Wolves

**"Wolves"** is the ninth and final episode of *The Fatal Frontier*. It was released on November 21st 2020 and is the final episode of the original franchise.

## Plot

*The time of the sword and axe has come. In the finale, The Veteran and his few allies confront destiny itself to bring an end to the horrors of the Wilds.*

## Synopsis

### Chapter 1

Edwards sits on the cliff-edge, the blade of his tomahawk dripping with blood and dried pieces of brain. He breathes calmly, almost as if he is asleep. He overlooks the Wilds as the sun rises, the landscape smothered by two raging fires in the distance. His back is warmed to sweat by the fire all around him. All he hears if the snapping of burning wood and the blood dripping from his blade.

He hears footsteps. Calm footsteps. Not a threat. He straightens up, almost waking up, as Lupa sits down next to him. She sighs heavily, obviously exhausted. The two of them watch the burning fires, silent. Lupa rests her head on Edwards' shoulder and he wraps his arm around her shoulders.

"My, what a spectacle," Jules says, looking over the valley in awe.

"Isn't it," Edwards says.

"No matter how bad this world gets, you just can't deny that view," Jules says.

"Wow..." Lupa manages. Edwards smiles, almost as if in pride.

"Where is he?" Jules asks, looking around him. "All I see is blood. Did he get away?"

"No," Edwards says. "He's dead."

"Then where is he?" Jules repeats.

"In the ground," Edwards says, still looking at the view, "I buried him,"

"Why?" Jules asks, perplexed.

"Had time to kill," Edwards says bluntly, before slightly turning to bring Jules into the corner of his view, "And because children should always be buried,"

To this, the confused Jules stays silent, something about Edwards' words rendering him silent. For a few moments, the three of them sit in silence, staring out at the magnificent view of the Wilds.

Finally, Edwards breaks the silence, "Did you kill them all?"

Once again, Lupa speaks with some effort. "All. Fire,"

"Good," Edwards says. "This fire will be drawing them. We must head up."

"To the visitor's centre," Jules finishes. "I remember,"

"They will find this place, and what I left for them," Edwards says. "Then we must draw them up there."

"Fire," Lupa says.

"No need," Edwards says.

"Then how?" Jules asks.

Edwards smiles grimly. "Trust me. They'll know. We must go,"

"Wait," Jules says. "What about Kail? The Heathen reinforcements?"

"Kail knows where we're going," Edwards replies, "If he's smart, and if he's alive, he'll know where to bring them."

"I hope you're right," Jules says.

"Yes," Lupa says. She grabs at her throat in discomfort.

"Stop," Edwards says. "Pain is not worth it. Trust me." he adds. Lupa gives him an appreciative look. "Now," he continues. "We have to hurry. They could be here any minute."

The three of them avoid the burning bushes around them and hike across the rough undergrowth until they reach the ancient road up the mountain. As they reach the old road, Edwards looks up above them at the overgrown centre. He sighs and looks out behind him at the burning wilderness. He shudders slightly before following Jules and Lupa up the road.

Back at the overlook, many Norn warriors emerge from the bushes, their bows drawn, prepared. At their head is Kyther, her twin blades drawn, ready. In her language, she orders the warriors to search the area and they spread out among the burning bushes. Kyther stalks up to the rock formation, where she spots something. She sheaths her sabres and picks something up from the formation. Her face becomes painted with a look of rage. She turns to her people and holds up what she is holding: the Shark-Toothed Man's head, axed in half down to his nose. The Norn warriors begin to shriek and cry at the sight of the head, and Kyther roars in anger, rallying her people. Interith emerges from the warriors, the lower half of his face still wrapped in bandages. He approaches Kyther and places his hand into the mouth of the Shark-Toothed Man. He grabs something and tags hard, scraping his skin on the Shark-Toothed Man's fangs. He unfurls the object and reads it, before showing it to Kyther. She drops the head to the ground and reads the map: it marks out clearly the trio's route up to the visitor's centre, and includes a message that reads "*Come get us, Madeline,*".

