Epilogue


    Ambrose sat by Noelle’s body. He looked down at her, and he balled his hands into fists.


    “I did it, Noelle. Eric is dead. After all this time, my wife and daughter have been avenged.”


    He lifted his head to look at the cavern ceiling, the many stalactites and rough rocks reflecting the light that had no source.


    “Yet I don’t feel at peace. Alice is still gone. I’ll still never know my daughter.”


    He gritted his teeth,


    “The pain is still there. It isn’t any less. It should be. She can be at peace now. By all rights, by every measurement, I should be happy with that.”


    He punched the ground, his heart beating out a furious beat.


    “But I’m not. It’s still there, Noelle. Like a branding iron on my soul, its burn never fading.”


    It should have abated, or at least he should have felt something.


    But no, Eric’s death brought him nothing.


    Nothing of substance anyway. There was satisfaction, yes. He was glad the fucker was dead. He had done the multiverse a favor. But there was no peace, no closure.


    Just the same pain that he had carried on his heart with him all this time.


    A notification lit up in his mind, and he didn’t read it.


    He knew what it would say. He could feel it.


    Noelle had died, the final bit of her life ebbing away.


    But, as promptly as the first, another notification lit up, and this one…this one felt more insistent.


    He looked at this one.


    [Would you like to use ‘Phoenix Tear-Mythic’ on ‘Noelle?’


    Y/N?]


    He did not recall possessing such an item, but he sent forth a resounding yes with his mind.


    Appearing from his infernal realm, the tear shaped stone he had won from the competition and received from the quartermaster, floated just above Noelle’s heart.


    It slowly began to spin, turning into a small glowing molten drop that fell just like any tear would.


    Right onto Noelle’s heart.


    A glow like warm firelight in a hearth surrounded Noelle. Ambrose stared, a little flutter of hope blooming in his heart.


    The glow reseeded into her.


    Slowly, as if waking from a deep, deep sleep, her eyes fluttered.


    Then they opened.


    Ambrose shouted, scooping up Noelle in his arms, practically crushing her to his chest.


    “You’re alive! Thank god, you’re alive!!”


    Noelle mewed weakly, pushing against him.


    “Oh, sorry.”


    Ambrose sat her down, rubbing the back of his neck.


    Noelle smiled. She still looked pale, and he was sure she was a little weak.


    But she was alive.


    “Did you?” Her voice trailed off.


    Ambrose pointed, and Noelle turned to look, blue eyes landing on Eric’s severed head.


    The System has blinked a notification in his mind, so he knew Eric was dead. He didn’t look at what he had earned, not feeling like checking out his progression at the moment.


    Noelle laughed, beaming as she turned to him, hugging him again, tail swishing wildly back and forth.


    Ambrose stood, holding out a hand.


    She took it.


    “Let’s go.”


    _____________


    Ambrose and Noelle stood over Alice’s grave. His house was no longer there, a scattered, broken building, surrounded by other, scattered broken buildings.


    He held Noelle’s hand in his own.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Gently taking his hand out of hers, he knelt, rubbing his hand over the grass over his wife’s grave, feeling the wetness on his fingers.


    There was so much he could say, so much that came to mind.


    But he said what was in his heart first and foremost.


    “I miss you, Alice.”


    With his words came a gentle wind, brushing over his hand in its passing.


    “I miss your smile. I miss your laugh. I miss playing D&D with you. I miss watching movies in bed, and waking up to your beautiful blue eyes. I miss your touch, and the way you lit up seeing me.”


    He clenched the grass, imagining himself clenching her shirt in his fist.


    He didn’t know he was crying.


    “I miss the future we were supposed to have together. I miss the daughter we were meant to hold, to raise.”


    He took a deep, shuddering breath.


    “It was my fault, Alice. Sure, maybe Eric was determined to kill you, maybe thats true. But I knew he was in town. I knew what he was like, and I provoked him. We could have moved, could have had a fresh start, but I didn’t want to seem like a coward. I didn’t want to run. I prioritized myself image over you.”


    Ambrose’s voice shook, thick with emotion as he said the next words,


    “I am sorry. I am so fucking sorry, Alice, Jenny.”


    He collapsed to his knees, hanging his head.


    He stayed there for a long while, the wind tousling his hair.


    Suddenly, he felt a weight lift from his shoulders. A weight that he almost hadn’t realized he was carrying.


    It was…it was if he had been forgiven.


    Which was absurd since his wife was dead and could not forgive him.


    Nonetheless, he felt it. Like the ghost of a hug, wind combing his hair like invisible feminine fingers trailing his scalp.


    He sighed, and as he did, finally, he felt it.


    What he had been searching for.


    Peace.


    The pain was still there, but along with it was the peace, easing it and making it tolerable.


    He stood, wiping his eye with a knuckle.


    Then he threw his head back and laughed.


    His laughter carried throughout the air, startling birds in a nearby tree.


    “Someone’s in a good mood,” a wry voice cut through his laughter at the right moment.


    Ambrose and Noelle whirled around. Her ears flat, Noelle hissed at Misaq, who tipped his fedora at her.


    “Careful, kitty, you’ll cough up a hairball doing that. Been a long time, Ambrose.”


