“I won’t let it end,” Reanja growled. “The magic of the Old Ones still lives in me. I will never let the Lumea live in peace so long as its people reject me!”

The seafoam-skinned warrior stepped forward. “You know we can’t let you do that, Reanja,” he replied. “We were gravely mistaken in ever allowing you to go free when you warred against Prithvi decades ago. We will not repeat that error.”

The witch’s blonde hair stood on end in fury. “It will not end until I say it does!” she wheezed. “Now return to the unseen where you self-obsessed apparitions belong.”

A flurry of chains rose from the floor yet again, poised to strike down the company of Spirits. Reanja motioned the metallic extremities forward with a slight lunge. As the iron barrage flew toward them, the group of six showed no signs of standing down from the witch’s final assault. Amah held out her hand, appearing as if she were going to attempt to block the outpouring metal links.

From the Sun Spirit’s hand flew a brilliance of gold and crimson flames, which consumed every last chain link. Ash and specks of metal rained down as Ho and Shi rushed past Amah, extending a long rope adorned with pieces of zigzag-folded paper around the witch. They flew around her in circles several times, raveling the line tightly about her person.

Reanja shrieked like a child in conniptions as she clambered and thrashed against her bindings. The Twin Star Spirits stood side-by-side behind the witch, keeping the rope pulled tautly around her. “There’s no need for such a fuss,” Amah advised as she crept closer to the monarch. “We intend to do no physical harm to you.”

Aurora rose to her feet, in awe of the Spirits’ presence. “What are you going to do to her, Great Spirit?”

“Something just.” Amah motioned to the seafoam-skinned warrior behind her. “Dear Brother Suhs, lend me the power of the seas.”

She motioned to the tan, older man with a long nose. “Treasured Friend Sarhu, lend me the power of the earth,” the Sun Spirit requested.

The two lifted their weapons, barely touching them to her back, as she turned to face Reanja. Brief glows of green and blue illuminated from their weapons, enhancing Amah’s golden luminescence as she took in a deep breath. She thrust her hand forward into Reanja’s chest, a flash of white light exuding forth as she reached directly into the witch’s spiritual core. Her elbow jerked back as she tugged her hand out of the ethereal makeup. In her hand she held a clear, crystal orb that emitted a soft white light. “The whole of your magic, and the magic of the Old Ones of Yore Days,” Amah remarked, examining the sphere in her hand.

Without another word, the Sun Spirit tightened her grip around the bauble. While she squeezed it in the palm of her hand it very quickly began to crack, shattering as she finally closed her palm around it. The shards dissolved into a thin, grey dust as they fell to the floor. Every one of the present Iron Fiends dissolved into thin air.

“No!” Reanja lamented loudly.

“You’re powerless now,” Amah explained. “Reanja delle Catene di Ferro, for attempting to plunge the world into infinite darkness and nothingness, you will never see the sun again. As punishment for what you’ve done to the denizens of Prithvi and the planet of Lumea, the Spirit Order sentences you to live the rest of your days in the web of caverns deep below the planet’s surface.”

Ho and Shi released their grip on the rope binding Reanja. Amah drew it forth and reshaped it into an old, stone lantern which she proceeded to throw into the former witch’s hands. “Sarhu, would you do the honors?” the High Spirit of the Sun asked.

“Gladly,” the old man said as he raised his spear.

The other Spirits flew out of the Earth Spirit’s path as he drove his spear into the remains of the ballroom floor. As he struck, the ground beneath Reanja opened up widely. Her screams echoed as she fell into the maw below. The young earl rushed into the crevasse after her in a final, foolhardy attempt to save her … but the ground closed up above them in a loud clap of stone, soil, and flooring.

“We should return to the Sky Kingdom. The others will be waiting,” the silver-skinned man advised.

“Not just yet, Brother Tsu.” Amah turned to walk toward the pile of rubble near the southernmost wall of the ballroom.

The Moon spirit groaned in annoyance. “Sister, it is not our place to meddle …”

“Do not tell me my place, brother. I know exactly where it lies,” the Sun Spirit replied as she continued toward the pile of stone.

Venice knelt in front of the debris as he desperately tried to unearth his friend. Pushing the stone away, he found Lola’s body buried underneath. The dog’s chest did not rise to take in a breath, not even once. Her limbs remained limp; noise and motion did not rouse her. She was dead. Aurora and Rook rushed to Venice’s side as he tried to awaken her, calling her name as loudly as he could to no avail.

