The Tribes of K'haren - Completed

Epilogue

'Those gods are among us now. They are here to help and two of them have already done great deeds in saving K'haren.' Tarlequin looked over the fire at the children who looked back at him with big round eyes. 'Together, they travelled the lands, found others who helped them and now finally left K'haren, looking for other places and people to save. But in our hearts and minds, they are still with us and so is their super power.' He paused to make sure every child was listening, even the one small girl who kept gazing up at the stars sometimes. 'For gods they are, but what made them truly strong and capable of changing this world was being a part of it. They are just like you and me – people. Growing up here shaped them into feeling beings who cared for others, being gods is just a bonus – one they weren't even aware of most of the time. The truth is, whoever wants to make the world a better place can do so just by caring to help where it is needed.'

'But we're children, nobody listens to us anyway!' A very young Frago said with a high voice.

'Oh, don't be silly, of course we listen! Sometimes, yes, grownups decide over their children because we only want the best for you, but sometimes, we need your advice. You are still so young, so fresh and unspoiled by old habits. But as you all know, old habits die hard. That's also why, even now, K'haren is still at war with itself – in people's minds. So you are what I believe in, I believe you'll grow up to be amazing people striving for fairness and kindness.' Tarlequin said, leaning forward and eyeing the children up. When some small bits of embers where blown into his face by the nightly wind, his beard started smoking and he quickly beat it. At first, the children watched with eyes widened by horror, but when they saw that he was alright, they couldn't help laughing.

Looking at a bunch of happy children made Tarlequin happy too. He realised that it had grown late again and so he decided to send them home once they'd finish laughing at him. In the meantime, he decided to laugh with them. He was happy now – happier than he'd been in a while. Even if he missed Nume, Kran and Raf, he knew he'd see them again someday and he was entirely grateful for finally being allowed to live in a healing K'haren.

When all the children were gone, he got up and walked through the city like every night, passing it to walk along the river in the silence of the night. When he reached a big rock, he climbed up on it, putting his torch into a whole in the stone that was just perfect to hold it and sitting down with a small book on his lap. Every night, he'd sit there, open the book and continue writing a story he'd begun one stormy night in a tent filled with desperate people. Even though the beginning of this book wasn't from him but from and about dwarves, he decided to name the part he'd written himself. In bold letters, he wrote the name on the very last page, then ripped it out so he could put it in the right place, just before his first notes.

Tonight would be the night he'd finish the story, but he knew it would be an open ending. He only wrote what had happened up to now, but there would always be more to add to this story about K'haren itself. With a sigh, Tarlequin finally closed the book, mentally still seeing the name he'd given it. He'd chosen it wisely, or at least he thought so. Though he wasn't sure whether some people might disapprove of the specification of tribes that left out other forms of living together. Nevertheless, he liked the name and had thus decided to keep it. One day, he'd give this book to someone else so they could continue writing the story once he'd no longer be a part of it. But for now, The Tribes of K'haren was his responsibility to continue whenever important things happened in their lands.

Humming an old melody, Tarlequin got up, took both the book and his torch and climbed down the rock. As he walked back towards the city along the river, he looked at the way the water reflected the light from his torch and thought it was beautiful. He liked to think of the book as something similar, a beautiful way to reflect all the good things that shone so brightly in K'haren. Already now he was looking forward to welcoming his friends in K'haren once more and he'd do his very best to make it shine as brightly as possible so when they'd return, they could see the true beauty they'd helped bring to life.

// And here we are, you and me on the last page (sorry whovians)... We've come a long way and I want to thank you so much for reading this far, whether you commented and voted along the way or not. I feel honoured that you took the time to read this story I found somewhere in the back of my head and even more honoured by all the positive feedback I have received.

However, every story needs an ending and thus I have to finish this now. Please let me know what you'd like to see added to earlier chapters (I know, I never described what phraio look like, I will...) so I can consider that when I edit the book. In the meantime, I will continue writing Falling Through Time, another Fantasy story that has yet to be established fully ;) I'd love to see some of you voting and commenting over there as well :D Anyway, have a great time everybody, thank you so much!