(SPOILERS!) TWatWK Extended Epilogue

Hi everyone! I have decided to write an extended version of the epilogue from The Warden and the Wolf King. I know that a lot of people had done this already, but I thought it would be fun to write it as if it was part of the book, as if the epilogue plus what I wrote were a chapter at the end of the story. I was thinking about inserting the full epilogue into the beginning of this, but there would be implications concerning copyrights and plagiarism that I want to avoid. So instead, the story starts of with the last sentence of the epilogue and continues from there.

This took a long time for me to write, and so although I have an outline of what happens after this, I thought I should post what I have here first and if you all like it then I will write some more. Enjoy!

“It’s worth a try,” Kalmar said. “Either way, it’s going to make a great story.” Kalmar mounted the other dragon and held out his hand to his mother. “Are you coming?”

Nia smiled, her eyes full of hope. She turned to Leeli and Sara. “Go grab your packs. We have quite a ride ahead of us.” Once they were gone, she wrapped Kalmar in a big hug.

Before they knew it, Nia, Kalmar, Leeli, Artham, Sara, and Oscar were soaring over Anniera on the dragons. Leeli giggled to herself at the thought of how scared Kalmar would be if he was still afraid of heights. So much had changed in the past few months; Each of the kids had matured drastically, and they barely felt like the same people that they were back in Glipwood.

Leeli looked around, hardly believing that she was riding a dragon. Her and Sara were riding a blue dragon, while Kalmar and Nia were riding along with Janner’s body on Hulwen. Oscar was straddling a green dragon and questioning Artham, who was flying next to them, about the First Well, while struggling to be heard above the wind. “In the words of Franklin Floop, ‘fascinating!’” he exclaimed, “before our adventure, I had assumed that the First Well was just a legend. To think that I am about to see it myself is superb!”

Nia sat regally on Hulwen’s back, looking like the queen she was. After praying a silent prayer for the Maker to heal Janner, she looked down at the shining isle with sadness in her eyes. What was once a majestic hillscape full of light and song was laid before her now in its smoldering, blackened, Gnagified state. As she turned her head, she caught a glimpse of movement. It was people, Annierians who just the day before were fangs and cloven, who now were already beginning the process of rebuilding and restoring what Gnag had destroyed.

A few hours later, Kalmar woke up with a start. He had fallen asleep on Hulwen, having been tired after waking up early. Looking around him, he saw that they had crossed the Symmian strait and were approaching Ban Rona. He smiled, grateful that he was a normal human again and would not get any more people staring at him when he walked around the Hollows. No more people staring because of his fur, that is. They were getting a lot of stares and looks of awe right now from Hollishfolk as they passed overhead.

As they neared the Blackwood, Artham heard Hulwen speak to him. “I will need your help navigating from here to Clovenfast. We will land there and wait for you to find the First Well.” Artham gulped. He was not eager to return to the Blackwood, but he knew they had no choice. At least he was able to remain himself and not let peet the sock man show through. When Janner had sacrificed himself to save Kalmar, something had changed inside of Artham. He still felt guilt for abandoning Esben, but it no longer controlled him. Janner had done what he had not, and in that moment he felt the Maker release the burden off his back and knew that he had been forgiven.

“Kalmar, do you think you can guide us to Clovenfast from up here? Hulwen says that she and the other dragons are going to drop us off there and wait while we go to the well.”

“I think so. There is a clearing in the middle of the ruins where we can land. I think I see it over there,” Kalmar pointed to a break in the trees off to their left.

Once they landed, Nia thanked the dragons and looked around with a shudder. Having grown up being taught to fear the Blackwood and the cloven in it, she hadn’t yet completely adjusted to the fact that it was safe now.

Artham looked at Kalmar. “How far do you figure the well is from here? Even if there are not any cloven, I would rather not be in this forest after dark.” Kal thought for a moment. “I think it’s about an hour and a half walk away. We should have time to get there and back before dark.”

With this affirmation, Artham gently picked up Janner’s body and they all started out into the forest.

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Sure enough, they arrived at the First Well in the time estimated. Once they entered the clearing, everyone stood still for a minute in awe, beholding in front of them the subject of legends. Artham felt emotion bubbling up inside him as he thought about the last time he was there. He was grateful to the Maker for the chance to return in such different circumstances than before.

As they kneeled around the well, they felt the Maker’s presence surround them with a peace and hope that they desperately needed. Artham laid Janner next to the water and nodded at Sara. Sara looked up with tears in her eyes, understanding the significance of the Wingfeathers letting her give Janner the water.

She picked up a seed husk, as big as a bowl, and scooped a few drops into Janner’s mouth.

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Janner had just run into the crowd of fangs and cloven, grabbed the stone and urged Kalmar to sing the song. He had just sacrificed his life to save what Gnag, Davion Wingfeather, had broken. He had just felt the life sucked out of him, and been surrounded by the Maker’s love and peace. And now, he was surrounded by light, engulfed by the Maker’s presence. He felt a joy and exuberance that he would remember forever. He had succeeded, performing his duties as a Throne Warden to the end.

Suddenly, Janner felt the Maker’s voice reverberate throughout his body and mind.

Well done Janner Wingfeather. But I still have more for you to do. You still

have more light to share with the world. Remember how you feel

now, and go out and share it with others.

As the Maker said this, Janner felt Aeriwar materialize around him. He was laying on the grass, with his family gathered around, and Sara Cobbler looking over him. As he sat up, feeling dazed, Nia let out a cry of joy and surrounded him in a warm hug. “It worked! You’re alive!”

Janner smiled and embraced his family.