The lutenist took hold of his hand to cease his grief-stricken attempts to revive the dog. “She’s gone, Venice,” Aurora said, her voice breaking.

The carpenter’s arms fell to his sides as he wept loudly. “Curse that witch! Curse her,” he sobbed. “What point is there in having the light back if I can’t share it with my best friend? She saved us all. She doesn’t deserve this!”

Rook wiped away his tears with the tip of his wing. “Just like that bratty dog to let me down in the end, isn’t it?” the rooster commented. “I was looking forward to spending the rest of my days with the three of you.”

The three of them turned their heads as Amah approached behind them.

“Why? Why did she have to pay this price just so you could be free?” Aurora lamented as she fought back tears. “She was just a dog; a poor, innocent dog! Why couldn’t you have chosen a human warrior to die for this?”

The Sun Spirit shook her head as she walked up to them. “A human would have abandoned hope long before they would’ve even gotten a third as far as all of you had to go,” she explained. “Humans spend their entire lives learning how to love. Dogs, however, are born knowing how to. To love so freely and unconditionally requires great hope, but also great sacrifice: hope for the future and sacrifice for those you love.”

She knelt down alongside them, gentling stroking the dog’s head as she continued talking. “Lola knew that very well. The consuming darkness of the now-past Days of the Empty Sky clouded that knowledge from many other dogs, but not from the Radiant Star that Shines in Sorrow, as we will call her. Her existence was not foretold or expected, yet it was born out of such terrible chaos,” Amah continued. “She understood that love means sacrifice … that what should matter is the happiness and well-being of those you love, even if you never see your own happy ending.”

The Spirit gently cradled the dog’s body in her arms. “It is unfortunate that she was forced to give her life for the good of the world,” she said. “However, we Spirits are quite fond of happy endings.”

Amah bowed her head as she laid a kiss upon the forehead of the lifeless Lola. A hue of sun-gold luminance crept down the Buhund’s form, subsiding momentarily as if it were soaking into her being. After a few silent seconds the dog took in a deep breath as her eyes fluttered open. “Welcome back, little one,” the Sun Spirit said softly.

The dog gave a tired groan. “Where’s the queen? Did we win?”

As she looked up at the ceiling gap, the Buhund took notice of the sunlight now pouring into the wrecked ballroom.

“She and her son are sealed in the deep caverns beneath Prithvi, where they will live the rest of their lives in darkness as punishment for what they did to the world,” Amah explained. “I think you should be more concerned about your friends, though.”

Lola tumbled out of the Spirit’s arms, gently landing upright on the floor. She shook out her ears loudly before jumping into Venice’s arms. The carpenter hugged her tightly, with Aurora and Rook very quickly joining the embrace. Cheers sounded from the company of soldiers.

“Lola! I promise I’ll spend every waking moment of your life by your side!” Venice proclaimed. “I’ll treasure every moment with you.”

“That’s a lot of time to spend together,” Tsu commented in discontent as he approached. “Was that really necessary, Sister?”

Lola and her friends seemed confused at his comment. “What do you mean?” the Buhund asked.

The Sun Spirit smiled impudently. “My parents are the High Spirits of Life and Death respectively,” she explained. “Let’s just say that I might have tapped into their power to give Lola a lifespan matching that of a rather healthy human. In addition to reviving her, that is. We’ll just call it a reward for all she’s done for everyone.”

“You mean I’m going to live to be as old as Venice?” the dog questioned, her eyes lighting up.

“If he takes good care of himself as he gets older, then yes,” Amah replied with a laugh.

Tsu did not look pleased as he approached. “The others will not be happy,” he warned.

“Then I will deal with them,” the Sun Spirit said. “Let us return to our Realm and begin the restoration of the world.”

Amah and Tsu dissolved into orbs of light, rising at a high speed into the sky above. As they departed, the remaining High Spirits approached. “You have done something truly great for the world, Radiant Star Who Shines in Sorrow,” Sarhu said. “We are hopeful that the second life Amah has given you through the honorable High Spirits Igah and Imah will be put to good use.”

Raising his long spear, he touched the blade’s tip to the Buhund’s collar. Suhs, likewise, raised the tip of his sword to Lola’s collar as well. The pins on the neckband erupted in an outflow of gold, silver, and white light as green and blue luminescence flooded in to meet it. When the light had stopped, her collar had taken a new shape.

