Epilogue

Here we are to wrap up the story! It’s been a journey, but we’ve finally reached the end. It’s been a long road, a bit of a stressful one, but I’m glad I did this. Thank you all for joining me on this little adventure, and hopefully this sendoff is one we can all be satisfied with.

Photo credit: Joshua Meyer (Flickr.com creative commons)

Seeing Cal sitting in the courtroom was one of the most satisfying experiences of Hunter’s life. He watched as the judge stared down from his bench, looming over Cal. He sat alone at the defendant’s table, having fired his lawyer after the interrogation room debacle. Hunter knew it was a mistake to go out without counsel, but he wasn’t about to correct the man that tried to kill him. He’d prepared a statement to give on the stand if he was called - he expected the prosecutor would call on him. Iris squeezed his hand, giving him comfort in their time of need. Red sat in the crowd with Grenda and Beowulf, waiting for the trial to finish. Hunter expected it to be a long and difficult one, and steeled himself for the hours to come.

Those hours never went anywhere. The prosecutor stood and played Cal’s confession for the jury and all present to hear. Cal visibly slumped, and the judge asked if he had anything to say in his defense. Cal shook his head, and the judge dismissed the jury. They stood and retired to a room to deliberate. The suspense lasted all of ten minutes. They returned to the stand, and the foreman stood up.

“We, the jury, find the defendant guilty on all counts,” she said. Her voice held a grave finality as she locked eyes with Cal. He didn’t have the fight left in him to resist. The judge pounded his gavel.

“Calvin Burns; for the crimes of murder in the first degree, and attempted murder, I sentence you to seventy years in Northwater Penitentiary, with eligibility for parole after fifty years,” he said gravely. Cal hung his head.

“Nobody calls me Calvin,” he said weakly as a bailiff dragged him away. Hunter let out a breath and relaxed against Iris. It was finally over. She gently touched his shoulder, being careful about his injured side. He was still healing, but at least they let him out of the hospital.

“Think it’s time to try out your plan?” she asked softly. He nodded, holding her close.

“Yeah, let’s do this,” he said.

Cal was taken to the prison and given an orange jumpsuit and small bag. He was led by a guard down the barren concrete halls, past cells filled with hardened inmates. Cal kept his eyes down, not meeting anyone’s gaze.

“Welcome to the Hotel Northwater,” the guard said. “You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.”

Cal said nothing. They arrived at a cell, and the guard opened the door.

“I think you’ll like this one,” he said as he pushed Cal inside. “A friend of yours stayed here not too long ago.”

“Friend?” Cal looked up, his eyes burning with rage. He threw his bag down and charged at the guard, but the door shut in his face. He railed against the bars, screaming and crying.

“Let me out of here! I don’t belong here!” he demanded, rattling the bars. The guard ignored him, walking off to finish his duties. As he walked away, Cal’s screams faded into a distant echo.

—

Hunter and Iris dropped Grenda off at Marian’s. They drove out to a secluded place in the woods, under the watchful eye of Ranger Park. He greeted them as they stepped out of the car, shaking Hunter’s hand.

“How’s the shoulder?” he asked with a jovial smile.

“Still healing,” Hunter chuckled weakly. “I’m just grateful that I’m not in Grenda’s position.”

“The doctors said it’ll still be at least nine months before she can get her stitches out,” Iris said as she locked the car.

“She’s a resilient little thing,” Park said as he led them down the trail. “Reminds me of you.”

“I’m lucky to have the family I have,” Hunter said as he took Iris by the hand. She smiled softly at him.

“That’s why you’re fighting to keep it,” she said. He nodded resolutely. The three walked through the forest together until they finally came upon their destination.

The ranger led the couple to a large clearing in the trees. Hunter and Iris nodded to each other, then released all their heroes at once. Eleven more bodies filled the clearing, with Bigfoot towering over each of them. Arthur turned to Hunter, locking eyes with him. The heroes stood in a silent standoff. Both sides were technically enemies, and the heroes itched for battle. Little Red walked to Hunter and took his hand gently. She smiled, nodding up at him. He smiled back. He stood, ready to make his announcement.

“Listen up, everyone!” Iris declared boldly. The heroes turned to face them. Hunter smiled and held up his decks.

“I know you’ve all been here for a few weeks now,” he began. “Some of you have gotten accustomed to life here. You’ve got friends, family, people you love. People who love you.”

