HC: Pacifist | Epilogue (Pre-Beta)

Sunlight filtered through the barred windows, casting broken shadows across the group. The inmates sat in a circle of mismatched chairs, their orange uniforms wrinkled and faded, each prisoner slouching or fidgeting in their seat. Two guards stood by the door, arms crossed, watching with indifference. 

Loki shifted in the uncomfortable, rusty wheelchair they’d given him, its squeaky wheels a constant reminder of how far he'd fallen. He once had a sleek, state-of-the-art chair customized to perfection, but now he was stuck in this outdated piece of junk. Every time he tried to move, it jerked and creaked, another indignity to add to his already miserable situation.

“I declare open this session of the rageaholics,” Doctor Hilstone said, his words cutting through the silence.

Loki winced. The man spoke with such casualness as if this wasn’t the lowest point in his life. He couldn’t stand the doctor’s rumpled attire either—the crooked tie, the unbuttoned cuffs, the casual sneakers. How did someone like him even get this job? Loki felt his blood simmering beneath the surface. Doctor Hilstone would be glad to tell him this was a sign of his 'problem,' but Loki was confident that his anger was well justified.

“We have a new rageaholic today,” the doctor said, with that same insufferable smile. “His name is Barry Walkins. Barry, welcome to the Rageaholics.”

The others turned toward him. Loki—Barry—barely managed to suppress a groan. He heard the robotic chorus of voices echo back at him.

“Hi, Barry.”

“Hi, Barry.”

He wanted to disappear. Every fiber of his being screamed at the humiliation. He wasn’t one of these low-lives; he didn’t belong here. The urge to lash out was strong, but he couldn’t afford to. Not now. Participating in these stupid meetings would earn him points with the jury at the appeal hearing. So, for now, he soldiered on.

The doctor’s expectant eyes locked onto him. “Would you like to tell us why you’re here?”

Loki clenched his fists on the chair’s armrests. The rough texture of the fabric scratched against his fingers, a far cry from the smooth leather his old chair used to have. The old him—the real him—would’ve laughed in this doctor’s face and rolled out. But now? Now, he just swallowed his pride, letting it burn on the way down.

“No, not really.”

The doctor’s smile didn’t falter. “It’s okay, Barry. It’s rare for someone to share on their first meeting. Maybe today, you can just listen. Please know that we’re very happy to have you with us. Now, who would like to start sharing today?”

Loki’s jaw tightened as he glanced at the guards by the door. They weren’t even paying attention; their eyes glazed over from boredom. This was just another day for them, another group of broken men trying to 'heal.' 

As the first prisoner began to speak, Loki barely listened. He was too busy glaring at the dull, chipped floors beneath his wheels, seething inside. The others could spill their guts all they wanted, but he wasn’t like them. No matter how bad it got, he was not one of them. 

He gulped. Was he?

*

Roth lay back on a floater in the pool, basking in the warm sunlight. Real sunlight, not the artificial kind from AstroTerra. His doctor and psychologist had been adamant that getting real sun would help him boost his vitamin D.

After everything he'd been through in the game, this break was exactly what he needed.

Splash!

His niece, Linda, giggled as she splashed and paddled nearby, her bright pink floaties bobbing on her arms. The floaties had cute little cats painted on them, and after a week of joking around, they had become known as Oli and Lin. Roth smiled at the sight, watching her play with his older brothers, who took turns throwing her into the water.

He couldn’t help but think about how perfect this day was. His whole family was here, and he couldn’t ask for more. He had traveled all over AstroTerra but hadn’t found anything that could compare to this—the simple joy of family. He wondered how often he’d be able to enjoy moments like these once he resumed work tomorrow. 

Suddenly, his floater wobbled violently, flipping over and sending him into the cold water. The shock of it jolted him from his sun-induced haze, and he sputtered to the surface, only to see Mel, along with Susan and Linda, high-fiving. The three conspirators laughed hysterically at his surprised expression.

"Real funny, guys," Roth grumbled, though he couldn't help but smile.

His niece’s laughter was infectious, and she and her mother, Susan, were already plotting their next target: Andrew, who pretended not to notice the mischief brewing.

Mel swam over to him, planting a playful kiss on his cheek. “Sorry, Roth. Linda made me do it.”

“Something tells me it wasn’t entirely her idea,” Roth teased, raising an eyebrow at her.

Mel laughed but didn’t deny it. “How’s it feel, knowing your last day of holiday is slipping away?”

“Well, I can’t stay on vacation forever,” he said, thinking about the blissful week he’d just had. Since stepping out of the capsule, he had focused on doctor’s appointments, catching up with friends and family, and indulging in long, uninterrupted sleep. He hadn’t realized how much he missed his bed until he got back into it.

