by Kyle West
Alex...I won’t. God, you can’t leave me.
Where are you now?
We’re all standing here, watching the sea. Wondering if you or Makara will come back.
She’s home now. And when your time comes...it will be your home, too. Live your life, Anna. There is so much for you to do, so much for you to see, and a new, safer world for you to live in.
I don’t want to live in it, she said. Not without you.
I’ll always be with you, I said. I promise.
And then, I saw her face with the tears streaming down, tinted pink from the light of the Sea of Creation. It was all one sea, now, just as we were both one – one in purpose, one in life, one in love.
And then, all went quiet. All went white. I faded into that which was eternal, the song of the universe.
The music was waiting for me.
Epilogue
As I stood on the edge of the Sea of Creation, somehow I knew he wasn’t coming back. He was lost somewhere beyond that line, and always would be lost to this world. He had gone to join another.
I remember someone placing a hand on my shoulder – Ruth, I think – and we lifted off on dragons’ wings, never to return to this haunted place.
After it was all over, no one knew how we had gotten out. Quietus found a way, I guess, just as Alex told her to. The Sea of Creation remade our bodies, and we emerged from it without a single shred of clothing or weapon to our names.
None of that mattered, though. Alex was dead and gone, along with Makara, and Julian. We waited on the shore of the Sea for hours after Alex stopped speaking with me, but I knew the truth.
I was alone, now.
We flew out, returning to the army, naked, cold, and hungry. We were clothed, and fed, but even so, we remained empty. Even with the Radaskim stopped and our world saved, at least for another four hundred years, there would always be a void in our hearts that couldn’t be filled, and I think in mine most of all.
Death is natural, but it feels unnatural. There’s a sense of fairness in our mind that says death should never be. And yet, there it is. There, it always will be. I can only remember Alex, what he did, and how I loved him.
Not an hour, not a minute, goes by when I don’t think of him, knowing he lives eternally in a place I can never go to – not until my dying day. I said I’d follow him, and I suppose this wish will be granted, in time.
Days, then weeks, passed. We lived. We rebuilt. We went on, because that’s what people do. And nine months later, I was given something to remember my husband by.
I had a son. Of course, I named him after his father. He has his eyes and his face, and even as a child, he has that same courage and fearlessness, that ability to brighten one’s day simply by being there, a quiet courage that values actions rather than words.
My husband will never be with me, but because of my son, Alex, some part of him will live on. I’d like to think that he’s watching over me, watching over us...just as he promised. Sometimes, I get the sense that he’s there. At times, I see him in dreams. These are becoming fewer, as the years pass.
Augustus now rules in the Wasteland, and the rule of the Black Reapers is no more. Samuel is one of the Emperor’s most trusted advisors, and he and Ruth are married, now. They have two children, a son and a daughter. They live in Los Angeles with Michael and Lauren, who have also had more children.
A curious thing happened, after the Radaskim fell. The clouds began to go away. It was slow, at first, but it became more discernible with time. The land warmed, and the rain returned, cleansing the dry land. Green things began to grow – in small amounts, but the warmer weather meant more food for all. I suspect, by the time I’m gone, the Wasteland will not be a wasteland for much longer. Perhaps dry, as it had been in the Old World, but with more water and warmth than before.
The Blights have receded, but are not gone. The dragons, both Radaskim and Elekai – but I guess I should say they are all Elekai, now – continue to live and thrive. It turns out that they do need each other. The Radaskim are female, and the Elekai are male, and they are having baby dragons. I think it’s possible for them to originate without that, but this seems a more natural way. Either way, I suppose the Elekai and humanity will have to learn to live with each other. The dragons don’t visit us much, sticking to their Blights, but sometimes I’ll go to see them – though these visits have become fewer as I’ve grown older. It’s hard to relive the past.
After the battle, we tracked the retreating converted Radaskim to Ragnarok Crater, and watched them disappear into the Warrens. We haven’t heard from them since. No one goes that way – not even me. Something tells me a darkness is still rooted down there, but mostly I don’t go because there are too many painful memories. I’ve learned that the pain doesn’t go away with the years. We just make more space for it.
Not to say I’m unhappy. I will always carry my sorrows, but seeing my son grow up is my greatest joy. I live among friends and lead as peaceful a life as I can manage. I have my friends, my son, and we all spend a lot of time together. There’s less shooting, less killing, and more talking, food, and wine. Augustus is always sure to send us a cask every Xenofall to celebrate. That’s what they’re calling the anniversary, now, and it will probably be celebrated every year for a long time. Though Xenofall is a holiday for most, it’s hard for me to celebrate, for understandable reasons. All the same, it’s good that Augustus remembers us.
As far as Carin– he died in the battle. I know how hard he fought, but I can’t help but be glad. He destroyed so many lives, and in the end, it’s hard to imagine him ever being redeemed for it. But at least he died doing something good, and that’s all I have to say about the matter.
