was three pages long.  Then she saw there was something written on the next page, three words.  It was the last page in the book.  She leaned over and read the small type, feeling an icy shiver run down her spine:

Jolus the Malignant

There was no chapter title, no date, just these three words at the start of a sentence that hadn’t been written yet.  Perhaps the start of something more that had yet to come to pass.

King Eadmund had told her that where Jolus the Malignant had ended up wasn’t her concern.  Those were his dying words.

Kyra thought about how Jolus the Malignant had looked so much like her brother; she’d thought he was her brother for a while there, that was why she hadn’t physically hurt him.

She wondered how it was possible for her mother, father and brother to be in this world, if they were also living in her old world.  Were there two of each of them?  Were there then two of her?

Then she thought what was the worst possible place for Jolus the Malignant to be taken to. 

She held herself, shivering, looking down at the three horrible words, and slammed the book shut with a loud smack. 

She turned and ran from the room.