Suikoden Fan Fiction ❯ The Legend of Vampire Forest ❯ Epilogue ( Chapter 3 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Bonnie E 
Anime/Manga: Suikoden Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 05.10.2004 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.3K | Visits: 230 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Suikoden Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 05.10.2004 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.3K | Visits: 230 | Status: Work In Progress
Epilogue
"There is more to life than being a knight." -- Chris Lightfellow
It was that time of year again. After a year seeing the Island Nations, a short trip to visit Nash's sister in Harmonia and a final stop in Chisha for some wine, they headed north towards Blue Moon Village.
Over the year, Nash had often wondered if they'd see Louis again, but never told Sierra about his thoughts on it. She appeared to be looking forward to seeing him again. It wasn't anything she said aloud, but there was something Nash could read about her. He'd gotten quite good at that.
"I wonder if he looks better now. He looked rather sickly when we left him," she spoke quietly as the village appeared in the far distance.
Nash sighed inwardly, hoping Sierra wouldn't be disappointed. Any number of things could have happened. Louis could have gone back to Zexen and decided that he really belonged there after all. He could have wandered somewhere and lost track of time...any number of things were possible. Nash wanted to believe Louis would be waiting in the village, but he worried because he knew how much Sierra would be hurt if Louis wasn't there.
"I'm sure he looks a lot better. It's been a year, after all," Nash responded, hiding his doubt from her.
Sierra nodded, but then looked distant for a moment. "Do you suppose he really will be there?" she said suddenly, taking Nash by surprise. He hadn't at any point expected that Sierra had also thought of it. But then he felt silly for not supposing she would. After all, it wasn't as if she was stupid.
He decided there was no point in lying. "Well...I don't know. Maybe not. But I hope he is. You're looking forward to seeing him again."
Sierra nodded again. "I am. Perhaps too excited. He might not be there. He might have lost track of time. For all we know, we might have. You know how I sleep sometimes. Hmm... but I suppose it doesn't matter either way. Our paths are bound to cross again, whether now or in a century. But...it would be nice if he was there, and really rebuilding the village. Don't you think so?"
Nash felt better knowing that Sierra would be alright, regardless. "I think that would be great...honestly."
"I know you mean it. Now let's hurry. We're almost there."
Nash walked right beside Sierra, keeping pace with her. He also wanted to see the village now. There was no better reason to rush.
* * * * *
I'd arrived back at the edge of Vampire Forest well before winter began, even though the trip to and from Zexen had taken much longer than I'd expected. I hadn't realized how far north I'd travelled over those years I'd been trying to evade Harmonia.
When I'd arrived back in Blue Moon Village it was lush and green, but a cool wind blew at night, signaling that it would soon be winter again. I admit that I hadn't managed to figure out which date it was that Sierra and Nash would arrive, but I decided that I was still early.
Now that I knew what to expect, I was ready for my travels through this forest. When I'd left it the first time, I'd subtly marked the path back to Toki, so it hadn't been as hard to find the second time around.
I set up a small camp in the middle of the village, where you could still see some of the sky. Trees had overgrown what had once been a cleared glen. They would have to be cleared eventually in order to use the wood for the houses, and to allow some sunlight into the village, but that would come with time. I wasn't ready for that step just yet. I would have to wait until my skills developed and I was ready to come back and do as I'd promised.
I'd found an old carpenter in Toki who had offered me some money in exchange for a small bit of grunt work, which was how I could afford my supplies for my journey. When he'd heard I was interested in being a carpenter, he was ecstatic and enthusiastically said he'd teach me. Supposedly his old apprentice had died three years ago and he'd been looking for once since. I suppose it was sheer luck on my part that I found him so close to where I was planning on using my skills in the end.
A few days passed, and I made a mental note of all the things that would have to be done in preparation for the rebuild. I'm sure there were things I was overlooking that I'd think of once I knew more about the job. At least thinking of the preliminary things made me feel as if I'd done something. I felt bad for telling the two vampires that I'd rebuild the village and as yet still hadn't begun.
The afternoon I saw them enter the village I was excited. I'd waited a year to see them and tell them what had happened to me. I ran up to them to greet them. "Hello! Welcome back!" I said.
"Hello, Louis," Nash said with a smile. Sierra was looking around, probably to see what had changed.
"I'm sorry that I haven't had a chance to really start yet. It took longer to get back to Zexen from here than I originally thought. And I realized I can't do it right yet because I lack the knowledge how. But I still will rebuild. I've already made some plans."
"That's alright," Sierra spoke. "I do trust you. And you're right. One man alone won't be able to do this. It took several of us working together last time. You do so at your own pace. It was your gift and not my demand, so take as long as you must."
