MLHM- The Epilogue

This is the Epilogue of "ML:HM", as well as the true final Part of the story.
It was released on 24.02.2024.
== Plot ==
Six months after the defeat of Owen Olson and the downfall of his scientist society, Sophia decides to leave her cousin and stay in Rainbow Sanctuary with her infant nephew and Ella. Having fallen in love with Anna Grayson- sister of the settlement's leader- the two of them decide to take care of the child and honor the memory of his mother as much as they can, despite the fact that it will be hard to do so.
An uncertain future lies ahead. And they must do their best to face it with open arms.
== Story ==
It has been half a year since the disaster that Owen Olson caused. Many remember that time as "the era of scientific chaos", and none of them remember it fondly. Not long after the end of that issue, citizens of Rainbow Sanctuary captured the rest of Owen's rogue scientists, those who refused to yield to Sophia and her allies, and publicly executed them while journalists from around the globe were filming the entire process. It was a gruesome act of justice, best not to be remembered by anyone.
Though the rest of the world refuses to forget about Owen and his plan to turn the world into a mutant planet, Sophia was quick to leave the past behind. Even though the incident took away the life of her best friend and almost ended that of Ella- the little girl she decided to take care of- she decided that nothing would be achieved by hating people. So, she took the mantle of a diplomat and advocated the people of the world to focus their anger on the real enemy- the "evolution" of the world. Much to the surprise of her and her allies, many people decided to listen to reason and free themselves from the shackles of hatred. Maybe she truly is an influental figure in the modern world.
After falling in love with countless men and never finding solace in staying with them, Sophia quickly dropped her dreams of starting a family with a boy. Against her parents' desires, she decided to give Anna Grayson- a like-minded individual- a chance in love. And it worked- the two of them soon fell in love and decided to live together. But they did so without telling people that their relationship was something normal. They knew that it is not, and do not try to hide it. It was their choice, and they made it a reality. At the very least, they manage to find the love that they deserved.
At that time, Anna was still in love with Will- the boy whom she fell in love with a long time ago. Sophia understood that perfectly and knew that Anna's love for her cousin would never fade away. In fact, Sophia actually cheered her on and motivated her to grow closer to Will, knowing that the two of them were truly made for each other. She was aware that their current relationship was only a temporary source of solace for Anna and was willing to break up with her in the future, to make sure that she achieves her dream to be with Will. Sure, it will not be the nicest thing to do, but she knows that Anna deserves better than what she already has.
Sophia and Anna decided to start a new life in Alwyn's settlement- the Rainbow Sanctuary. They took in Bridgette's son- the nameless infant- as well as Ella. To their surprise, Ella turned out to have a very sisterly mindset, taking care of the little infant and showering him with all the love that he deserved. She fiercely protected him from anyone who tried to take him away and often treated the world's goverment with mistrust, knowing what they do with orphaned children like this boy.
To the present date, Sophia and Anna still live in the legendary settlement. In the months that passed, Bridgette's child grew to be a charming little man and Ella learned how to be more confident and understanding. The family of four live in perfect harmony, protected by Will and his allies from the outside of their walls. Anna acts as an advisor to her brother, and Sophia was given the job of the prison's warden, eventually meeting Damien Grayson.
One day, Sophia goes to the prison to check on the guards and inmates. She visits Damien's cell and immediately sees how gloomy he was. Normally, he is a snarky (and sometimes insulting) person, capable of mocking the people for their unfortunate situation. But now, he finally seems to understand that his dreams will not come true.
"What's up, Grayson?"- She asks him- "Are you experiencing a moment of clarity?"
Damien looks at her and sighs.
"You know, kid. I think that it's far too hopeless. I can't stop thinking about how those villains will teach you a lesson. But after hearing what you and my girl did to that Olson guy, I think that they're the ones who are being taught a lesson."- He says- "The Dark Angel promised that he will reshape the world. Restart the timer of the universe. And yet, even he can't stop the endless flow of the world. Maybe he'll conquer half of the world, but an entire planet? Nah, even he is not fit for the job."
Sophia smiles.
