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*Maddy coughed and looked at Gwen. A tear began to roll down her face* Gwen...*Gwen looked at Maddy* I cant feel my legs

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Maddy's next words nearly stops Gwen in her tracks. She fights off the emotions that threaten to cross over her face. She can't react, she can't panic. That's not what Maddy needed right now. "You are just in shock" she lies. "You'll be okay, I promise." The two finally return to the tunnel, where Gwen is quick to drop Maddy off in the room where Barry, Tani, and Emi are located. She is quick to explain what happened to Emi. Gwen places Maddy on the spare bed and gently squeezes Maddy's hand. "Hang in there. I'm going to find Irin and Star" she tells Maddy.
But she doesn't immediately leave. She hangs just outside the room, sliding down the wall and holding her head. She allows herself to slowly break down. The worst had to be over. It just had to be...

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Emi worked quickly to judge the damage on Maddy to the best of her ability. Blossom was much better at diagnosing these types of things, but she was tending to Tani now. Emi rolled up her sleeves and got to work.

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As an elder member of the Circle, Tirik Aon had taken a bit of authority in cleanup. Half hearted orders were distributed, and everything was a fair bit done. But something was tearing him in two, even as bodies were buried and honored. He stood in a large, blackened zone, nearly twenty yards in diameter. Damage was fairly minimal, and the edges were just barely crisped. But the center of the circle was a deep pit, where stone and earth alike melted. In his hands, Tirik held a knife, the blade of the late Drakonov family men. Irin and Chakti, both had been dead friends to him. But Irin had died too young. Tirik, over ninety years old, had seen many young men perish in battle. Irin, though, had left something behind. He had built a legacy from just a few days. Holding the knife gently, Tirik moved up to the wall, where the two pieces of a mighty kanabō laid. Tucking the knife away, he picked up the pieces. At Mead's Tavern, Irin had given very strict instructions. Tell Gwen what happened if there's a crater afterwards. Tell Maddy that she has my blessing, as a noble Draknov, in anything she does. Tell Gwen she knows where the key to defending everybody is, she saw me stow it away. Tell them if I die, Tirik. Tell them that if we win this war. Tirik always kept his word, no matter what. Closing his eyes, he kissed the handle of the kanabō and felt a tear slip down his cheek. "You will be honored, my friend. A giant among men. Gwen and Maddy will know that you brought this to an end. They will know that you are a legend, now. A hero to the weak and defenseless. You will never be forgotten." Holding the kanabō pieces gently, as if they might turn to dust at any second, Tirik started towards the tunnels, where he knew Gwen might be. He had seen the mysterious Gwen earlier, carrying who might have been Maddy. Tirik walked slowly, as if he were praying as he walked. He never closed his eyes, though. He always kept them forwards. He kept them focused, away from grief for now. And he entered the tunnels, his mind half fogged in sorrow.

Paper crinkles in her pocket when Gwen finally gets into a sitting position. She takes out the note that Dylan had given her. She chokes in a sob as she reads it.

Gwen,
I'm sorry for all the pain and suffering I have caused. But I am being honest when I say that I had no choice. I wanted to protect you-... All of you- but it wasn't very easy. War is hard, you know that yourself. When I was out tracking Talla, I got captured. They threatened to kill you if I didn't comply. I was going to make things right, but I'm assuming that I'll be unable to if you are reading this letter. Give Tani the powder, that is the antidote to heal her. I hope one day you can learn to forgive my actions. I love you Gwen, always have and always will.
~Dylan
Gwen carefully picks up the antidote and stares at it with a saddened expression. The truth had finally came out, but it was far too late. Her body seems to move on autopilot, without realizing it, she had walked over to Blossom and handed her the powder. "Give this to Tani, it'll heal her" she explains before leaving the room once again. She tightens her grip on the letter and glances up at Tirik. "What is it now?" She asks softly, the heartbreak obvious in her voice.

