by Dean Henegar
“Raytak, is everything okay?” Delling asked. He was followed by a jubilant Darkfallow, who was down to his last shreds of health, grinning as he held Zipp’s severed head in his hands.
“I’m totally going to have this thing preserved and see if I can get it turned into a magic item,” Darkfallow said, oblivious to what was going on around him.
“My memories are back, Delling. It happened right before the fight ended,” I told him, ignoring Darkfallow, who was arguing with Gux over who had struck the final blow on Zipp.
“What are you doing here then? Zipp is dead and his army is broken. Your other soldiers can clean up this mess. Go to your family, but don’t be a stranger. I hope to see you back at some point,” Delling said. He was right, but I didn’t know what to do next. How would I contact my family?
The game faded away as a system prompt appeared.
System override. The patient will be ported to comforting environment 247a32. Thank you for playing Limitless Lands.
I was suddenly somewhere else, standing in a meadow, a bright sun shining happily as I looked around. The meadow led to a picturesque lake with a small cabin sitting on its banks. Yendys, or in this case Lauren, appeared at my side. No longer a halfling, I was looking at the real image of my granddaughter. I could see her father in the way that she smiled up at me. She placed her small hand in mine and tried to drag me toward the nearby cabin.
“Come on, Grandpa. Grandma is over there waiting!” Lauren exhorted. Lauren was right. Sitting in a rocking chair overlooking the lake was my wife. Her image changed as I stumbled my way forward. I saw the beautiful girl who had caught my eye the first time I met her. I saw the exhausted face of her smiling up at me after she gave birth to Trey. I saw the time-worn face of an old woman that appeared just as lovely to me as any of the others she had worn.
As I walked forward, Natalie stood, her hand over her mouth in shock. I barely noticed that I was climbing the steps to the little porch. Then I swept my wife up into my arms for the first time in decades. It was . . . perfect.
Lauren’s tiny arms wrapped around me again as another pair of stronger arms joined in. Looking over my shoulder, I saw him—my son Trey was holding onto me as tightly as he could. After we pried ourselves apart, I stood there, not knowing what to do. I had anticipated this for so long that when it actually happened, it seemed almost surreal.
“James, let me show you around,” Natalie said, never letting go of my hand. She always had a talent for knowing what to do in an emotional situation. I spent the next hours in a blur, learning about my son’s life, catching up with Natalie, and just being content that I was back among them. Trey’s wife, Veronica, joined us as well. She was a kind woman, and I was happy that Trey had married her. Eventually, the others had to leave; real-world responsibilities called.
While it grieved me that Natalie was also ill and had been placed in a medpod, it was also a blessing that we could be together. I didn’t have a lot of time left, but I would spend that time with her and all the ones I loved. There would be family gatherings, quiet moments with my wife, and perhaps even a few battles in-game with my friends. I would never have to worry about slowly slipping into a mindless state. That nightmare was over.
Epilogue
I had a wonderful year of spending time with family and friends. Ty, Delling, Jacoby, and the others would often come over and pry me away to play Limitless Lands for a bit, but I didn’t stay away long and always returned to here, to my little cabin by the lake, and to my Natalie. Today had been perfect. Trey, Veronica, and Lauren had joined us for dinner, and Lauren was pestering her parents for a pet beetle in the real world. I finally had to intervene and remind her that Crunchy might be a little jealous of a real-world pet like that; it was better to go for something completely different from a beetle, like a dog or another cat. I had a feeling that was her goal all along. The little swindler had brought up the beetle as a negotiation tactic to improve her shot at getting a cat or dog, I feared that she had spent too much time around Phineas.
The sun was setting as I held Natalie’s hand and we rocked in our favorite chairs, content with each other’s company. Ty was going to come over tomorrow, and we were going to try out fishing in my little lake. But a blinking light in my interface let me know that my fishing day would be canceled.
“Natalie, I think it’s time,” I said with regret. She looked into my eyes, a sad smile on her face as she nodded in understanding.
“I’m here for you, James. I love you,” she said.
“Being married to you has been the best thing to happen in my life. I love you,” I told her. I could no longer feel her hand, but I knew that I would hold it again somewhere else. Death was not the end.
***
In an out-of-the-way corner of a park in Hayden’s Knoll, a monument appeared. Three statues stood atop a large marble base. The first statue depicted a soldier, rifle in his hand and determination etched onto his face as he marched to meet the foe. Next to the soldier sat an old man in a wheelchair, the same look of determination on his weathered face. The final figure was that of a legion commander in full battle regalia. All three images wore the same face. All three were the same man at different points of his life.
A name was carved into the base of the statue.
James A. Raytak.
If a player passed by and touched the name, the game would show a history of the man and his exploits in the real world as well as those in-game. There was no quest chain leading players here, no buff to assist them in their adventures, just a memorial to those who had come before, those who had served both in the real world and in the digital.
Over time, other names were etched upon the monument, each telling its own story to the players who passed by. Raytak’s story was just the first, but there are many more tales of valor and villainy waiting to be discovered in the Limitless Lands.
Afterword
Thank you once again, my legionnaires, for finishing this journey in the Limitless Lands. While it is bittersweet to see Raytak’s story end, I look forward to exploring other adventures with you in the future.
Once again, I want to recognize the people who helped make this story come to life. My editor, Bodie Dykstra, has been a true partner in making this work the best it could be. The cover artist Peiro Mng (Gianpiero Mangialardi) continues to astound me with his ability to capture the feel of the books while blending accurate Roman gear with fantasy settings. My family is always there to show support for my work and is ready with an encouraging word just when I need it.
What does the future hold for the Limitless Lands? Several things are in the works, and there are many more stories to tell here. For the latest news on Limitless Lands and my other work, visit my Facebook author page at https://www.facebook.com/henegarauthor/.
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