The Icarii fanned out in the skies, beautiful jewel-like creatures who populated the air with music and wonder.

The Ravensbund, with Urbeth grumbling good-naturedly at their head, moved to the cliffs and beaches of the never-ending coasts that bounded the Garden, and explored the mysteries they found there.

The Avar wandered the Garden, shaded by the ethereal trees, learning the ways of the flowers and the winds that tipped them into cascades of delight.

They became gardeners.

The Acharites built themselves pale-stoned homes that bordered the glades and walks, and spent their time — not ploughing — but sitting on doorsteps or in rocking chairs under verandahs, and passing the time of day with each other, and any other who passed by.

SpikeFeather wandered off with Urbeth's two daughters, and the threesome explored the more secretive glades, and kept to themselves.

The Alaunt settled down, and FortHeart gave Sicarius a fine litter.

Belaguez courted Pretty Brown Sal, but she spent her time sliding tantalisingly just beyond his reach.

Axis and Azhure were reunited with the other seven once-Star Gods come back from their spin through the stars, and they, as had been their wont in the years before the TimeKeepers'

invasion, explored the mysteries they could see circling in the star patterns above their heads.

Theod and Gwendylyr raised their twin boys, and added a baby girl to their family.

Zared and Leagh, meanwhile, raised their Daughter through wondrous babyhood, into girlhood, and then into womanhood. The Woman sat beneath the Tree, and dispensed laughter and advice and wisdom, and She and the Tree were the centre of Creation.

Sometimes people thought they saw Katie flitting between trees, and in the shadows of glades, but none ever spoke to her, and the Woman told them to leave her alone.

She has had her share of pain, and now is at peace in her aloneness. Leave her.

DragonStar and Faraday grew restless. Everyone else had adjusted themselves to the Garden, and its serenity and beauty, but they could not.

They had not been granted the grace of contentedness.

One day, they went to see the Woman. "We think," DragonStar said slowly, holding Faraday's hand tightly in his own, "that there remains something else for us to do."

Aye. There is.

"But it does not rest within the Garden, does it?" Faraday said.

No.

"Beyond, then?" DragonStar said, and felt a small kernel of excitement flower deep within him.

Aye. Beyond. You have a life that yet lies ahead of you. The wasteland that was Tencendorhas transformed, but there are other wastelands, StarSon, that need your strength, and Faraday'slove.

The Woman looked at Faraday's swelling belly. Bear your child elsewhere, Faraday. Give birth to hope in a desolate wasteland.

"We will never come back," Faraday said, but there was no anger or regret in her voice.

No. You will find your contentedness elsewhere.

The Woman stood, and reached one hand high above Her. She plucked a fruit from the Tree, and held it out to DragonStar and Faraday.

Take this, and eat of it with My blessing.

Faraday took the fruit, and cradled it within her hands. "What is it?"

Wisdom and Love.

Faraday's eyes filled with tears, and she slowly raised the fruit to her lips and ate.

Something in her face shifted, something in her soul altered, and Faraday understood the road before her.

She turned to DragonStar and offered him the fruit. "Eat."

And he did, and he, too, was altered.

He looked at Faraday. His eyes were alive with excitement. Faraday stared, and then she burst into laughter, and leaned forward to embrace him.

The Woman smiled. Step forth, and birth your new world within the wasteland. Go, with My blessing, My love, and My eternal gratitude.

Axis stared at them. He half raised a hand, then dropped it. "Stay. Please."

DragonStar smiled gently, and took his father's hand. "No. We cannot. If we stayed here we would only destroy the Garden with our restlessness. Our journey is not yet done."

His eyes flickered over the ranks of what had once been the Strike Force standing in ranks behind Axis: winged, ethereal, serene. Then DragonStar leaned forward and kissed Axis on the mouth. "We will never forget you, nor this place. It will become the foundation myth of our children. Goodbye, Axis, farewell Azhure."

And, once Faraday had kissed Axis and Azhure goodbye, she and DragonStar walked hand in hand through the doorway that the Butler opened for them with a reverential bow of his head.

They walked from the Garden into the Wastelands beyond, there to build a life untarnished by fate and enriched by the gifts the Woman had given them.

They did not look back.

Glossary

ACHAR: the realm that once stretched over most of the continent, bounded by the Andeis, Tyrre and Widowmaker Seas, the Avarinheim and the Icescarp Alps. It was integrated into Tencendor during the time of Axis Star Son.

ACHARITES: a term used fairly generally to encompass all humans within Tencendor.

ADAMON: one of the nine Star Gods of the Icarii, Adamon is the eldest and the God of the Firmament.

AFTERLIFE: all three races, the Acharites, the Icarii and the Avar believe in the existence of an AfterLife, although exactly what they believe depends on their particular culture.

ALAUNT: the legendary pack of hounds that once belonged to WolfStar SunSoar. They followed Azhure for some time, but now run with DragonStar. They are all of the Lesser.

ALDENI: once a small province in western Achar, it was administered by Duke Theod.

ANDAKILSA, River: the extreme northern river of Ichtar, dividing Ichtar from Ravensbund.

ANDEIS SEA: the often unpredictable sea that washes the western coast of Achar.