Beowulf and Robin glanced at each other.

“Going forward, we have two options,” he continued. “We can end this tournament and send all of you home. Doing that, you’ll lose the people you care about most, forever. I can’t speak for everyone, but I know that Iris and I don’t want this to happen.”

“What’s the alternative?” Arthur asked. Hunter smiled.

“I’m glad you asked. I have a plan.”

—One year later—

Hunter’s alarm went off, and he rolled out of bed. He stepped out of his room and into the dining room. The air was warm and smelled of muffins. Grenda sat at the table, working on some homework.

“Ready for school?” he asked as he sat across from her. She sat up and nodded.

“Just putting the finishing touches on my project,” she said with a grin. She turned the paper to show Hunter, who skimmed it with his eyes.

“It’s certainly… creative,” he said hesitantly. He returned the paper to her. “Maybe tone it down on the blood just a little.”

“My teacher says we should write what we know,” Grenda huffed. Little Red walked in and opened the oven door, grabbing the tray of muffins with her bare hands.

“Red! Oven mitts!” Hunter cried out. Red stared up at him with the hot pan in her hands. She cocked her head, giving him a look.

“Really?” she asked. Hunter shook his head.

“We’re trying to set a good example here,” he said. Red sighed and put the muffins back in the oven. She put on a pair of oven mitts and showed Hunter. He chuckled softly.

“Thank you.”

As Red pulled out the muffins again, the door opened. Beowulf stepped inside, a black t-shirt stretching over his massive frame. From his belt hung a deck of cards on a green leather strap.

“Night shifts at the bar are no joke,” he said, shaking his head. He sat at the table and ruffled Grenda’s hair. “Something smells good!”

“Blueberry muffins,” Red said. She shook the muffins free of the tray. She put them on plates and passed them around the table. She set out five and took a seat between Hunter and Grenda.

“Are you excited for school?” Hunter asked as he took a bite. Red ate hungrily, humming happily.

“Do I have to go?” she asked. “School is hard.”

“Yes,” Hunter said. “That was part of our deal, remember? You live a normal life here.”

“Fine,” sigh sighed dramatically. “At least Grenda and I are in the same class.”

“Red’s gonna be my classmate!” Grenda cheered. Beowulf chuckled. The door opened, and Iris came through.

“Red made muffins?” she asked with a grin. She stepped in behind Hunter and draped her arms over his shoulders, gently kissing his cheek. Hunter nodded and smiled.

“We saved you one,” he said.

“Good, one for the road,” she chuckled. “We better head out early if we want to get these two to school on time.”

“I’ve got it,” said Beowulf, standing up. “I’ll get them there, don’t worry.”

“You and Red better not go off fighting again,” Hunter warned. Beowulf raised a hand and chuckled.

“We won’t, I promise,” he rubbed his jaw. “I’m still a little stiff after last time.”

“Behave yourself or I’ll do it again,” Red cracked her knuckles. Hunter laughed.

“Alright, get going,” he said. He stood up, and Red tackled him in a hug. Grenda joined in, and he held them both. He sent them on their way, with Beowulf as chaperone. Red picked up her backpack and ran off with Grenda. Her deck hung from her hip, dangling on a little red cord. Beowulf led the kids off to school, and Hunter relaxed.

“How did I end up with so many sisters?” he asked softly. Iris smirked and stepped in for a hug.

“You were a very good boy,” she said. Hunter smiled and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead.

“I think I just got lucky,” he said, chuckling softly. She wrapped her arms around him and smirked playfully.

“Nothing lucky about it,” she grinned. “Now come on, I wanna hit the library before class.”

“Ooh, books!” Hunter grinned as he wolfed down the rest of his muffin. Iris took hers to go, and the pair left the house hand in hand. Hunter shut the door and locked up, and the two went off to school.

The police station was alive with activity as the officers murmured amongst themselves. O’Hara stepped in, his hands behind his back as he looked out over his people. He took a deep breath, then smiled.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it’s with great pride that I introduce our newest detective,” he said. “Please put your hands together for Detective Marian Woods.”

Marian stepped through the door, glowing with pride. She waved, and the station erupted with cheers. Flaherty and Flannigan stepped forward to congratulate her personally.

“We knew you could do it!” Flaherty said.

“You’re one of us, now!” Flannigan agreed.