Kyther begins to shake with anger as she reads the message before she tears it up, screaming with rage as she does so. She kicks the Shark-Toothed Man's decapitated head so hard it flies over the cliff edge and into the trees below. She talks a few moments to calm before placing a hand on Interith's shoulder; she leans in and whispers "Walk the dead to their doom". Interith understands and bows to her before retreating back into the crowd of warriors. Kyther calls out to her people to begin the long walk up the mountain, while Interith heads back onto the slope. He finally stops at a Norn patrol, who are revealed to be drawing a massive herd of walkers up the mountain.

### Chapter 2

The road is rough, overgrown with plants and cracked at almost every spot, but the trio is able to traverse it without much delay. As they pass a mile marker, Edwards begins to smell the all-too-familiar stench of decay on the wind. He stops in his tracks, as does Jules. "I smell it too," he says.

"They've brought the dead," Edwards says. "And they're close."

"Fuck," Jules says. "We can't face the living *and* the dead."

"Do. Not. Panic."

"Don't fucking panic!" Jules shouts.

"Shut the fuck up!" Edwards says, grabbing Jules by the collar. "The one thing we don't want is the dead finding us quicker than we can get up this mountain."

Jules' breathing slows. "Yeah, yeah you're right. Course." after which Edwards lets go. Jules continues, "So what's the plan, then?"

Edwards looks out over the horizon, taking a few minutes before he finds what he is searching for, "See that?" he points. It takes a while, but both Lupa and Jules spot it. "That's dust." Edwards continues. "These herds, they kick up all the dust in the world. A good way of marking where a herd is. Look, it's not moving, which means the herd isn't moving."

"So?" Jules asks.

"They're not bringing the herd up here," Edwards explains. "That's near the foot of the road. They're blocking us off."

"So we can't get down and the Heathens can't get up," Jules realizes, "We'll have to find another way down the mountain."

"A bridge we can cross when we come to it," Edwards says. "Right now, we have to move. We need to finish this."

The three of them continue, once in a while looking back to check the cloud's position. Hours pass, but the cloud does not move. It is early afternoon when the three of them finally reach a ticket booth, long overgrown by the encroaching vegetation. It has already become cold, and the air noticeably thinner. Edwards climbs over the overgrown barrier and checks the area while Jules searches the ticket booth, finding nothing useful.

"Almost there," Edwards says. He is surprised by the intensity of the stench of rot filling his nose; he thought he had gotten used to it years ago. Apparently not.

"They can't be far behind," Jules says. "I swear to Christ I'm hearing their chanting."

"Me too," Edwards says. Indeed, faintly on the wind, he could hear that haunting chant.

*Fehu Uruz Thurisaz Ansuz Raidho Kenaz Gebo Wunjo Hagal Naudhiz Isa Jera Eihwaz Perthro Algiz Sowelu Tiwaz Berkano Ehwaz Mannaz Laguz Ingwaz Dagaz Othala...*

*Must hurry*.

Their pace quickens, almost in tune with the chanting on the wind. Somehow the road is even worse up here, and it is difficult to get good footing. The vegetation has torn the roads apart so that it now more resembles a cobbled beach. Lupa finds the terrain easier, darting from smooth spot to smooth spot like a cat, while Edwards and Jules lumber and slip over the broken tarmac. Finally, they reach it: an overgrown ruin, decorated with maps that describe the local history. Another time, Edwards would have read them, but now he ignores them. They come to an overgrown glass door; Edwards shatters the glass with his tomahawk and they step inside. Inside stands a single, heavily decomposed walker that Edwards quickly dispatches, "Looks secure," he says, "I'll be able to make a stand here,"

"Chanting," Jules says. "It's getting louder." he adds before realizing what Edwards just said. "What the hell do you mean *you*?"

"There's a path, just up there," Edwards says. "I followed it as we walked up. You two need to leave. Go find Kail and find a route through the herd so you can get back."

"Now hold the fuck on," Jules shouts. "We're in this together!"

"Not anymore," Edwards replies. "I need you two to be safe. I couldn't send you back when we were on the road. Take the path and get back down."

"No!" Jules says, "We're not leaving you."

"Yes. You. Are," Edwards retorts. "She'll be coming here. I need to face her. I'm the only one who can."