The worn leather had been replaced with a band of heavy-woven red silk; the magic pins had vanished as well. The old and tarnished steel buckle had changed to a large golden one in a shape reminiscent of a sun, a quartz jewel the shape of a tear drop hanging from the bottom of it.

Suhs and Sarhu lowered their weapons.

“Take care, Honorable Daughter of Spitz,” Suhs instructed. “Make certain that you enjoy this day, as it is unarguably your first.”

The Sea Spirit turned to Ho and Shi. “Come, children. Let us join your aunt and uncle.”

“Yes, Father,” the twins replied in unison.

All three of them dissolved into orbs of light and rose into the sky through the gap in the ballroom ceiling as Tsu and Amah had done previously. Sarhu gave the group a solemn yet warm smile before turning into an orb of light himself and following the others into the sky.

###

For a few short moments Lola and her friends sat resting after the Spirits departed. The soldiers had grown restless after the conflict in the ballroom had ended. “We’re going to start taking all of the fruit trees outside to be planted. I figured it’d be best to let the folks outside enjoy their fruit, rather than keeping them cooped up in here,” Carter said. “We don’t expect you guys to do any work, since you’re all probably pretty worn out from everything, but would you like to accompany us?”

“It would be nice to see Prithvi illuminated by the sun for the first time since I was a toddler,” Aurora replied as she stood.

Lola gave a stretch. “Or for the first time ever, for that matter,” the dog commented.

Several of the soldiers could be seen lugging the large, potted plants out of the ballroom. “Oy, Monty, you’d do well to hold up your end of this rambutan tree a little better!” Private Spencer complained as the two soldiers carried a plant out the ballroom doors. “My wooden foot is going to split, and if that happens you’re payin’ for the replacement!”

A nearby Wesley shook his head. “All of Lumea could be a utopia and those two would still find something to bicker about,” he commented. “Come on, the lot of you, I think we’ve all seen enough of the interior of this castle for one day.”

The group followed the now former soldiers out of the ballroom, both Carter and Wesley keeping close-by.

“So, what are you kids going to do with yourselves now?” Carter asked.

“I hadn’t thought about it, honestly,” Venice said. “I suppose I’ll just head back to the woods beyond Hollyton, and start rebuilding my home since things are a little more hospitable.”

“I guess I’ll have to head home to my father’s pub as well,” Aurora answered.

They continued walking through the long corridors of the castle.

“Neither of you sound too enthusiastic,” Wesley remarked. “Lola and Rook, what would you two like to do?”

The young Buhund snorted at the comment. “I think I’d like a vacation. Maybe see the parts of Prithvi I couldn’t see before, since I’ve suddenly got a lot more time to do so.”

“I’ll have to agree with Lola on that one,” the rooster said. “A sabbatical sounds quite nice after this whole ordeal. Maybe a nice trip to Costa, along the Southern Coast?”

Wesley chuckled. “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea, actually. You could come with Carter and me if you want.”

“You’re not staying here?” Lola asked.

“There’s not much need for a Royal Guard without a Royal Family, now is there?” Carter commented. “We’ve been talking about leaving for a while, so why not now? You’re all welcome to come along.”

“That sounds a lot more interesting that trying to rebuild from a pile of ash. It’s also not as if I have an obligation to return to Hollyton; Grandmother’s gone, and I have no family there,” the carpenter replied.

“I’m sure my father would understand if I didn’t come home immediately, as well,” Aurora added. “I’m on board.”

“Excellent! We’ll head out for Curriborough as soon as we sort things out here,” Carter exclaimed. “It’ll be interesting to see how the country’s doing with the light back in the sky where it belongs.”

“We could go to Wheatonland after that, and help replant the grain fields,” Wesley suggested. “Then head south to Costa to take it easy. Maybe start out of Prithvi from the ports down there?”

“You’re intending to leave Prithvi?” Lola inquired.

“There’s a lot of the world to see outside of Prithvi,” Carter said. “We could take a boat south to Bumi, then head north along the Deiqao coast to the islands of Chikyuu. It’d be one heck of a vacation, I’d wager. What do you guys think?”

Lola and her friends looked from one another, pondering whether to commit to Carter’s proffered plan. From what the Buhund could read on their faces, all of them seemed reluctant to take such a huge step; yet each of them seemed eager and curious to see where it would lead. She turned to the former Captain of the Guard. “It sounds like a plan to me.”

Rook, Aurora, and Venice all nodded in agreement.

“We’re on board, Carter,” the carpenter responded.

“Wonderful. Glad to have you all along,” he replied.