I felt better knowing that she still believed in me.
"How did it go in Zexen?" Nash asked,
I sighed. "Much better than I'd expected, honestly. Percival wasn't happy that I'd deserted the Zexen Federation, but I think he still understood. And he wasn't mad about Lady Chris. He told me that she felt like a mother to me, and felt it a weakness within her to want to protect me. Regardless of the circumstances behind me being in danger, heroic or cowardly, it was likely Lady Chris would have stepped in to keep me safe. But...Percival never saw it as weakness. In fact...he came out and said he was proud of her."
I remembered back to my conversation that evening by the light of a crackling fire in Percival's home. I could still hear his voice.
"All she accomplished...it was a amazing achievement for a man, but for a woman... unheard of. I'm proud of her, and proud of everything she did, even to the end. She was certainly allowed a bit of softness, as much as she hated that side of herself. I don't regret wooing her for even a second. And you should be honored to have served under her - not ashamed, Louis."
I had taken his words to heart. I had worked hard to try and accept that what had happened wasn't my fault - but I still felt badly at my weakest moments. I supposed it would take me some time, but I would eventually accept it.
"Well, I'm glad it worked out for you. Now I guess it's time to move on to another chapter of your life, right?"
"Yes. Right here in your village."
"Well, it's great that you returned. Actually, sometimes I wondered if you were just going to stay in Zexen and forget about us."
"If there's one thing that I still retain from my days as a knight - once I make a promise, I see it through in whatever way I must."
Nash nodded. "Yep, I see. I should have known. What about the Harmonians? Are they still following you?"
"No. I felt I was being trailed for awhile, but by the time I'd reached the northern border of Kamaro, I noticed they were gone. I guess they caught on to the fact the rune was no longer as easily accessible."
"Well, that's good, then. I know how persistent those people can be when they want something."
For a few more minutes, we made small talk about nothing important. Whether I'd been eating enough, whether I had anything to eat on me (you know who requested that), whether I'd seen anyone else in Zexen... it was like being with a group of old friends again. How glad I was that I'd met these people. As much as some things about Nash still got on my nerves. I hadn't known them long, but I wanted to know them better. I knew there was plenty of time for that.
Sierra spoke, "I'm moving on to visit. It really is wonderful to see you again, Louis."
Sierra moved on towards the gravesite. I wasn't surprised to see that Nash wasn't leaving just yet. I'd almost expected it of him, actually.
"Louis... I don't know if you can tell...but I've got an inkling that I might have been wrong about something," Nash whispered.
"What is it?"
"I think there will probably be a Blue Moon Village again someday. Maybe not in the near future, but eventually. You just keep up the good work and it'll happen. You'll see."
A real village? With houses people actually were going to live in? It was fine when they were just going to be empty houses, but...to have this become a real village again? Why did I feel so nervous?
"I'll bet you're happy about that," I replied, trying to hide my apprehension.
Nash shrugged again, grinning that insolent grin that I'd grown to tolerate. "Of course! Like I said, this will be good for Sierra in the end. Yeah, it sort of stinks because I wanted to go on travelling, but...I can't complain. Besides, there's only so much of this world people can see that's actually interesting. We can still leave the village occasionally on a whim as long as we leave the Blue Moon Rune behind with trustworthy guards."
Apparently Nash must have realized I was nervous about his comments. "You don't look happy..." he spoke dryly.
"Oh, I am! But it's just...such an incredible burden...I'm so unskilled right now."
"Well, go and get some skills. There's a carpenter in Toki I met a few days ago that can probably teach you how to build houses. I heard people telling me he was looking for an apprentice or something like that. And...actually...his daughter is sort of cute..."
"Don't be silly! I don't have time for that!" I exclaimed. I didn't want to tell him I'd already met the man and signed on with him. That would only begin a drilling session I didn't wish to get into. And no, I had no time to notice a pretty face. I had a village to build. Even though... It was true that Isabella did have quite a pretty face...
I snapped out of whatever dream I'd fallen into and finished saying what I planned to. "I'm going to work hard and make this place habitable again. You'll see."
"That's it! You'll do fine, Louis. There's no need to fret over everything. Just let your manly charm shine through, and she'll notice you."
"I said stop that..."
Nash laughed and I found myself unable to help myself. I also laughed along with him.
So this was it. The beginning of my new life. This forest, which I'd come across quite by accident, truly had been the end of one journey and the beginning of another. Like the many people who had sought it out before, I had found my salvation. And would help rebuild a place where others like me would be able to make new starts. I felt a sense of pride come over me as I thought about it. It was the first thing I'd been truly proud of since the day I'd become a knight.
Yes, this would be a wonderful new life.