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Tirik lowered himself off his shaky legs so he could rest on his knees. Lowering his nose to the floor, he held the two pieces of the kanabō out for her. "Irin asked me to pass a message to you and to Maddy." He sat back on his feet, setting the pieces down so they looked like a whole again. Pulling the Drakonov dagger from his clothes, he held it out for her to take. "He told me to tell you that you know the key to defending everybody. All of those people that could not fight. He told me you know where they are, but he did not tell me what. He told me you watched him stow them away in his home. And.." Tirik choked on a sob. "He told me that the dagger goes to you to do as you wish with it. He asked me to tell you what happened... The fireball... That was the power of the vial he carried. That was his father, in all his glory. Gwen, I'm so sorry... Irin was in that blast..." The old man could no long hold his tears back, nor the sobs. True sorrow was held within his eyes. True sorrow was held before him, next to the knife that Gwen now owned. The Drakonov Dagger, a relic of priceless meaning.

Barry looked sad. He was happy that everyone was safe from Talla now, but he was sad that so many people had died or were injured badly. He wished that everything could be done over, where everyone was peaceful and lived in harmony. He sighed as he got up and hobbled off, leaving the injured Maddy, Tani, and Emi.

Luke had finally gotten up. He didn’t know if he was injured or not, but he did hurt on his left arm. He went on the ground and found the sword and put it under his left arm and slowly but surely started getting back to the underground tunnels. He hoped nobody had died, but that was impossible. He wished he could see everyone again. He entered the underground tunnels and walked around. His arm was bleeding. He didn’t know what had happened to him after the blast though. It turns out that he had fallen and his arm was slammed into a wall, which in turn made it bleed. He hoped for the best that everyone was okay.

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A key? Gwen vaguely remembers Irin hiding something. Could that be it? She was shocked by the news and heartbroken by his death on top of everything else. She accepts the dagger, tears falling down her cheeks as she stares at it. She didn't want this dagger, she wanted Irin to be back. "I'm sorry" she mumers as she reaches forward to hug the old man. She wasn't the only one who lost someone she loved, she knew how he felt.
This was truly a bloody battle. They had won, but in her eyes, it wasn't worth it.

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Accepting the hug slowly, Tirik whispered to her. "He told me to put his kanabō up on a wall, mounted like a hunting trophy. I have no walls to put it on, but he did not say it had to be my wall. Will you take it as well? I wish for him to be honored as long as time exists, and as long as his legacy lives. Will you take it? For him?" The man's voice shivered, both from age and his sadness.

Wiping her face, Gwen swallows down her cries. Her throat was raw and she felt both mentally and physically exhausted. It took her awhile to process the question. "Of course" she replies. "I would be honored to do that for you and him."

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Blossom gently woke Tani up and held the smelling salt antidote in front of her. "This should patch you up Tani, we'll start with a little now then if you need more later you can use a bit more. Okay?"

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*Tani smelt the salt and deliriously woke up. She looked around and saw Blossom. Blossom's voice was muffled and Tani couldn't understand what she was saying. She looked around alittle more and saw Maddy sitting on the bed beside her. She tried to speak but her voice was very harsh.* Maddy...... Maddy

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"Thank you, Gwen. You honor him greatly." Glancing up at a sound, Tirik furrowed his aged brow. "Somebody just woke up. They seek Maddy as I do. Am I allowed the information of who they might be?" His voice was quiet, almost hoarse. After a moment, he turned his head away from Gwen and coughed into his arm to clear his throat.

Tani had reached past Blossom who gently laid her back down. "Maddy's being treated right now. Please try to relax Tani."

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She saw no harm in enlightening Tirik about the situation. "That would be Tani- Maddy's girlfriend. You can speak with Maddy, but now isn't a great time. She got injured, very badly actually." She leans against the wall and sighs, hanging her head in defeat. "We should give her time to recover- both of them actually"

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*Tani moved around, attempting to lift herself off the bed. Blossom tried to get Tani to lay back but Tani didn't listen. Instead she lifted herself up and tried to walk over to Maddy's bed, but instead fell to the ground*

*Maddy could hear Gwen and Tirik speak, but she was too tired to talk. To defeated to even acknowledge Tani at that present time. Instead she went to sleep, as Emi tried her best to treat Maddy*

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Emi could feel tears pricking her eyes, she was lost with Maddy's injuries, they seemed too serious.