As they approached the front entrance of the palace, they took notice that the huge double doors leading outside were already propped open. Scattered along the front steps of the palace, and clustered below them, were a large group of citizens from the neighboring city of Torteburg. Rich and poor, young and old; droves of them had gathered in front of the castle. All of them were no doubt drawn to it by the display of light that had erupted from its roof as the Sun, Moon, and Stars had replaced themselves in the sky above.

The crowd murmured in confusion as the retired Royal Guard approached. Through the confusion and turmoil in their muddled words, it became apparent that they were in dire need of an explanation of the day’s events. Carter stepped forward to address the crowd, hoping that they wouldn’t turn belligerent against his words. “Folks, I know you must be incredibly confused, so here’s the gist of it,” he began. “We discovered, through the help of a group of travelers, that the queen was keeping the Sun, Moon, and Stars imprisoned by magical means in the back of the castle. As it turns out, she was—in reality—Reanja delle Catene di Ferro, the Witch of the Iron Chains. She had tricked the king into marrying her, and had done away with him to further her own agenda. However, the light is back, thanks to the efforts of many of us. Reanja has been dealt with by the High Spirits.”

The crowd was silent for a short few seconds before a random person cried out, “Hurray for the Royal Guard.”

With that exclamation, all members of the crowd began cheering.

Carter furrowed his brow in annoyance. “Hold on a second,” he screamed over the crowd.

They all fell silent again.

“The Royal Guard actually played only a small part in stopping the queen!” Carter explained. “If you’re going to thank anyone for this, you should thank her!”

He pointed to Lola who was standing beside him. “This noble Buhund fought against the queen herself, and was the one who unchained the sky’s light!”

The crowd once again began murmuring in confusion, unconvinced at what Carter had said.

“Tell them, Lola,” Venice said.

Nervously, the young dog stepped forward. “Um, hello, everyone,” she spoke.

Silence fell yet again across the crowd as they gaped in disbelief at the Buhund’s ability to talk. “My name is Lola. I suppose there’s a lot to explain behind why I can talk,” Lola continued. “Before the queen’s son burned to the ground the home I shared with my human, Venice, I was visited by the High Spirits. I didn’t realize what they had in store for me, or how much they believed in me. Even after all I’ve done and all I’ve been through with my friends, I’m still finding myself a little in disbelief.

“What I’ve learned on this journey is that hope is one of the most important things we have; because it is only without hope that would we truly ever have nothing. That is why it is my sincere wish that my actions have given to all of you what I could truly never lose: hope. Hope for your future, the future of your children, and the future of this Great Land. Your future is in your own hands now. Not in the hands of the queen, the earl, or even the High Spirits. Remember that well, and never let anyone make you feel powerless again.”

The crowd erupted in applause, cheering and chanting the Buhund’s name.

“That was a fairly impressive speech,” Venice remarked.

“Really? I was just making it up as I went along,” Lola replied. “I guess the Powder of Speech does contain the vocal cords of a motivational speaker.”

“You still handled it rather well,” Rook commented. “Give yourself a little more credit.”

They watched as the ecstatic crowd approached the guard and took hold of the plethora of fruit-bearing plants from the queen’s garden. Members of the crowd began carrying them down into the courtyard and began preparing to plant them in the ground.

“I guess this is the happy ending that Amah was talking about,” Aurora remarked.

Lola shook her head. “It may be happy, but it’s not the end. Not by a long shot. There’s a lot more for us to do before we find our ending.”

Ignoring the noise from the crowd, Lola gazed up into the sky. Hanging behind an ocean-blue heaven, the Sun shone down brightly. She could feel the warmth from the daylight against her fur coat while she continued watching the sky-scape. As she took in the very image of it all, she realized that she’d never before seen something so beautiful. It was truly her first day, her first moment in the sun, and she planned to make the most of it.

###

Beyond the town of Hollyton, many townspeople had found the remains of what used to be a cottage in the center of woods east of the town-stead. It was nothing but ashes now. They regaled in stories of a reclusive carpenter who used to live in it, and a very possessive farm dog that lived with him. Nothing of value was to be found, yet they basked in the stories as they examined the site.

Briefly, they took notice of a tilled patch of earth; likely where the home’s owner had once tried to grow food. An incredible number of sprouts had germinated forth from the earth, likely planted heavily over the years. In the center of the mound of sprouts stood a single, white lotus blossom glowing in the sunlight.

Next Chapter: (Book 1) Epilogue - The Shadows Of Long Ago