FIN
------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------
A/N: Well, that’s it. The story I actually finished. This will eventually be expanded upon, but right now, this is how it is.
Obligatory Disclaimer: Well, this stuff belongs to Konami, so don't sue me.
"There is more to life than being a knight." -- Chris Lightfellow
It was that time of year again. After a year seeing the Island Nations, a short trip to visit Nash's sister in Harmonia and a final stop in Chisha for some wine, they headed north towards Blue Moon Village.
Over the year, Nash had often wondered if they'd see Louis again, but never told Sierra about his thoughts on it. She appeared to be looking forward to seeing him again. It wasn't anything she said aloud, but there was something Nash could read about her. He'd gotten quite good at that.
"I wonder if he looks better now. He looked rather sickly when we left him," she spoke quietly as the village appeared in the far distance.
Nash sighed inwardly, hoping Sierra wouldn't be disappointed. Any number of things could have happened. Louis could have gone back to Zexen and decided that he really belonged there after all. He could have wandered somewhere and lost track of time...any number of things were possible. Nash wanted to believe Louis would be waiting in the village, but he worried because he knew how much Sierra would be hurt if Louis wasn't there.
"I'm sure he looks a lot better. It's been a year, after all," Nash responded, hiding his doubt from her.
Sierra nodded, but then looked distant for a moment. "Do you suppose he really will be there?" she said suddenly, taking Nash by surprise. He hadn't at any point expected that Sierra had also thought of it. But then he felt silly for not supposing she would. After all, it wasn't as if she was stupid.
He decided there was no point in lying. "Well...I don't know. Maybe not. But I hope he is. You're looking forward to seeing him again."
Sierra nodded again. "I am. Perhaps too excited. He might not be there. He might have lost track of time. For all we know, we might have. You know how I sleep sometimes. Hmm... but I suppose it doesn't matter either way. Our paths are bound to cross again, whether now or in a century. But...it would be nice if he was there, and really rebuilding the village. Don't you think so?"
Nash felt better knowing that Sierra would be alright, regardless. "I think that would be great...honestly."
"I know you mean it. Now let's hurry. We're almost there."
Nash walked right beside Sierra, keeping pace with her. He also wanted to see the village now. There was no better reason to rush.
* * * * *
I'd arrived back at the edge of Vampire Forest well before winter began, even though the trip to and from Zexen had taken much longer than I'd expected. I hadn't realized how far north I'd travelled over those years I'd been trying to evade Harmonia.
When I'd arrived back in Blue Moon Village it was lush and green, but a cool wind blew at night, signaling that it would soon be winter again. I admit that I hadn't managed to figure out which date it was that Sierra and Nash would arrive, but I decided that I was still early.
Now that I knew what to expect, I was ready for my travels through this forest. When I'd left it the first time, I'd subtly marked the path back to Toki, so it hadn't been as hard to find the second time around.
I set up a small camp in the middle of the village, where you could still see some of the sky. Trees had overgrown what had once been a cleared glen. They would have to be cleared eventually in order to use the wood for the houses, and to allow some sunlight into the village, but that would come with time. I wasn't ready for that step just yet. I would have to wait until my skills developed and I was ready to come back and do as I'd promised.
I'd found an old carpenter in Toki who had offered me some money in exchange for a small bit of grunt work, which was how I could afford my supplies for my journey. When he'd heard I was interested in being a carpenter, he was ecstatic and enthusiastically said he'd teach me. Supposedly his old apprentice had died three years ago and he'd been looking for once since. I suppose it was sheer luck on my part that I found him so close to where I was planning on using my skills in the end.
A few days passed, and I made a mental note of all the things that would have to be done in preparation for the rebuild. I'm sure there were things I was overlooking that I'd think of once I knew more about the job. At least thinking of the preliminary things made me feel as if I'd done something. I felt bad for telling the two vampires that I'd rebuild the village and as yet still hadn't begun.
The afternoon I saw them enter the village I was excited. I'd waited a year to see them and tell them what had happened to me. I ran up to them to greet them. "Hello! Welcome back!" I said.
"Hello, Louis," Nash said with a smile. Sierra was looking around, probably to see what had changed.
"I'm sorry that I haven't had a chance to really start yet. It took longer to get back to Zexen from here than I originally thought. And I realized I can't do it right yet because I lack the knowledge how. But I still will rebuild. I've already made some plans."
"That's alright," Sierra spoke. "I do trust you. And you're right. One man alone won't be able to do this. It took several of us working together last time. You do so at your own pace. It was your gift and not my demand, so take as long as you must."
I felt better knowing that she still believed in me.
