An Epilogue

Story by Khaesho Scorpent on SoFurry

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#59 of Child of the Sands


To those who've been waiting for months, and to those who've only recently found this story, I'm sorry to say that this is where it ends. Always, from the first word, down to the last period, I wrote this for Shouyousei Murasaki, and now that she apparently wants no part in my life, I don't have the heart left to finish this story. In addition to that, I've found myself trapped in a situation where the only way forwards that I can see is to leave the furry fandom as a whole. I want to say I'm sorry, to everyone who's waited eagerly for me to write more, to everyone who's enjoyed my work, but this is the end of the line. So, in Lieu of a final chapter, let me tell you how I think the story ends. How I would have wanted it to end.

Khaesho. A man who chose exile, because he thought himself a danger to others. A man so lost to his own darkness that he thought it best for everyone if he wandered north and east until the cold claimed him. He was, in the beginning, an idealized version of myself, but even in fantasy I couldn't keep my troubled heart out of the character. He and Shouyousei live long, happy lives together. Maybe Khaesho becomes the first Naga to re-enter civilized society, and he takes up the role of diplomat, an ambassador for his people. Or maybe he visits Hollywood, and as the only Naga outside the deserts, starts a fantastic and fulfilling acting career, starting with the story of his life. Or maybe the real world shuns him and Shouyousei, and their only choice is to flee back to the desert. Book three would have buried the skeletons in his closet and found his place in the world, but seeing as that will never happen, we can only guess what the outcome of his story is. Regardless of his path, he keeps his family and his friends close to him, always.

Shouyousei. The dancer who dared to dream. A woman still brave enough to look for the majesty in the world, not yet jaded by a cruel fate. The Civilized races were all born from Belluosus' fire, and where Nikolak's flame would have consumed a serpent's soul, the two wolves were perfect for eachother, dancing together for the rest of her life. It takes the combined effort of all 5 deities (six if you count Isamu's remnants) but they manage to unravel the secrets of Naga and Civilized genetics, and the first chimeric Wolf Naga is born to the clans Dhaesden and Murasaki. In between being a mother and a wife, Shouyousei re-learns how to dance with her new body, and with her and Khaesho's names in every headline across the world, her art gains enough notoriety that hew hobby turns into a career. They had no need for the additional money though, and most of the proceeds for her work went into charities supporting victims of abuse, single mothers, and orphanages across the nation. She finds love in her husband's arms, fulfillment in her work, and joy in her family, exactly as she deserved. When she and Khaesho die, they choose not to go to the afterlife. Instead, each empties their soul into the divinity they had loved, like a glass of water into the ocean, so that they could remain together, forever.

Their Daughter, yet unnamed. The first Chimaera born from a Naga parent. With her birth suffused in magic and soul, something goes wrong with the conception... or rather, something goes impossibly right. When Khaesho and Shouyousei made love, each resonating with Kalokin and Nikolak (respectively) a new spirit was born in addition to the new life. It took some time for the signs to show themselves, but the Dhaesden family eventually put two and two together; she was born with her own guardian angel, something less than the gods but more than a mortal soul. His soul is tied to hers, almost like a patron's to a vessel's, but more intimately, in a way that can only happen when two souls are birthed together, and mature together, sharing everything. They name him Isamu, and the pair get into no end of mischief. He takes care of her though, a steadfast friend in a world where nobody, not even her own parents can fully understand her. She would have been book 4, or perhaps, book 1 of a new series. She goes on to do great things, like her mother did before her. One possibility, far down the line, is that, after living with a guardian angel all her life, her body is sufficiently suffused with magic that all her children have a similar affliction, a ghost watching over their shoulder and a friend to the very end.

Kalokin and Nikolak. The kindred souls, eternal enemies and inseparable kin. Nikolak fully claims Belluosus' godseed, not a reincarnation, but a reshaping of who he used to be. Born of the womb of the earth, she swallowed the star that gives life and light, and in doing so, shouldered a new sphere of influence. She became the goddess of life, and of all the panic and chaos that life brings. After the séance in the attic, she reveals to Kalokin that his soul is locked away in the core of the 'moon,' a long dead star that once held the name Solus. Kalokin re-claims his soul, and his emotions with them, and the first and only thing he can feel is rage at Nikolak's betrayal and abandonment. He channels his fury, reaping the strength of power left to ferment for eons, and manages a work of magic no other would have dared to even attempt. He binds Nikolak's soul to his, entangling them until they resembled a coin with two faces. One soul, two purposes. As Nikolak claims the sphere of life, Kalokin takes domain over death, the cold, unchanging eternity. He shepherds the dead to the afterlife, watching over them always. Together, they are happy, and in the centuries that follow, they cast their eyes outwards, helping the mortal races seek new territories among the stars.