I suppose it’s impossible for there to be a completely happy ending, when we have lost so much. Even though I’ve lost Alex, I don’t believe that happiness is impossible. How could I not be happy, when I have so much to be thankful for and a world free of the Radaskim? My thoughts always return to my son, and when I look into his eyes, I see him, and I know that he’s watching over me.
I guess he was right, in the end. He would always be with me. We are all Elekai, still, all bound together with something deeper than friendship, something deeper than love. It’s our common humanity, our common purpose, our common dreams. Alex, Makara, Ashton, and Julian are all gone, and they are all honored, but none so much as Alex. For generations, people will learn about him.
There are so many reasons I love him, and will continue to love him, until the day I die. Forgetting would be impossible, and much more, unwanted. After saving this world, after losing so much, we need a new purpose, or humanity will fight amongst itself again. I lost almost everything of who I was, and I suppose I’ll have to find a way to live with that sadness.
I still wish I could have gone down with him. But then I look at my life, at my son, at every good thing I possess, and know that he was right. This is better.
And a curious thing has happened. It seems as if our children are going to become Elekai as well. They all have the same abilities we do, so whatever change the virus made to us was genetic. I don’t know what that means for our future, but at least for now, it means that the children enjoy visiting Askal and the others whenever we get the chance.
I know, in the end, when I close my eyes for the final time, I’ll go to meet him. But until then, I’m content to live, raise my son, and teach him about his father, the man who gave himself up to save the world, the man who is alive, even today, watching over us all.
We on Earth are the only ones who were able to stop the Radaskim. Some might say it was luck, but I believe he was the reason. I can only hope we can build a world that respects his sacrifice – a world without war. So far, this has been a lasting peace...but I know how easy it is to forget what everyone fought and died for.
That’s why I tell his story to anyone who will listen. In a sense, it’s all of our stories, and if we ever forget what happened here, it will be to our peril.
The Radaskim will return, and it’s up to us to begin planning for that...even now.
Until then, we’ll watch, and we’ll wait...
...and we’ll never forget.
THE END
A Note
After that ending, I almost don’t want to write anything here. It was sad for me, because this series that has grown with me for almost two years. The characters feel real, like people I know.
A lot of people have been asking if this is the end of The Wasteland Chronicles. Yes, this is the end of the main series, but don’t despair just yet. I’m writing a follow-up series, set four hundred years after the events of the first books. As Anna’s words hinted, the story isn’t completely over, but it will be up to people growing up in a very different world to put up their own fight.
In a way, Anna and the others are passing the torch to future generations – but that will come with its own set of difficulties, as you will soon see.
I have no idea what this new series will be called – maybe Xenoworld? Regardless, I’m planning on three books. I’ve already written the first 10,000 words. Assuming I can cobble the thing together without messing everything up, I think you guys will love it. It’s going to have all the trademarks of this series – a very intricate world, lots of action, characters you can root for, and of course, dragons and a host of other creatures.
For those of you hoping for a completely new series – I’ll get to that sort of stuff some day. I have more ideas than I know what to do with. For now, though, I’m working on my next series. From what I’ve developed so far, the history will be fascinating in its own right.
The final thing I have to say is that I’m incredibly humbled by your support. The possibilities for the future are exciting. I hope you guys can continue to spread the word.
Of course, let me know what you think. Head to contact section below. My email is always open, and you can follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or keep up with my blog. I plan on blogging about more of my thoughts about the end, so be sure to check that out.
Acknowledgements
I just wanted to take a page to thank everyone who’s helped me to get to this point. There were a lot. It was amazing to see people supporting me, even from the very beginning.
The first person I’d like to thank is my dad. He’s always the first person to read a rough version of the book, and he’s really good at finding logical inconsistencies and his suggestions have definitely made the series better.
My mom has also helped a ton, especially on Darkness, which was probably the hardest one for me to write. She had some great developmental insight that really saved the beginning of the book. She also did some excellent proofing work. Actually, I’m incredibly lucky to have such supportive parents. I can’t remember them ever discouraging me from writing, and that encouraged me to keep going.
I’ve had a host of people offer to beta and proofread throughout the series. I don’t think everyone’s done it for every book (except my dad), but as far as I can remember, and hopefully I’m not forgetting anyone, special thanks to Nich Spragg for excellent proofing for my past five books, and more recently, Cindy McKenzie and Joy Finkle. Athena Delgado and Holly Searls also did some beta reading, way back in the day, so I also thought I’d mention them. Hopefully I haven’t forgotten anyone.
Special thanks to Mel Odom. He was my professor at the University of Oklahoma. He taught me a lot about writing and has always been a huge support to me (as he is with all of his students). A lot of things might have been different if he had not stepped in and taught me something new. He also did some editing for Apocalypse (on his own time, I might add – I wasn’t even his student anymore.)
Similarly, I’d like to thank Ron Rozelle, who was my creative writing teacher in high school. Even though it was a while ago, sometimes you just have that teacher who sticks just because of how they inspired you. That’s definitely the case for him. I remember him telling me, before I left for my senior year, that I shouldn’t give up and keep writing. For some reason, I listened, and I didn’t give up. He was always a great support, and I’m lucky to have had such a good teacher.
