Chapter 153 Epilogue (The Wolf's Rest)
Five years later.
Iron City had lost its rusty, chilly scent. The area now emitted the fragrances of pine needles and fresh rain and bread that was baking.
I walked through the sunlit expanse of the Central Plaza—what used to be the ruined Northern Expressway. They built sweeping terraces of cobblestone and giant glass-domed greenhouses to replace the shattered concrete. Dr. Sato established an underground hydroponics facility which developed into a comprehensive agricultural system. Ivy vines climbed up the brutalist black steel which covered the skyscrapers, as green ivy began to restore the city with living plants instead of destructive decay.
The season had reached its summer peak. A perfect blue sky stretched across the entire heavens.
I stopped to watch Kaelen who stood at the market stall with a peaceful smile while his facial scars remained visible. The former Coalition scientist had traded his sniper rifle for botany, though he still kept his sharp eyes on the horizon.
I pulled my cloak tighter, though not against the cold. I raised my left hand to brush a stray lock of hair behind my ear.
My left hand showed no signs of covering. The thick bandages were gone, replaced by a web of silvery lightning-shaped scars that crawled from my fingertips to my elbow. My fingers became rigid because of the autumn rains, yet they still managed to function. The Origin Stone rested on my ring finger as a plain cracked blue sapphire.
The magic disappeared from the world. The world no longer required it for breathing.
"Mama!"
I turned to face him, smiling before my eyes had even seen him.
The market crowd saw a small motion showing through. The boy had wild dark hair which he could never control. The people of Iron City only stopped to notice him because of his special eyes. One eye was a deep, striking violet. The other was a bright, luminous Alpha gold.
Little Leo crashed into my legs, giggling wildly as I scooped him up with my right arm, resting him on my hip.
"Running away from your detail again, little wolf?" I teased, tapping his nose.
"Uncle Ferrous is too slow!" Leo beamed, pointing a chubby finger back down the thoroughfare.
Ferrous suddenly appeared to be running toward our location. The former cyborg warlord, now the head of the city's Forge Guild, was wearing a heavy leather blacksmith's apron. He stopped running and began breathing heavily while he rested his huge hands on his knees to smile at the boy.
"The pup possesses remarkable speed," Ferrous said in his deep, human voice. "He moves like the wind, Queen Elara."
The man standing behind me spoke with a deep, warm voice to say that Ferrous should avoid eating Vane's chicory coffee pastries.
The crowd naturally parted.
Ryker stepped into the sunlight. He wasn't wearing tactical gear, and he wasn't wearing a crown. He wore a simple, finely tailored charcoal tunic and dark trousers. He had tied his hair into a neat back style which made his face appear more filled-out than its previous state. He showed signs of being both rested and happy.
The King maintained an unmistakable presence throughout the entire area. He radiated a quiet, protective strength that made the entire plaza feel safe.
Ryker stepped up to me, wrapping his arms around both me and our son. He placed a gentle kiss on my forehead which lingered for some time.
"I leave you two alone for ten minutes," Ryker murmured, his golden eyes sparkling with amusement, "and he's already outsmarting the Commander of the Guard."
"He has your absolute refusal to follow the rules," I smiled, leaning into his broad chest.
Ryker took Leo from my arms to carry him onto his shoulders while they both began to laugh.
"Is it time?" I asked quietly.
Ryker smiled with a holy expression. He nodded. "It's time. The whole city is waiting."
The Monument
We walked together to the Train Yard.
The area had lost its function as a military staging ground. The rusting husks of the old railcars had been melted down and repurposed. The area now operated as a large outdoor park which had been paved with smooth white stone and lay directly beneath the command tower.
Thousands of people were gathered. There was no pushing, no shouting. Just a respectful, heavy silence. Jaxon, Vane, and Sato stood at the front, dressed in their finest clothes.
In the center of the park, the Star-Metal sword remained exactly where Ryker had buried it five years ago. The sword remained embedded deep within the stone. The location of the sword had changed because it now contained new objects.
Ferrous's guild constructed an exceptional work of art using iron and silver materials to build their guild hall behind the sword.
The statue depicted a gigantic Wolf.
The metal beast sat back on its haunches, its broad chest proud, its head tilted upward as if howling at the sky. The artist created an incredible artwork which showed every metallic strand of fur as authentic by representing the fierce loyalty of the warrior that it stood for.
Ryker walked up to the base of the statue, carrying Leo on his shoulders. I stood by his side.
Ryker reached out, resting his hand against the cold iron of the Wolf's paw.
Five years ago today, Ryker's voice carried across the silent crowd, clear and steady. "The sky tried to fall. A brother held up the heavens, so we could live, on this day exactly five years before today.
The statue stood before Ryker, who looked up at it.
"We built this city on the ashes of the old world. The North supplied us with strength, while the South provided us with iron and the courage from Exodus. The city remained in our possession because of his existence. Ryker took a deep breath. "Baron did not live to see the sun shine on the Iron City. Every child who is born into the sunlight will learn his name because we want them to know him.
Leo sat on Ryker's shoulders, but Ryker lowered Leo from his shoulder position, so Leo could stand on his own feet.
Leo stared at the massive metal wolf. He showed no signs of being terrified. The unsteady toddler legs carried him forward as he walked with the bright blue winter-rose we picked from the greenhouses.
At the base of the Star-Metal sword, Leo laid the flower between the Wolf's paws.
"For the good pup," Leo chirped, repeating the phrase Ryker had taught him.
Tearful smiles spread across the entire crowd. Jaxon wiped his eyes, and Ferrous bowed his head.
Ryker stepped back, wrapping his arm securely around my waist, pulling me tight against his side. I rested my head on his shoulder as I faced the monument.
"He'd hate the statue, you know," Ryker whispered to me, a bittersweet smile touching his lips. "He'd say it made his ears look too big."
I whispered back to him, squeezing his hand, "He would complain about it every single day. He would polish the item after finishing his daily complaints.
The soft chuckles of Ryker created a sound which resonated through his chest.
The sun set over Iron City while we stood there. The red smog was gone forever. The sky above was a canvas of brilliant pink, purple, and deepening twilight blue.
The man beside me was the Warlord who had kidnapped me. The General who had protected me. The King who loved me.
We had stopped fighting to survive. We had finally learned how to live.
The first stars appeared to break through the twilight which had lasted until now. The ledger of the past closed permanently. The Raven had kept her promise. The Alpha had found his peace.
The Iron City served as my permanent residence.
\[THE END\]