~~~Liam's P.O.V~~~

We walked inside the caverns. Usually they were shimmering with crystals, inhabited by the adomos and other lost, wandering souls..

It was completely empty.

"Why are you here again..?"

I turned to the side seeing Catherine leaning back in her chair, a small dagger in her hands.

"To make things right.." I responded.

She looked at me her eyes shimmering.

"Liam, he isn't going to go down. The only way he goes down is when I go down.."

I stared at her. Her eyes still showed pain, guilt, fear..

"No... You can't.."

"Liam... I'll be the last one to go, and then your kingdom will finally be free from these chains.."

I shook my head, running my fingers through my messy hair.

"No no no... There-"

"Liam, why are you fighting for me..?"

I felt my shoulders slump a little. "I don't know.."

"Exactly, you have a vision of who you think I am... But I think it's time for some changes around here.."

I turned towards Ryan who was on my shoulders. He rested his tiny snake head against my cheek.

I nodded my head. "... A-alright..."

I slowly put Ryan down on a nearby rock before walking towards Catherine.

"I'm sorry.."

"Don't be, your doing me a favor... Your doing him a favor.. our souls may finally rest now.."

I took the sword she was offering me. I looked at myself in it's reflection taking a deep breath.

"... Do it quick, won't you..?" She asked.

Her final request.

I slowly raised the sword before closing my eyes. I brought the sword down as I heard the cries of not one person but multiple people.

I fell to my knees tightly covering my ears feeling the tears fall down my face.

All I could hear was screams.

I felt someone's arms tightly around me but I couldn't focus. The screams were too loud.

I closed my eyes tightly feeling the tears fall down my face as I heard one last agonizing scream.

Finally the world went silent and still.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry.. I'm sorry ... I'm sorry .. I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry..!!" I cried out to no one in particular.

"Shhhh, Liam.. it's alright, it's okay... Shhhh..." I heard Ryan mumble, gently rubbing my arms.

I slowly opened my eyes, as I saw Catherine tightly holding her wound across her chest.

"H-... Hey.. it's okay.." she answered, reaching out her hand to me. She gently carresed my face leaving a bloody streak.

"Don't cry... I was the last villain who had t-... To die.. You're free now... You all are.."

I saw her smile before she rested her head back.
"Go... Please.." She pleaded.

I didn't want to go. I wanted her to have someone with her in her final moments of living. I felt Ryan pick me up in his arms before he carried me out. The crystals became dimmer. They only glowed a dark black and silver when Ryan and I passed by.

I took one last look at the place before we left. The crystals were dim and the entrance didn't reform. It was just a cavern now.

~~~

I stand in the garden. The Mountain Of Illusions was gone. It was just a cavern in the mountain.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Evan and Catherine had died.

I killed them... I was no hero, and she was no villain.

I placed wild flowers on a grave in the middle of the woods. I went back. I wanted to give her a proper burial. I slowly sat down in front of the grave.

-Catherine Diana Watson-

I sighed a bit. It had been a long year. We only caught a break once. I tightly gripped my head before I heard some people walking towards me.

I turned to the side seeing Ryan walking over sitting beside me.

"Hey.."

"Hey.."

We both stayed silent after that. I reached for his hand tightly gripping it.

He smiled a bit pulling me a bit closer. We stayed silent for a while not able to speak.

"It wasn't your fault."

"... I killed her.."

"You did what you had to do."

I stared at the ground. "I know."

He sighed a bit before getting up offering his hand to me. "Want to take a walk..?"

I nodded my head grabbing his hand as we walked away from the grave.

One day I'd repay my debt. We walked around the castle grounds talking about everything and anything.

He smiled a lot more now.

So did I.

When we were out here we'd forget about the world outside. We'd forget the problems we've cause. We'd forget the kingdom.

We'd only remember one thing.

That it was only us. Only Ryan and Liam.

And that was enough.