“Oh, god, what have I done?” Marian laughed. She looked up at O’Hara, who beamed proudly at her. He extended his hand, which she gladly shook.

“Well done,” he said proudly. She smiled. It was everything she ever wanted! Well, almost everything.

Marian glanced at the window, then excused herself from the party. She stepped out onto the rooftop patio, shivering a little in the chilly evening wind. She felt a pair of hands drape a jacket over her shoulders, and she snuggled into the familiar green cloth. She felt the deck of cards in a pocket on the inside of the jacket, knowing exactly who she was with. She sighed happily. She turned to face Robin, gazing into his eyes.

“Congratulations on passing your exam,” he said, his eyes twinkling in the sunset.

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” she answered. Robin gently stroked her hair.

“I’m nothing special,” he mused as he gazed at her. Marian rolled her eyes.

“Nothing special, just a legendary outlaw and strong enough to juggle cars,” she laughed. Robin chuckled as well.

“It was only one,” he said.

“You saved those people,” Marian said softly. She draped her arms over his shoulders. “You gave up everything so they’d have a chance.”

“It was worth it,” he said. He held her close, closing his eyes. She set her head on his chest and sighed softly. The two shared a moment in the sunset, enjoying their time with each other.

“You should return to your party,” he said softly. “They miss you.”

“Fine,” she replied softly. “But you’re coming. As my date.”

“Lead the way, my lady,” he smiled. She took his hand and opened the door, leading Robin back inside to the lively festivities. The partygoers cheered as Robin joined them, mobbing the detective and her beau, bombarding them with questions. Robin said nothing, merely gazing at his lady as the two parsed the crowd.

—

Coco checked her watch. It was almost time. She opened the bathroom door and lit a candle, placing it delicately on the counter. She checked her reflection in the mirror, making sure she was presentable. Her brilliant red roots were starting to show. She’d have to touch up her dye again… Or maybe she’d go natural for a bit. She turned off the lights and waited. The clock struck midnight, and she faced the mirror.

“Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary.”

The candle blew in a nonexistent breeze, flickering the flame. The mirror cracked as two glowing eyes appeared in the darkness. The eyes flickered, and as Coco looked into them, she saw Mary standing behind her in her reflection. She turned to glance, and felt a pair of cold, pale hands wrap around her. Mary leaned in, whispering into her ear. Coco giggled, turning to face the spirit. Her deck hung from Mary’s neck on a silver cord, her long black hair obscured her face. Coco grinned as she hugged her.

“Girl, you wouldn’t believe the day I’ve had,” she began, ready for a long night. Mary grinned, hanging on every word.

—

Ranger Park stood in the forest, surveying his domain with a smile. He heard a twig snap behind him, and saw the squirrels running amok. He turned and saw the lumbering form of Bigfoot standing in a clearing, looking at him with a smile. The gentle giant held a baby bird in his two giant hands, cradling it carefully. He reached up and delicately placed it back in the nest, before looking at Park one more time. He turned and lumbered off into the forest, nothing more than a mirage in the trees. Park grinned and leaned against his jeep.

—

Alan stood on the dock and watched the ship come in. It was loaded with people who’d travelled far for his luxury resort, and they were in turn loaded with lots of money to spend. He fixed his suit and tie, then stepped forward to greet them.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Costa Keyes! Our complimentary bell service will bring your bags to your rooms. The restaurant is open, you must be hungry after your trip. Tonight in the lounge we have a special gift for you - a once-in-a-lifetime performance you won’t want to miss! Prepare to be amazed by the confounding conjurations of the one, the only, Harry Houdini!”

The crowd cheered as they rushed toward the resort, eager to see what luxury commodities the man could offer them. Alan grinned as he strode down the docks confidently, walking by his staff and congratulating them each on a job well done. He stepped into the resort and walked to the lounge, unlocking the door. He opened it and saw Houdini on stage, dangling upside-down from chains as an assistant filled a tank with water. Houdini smiled and disappeared from his chains, leaving them dangling.

“Take five, everyone!” he ordered, the assistants nodded and settled in for a brief respite. He approached Alan and greeted his friend with a hearty handshake.

“Ready for the show tonight?” Alan asked with a grin. He already knew the answer - Houdini was always ready for the show.

“Aren’t I always?” he smirked.

“I gotta tell ya,” Alan said, looking around the lavish lounge. “I wish I’d done this years ago.”