I could go on. I’ve had a lot of friends who have inspired me along the way, but sometimes, it takes a writer to understand a writer. In that vein, thanks to Jelani Sims for listening to my ideas.
Last of all, thanks to my readers (that is, you) for reading this far. It’s hard to believe I’ve written something that’s almost two thousand pages and almost half a million words. Amazingly, thousands of people have read the series, and there were a lot of times where I thought only a few people would.
Again, thanks. It’s been an incredible journey and I’m looking forward to writing my next book!
About the Author
Kyle West is the author of The Wasteland Chronicles. From a young age he has always been a voracious reader of sci-fi and fantasy. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Professional Writing. When not writing, he might be running, crafting the perfect breakfast burrito, playing various RPG’s, or reading an overly large book. He writes full-time and resides in the bustling metropolis of Oklahoma City.
Find out immediately when his next book is released by signing up for The Wasteland Chronicles Mailing List, found at eepurl.com/A1-8D. Be sure to follow him on Facebook for updates, book giveaways, and general shenanigans.
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kylewestwriter[at]gmail[dot]com
Glossary
10,000, The: This refers to the 10,000 citizens who were selected in 2029 to enter Bunker One. This group included the best America had to offer, people who were masters in the fields of science, engineering, medicine, and security. President Garland and all the U.S. Congress, as well as essential staff and their families, were chosen.
Alpha: “Alpha” is the title given to the recognized head of the Raiders. In the beginning, it was merely a titular role that only had as much power as the Alpha was able to enforce. But as Raider Bluff grew in size and complexity, the Alpha took on a more meaningful role. Typically, Alphas do not remain so for long – they are assassinated by rivals who rise to take their place. In some years, there can be as many as four Alphas – though powerful Alphas, like Char, can reign for many years.
Askala: Askala is the Radaskim Xenomind dwelling in Ragnarok Crater.
Batts: Batts, or batteries, are the currency of the Wasteland and the Empire. They are accepted anywhere that the Empire’s caravans reach. It is unknown how batteries were first seen as currency, but it is rumored that Augustus himself instigated the policy. Using them as currency makes sense: batteries are small, portable, and durable, and have the intrinsic quality of being useful. Rechargeable batteries (called “chargers”) are even more prized, and solar batteries (called “solars,” or “sols”) are the most useful and prized of all.
Behemoth: The Behemoth is a great monstrosity in the Wasteland – a giant creature, either humanoid or reptilian, or sometimes a mixture of the two, that can reach heights of ten feet or greater. They are bipedal, powerful, and can keep pace with a moving vehicle. All but the most powerful of guns are useless against the Behemoth’s armored hide.
Black Reapers, The: The Black Reapers are a powerful, violent gang, based in Los Angeles. They are led by Warlord Carin Black. They keep thousands of slaves, using them to serve their post-apocalyptic empire. They usurped the Lost Angels in 2055, and have been ruling there ever since.
Black Files, The: The Black Files are the mysterious collected research on the xenovirus, located in Bunker One. They were authored principally by Dr. Cornelius Ashton, Chief Scientist of Bunker One.
Blights: Blights are infestations of xenofungus and the xenolife they support. They are typically small, but the bigger ones can cover large tracts of land. As a general rule of thumb, the larger the Blight, the more complicated and dangerous the ecosystem it maintains. The largest known B
light is the Great Blight – which covers a large portion of the central United States. Its center is Ragnarok Crater.
Boundless, The: The Boundless is an incredibly dry part of the Wasteland, ravaged by canyons and dust storms, situated in what used to be Arizona and New Mexico. Very little can survive in the Boundless, and no one is known to have ever crossed it.
Bunker 40: Bunker 40 is located on the outer fringes of the Great Blight in Arizona. It is hidden beneath a top secret research facility, a vestige of the Old World. Many aircraft were stationed at Bunker 40 before it fell, sometime in the late 2050s.
Bunker 108: Bunker 108 is located in the San Bernardino Mountains about one hundred miles east of Los Angeles. It is the birthplace of Alex Keener.
Bunker 114: Bunker 114 is a medical research installation built about fifty miles northwest of Bunker 108. Built beneath Cold Mountain, Bunker 114 is small. After the fall of Bunker One, Bunker 114, like Bunker 108 to the southeast, became a main center of xenoviral research. An outbreak of the human strain of the xenovirus caused the Bunker to fall in 2060. Bunker 108’s fall followed soon thereafter.
Bunker One: Bunker One was the main headquarters of the Post-Ragnarok United States government. It fell in 2048 to a swarm of crawlers that overran its defenses. Bunker One had berths for ten thousand people, making it many times over the most populous Bunker. Its inhabitants included President Garland, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, essential government staff, and security forces, along with the skilled people needed to maintain it. Also, dozens of brilliant scientists and specialists lived and worked there, including engineers, doctors, and technicians. The very wealthy were also allowed berths for helping to finance the Bunker Program. Bunker One is the location of the Black Files, authored by Dr. Cornelius Ashton.