- Epilogue 1 -

~~~Laurie's P.O.V~~~

I smiled a bit at Liam and Ryan walking through the palace grounds.

It was around Christmas time when we came back. When we all came back. It seemed like it was a better time to remember the past again.

"Sure, if you like making trouble with most of the guards." Iv deadpanned to Toni.

"Wait what..?"

"Iv almost beat up most of the guards." Noah shrugged.

"Was that the kinda thing that we missed out on?" Alyse asked turning to her sister for confirmation.

"Eyup." I nodded my head.

"Wow." Toni said leaning against Jeremy's side.

I laughed a bit before seeing Joel standing at the doorway with a smile. I smiled before standing up, walking towards him.

"If you stop by the kitchen, steal us some coffee." Noah and Iv asked jokingly

I smiled taking Joel's hand as we walked through the halls.

"So, you alright?"

"Yeah? Were you expecting me not to be?" I answered.

He shrugged as we continued to walk.

"It seems like this is just an old distant memory... Right..?" I asked.

"The palace..?" Joel asked.

"Yeah.."

He looked around before nodding his head.

"Yeah, it's almost hard to believe that we had stayed here for so long.."

"It doesn't feel like the same place where I was raised... It always feels different with every visit.."

I felt Joel's arm wrap around me as we sat down at a bay window.

"It's snowing.." he said softly.

I looked out the window seeing the light snow falling. The low candlelight. It was always like this around winter.

"... Remember when we first met..?"

"Which time? When we met met or when you accused me of having a crush on Violet?" He asked.

"Met met."

"Yeah... You felt like you remembered me, like we had met before.."

"That's because I recognized your name. Jonelise Carlos of Xeris. You were almost offered for an arranged marriage with me."

"Wait, really?"

"Yeah, it's weird to think what would've been if we met that way.."

"I don't think It would have been as good as this.." He said gently placing a kiss on my cheek.

"Yeah, well we have this... So I'm happy that we didn't meet that way.."

"As am I." He answered gently enveloping me in a hug.

"I love you, Laurie.."

"I love you too, Joel.."

- Epilogue 2 -

~~~Liam's P.O.V~~~

The years had come and gone. Toni and Jeremy had come back for a visit, but time stretched thin so I only had little time with them.

Our son got along well with their daughter.

"Care for a drink?" I heard Ryan's voice beside me holding two glasses. I shook my head.

"Working."

"Liam, you can take breaks."

"I know, I know. I just want to finish."

He shrugged pouring a small amount into the glass pushing it towards me. I bit my lip before pushing away the work taking a small sip.

I still hated alcohol, but whenever Ryan came by with it I'd always let myself have a little.

"You alright..?" He asked.

I nodded my head. I felt him wrap his arms around me. "Alright get up, we're going for a walk."

I felt him pick me up in his arms walking away from my desk. "But- My work-"

"Your work can wait."

"Ryan, put me down."

"No, I'm good."

"Ryan, I have to finish that."

"And you can finish it later."

"Ryan."

"If you nag one more time, I will decide what country we got to war with. And I'll decide with a coin."

I opened my mouth to respond before sighing. "Fine, can you at least put me down?"

"Nope."

"Damn."

"Damn?" We both turned our heads to two small figures hiding behind a statue of armor.

I slowly leaned forward seeing Jax and Camille hiding behind the armor with wide smiles.

I rolled my eyes with a smile as Ryan put me down.

Camille was Toni and Jeremy's adopted daughter. Jax was Ryan and I's son. They both always seemed to get along well whenever visits would come around.

"Don't say damn, it's a bad word." I said, gently ruffing Jax's hair.

He smiled a bit before wrapping his arms around my leg. "Hi Dads!" He smiled.

I smiled a bit as he hugged both of us before running off with Camille.

"Now are you happy you took a break?" Ryan asked wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm sorry I've just been so stressed out about everything I don't know what to do and what not to do and i-"

"Stop hyperventilating.." he said gently kissing the side of my head, before picking me up again.

"Work." I said pointing back to my office.

"Nope. This is break time." He said gently kissing my head.

I leaned against his chest.

Sure people didn't like that I chose a guy to rule with me, but I didn't care, I was quite happy with my choice.

But people were happy that change was coming, starting with this.

I felt Ryan sit down on a couch as I curled up against his chest.

I felt him rest his head against mine, his arms wrapped tightly around me.

"I love you, Liam.. a lot.."

"I love you more, Ryan.." I said gently pressing my lips against his. He smiled a bit as I pulled away before we stared outside at the dying light from the sunset.

"I'm so proud of all that you've done, Lee.."

"I'm more proud of you.."I said resting my head against his chest hearing his steady heartbeat.

"Te amo mi rey." I mumbled softly slowly letting my eyes close.

"Te amo más mi amor.."

💖💖💖

Heyyyy
Laurie Here and thank you so much for reading my book!!
I truly appreciate all the comments and the votes. I hope this was a satisfying conclusion to the book series and I hope any questions you had regarding the series has been answered.

This was honestly, my favorite book ever to write. I love these characters and I love this series.

I am so thankful to all my friends for letting me use some of their Characters for this story

Thank you for all the kind words for this series and I want to thank everyone for reading the book.

I have plans to go edit the first 2 but other than that... Well

I think we're done here.

Thank you so much for reading and letting me write this story, and stay safe, and stay amazing.

I love you all so much.

-L💖