Thankfully, Blossom's voice calmed her some. "Emi, please help me get Tani back into her bed." Emi nodded and helped Blossom carry Tani back to her bed. "Stay with her, I'll tend to Maddy." Emi nodded again and did the best she could to help console the worried Tani.

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*Several weeks later, most of the people who had fallen in the battle for Telmar had been buried. The city had mostly been repaired, but all of the citizens were gathering near the city capital. Tani was standing inside, fixing Maddy's hair to be in a nice braid. Her skin was still healing from her burns but at that moment she couldn't feel a thing. She straightened up after doing Maddy's hair and showed her what she looked like in a mirror.* There, what do you think Maddy?

*Maddy looked at her reflection. She was dressed in modest clothing, compared to Tani's new one, but Maddy didn't look like herself. She couldnt stand so she was stuck in a wheelchair. Her skin was lighter in color then Tani's alive looking skin. Bruise colored lines had begun to form under Maddy's. She just looked so defeated in her own eyes. Maddy looked down and spoke sorrowfully* It looks great Tani. Thank you.

*Tani squated down and wrapped her arms around Maddy* Baby, what's wrong? *Maddy hugged Tani back and kissed her forehead.* We should probably head outside. *Tani looked at Maddy and halfheartedly nodded her head. She wanted Maddy to talk to her, but only when Maddy was ready... whenever that would be. Tani grabbed Maddy's wheelchair and helped move Maddy to the door, where they could here people outside. A guard pushed open the door and Tani helped move Maddy outside, where she saw Gwen and Blossom standing with Star, who had an eyepatch over her left eye. She then looked towards her left and saw Barry standing with Luke and Emi. And when she looked forward, she saw Sage standing proudly on a step stool to speak to the people.*

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Luke knew what was going on, but he just couldn’t see it happening. He wanted to see everyone. He had healed from his injury a few weeks ago. He was looking up at the stage, trying to picture anyone being up there. He knew that Maddy had lost feeling in her legs, which was a great loss. He wished everyone had come out of the battle unhurt, but he knew that there were fatal injuries and deaths.

Barry hadn’t really talked to anyone after the huge battle. He didn’t have anyone to talk to, actually. His parents had been dead for a while, and he had no other relatives. Maybe a distant cousin or something, but none that he knew of. He sighed as he looked up on the stage with Sage on it, and all of the people in the crowd. He started thinking that, if he had gone out and fought, would some people still be alive? He waited for the talk to start and put the thought out of his mind.

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An ugly scar was scrawled across Gwen's cheek. It no longer hurt her, at least, compared to the ache in her heart. To her, the scar seemed to be a constant reminder of all that she lost. Her eyes were filled with sorrow, her cheeks and eyes red and puffy from nights spent mourning. She no longer cared about presenting herself in a way of respect. She simply felt lost.

She wasn't the only one, that's what Sage noted as she looked over the crowd. Everyone had lost something that day. "People of Talmar, we gather here today not in celebration, but to remember those who we have lost and to look forward into our future. We have defeated the nortorious Northern kingdom, and now we have defeated the Cloaks yet again-" she pauses for a beat, as if deciding something. "But I fear that this isn't over, our enemies are persistent; we must crush them for good this time." Worried mumers sound from the crowd and Sage raises a hand up, the crowd slowly quiets down. "Do not fret my dear people, for we have strong allies who we have helped in the past. On top of that-" she gestures to Gwen, "We have a general who has fought the Cloaks twice, I expect her to change our armies fighting style yet again, to better their battles against the Cloaks." Her tone is sharp, leaving no room for agrument. Not that Gwen had the strength to argue. She turns to Tani, Maddy, Star, Barry, and Luke. "We also have five brave leaders, all who have the courage to stand up against our foes, no matter what they have faced. They showed little to no hesitation, they fought together in the name of glory" She smiles like a proud mother would. "Finally, we cannot forget Blossom and Emi, the kingdoms greatest healers. With these eight leaders by our side, along with our allies and your final sacrifice, we cannot lose." Sage seems so confident that the citizens can't help but feel a feeling they haven't felt in awhile: hope. "It pains me to have to bring us to war yet again, but I know we'll rise victorious!" She bows her head suddenly. "We will take back this kingdom, the fallen will not die in vain"

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