Epilogue

B-9 could never shake their personal vision from within the throes of Siberys radiation. Keenly aware of the scope and span of physical suffering across the world, they began a journey to wander along the threads of despair and mend what they could. They left behind their church and their unit, simply walking away from the past.

They lived an ascetic life. Clad only with a tattered cloak and frayed wide-brim hat, they walked both the travelled roads and the untaken trails to reach whatever pockets of life they could find. They would treat the wounded and console the dying. Even those that would threaten B-9 were eventually healed, once hostilities ended.

They refused material reward and expected no obligations. They wanted no recognition and often did not reveal their designation nor their history. The only money B-9 would accept would be in the form of replenished supplies for their healer kits, though more often than not the kits would become a mish-mash of various bandages and folk remedies acquired along their travels. They would then move on, those who asked if they would return would get a non-committal answer.

B-9 disappeared into the mists of time, endlessly trudging along the dark tapestry to bring what little light he could to those individual threads.

It is a cloudy afternoon in the autumn. Friends, family, and colleagues have all attended Tamara d'Canniths funeral.

A couple of d'Cannith mages discuss the strange affection Tamara returned from space with.
As I understand, she opened herself up to magic energies of the Siberys rings
While crafting a containment matrix for the elemental and ghosts - and holding it in her mind
Don't forget the divine element. One of the warforged with her claimed to have awoken a warforged diety.
Nonsense! There are no warforged god. They are constructs. We are their creators
Nevertheless gentlemen.
Are we gods?
NEVERTHELESS!
I believe that connecting to that raw power, channeled pure magic directly from the Siberys rings - that that replaced her normal ability to gather energy
I wonder what it was like...
I heard that her dragonmark also acted up
Do you think we could replicate the circumstances?
And risk what happened to Tamara? She could not replenish her magic reserves after she landed. Without access to the Siberys rings, she was a normy.
Shutter the thought.

The group quiets down as the casket passes by.

On the other side of the ile her close friends and family are talking
She told me that she felt like a god up there. The power of creation at the fingertips.
She had always been a creator, even as a girl. It broke her losing that.
I can understand. If I could no longer sing...
... the world would be a better place
Jerk!
Love you too sis.
But taking her own life? If I lived in a mansion, and money to burn, I wouldn't kill myself.
Kids, please. Money won't bring you happiness or purpose in life.
But it makes it easiere
True. But it did not bring her peace

The ceremony goes as these things do. Tamara d'Cannith had delivered the ghosts and rings. That act most likely prevented another war, and the crew of The Way was honored greatly. The final battle that Tamara was involved in, came next. House Cannith and Tamaras family, both contested Tamaras will. But in the end, the judge rejected their case. Tamara's estate would go to the warforged trust, just as she willed it.

Whispers strives for the enlightenment they tasted in the Rings. Over the year following the events that transpired, they founded and helped to erect a temple to help others seek it as well. But the crowds and fame were all a bit too loud for Whispers. So they moved on, wandering for isolated areas. Seeking out other Siberys shards to channel their will back into the stars to reach the god they helped birth.

Last seen paying their respects to Tamara, Whispers wanders hoping to one day see the universe through the eyes of divinity once more.

Despite the hype and fanfare related to the events of the Siberys Crisis, Death’s Brush stayed for some time with Aleksander, helping him with the rituals to restore him back to this world, and then he studied and learned much about Mabar and stabilized manifest zones. After a few months, he requested to study among the deathless court of Aerenal, which request was granted.

He learned all he could about death and life, creation and destruction. He stayed in Aerenal for a few months, until one day he received a summons from Tam’s estate, in which summons the steward of the estate indicated that Tam was depressed, and only spoke with happiness about her time with the warforged trust and The Way.

He went to her estate, hoping to see her, and see her body he did, for as he arrived at the estate, he was met with the news of her suicide the night before. He cried that day for his friend, the God Creator (to him, she was Tam). He realized that her power of creation at that moment, combined with the radiation from the ring of Siberys, and the soul yearnings of Death’s Brush, must have unknowingly catalyzed the birth of The Spark Divine.

He stayed and helped the steward of Tam’s estate to settle her affairs. He also cast gentle repose on Tam’s body many times to stop the process of decay to prepare for the funeral.