Noticing the bittersweet look on Mel’s face, Roth gently touched her cheek. “I’ll miss seeing you as often.”

She smiled, leaning into his touch. “Don’t worry. I can still come to the Ogre’s compound. And you can visit the Kraken’s—it’s not that far, you know.”

“Mel!” Linda called out, interrupting their moment.

“Coming, Empress Linda!” Mel joked, making Roth chuckle as she swam toward his niece, who squealed and darted away.

Roth climbed out of the pool, dripping water, and made his way over to the table where his friends were playing cards under the shade of a large tree. Drake sat with H, Charlie, and Emily, all silently focused on the game.

Roth approached quietly, careful not to give away any hints of the cards Drake was holding. He peeked over Drake’s shoulders and saw he was holding two aces, even though he was whining about how bad his hand was. He tried keeping his face neutral, but H across the table caught the look. He withdrew the card he was about to play and played another, blocking Drake’s move and winning the game.

“Shuffle it again. We’ll get you next time,” Drake muttered.

“Want to join, Roth?” Charlie asked, reshuffling the deck.

“No thanks, I’ll just watch,” Roth said as he sat down. “So… What’s new in AstroTerra?”

“Already itching to get back, huh?” Drake teased.

Roth nodded, though he wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about returning to the game. His psychologist had warned him that delaying getting into a pod too long would only make it harder to jump back in. He had even considered switching jobs after everything that happened. But AstroTerra was the reason he could provide for his family, the reason he had met Mel and his friends on the 14th. Walking away from it felt like walking away from them.

“More guilds have made it to the Core. Sapphira is buzzing now that the dwarves have taken over,” H chimed in. “The Union's set up in the Molympic Coliseum.”

“Yeah, and the consulates for the ratans, foxes, badgers, dwarves, lizardmen—you name it—are popping up. It’s becoming a real melting pot,” Charlie added.

“Even one of the Table’s members showed up,” Emily said.

Roth raised an eyebrow. “Seriously?”

“You know, the cat with the long ears and legs,” Drake said.

Roth whistled. If Nira, the caracal, a member of the Table, was at his sanctuary, it was no wonder his ranking hadn’t dropped even after a week offline. His [Sanctuary] skill was still working in his favor, growing his stats even while he was away.

“The moles finished the tunnels yet?” Roth asked.

“They’re done with the ones connecting Sapphira, Hilsford, and the Coliseum. The tunnel to Chronia’s next.”

Mel returned, wrapped in a towel and sitting beside him. “What’d I miss?”

“Just talking about the game. Want to join the next round?” H asked, dealing the cards again.

“Sure,” she said, smiling as she grabbed a coke from the cooler. She passed one to Roth, too. He glanced toward the pool as he opened the can and took a sip. “Where’s the Almighty Empress Linda?”.

“With Jimmy,” Mel said, nodding toward the other side of the pool where Linda and Jack’s son, Jimmy, were playing together.

Charlie had just finished dealing the cards when Roth’s mother’s voice rang out. “Lunch is ready! Everyone, come here!”

As if summoned to battle, the group immediately stood up, marching toward the table. Roth took a detour and walked over to the grill where Sarg and Pete worked as they chatted away. “How is it going, guys?”

“It’s going well!” Sarg said. “What about you? How was the appointment yesterday?”

Roth thought about his conversation about PTSD with his psychologist and nodded. “It was insightful. I’m glad I’m getting some help.”

“I’m glad, son,” the sergeant said as he flipped one of the burgers. Roth just watched the veteran flipping burgers for a while. His father had also enjoyed manning the grill like this. It just felt right to see the sergeant doing the same.

“Jazz, Pete, Roth! Come here so we can start eating!” Mrs. Bessie called out again.

The spread was classic—hamburgers, fries, and all the fixings. Roth smiled when he saw a plate with a pile of veggie burgers set aside for him. Before anyone could dig in, Roth placed a hand on Mel’s shoulder and cleared his throat. “Can I say something real quick?”

Everyone turned to him, quieting down.

“Thank you, everyone, for this incredible week. It’s been perfect. But more than that, thank you for pulling me out of that pod. You were all there for me when I needed you most, and I couldn’t…” His voice wavered, emotion thickening his throat. “I-I couldn’t ask for better friends and family.”

Mel patted his back gently. “Honey, you don’t need to make that speech every time we eat.”

“Yeah, stop thanking us already!” Pete chimed in with a grin. “The food’s getting cold!”

Roth chuckled, nodding. “Alright, everyone. Let’s eat.”

Ch. 332 - Out

INDEX

Conclusion