I stand in front of Rubydanis’s old mansion by myself, watching as the sun sets on a barren landscape. Almost barren, I should say. There is now grass and it rained earlier this afternoon. I pull the door open and step inside.
Now that I can go back to Nearth, part of me wants to stay in Floles. I mean, Nearth has a lot of issues and Floles, well, it’s pretty much perfect now that the trolls and Rubydanis are gone. I could stay here and protect Floles from any other wanna-be Rubydanis’s. I can always return to Nearth anytime I want.
I feel a pang of loneliness as I take a deep breath and remember how it all began, how my adventures all began. Jarle had just died and I had been taken before the Queen. She wouldn’t listen to me and called me a murderer. She cast me out and my own uncle banished me. So, then I went exploring and how on Nearth I survived I will never know. I went as far South as I could, down to the southernmost shores of the Great Ocean where I discovered the poisoned water. And then I followed the water as far north as the old glishen city-now Toau City.
And, well, you know the rest. I can’t help but wonder how Trouse felt meeting me after I lost my memory. Was he sad, I wonder? Was he angry with Terror?
No one will ever know, now, least of all me. But at least I saved my world from Terror. That’s all that matters, is knowing the next generation of Nearthlings won’t grow up under the shadow of Terror. I know that Nearth will remain imperfect as always, but I think I need a break from saving the world and losing friends.
I know I’m being selfish, but Floles has so much left to explore that I’m unsure I want to return to Nearth. Not right now at least, not before I explore all of Floles.
I can almost feel Trouse’s arms hugging my back as I charge back out of the mansion and let out my loudest roar. I will protect Floles in the memory of my friends and nothing- no one will stop me.