"How did it go in Zexen?" Nash asked,
I sighed. "Much better than I'd expected, honestly. Percival wasn't happy that I'd deserted the Zexen Federation, but I think he still understood. And he wasn't mad about Lady Chris. He told me that she felt like a mother to me, and felt it a weakness within her to want to protect me. Regardless of the circumstances behind me being in danger, heroic or cowardly, it was likely Lady Chris would have stepped in to keep me safe. But...Percival never saw it as weakness. In fact...he came out and said he was proud of her."
I remembered back to my conversation that evening by the light of a crackling fire in Percival's home. I could still hear his voice.
"All she accomplished...it was a amazing achievement for a man, but for a woman... unheard of. I'm proud of her, and proud of everything she did, even to the end. She was certainly allowed a bit of softness, as much as she hated that side of herself. I don't regret wooing her for even a second. And you should be honored to have served under her - not ashamed, Louis."
I had taken his words to heart. I had worked hard to try and accept that what had happened wasn't my fault - but I still felt badly at my weakest moments. I supposed it would take me some time, but I would eventually accept it.
"Well, I'm glad it worked out for you. Now I guess it's time to move on to another chapter of your life, right?"
"Yes. Right here in your village."
"Well, it's great that you returned. Actually, sometimes I wondered if you were just going to stay in Zexen and forget about us."
"If there's one thing that I still retain from my days as a knight - once I make a promise, I see it through in whatever way I must."
Nash nodded. "Yep, I see. I should have known. What about the Harmonians? Are they still following you?"
"No. I felt I was being trailed for awhile, but by the time I'd reached the northern border of Kamaro, I noticed they were gone. I guess they caught on to the fact the rune was no longer as easily accessible."
"Well, that's good, then. I know how persistent those people can be when they want something."
For a few more minutes, we made small talk about nothing important. Whether I'd been eating enough, whether I had anything to eat on me (you know who requested that), whether I'd seen anyone else in Zexen... it was like being with a group of old friends again. How glad I was that I'd met these people. As much as some things about Nash still got on my nerves. I hadn't known them long, but I wanted to know them better. I knew there was plenty of time for that.
Sierra spoke, "I'm moving on to visit. It really is wonderful to see you again, Louis."
Sierra moved on towards the gravesite. I wasn't surprised to see that Nash wasn't leaving just yet. I'd almost expected it of him, actually.
"Louis... I don't know if you can tell...but I've got an inkling that I might have been wrong about something," Nash whispered.
"What is it?"
"I think there will probably be a Blue Moon Village again someday. Maybe not in the near future, but eventually. You just keep up the good work and it'll happen. You'll see."
A real village? With houses people actually were going to live in? It was fine when they were just going to be empty houses, but...to have this become a real village again? Why did I feel so nervous?
"I'll bet you're happy about that," I replied, trying to hide my apprehension.
Nash shrugged again, grinning that insolent grin that I'd grown to tolerate. "Of course! Like I said, this will be good for Sierra in the end. Yeah, it sort of stinks because I wanted to go on travelling, but...I can't complain. Besides, there's only so much of this world people can see that's actually interesting. We can still leave the village occasionally on a whim as long as we leave the Blue Moon Rune behind with trustworthy guards."
Apparently Nash must have realized I was nervous about his comments. "You don't look happy..." he spoke dryly.
"Oh, I am! But it's just...such an incredible burden...I'm so unskilled right now."
"Well, go and get some skills. There's a carpenter in Toki I met a few days ago that can probably teach you how to build houses. I heard people telling me he was looking for an apprentice or something like that. And...actually...his daughter is sort of cute..."
"Don't be silly! I don't have time for that!" I exclaimed. I didn't want to tell him I'd already met the man and signed on with him. That would only begin a drilling session I didn't wish to get into. And no, I had no time to notice a pretty face. I had a village to build. Even though... It was true that Isabella did have quite a pretty face...
I snapped out of whatever dream I'd fallen into and finished saying what I planned to. "I'm going to work hard and make this place habitable again. You'll see."
"That's it! You'll do fine, Louis. There's no need to fret over everything. Just let your manly charm shine through, and she'll notice you."
"I said stop that..."
Nash laughed and I found myself unable to help myself. I also laughed along with him.
So this was it. The beginning of my new life. This forest, which I'd come across quite by accident, truly had been the end of one journey and the beginning of another. Like the many people who had sought it out before, I had found my salvation. And would help rebuild a place where others like me would be able to make new starts. I felt a sense of pride come over me as I thought about it. It was the first thing I'd been truly proud of since the day I'd become a knight.
Yes, this would be a wonderful new life.
FIN
------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------
A/N: Well, that’s it. The story I actually finished. This will eventually be expanded upon, but right now, this is how it is.
Obligatory Disclaimer: Well, this stuff belongs to Konami, so don't sue me.