Shelandra, Bhalxash, and Ghozumal. Three deities, each wonderfully complex and perfectly flawed in their own way. The 5 deities together have more symbolism than I could ever begin to put to paper. 5 elements, Night and day, with the earth, the fire, and the air. 5 energies; heat, gravity/Kinetic, electromagnetism, light, and soul. Yet, for all their power and near omniscience, I wanted to draw a hard line that these were people to be loved, and NOT gods to be worshipped. So, each character has a thematically appropriate flaw, intrinsic to their character, and (where I could) based around what I knew of psychological disorders. Nikolak was schizophrenic, cursed to always hear the voices of those she'd slain. Even after she was 'cured,' she'll always hear their whispers in the back of her mind. Kalokin then, is Neophobic and a good bit OCD. Shelandra, with her fiery temper is bipolar. Bhalxash, always jumping from thing to thing has ADHD, and Ghozumal... okay I ran out of ideas there, but Ghoz was always the least-fleshed out character. Maybe he has anxiety or depression? You decide. Anyways, in all honesty, this is the one part of the writing I wish I could have done better. I knew in my head what each of their flaws should be, but I feel like I only really succeeded in showcasing Shelandra's and Bhalxash's, since bipolarity and ADHD are the only disorders I'm really familiar with, and even then it felt more like an afterthought, and less of something central to their characters. Anyways, I'm off topic. What matters is that, in any story where Khaesho stays in off-brand America, the Naga empire opens its borders and begins the slow process of acclimating to a global political climate and integrating modern technology into everyday life. The 3 gods, left without work to do, take up a hobby of playing music in a band. Their knowledge of magic allows them to literally weave their souls into the sound, and their shows quickly gain global popularity, especially their live performances (since you can't record magic onto a CD.) After they gain traction, Kalokin and Nikolak see opportunity in the shows, and use the concerts as a way to slowly begin feeding magic back into the rest of the world. Music has always been the single greatest way to invigorate powerful emotion, and those willing to travel and chant and scream were those most likely to have a soul bright enough to handle real magic. They'd reach out and contact candidates among the crowd, convincing them of their power, and telling them where to go for an 'aftershow' crash course magic party. Such an enterprise can't be kept secret though, and it isn't long before headlines are discussing the real-life magic that the deities (and their followers) can perform. The world changes forwards, and over the course of centuries, magic saturates the populace until it's a common sight in every household. One path includes that, with the young Dhaesden's hereditary guardian spirit and a world infused with magic, the world starts to change until everyone has their own guardian. It's an interesting thought, but one I didn't pursue much.

Awoken into new power, visible on the global stage, and shouldering the burden of Death, Kalokin decides that he should visit some people sooner rather than later. With help from his siblings, he becomes the face of a global anti-terrorism effort, advocating help and support for the deranged suffering at home, and visiting terrible fury upon hate groups across the world. In the face of such a grim spectre atop his pale horse, Active terrorism groups either quietly disperse, or learn firsthand the terrible fury of a god of death. Suffused with the thrill of working positive change, they take aim at tyrants and despots next. Shelandra, Bhalxash, Nikolak, and Ghozumal use all the diplomacy they can to advocate for Sentients' rights, promote justice, and fight corruption, and where the wicked refuse to change, Kalokin pays them a visit. Slowly, always slowly, the world changes, fighting against prejudice and segregation to work towards a Paenitentia united. With the combined efforts and co-operation of all races, space travel becomes less of a theory and more of a possibility and their story scatters outwards into the stars

But I'm getting terribly far ahead of myself. What matters is that Khaesho finds acceptance, Shouyousei finds fulfillment, Nikolak frees herself from the past, and Kalokin learns to forgive.

And they all lived happily ever after.

I want to give a big thanks to everyone who supported me as far as they did. Every comment, every rating, every subscription fueled me with the knowledge that people loved and appreciated what I wrote. This story was a journey, an uncovering of my soul that helped me learn what kind of person I am, and what matters most to me. I wish all of you the best of luck moving forwards, and hope you nothing but happiness looking back.

So long, and goodnight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCCyoocDxBA