The Vale

The Book of the Shepherds 4

Pulse blasts hammered the ground with the rain, and Raizor looked up as Mustang roared above, turning in a slow arc, unleashing fury.

The Wrynd closest to her fell under the onslaught of cannon blasts but began climbing to their feet. Raizor retreated, still firing and still without hope.

When she looked back the cloud around Harley and the Greywalker had wafted away.

And Harley Nearwater opened his eyes.

If he knew death offered such sweet peace, Harley Nearwater, the Castaway, would have died decades before.

As he welcomes death, embraces it, the man of the shadows, the Greywalker, returns and pulls him back toward a life he never wanted.

As the end arrives, he accepts his failure. He cannot save his love, he cannot save his fellowship, and there is no hope for humanity. Their every effort has led only to doom and one surety.

The End of Everything.

©2021 James L Davis (P)2022 James L Davis