He spoke to her many times, for hours, talking about his thoughts of the great Beyond. He missed her...like, a lot...

He was very surprised when he heard about the will, and being the resident warforged from this trust, he took his responsibilities very seriously in honoring his friend. He commissioned a statue of his dear friend, but at the moment of ultimate creation. She looked like a god, and maybe in that moment, she was.

He began evangelizing the word, not just to Warforged, but to others, as well. He taught a doctrine of unity, that only through the combined effort of the constructed and the organic did they establish the miracles of their time. He combatted the influence of the Lord of Blades on his people, saying to everyone that "we are more when we are together."

Prior to the funeral, he wrapped himself in ceremonial garb, which covered his face and body, such that only those up close would know he was Warforged (even though he was a tall 6’4"). He was one of the pall bearers, and those whispering about whatever was on their minds didn’t escape his ears as he walked by, but instead of berating them, he chose to focus on his friend.

He was blessed to give the eulogy, where he spoke of her accomplishments, her raw talent, but also focused on her goodness as a person, a companion, a fighter, and a friend.

He spoke on her influence on his religion, his journey, and then he related their shared experience of creating and awakening the Spark Divine.

"We are more because of you, Tam.

"Rest now, Tam, knowing how you saved us from destroying ourselves."

He touches the mark on her face, and then he walks away from the casket and says, "Anyone who wishes to speak about Tam are permitted to pay their respects."

After the service, Brush changes his name from Death’s Brush to Creation’s Brush, though he still insists on people calling him Brush. He sits down, looking to what the future may hold.

He sees himself establishing the mansion as a safe haven for warforged, taking care of those who need shelter, work, and counseling from the horrors of the Last War.

He envisions himself building a small temple on the grounds for the Spark Divine, where he worships and tries to commune with The Spark Divine at times. He sees himself teaching others to manifest their souls, thanks to the things he learned from his dear friend Aleksander.

He snaps out of his vision of the future, tears silently streaming down his mechanical face.

He stands and looks forward, and smiles.

Later that night, he finds a solitary spot in the mansion: Tam, thank you for everything.

Spark, lead my friend to a peaceful beyond.

He reaches out with his soul, sees Tam manifested in spirit form, smiling, and then walking towards a bright Spark that manifests in the distance.

He smiles, knowing how much work he has in order to honor her passing.

After Tamara's funeral and final upgrades to The Way and himself were complete, W.A.R.P. XI had no reason to touch the ground ever again.

The multi-national Siberys exploration pact needed someone to captain The Way and to coordinate future expeditions, and W.A.R.P. XI was their top candidate. Karrnathi necrotech and reverse engineered Riedran magitech were instrumental in enhancing The Way while L0-C0 acted as a liaison once W.A.R.P. XI and the new crew encountered the Cul'sir Dominion. Karrnathi necromancers were instrumental in helping the undead giants come to terms with their state while House Cannith makers and wizards of the Arcane Congress marveled at original Creation Forges. The Rierdan's star station hadn't been found yet but it was only a matter of time before the Sleeping Sword base was located and eliminated. L0-C0 was still considering whether or not it would become the AI controlling The Way but it enjoyed being bonded with W.A.R.P. XI for now while it adapted to this new world.

W.A.R.P. XI and L0-C0 spent rare free time trying out his flight and shield upgrades, soaring through the outer Siberys radiation bands doing nothing but enjoying the Ring's beauty in more spectra than he could before. A small Siberys Shard from the original chunk retrieved had been inserted into his third eye position, its power greatly enhancing his magic and his senses. W.A.R.P. XI made new friends among the crew and the many ground staff but he would never forget the bonds with Creation's Brush, B-9, Whipers, and Tamara. He wasn't sure if it was the best thing to do, he was positive her family would be against it, but W.A.R.P. XI wanted to set Tamara's body adrift amidst the Ring of Siberys. The final resting place of one so brilliant should be among such beauty and power. Perhaps one day. For now, he drifted as near as he could to the Ring and acknowledged its life-giving and life-taking capabilities. After some reflection on his friends, he returned to The Way for a meeting on schematics for The Way II and other proposed ships of it class.

This was the future W.A.R.P. XI was helping to make.

W.A.R.P. XI felt good about that.

W.A.R.P. XI felt.