"But..."

"But nothing, Jules," Edwards says. "Take her and go!"

Jules begins to argue again but is stopped by Lupa, who places a hand on his shoulder. Jules finally reaches acceptance. "If you die..."

"I'll come back to haunt you," Edwards says. "Go,"

Worried that he'll look back, Jules immediately steps back through the glass door; Lupa lingers, giving Edwards a worried look, before following Jules. Edwards takes cover behind the counter, using a rock to sharpen his axe.

The two of them find the dirt path Edwards referred to and begin to climb, keeping low. Finally, they see the leading troop of warriors, led by Kyther and Interith. Lupa fires her last arrow at one of the soldiers, landing in his neck, while Jules dispatches the rest with his rifle. Only Interith and Kyther remain. Kyther locks eyes with Lupa before sprinting up the road. Knowing they are out of ammo, Interith reveals his whip, covered in metal spikes. Jules unsheaths his sabre and slides down the hill to the road, ready to face Interith. The High Priest blocks their path up to Kyther and enters a battle stance. Jules decides to charge, yelling wildly, but Interith steps to the side and whips Jules across his back, causing him to scream in agony. He avoids another strike by wrapping the whip around his sword, using his greater weight to spin Interith. The High Priest loses his footing and falls off over the cliff.

Jules begins to chuckle, relieved. He sheaths his sabre and turns towards the smiling Lupa, "That was easy," he says.

Behind Jules, Lupa sees Interith emerge from the cliff, a rock in hand. She tries to scream but no sound comes out.

Jules hears Interith but, not quick enough to avoid, whispers "Fuck". Interith brings the stone down on the back of Jules' head. His legs buckle and he falls to the ground, unconscious. Lupa screams and Interith drops the rock, extending his whip. Lupa unsheaths her dagger and charges, yelling.

### Chapter 3

#### The Summit

Edwards hears the breaking of glass, accompanied by threatening footsteps. He emerges from behind the counter to see Kyther standing before him, her face twisted into a look of vengeance. She unsheathes her sabres, running them together to create sparks.

Edwards holds out his open hands. "I know who you are, Madeline," Edwards says as the two begin to circle one another. "I know what you did to your parents. I know what you are."

"And what is that, *Mye'Akal*?"

"An animal," Edwards replies, twirling his tomahawk, building up momentum in his wrist. "A rabid dog. Rabid dogs need to be put down."

"Then try, World-Ender," Kyther taunts, stretching out her arms in a battle pose. "Come, show me your spins and feints. I want to watch...before the Goddess takes you. Before you *expire.*"

Edwards roars and charges, swinging his tomahawk in an arch. Kyther dodges and lashes out with her sabres, but Edwards spins to miss them, kicking up dust. Kyther launches a counterattack, stabbing her sabres forwards to try and slash his abdomen, but Edwards darts backwards with every strike. He uses the curve of his axe to trap one of her sabres, twisting it out of her grip and spinning it a safe distance away. The move leaves his left flank open and Kyther takes advantage, bring her remaining sabre forwards in a powerful strike. Edwards brings up his left leg to block her, using his knee to push away her wrist before bringing his axe across her chest. The blow tears at her armour but does not draw blood.

The two of them pause, watching one another, before Kyther goes for another strike, using her remaining sabre as a greatsword. Edwards blocks the overhead blow with his axe blade, forcing her sword aside and catching her face with his elbow. The blow knocks her backwards and she starts to bleed from her nose, but she does not stop. She begins a wave of swinging attacks that Edwards cannot block and instead dodges, ducks and jumps to avoid them. She tries to take out his legs, but Edwards jumps above the blade, barely reacting quick enough to block another blow with the curve of his axe. This time, however, the momentum is in Kyther's favour and she spins her blade, taking the axe out of Edwards' hands. She then brings a swing from the right, slashing Edwards across the chest. The strike sends him tumbling and he rolls further away and into a kneel. His ruined shirt stains red with his blood.