    “Not long enough,” he growled.


    Misaq put a hand on his chest,


    “Tsk! You wound me, Ambrose. Why would you do that to me? Haven’t I been a good friend, hmm? Here you are, triumphant after all this time. The villain slain, peace restored, a once dead companion brought back to life, and none of it possible without that little deal I’ve offered you.”


    Ambrose shrugged,


    “What do you want, Misaq?”


    “A little acknowledgment might be nice,” Misaq stated with a grin.


    Ambrose said nothing, and Noelle narrowed her eyes at the devil.


    “Oh poo, you’re no fun, you know? Very well, I am here to…change the terms of our agreement.”


    “No deal, fuck off.”


    Ambrose didn’t trust the devil, and if he wanted to change their deal, it wouldn’t be anything good.”


    “Such a vulgar tongue! Just listen, eh? Instead of a bunch of bad people taken to the Tree of Eden, I want you to bring one.”


    He narrowed his eyes at Misaq,


    “What are you playing at, devil? That deal sounds skewed in my favor.”


    Misaq gave a flamboyant bow,


    “Indeed it is! You might not think so after I tell you who I want you to retrieve, but I shall sweeten the pot further. Should you accept my wondrous deal, I will consider your obligation to me completely fulfilled. I will no longer consider Avalon my base of operations here, I will even go so far as to never contact you or yours ever again should you wish it.”


    Ambrose didn’t trust it. He was making the deal too good. Whomever he wanted, he wanted badly enough to make the deal too good.


    Things that looked too good on the surface were often false.


    Misaq’s eyes glittered, and before Ambrose could reply, he spoke again. This time there was a hint of venom in his tone.


    “You humans have interesting ways of convincing each other. I’ve always been fascinated by them, You have even named the ways! The way I just offered you was the carrot. It’s supposed to entice you, motivate you to take my desired course of action because you want it. That tasty, tasty carrot. But there is another way, Ambrose. You know it as the stick.”


    There was a little pop of fire, and Misaq held a wooden stick in his hand. He brandished it at Ambrose, eyes swirling with menacing light.


    “If you don’t help me out this way, Ambrose, I’m afraid you’ll leave me no choice but to use the stick.”


    Ambrose crossed his arms, lowering his own voice.


    “It isn’t a good idea to threaten me, devil.”


    Misaq’s laughter was light hearted, and his grin was boyish.


    “I would much prefer not to, friend. In fact, my stick is no threat at all. Shall I tell you what it is?”


    Ambrose grunted, interested now.


    “I shall come to live with you on Avalon.”


    “Uhh, what?”


    Misaq’s smile grew,


    “You heard me. Our deal means Avalon is my base of operations as well as your home. I will reside there, and trust me when I say this, Ambrose, I am a terrible roommate. I have this affliction, you see. All kinds of monsters just keep popping up around me. If I’m around people the situation gets awfully….bloody.”


    Ambrose gritted his teeth, stepping forward.


    Misaq wagged a finger,


    “Now, now, let me expand on the carrot, mm? Not only will I release your obligation, you will have an opportunity to unlock a most amazing secret about the grimoire in your possession.”


    Ambrose blinked.


    Misaq pointed at his face,


    “See? That’s got you hooked. Possibly laying your hands on more power means you could defend Avalon better. Plus, there’s your precious tree, yes? You’ve been sorely neglecting it, and it could use a little watering. The person I want you to get would greatly increase the tree’s energy.”


    Noelle tugged at his sleeve, and he looked down at her, raising an eyebrow.


    “Can we talk?” Noelle’s voice was low.


    Misaq waved a hand,


    “By all means. Go, discuss it. I shall wait here for your answer. Just remember my stick.”


    They walked some distance away, turning towards one another when they thought Misaq would not hear him.


    “What is it?” He asked Noelle.


    She bit her lip, ears moving uncertainly.


    Finally, she blew out a breath, blowing a strand of white hair our of her face.


    “I want to go away,” she started.


    “What?!” He almost yelled.


    Noelle put her hands on her hips, tail moving in annoyance.


    Ambrose tried to look apologetic, and she continued.


    “I was a burden. In that fight,”


    He started to interrupt her again, but her look of annoyance caused him to shut his mouth.


    “I was, I want to get stronger. I want to train. I want to get used to this form, master my senses. I want time to find out who I am apart from you, Ambrose.”


    Her eyes filled with tears as she said this, knowing it would hurt him.


    She was right, as he felt her statement like a sword point in his heart.


    But it was tempered by the love and support that flooded their bond. He knew she needed this.


    “Very well, Noelle. If that’s what you want.”


    She nodded,


    “Take his deal, Ambrose. You can’t endanger Avalon.”


    He nodded, sighing.


    “You’re right. He has me over a barrel. Even his carrot would be enough reason. I wouldn’t care about the stick, except its directed at Avalon, not me.”


    Noelle hugged him, and when they parted, he turned and walked towards Misaq.


    “Okay, Misaq. You win. Who do you want me to hunt down?”


    Misaq grinned, spreading his hands.


    “Why none other than Merlin himself, of course.”


    THE END OF WORLD EATER: Rise of The Infernal Paladin Book Two