"Ahh. That's a good boy."- She says- "Maybe there's still some wisdom inside of you, after all."
Damien waves his hand.
"Yeah, yeah. I get it. I'm the smartest person in the world. No one's better than me."- He says jokingly- "Now, leave me alone. The mind may be shining, but the whiskey bottle's running dry. I've got to keep it company, just like it does for me."
And then, he pulls out a comically large whiskey bottle and places it on the ground. He stares at it, completely ignoring Sophia and not even bidding her farewell as she leaves the building.
Outside, Sophia ponders how bad life must have been for Damien. Even though he was clearly a bad person once, she doesn't feel any kind of hatred for him. And that's not because she never witnesses his heinous acts. Much like her cousin, Sophia believes that Damien is not incorrigible. She sees the changes happening inside of him and believes that she can find a way to turn his life around. Someday in the future, that is.
After leaving the prison yard, Sophia goes to visit Bridgette- her best friend- 's grave. She says how bad she feels about her unfair demise, then starts to rant how boring life has been without her. She explains that her son is still in the right hands and promises that he'll get the future that he deserves. Then, she stares at the sky and closes her eyes, muttering a brief prayer for her best friend- one of the few people who truly understood her. When she is done, she kneels and touches the grave, out of true respect for a truly dear person. And then, with a final blow, she excuses herself and bids her farewell.
Seeing that Anna is standing on one of the sanctuary's walls, Sophia decides to stand alongside her. As she climbs up, Anna looks at her and smiles. It is clear that the two of them have been through a lot lately. And yet, their relationship lasted, serving as a true testimonial for humankind's unwavering desire for a normal world.
"Well, look at what the stork brought home."- She says and smiles again- "You're looking good, Sophie. Shining and beautiful, as usual."
Sophia smiles back.
"Thanks, Annie."- She responds- "You're not looking too bad yourself."
Anna's eyes tear up.
"That's one of the nicest things you've ever said to me."- She says- "I won't forget it."
Then, she takes a look at the sunset ahead of them.
"It's hard to believe, but it's been six months since we sank Olson's yacht. Exactly six months."- She says- "People are still hating on him, but we're just celebrating the fact that we survived. Isn't it weird, knowing that you were in the center of chaos and lived to tell the tale? It sounds kinda surreal to me."
Sophia sighs.
"After what I experienced since my early childhood, this ain't a surprise."- She says- "Heroism is a complicated thing. However, if you manage to get over the initial shock, it actually turns into a very profitable job. Seeing the smiles on those people's faces makes everything that we had to face worthwhile."
Anna nods.
"And that's why I'll always love you."- She says- "You're better than all those wimpy girls out there. Except for Alicia, but she still ain't good enough to merit my love. And you, my dear Sophie, you're a true angel in disguise."
Sophia smiles.
"Aww."- She says- "I love you too, Annie."
As the two of them share a kiss, someone shouts at them from below the walls. When they take a look, they see that Ella has noticed them. She is carrying Sophia's infant nephew in her arms, and waiting for them to come down.
"Hey, Miss Sophia! Can you come down for a second?"- She exclaims- "It's very important."
Heeding her good friend's words, Sophia slides down, joined by Anna. The two of them approach Ella, who seems to be very excited.
"Wyatt's back from his mission! And he brought a lot of nice things!"- Ella exclaims- "He said that he wants to meet you. I know now why, but he seemed to be very motivated. Maybe you should take a look?"
Sophia nods.
"Well."- She says- "If you think that this important, who am I to refuse?"
Then, she looks back at Anna.
"Stay here, Annie."- She says- "I'll be back soon."
Anna smiles.
"I know you will, dear."
The two of them share another kiss. Then, Anna watches as Sophia runs to the northern gates and meets up with a man, presumably Wyatt. She wonders what he has been doing in the past month and remembers the time when she and Adam- her guardian and mentor- walked into the settlement while it was still Rainbow Keep. She does not know whether history will repeat itself or not, but she genuinely hopes that more survivors will find their way here, willing to help and be helped.
