Epilogue

Zedd gathered Asuka in his arms, where she lay still limp and unconscious. He stepped over Geyshard's body and tried not to be sick. Death was never a pleasant sight...

He carried her down the stairs and found Kristia, his sister, waiting there.

"How did you--" he began, but she cut him off.

"All of a sudden, my bindings disappeared!" she said, and looked at the woman in her brother's arms. Kristia gasped and took a step back.

"It's all right. She was a prisoner, as you were. Even more so," Zedd replied. "But now she is free. Geyshard is dead."

Kristia breathed a sigh of relief. "I know it's wrong to cheer a death, but he deserved it."

"Asuka killed him."

Zedd's sister took a closer look at Asuka. "She looks sick," she said. "Too pale. Her breathing is weak."

Zedd nodded. "I'm going to find her a healer. Geyshard had none, but there must be one in Port Caynn. Come with me to the stables."

"Yes. But I shan't be coming with you. I must bring the news to our family that Geyshard is dead. You will be coming home to us, right? Kyland is indeed dead, and you must be the next lord."

Zedd shook his head. "Maybe someday, but I can't now. I can't. I still don't know where I belong, and I must search. And Asuka..." He looked down at her, with the gentle smile few people saw from him. "She will need help. I must be there to give it to her."

Kristia nodded. "Don't be too long, brother. I don't know how long we'll be able to do without you. So long, Zeddicus."

"Until we meet again, Kristia." He saddled his horse and gently lifted Asuka up in front of him, holding her with one hand and directing the horse with the other.

So brother and sister went their separate ways.

"Nothing I can do," the healer said. "She's just been drained--only time can bring her back. When she wakes up, this"--he indicated a packet of herbs--"brewed in a tea will take care of the headache. Now, all--"

A bell was ringing violently, and Nik turned to see as the healer, Firrom, moved quickly to answer her door. Hacia was an another room, speaking with Derani, another healer who just happened to be Firrom's wife. In the doorframe stood Zedd, carrying a woman in a black robe. She almost looked like a corpse, and it took Nik a moment to discern that she was indeed breathing.

"Please--she needs help, she's dying--" Zedd said all in a rush. He didn't even seem to recognize Nikain, only looked at Firrom pleadingly.

"Yes, yes! I cannot help her standing in the doorway, can I? Bring her in. There is a bed where she can lie--" Firrom led him to the room where Kris slept, and laid the woman on another bed. Zedd did not even see Krissen, he only looked from the dark-haired woman to Firrom and back. Nikain could see that the man had changed greatly--and as if his need were all that kept him from falling with exhaustion. Nik looked at Krissen, who stirred as if she were trapped in a nightmare. Firrom began using real magic on the woman, and Nikain took one last look at Zedd before leaving the room and returning to the entrance area.

Hacia looked at him from a couch, then looked away, her expression one of fear like he'd never seen from her.

"What's wrong?" he asked gently.

She looked at him again, then wiped her eyes and bolted for the door. Nik prepared to pursue her, but a hand on his should stopped him. He turned to see Derani, who shook her head.

"Let her be alone for now." The look she gave him was disapproving, and Nikain was just more confused. Had everyone changed but him?

Zedd watched the healing with eyes so intent Firrom found himself sweating. Healing was not difficult--now she was in the state that Krissen was, severely drained and in need of rest.

"Now there is nothing we can do but watch them both," Firrom concluded.

"Both?" Zedd asked, confused. He noticed for the first time the woman in the other bed, who twisted like she was having a nightmare.

"They say that she has stopped a war. Not much less could cause such exertion--though this lady is the same. They are the same."

"She came," Zedd said dully. Deep down, he had never doubted it.

"Excuse me?" Firrom said. Zedd shook his head.

"Never mind, it's nothing." He looked from Krissen to Asuka and back, shaking his head. "When will they wake?"

"I can't say for sure," Firrom replied. "She's very exhaused. They both are."

"With good right to be," Zedd replied. "The light must have been--"

"It was indeed her," Nik said softly. Firrom gave a short bow and left the room. "She put two armies to sleep, Zeddicus."

"Amazing," Zedd replied. "Simply amazing. A women without parallel. And yet--" he paused.

"And yet what?"

"Her parallel sleeps here beside her. Here, the lady Asuka." He looked at both women with the same fond smile and laughed as his eyes shone with tears. "She has killed Lord Geyshard."

"Gods be thanked," Nikain replied. "Together they have averted disaster." He looked over his shoulder, and sighed. "Some happy ending."

"It's not over," Zedd replied. "So, tell me your story and I'll tell you mine. I'm sure you've a great history to write about this, but these shall not be its closing pages."

Krissen was not sure where she was, only that it was so bright she was nearly blinded. Not that there was anything to see, only shining white, like an endless expanse of glare.

"Where am I?" she called out.

"You are not," a voice replied, and a woman materialized in front of her. Her long black hair seemed to wave in an invisible wind, and her green eyes were like cold jewels, and just as expressionless. She seemed completely unhuman, but not like a goddess, either. Simply--like she was not there. "Words do not describe it. Suffice to say that you are not."

"Who are you?" Krissen demanded, drawing her sword and staring at the woman angrily.

"I am the same as you," she replied. "Put down your sword. It will do nothing here." The sword vanished as if it had never been. "My true name I do not remember. For now it does not matter, but I was once called Asuka."

"I want to know what's going on, Asuka," Krissen said.

"We are both here for the same reason," Asuka said. "We are the same."

"I am not the same as you!" Krissen sneered, both angry and terrified at the same time. "You are empty! You do not have a soul!"

"What is a soul but the void from which one observes the world? The eyes are mirrors--there can be nothing within that is not without. You and I are the same," Asuka replied with the same maddening calm. "As where we are is not, nothing here may change. Time is nothing in this place, yet everything in the worlds without. I have waited for what is in years a long time, and soon I shall return. You have only been here for what are called hours at a time, and you shall return soon as well."

"What is this place?" Krissen had gone beyond anger into a state of confusion and despair.

"This is what lies beyond the conscious mind. Nothingness. An absense of body, the sea of the soul. Beyond is the realm of the Black God, or the realm of the living. We are not either. We are not. Yet this is what humans are."

"I don't understand," Krissen replied softly. She felt a tear run down her face and drop into the nothingness around her. "Zedd..."

"Zeddicus?" Asuka's cheeks colored, and her eyes widened--her first sign of emotion.

"You know him?" Krissen said quickly.

"We are the same," was Asuka's reply, her voice breaking this time with emotion. "All I ask is that you give me--time--"

And Asuka was simply gone, leaving Krissen alone. She curled herself into a ball, feeling more confused and alone than she had ever felt in her life.