“You’re all out of those,” Houdini chuckled. Alan laughed with him.

“I suppose you’re right. Guess it all comes down to hard work,” he said. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he glanced at the screen. “Speak of the devil. Keep up the great work, Houdini.”

“You too, Alan,” Houdini smiled. He returned to preparing for the show, and Alan jogged off to go handle the emergency. It was nothing but putting out fires, but he loved it.

—

Alice handed the last customer a cup of piping hot tea. She wished him a good day, and he left. Another satisfied customer. She started sweeping the floor, humming a little tune to herself as she cleaned up the little shop. Her boss stepped out of the back and looked out at the cafe.

“Great work today,” he said. Alice smiled at the praise.

“Just doing my part,” she replied.

“I have to say, I didn’t think we’d recover after we lost Chad. You were a godsend,” the boss walked over to her with a small envelope in his hand. Alice took it curiously, opening the lumpy package. She gasped in awe as she saw what was inside - a beautiful nametag with her name on it. In addition were the words “Assistant manager.” She grinned at her boss.

“It’s yours if you want it,” he said with a smile. Alice nodded eagerly and pinned the tag on her apron.

“Yes! Thank you so much!” she threw her arms around him. He grunted at the sudden hug, not used to her strength.

“Well, keep up the good work,” he said with a smile. “Maybe you’ll inherit the place when I retire.”

“I’ll take good care of it for you,” she said proudly as she preened over her new position. Things were looking up for her!

—

The zookeeper whistled a little tune as he wheeled his cart to the monkey cage. He pulled out his keys and unlocked the cage, counting the monkeys inside. He looked at the last monkey curiously. He didn’t remember having a golden macaque in this cage.

“Where did you come from, little guy?” he asked as he peered closer. He didn’t notice an identical monkey tying his shoelaces together, or two more running off with the food. He spotted the furry little thieves.

“Hey! Get back here with that!” he yelled as he turned to chase them. He tripped, landing on the walkway with a groan. Mango howled with laughter, swinging from the bars as the cage door opened. The golden macaque slipped out, shutting the cage behind him and blowing a raspberry at the zookeeper. He leapt away, hopping onto a golden cloud and flying off to the farmer’s market. He landed on Mr. Wu’s stall, holding out a hand expectantly.

“Oh, not you again!” cried Mr. Wu. He tried to shoo the monkey with his broom, but sighed and looked at the little creature.

“Okay, fine. But just one!” He handed the monkey a peach and smiled. He shook his head as the little ape climbed up the walls, perching on the rooftop to enjoy his meal. He transformed into the unmistakable form of Sun Wukong, a deck of cards tucked into his sash. He gazed out over the city as he enjoyed his delicious, juicy peach.

—

In the middle of the Nevada desert, a lone car drove down the highway. The engine sputtered, and the driver stepped out with a frustrated grunt. He slammed the door and kicked at the sand.

“Worthless piece of garbage!” he railed at the sky. “I wish I’d never bought this lemon!”

A glint in the sand caught his eye, and he walked over. He dug in the sand, finding a buried golden lamp. He raised an eyebrow and rubbed the lamp, and deep purple smoke began to billow from inside.

“What is your bidding, my master?” came a booming voice that shook the driver to his bones.

—

Arthur rode in the back of a pickup truck that drove on the left side down the highway. His suit was rumpled and dirty, but he could fix that in time. The truck pulled past the London city limit and drove over a bridge across the Thames. It pulled to a stop, and the driver honked his horn.

“London, as promised,” he said. “Good luck on your travels, sir!”

“It’s quite alright, thank you,” Arthur said, stepping out of the back of the truck. He handed the driver an ancient coin. Then, he stepped forward, shifting his suit from a dirty and ragged thing into a clean and beautiful suit. The driver stared in shock, amazed by the trick. Arthur walked toward Buckingham Palace, the great building looming over him. He stood at the gate, staring at the building in awe.

“Camelot has changed,” he mused to himself. Two guardsmen whispered to each other, then approached.

“Sir!” one of them said, holding his bearskin cap steady as the pair jogged over to Arthur. “State your business here, sir!”

“My business?” Arthur mused, looking at the guardsmen. He drew Excalibur, the steel gleaming in the sunlight. The guardsmen reached for their pistols, but stopped as they recognized the blade. They knelt before the king, bowing deeply.