Sophia approaches Wyatt, who seems to be very tired. He barely acknowledges her presence, until he actually realizes who she is. Then, he jumps to his feet and hugs her, clearly excited about something.
"Good to see you, Sophia."- He says- "I know that I'm late with this, but I have some wonderful news for ya. And the best thing is- they're about your uncle. You said that you lost him a long time ago, so I assume that you'll be glad to hear this."
At first, Sophia was interested in what Wyatt had to say. Now, she is all ears.
"You're saying that you know something about my uncle?"- She asks- "Where is he? What happened to him?"
Wyatt shakes his head.
"To be honest, I am not quite sure. Evidence suggests that he's still far from our reach, and that it's unlikely for us to locate him."- He says- "But that's not the important part. I spoke with several witnesses and they explained how an aging man with long, unkempt blonde hair had made his way through their village. From what I heard, he had the same confident voice that your uncle once had. That means he's still alive!"
Sophia sighs.
"This better not be another impostor."- She says- "I'm tired of dealing with them."
Wyatt nods.
"As far as my studies suggest, this is likely the real deal."- He says- "I'll try to find more information on this matter. Maybe we can find a way to reunite you with him. He might be a loner now, but I'm sure that he'll appreciate the company of a family member, especially one as close as you."
Sophia smiles serenely.
"I appreciate your concern, Wyatt. It's truly nice to know that you're willing to sacrifice your own happiness to ensure ours."- She says- "What about your cousin, though? Is she doing fine? I've heard vague rumors, but I'm not sure if I should believe them."
Wyatt smiles.
"Lola's condition keeps getting better and better. I managed to relieve her by taking care of her children and she's managed to focus on her own life."- He says- "The magical medicine that you provided managed to loosen the curse of the Dark Angel and allow her to breathe freely once again. The prayers of Miss Aurelia managed to help her recover her sanity. Were it not for you and your friends, my cousin would have lost her life. Or, at the very least, suffered much more than she does now."
Sophia smiles.
"Don't mention it, bud. I'm just here to help."- She says and pats him on the shoulder- "I have to go now. I'll see you again soon, right?"
Wyatt nods.
"Definitely."- He responds- "Take care, Sophia."
Then, Wyatt sits next to the gates and sharpens his weapon, preparing for yet another perilous adventure. He may be a character with a poor heritage, but he always does his best to teach people how important it is to respect the law. His example is one of Man's best interests, yet he always feels grateful for the good things that the government is attempting to accomplish. A truly respectable figure, in a much less respectable world.
Sophia approaches Anna. As the two girls stare at each other, Ella stands next to them, politely excuses herself and hands Sophia the infant she is carrying.
"Umm. Here you go, Miss Sophia."- She says as she does so- "I took care of the little one for you. I hope that you are proud of me."
Sophia leans down and kisses Ella on the forehead.
"I will always be proud of you, sweetheart."- She says- "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."
Ella looks up, her eyes lighting up as she stares at the person she sees as her big sister.
"Does this mean that you still love me?"
Sophia smiles.
"Ellie, my dear."- She says- "I never stopped loving you. And I never will."
The two of them embrace as Anna hugs Sophia and kisses her on the cheek.
"This is definitely the happy end that I wanted to see!"- Anna exclaims- "Kudos to you, beautiful ladies. You definitely made my life much brighter."
Sophia turns around and kisses her back.
"And you're the biggest diamond I've ever seen."- She says to her- "Thank you for being a part of my life, Annie."
As the three of them embrace and stare at the sunset, they keep noticing strange figures staring back at them from far away. Even though they were afraid once, they do not care anymore. They are confident that the days of the Dark Angel and his army are numbered. Soon, he shall face justice and repent for his sins, in front of the almighty being that he rebelled against.
"So, this is how the story ends. The villain's gone. The team's reunited. A safe place to stay and a good future lying ahead of us."- Sophia says to herself- "It's hard to believe, but this happy end's truly remarkable. We faced so many horrible things, yet here we are. We are the proof of humanity's survival. The hope for redemption. The voices of the new world. We are the ones who lived, the ones who shall inherit the world. We're the heroes of this world."
The End.