Epilogue

Epilogue

"Well," said the old man getting up and turning away with a stretch, "that is the end of my story. You can see that it was quite an adventure. It is getting late now, so I think it is time for me to get on to something more important and for you all to get about your own business."

The gathered crowd sat for a moment in stunned disbelief. Then one high-pitched voice, bolder that the rest, broke in from the back and sundered the silence, "But nothing is settled yet, Iskandar still lives and is breaking his bonds, the company is still split and they have only recovered one of the artifacts that they need. The story can't be done! What about the rest of the quest? What happened? How did they collect the other items of power which they needed? How did they stop Iskandar without Ordolf? Why are the ships approaching bearing black sails? You can't stop now!"

The ancient mage turned back and glared at his questioner, "I can and I will, young lady! As I said at the beginning this is my story and I will tell it as I please!"

Astall's scowl softened suddenly and he continued with a twinkle suddenly visible in his eyes, "You are right though the story isn't yet complete. In fact there is quite a bit more to tell. Perhaps if you come back tomorrow I will finish it for you. Then again, perhaps not. But if you keep on coaxing me, I promise that some day soon I will tell you the rest of the tale for as you surmised there is quite a bit left in the tale to tell and it is even more interesting than that which you have already heard." "For now though, get out of my cottage," the old mage roared. "I have other things to do!"

With that Astall Demonsbane turned his back on the assembled crowd as they began to scuttle out the door like roaches caught in the light.

The bold young girl whose outburst had slowed everyone's departure though kept gazing back over her shoulder as her older brother dragged her out the door with a look of calculating speculation in her eyes. "Perhaps," she thought, "the old archmage isn't quite so fierce as everyone believes.  I wonder what might coax the rest of the story out of him"