Epilogue: The Old One's Reward |
Gusheng City, First People's Hospital.
In the garden of the inpatient department, a figure sat on a long bench, pausing from time to time as he wrote in a diary.
"And so, the God-Emperor stood up due to the Orks' power of belief. The Imperium of Man perished alongside the massive Ork army surrounding Terra, and the Warhammer world came to an end. The End."
Setting down his pen, the writer let out a long breath. He rubbed his eyes and noticed someone standing beside him.
Looking up, he saw a young man who had recently been admitted after a car accident—Lino.
"Why is my name in your story?" Lino asked, staring at the diary.
"Oh, I just thought your name and character suited my story, so I used them."
"Are you the Old One? The Old One who fled at the end of the War in Heaven?"
"Yes, that's right." The Old One chuckled, weighing the diary in his hand.
Lino frowned.
"Do you have any idea how much trauma your words inflict on the Warhammer world? Why not write a happy story?"
The Old One shrugged, completely indifferent.
"Heh, let me tell you why. My stories and miniatures are meant to make money. What's a cliché, happy ending worth? If I don't torture the creatures of the Warhammer world in every conceivable way, who's going to buy my miniatures?"
The Old One held up a hand, cutting Lino off.
"Alright, Lino. Seeing as you played along with my little creative endeavor, I'll give you a gift. Make a wish, and I guarantee it will come true."
Lino looked down at the diary resting on the Old One's lap.
"I want to write a Warhammer story that I actually like."
"No problem." The Old One handed the diary over.
Lino sat down on the bench, took up the pen, and wrote:
"On this day, the fleeing Old One chose to surrender his extraordinary powers, returning to Isstvan V in the era of Warhammer 30k to embrace his death as a mere mortal soldier."
A gentle breeze swept past.
Lino glanced beside him. The Old One was gone, and a new line of text had appeared in the diary.
"Damn mortal, how dare you trick me!"
Lino continued to write:
"The Old One gladly accepted his death and perished permanently. His Book of Destiny vanished alongside his demise."
The diary crumbled into fine sand and was carried off by the wind. The grains slipped between his fingers, taking the lingering heaviness in Lino's heart with them.
"Lino, your family is here."
A nurse patted his shoulder, pointing to the two figures standing behind her.
Lino stood up, tears welling in his eyes.
"Dad, Mom..."
The three of them embraced, and the fine sand scattered by the wind vanished into thin air, never to return.