“Your majesty!” they cried in unison. Arthur sheathed his blade and gently tapped the guards.

“Rise,” he said. “Take me to your sovereign.”

—

A wind rolled over a grassy field. Shadowy figures roamed across the plain, moaning in agony. Their mere existence was suffering. A figure danced across the field, his blades flashing in the sunlight. He was an athletic man, bearded and wearing a turban. He wore baggy pants held up by a sash, and no shirt, showing off his muscular chest. His arms were adorned in silver bracers, and an earring hung from one ear. He twirled his scimitars with a flourish, cutting through the horde of shapeless creatures. Each time one fell, it dispersed into black ichor. He rolled to his feet and looked out at the crowd of creatures, all moving toward him, hungry for sustenance.

A noise drew the attention of the Hero, a sharp whinny of a magnificent black stallion. Sat astride was a regal woman, clad from head to toe in rich blue. In her hand, she held a long bow of supple guava wood, and her long black hair was tied back in dreadlocks, woven with gold beads and seashells. She urged her horse forward, the beast charging the horde of monsters. His hooves fell upon the creatures, scattering them into black ichor. The man in the turban grinned and joined in the carnage. The pair danced a deadly dance, slicing through the nearest creatures, and peppering the distant ones with arrows. Finally, they’d thinned out the horde enough to approach their source - a glowing crystal, tinged with a sickening green light. From the crystal, a creature began to emerge, opening its crooked maw as it birthed. The royal woman raised her spear and plunged it through the monstrous creature’s head, dispersing it once again.

“They’ve become more aggressive of late,” the woman mused as the man placed his hands on the crystal. He began to chant in Arabic, drawing the corruption from the crystal until it glowed with a pure, clean light. He held the orb of corrupted fluid in his hand, offering it to her.

“Then we’ll do as we’ve always done,” he said. “We’ll fight them to the last.”

“You’re incorrigible, Sinbad,” the woman mused. She took the orb from him and crushed it in her hands.

A man in bronze armor approached the pair, his cape blowing in the wind as he strode. He slung his shield over his back and removed his helmet, revealing his handsome features and olive skin.

“Seems I missed the party,” he said, surveying the carnage.

“The rain will wash away the ichor in time,” said the woman. The man nodded.

“Perhaps you should teach him to ride, your highness,” joked Sinbad. “Then Achilles could arrive on time!”

“How goes the tournament, Yennenga?” Achilles asked, ignoring Sinbad’s joke. The regal woman raised her arm and whistled, and a blue turaco flew from the sky. It landed on her arm, and she offered it a slice of fruit as a treat. She unwrapped the missive from its leg and sent it off. She read the note, her brow creasing.

“According to this, there are still eleven players active in the tournament,” she said gravely.

“Eleven? That can’t be right,” Achilles protested. “It’s been a year!”

“It could have something to do with the increased aggression of the Soulless,” Sinbad offered. Yennenga nodded grimly.

“We shall call a new tournament,” she said. “I’ll gather ten volunteers and send them to Earth to investigate.”

“You’ll gather nine,” Achilles said, sliding his helmet on. He smiled at his friends, and Yennenga nodded.

“I’ll gather eight,” she affirmed.

“You’ll gather seven!” Sinbad added, placing his hand between them. Yennenga and Achilles placed their hands over his, sealing the pact.

“Then it’s settled,” said Yennenga. “We’ll get to the bottom of this, and see who is Unmatched.”

And with that, we finally wrap up this story with a little bit of a mystery. It’s a shame that it has to end here, with no more from me.

Of course I wouldn’t leave it at that.

Look, I’ll be honest. I’ve got a lot of ideas for a sequel, and I want to make it happen. If you want to make it happen, then there’s a way to let me know. Donate to my Ko-fi at https://ko-fi.com/catapultcrashtester and be sure to add “Rising Legend!” into the donation message so I know that you want a sequel. A few bucks is helpful, but I’ll be setting a goal of $300 in order to fully fund the next story. This money will go toward supporting the project, hire beta readers, give me incentive to work on it, and of course, make sure that it’s the kind of quality that you’ve come to expect from me. Basically, financing the sequel makes sure that it’s absolutely perfect for you.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it! Be sure to support me with donations and reviews, and hopefully we’ll see you in the next one!

Epilogue

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