Kyther screams as she charges, sword brought back and aiming for his chest. Edwards rolls to the side as she reaches him and kicks out at her knees, knocking her over. He pulls himself into a crouch and he jumps on top of her, grabbing at her armour carry himself up. He grips the broken plate of her chest and punches her in the jaw, but she counterattacks with an equally powerful punch that forces him off her. He lands to the side just inches from his axe, while she grabs for her sword. Edwards crawls over his axe and reaches it just in time to swing it around and block another strike.

#### The Road

Meanwhile, Lupa tumbles to the ground, caught by Interith's spiked whip. She looks over at Jules, still unconscious and bleeding from his skull, and tries to crawl over to him. Interith stops her with a powerful kick in her ribs that rolls her onto her back. Even without his lower jaw, it appears as if he is smiling. He stands over her and removes a dagger from his belt. He holds the dagger at her throat and prepares to push.

"...David..." comes Jules' weak voice.

Interith stops and looks up at the barely conscious Jules, who is hardly able to hold his head up. "Don't do it, David. You're...better...than..." he manages before falling unconscious again.

The exchange gives Lupa the chance to grab Interith's wrist and push the blade away, following it up with a ferocious kick to Interith's groin. The blow forces him back and he drops the dagger, which Lupa picks up. She charges at Interith with a silent scream, a blow he manages to block by holding up his hand. He punches her with his other hand, forcing Lupa against the truck. He follows it up with another strike from his whip, which Lupa avoids by jumping to the side. Interith goes to strike again, only to discover the tip of his whip has been embedded in the truck's metal body. He yanks at it, successfully pulling it from the truck but also managing to lose grip on the handle and stumble backwards.

Lupa sees her chance and charges, grabbing the whip as she does. She throws her arm backwards and launches a powerful strike that causes Interith to yelp in pain. Lupa then wraps the length of the whip around Interith's neck before kicking him behind the knee, sending him to the ground. Lupa grabs the other end of the whip and wraps both ends around her wrists as she starts to pull. Interith's head comes up but she forces it back down with her foot. She pulls harder until her face goes red, listening to Interith choke. Tearing up from the force, Lupa brings her right arm up, running the whip across Interith's neck. Combined with the tremendous force, the whip slowly opens Interith's throat and he begins to splutter as the ground is soaked in his blood. Lupa finally lets go of the whip and falls onto her back as Interith slowly dies. She places her hands over her face and catches her breath.

Jules lets out a weak groan, bringing Lupa to attention. She stands up and helps Jules to his feet, allowing him to lean on her. He is bleeding heavily, but otherwise okay.

"Nice...one..." he manages, barely able to walk.

"Must...go..." Lupa manages as she starts to carry him. As they pass Interith's corpse, Jules smiles.

"Chew on that, prick," he chuckles before he retches.

#### The Summit

On the summit, Edwards and Kyther are still locked in combat. Both are now bruised, bloodied and exhausted.

"Tired, World-Ender?" Kyther taunts. "Good. The Goddess waits for you. She grows impatient."

"I'm not ready to die yet," Edwards says before roaring and charging, swinging his tomahawk. Once more Kyther catches it with her sword and removes it from his grip, slashing Edwards across the abdomen. The blow forces him backwards, clutching his stomach. The cut is deeper, but not serious. He begins to feel lightheaded. "This doesn't have to happen," he pleads. "You don't have to be what they made you!"

"That is all I am," Kyther retorts before she charges once more.

Edwards somehow finds the strength to dodge wildly to the side; as Kyther passes him, he grabs at her shoulder and uses the momentum to spin her around and onto the ground. She drops her sabre and tries to recover before Edwards charges over with a kick to the face, sending blood over the dirt. Disorientated, Kyther cannot stop him from climbing on top of her again. Blinded by pain, Edwards begins an assault on her, landing several punches on her cheeks and jaw until she is purple and bloody. He then wraps his hands over the side of her head and proceeds to slam her head repeatedly on the hard ground before punching her again; he sees a pool of blood emerge from the back of her head. Finally, he gets his hands around her neck and begins to squeeze; for a second, he tries to stop himself but he ignores any thoughts other than instinct. He presses his thumbs against her throat as she struggles wildly, unable to get him off her. He roars in her face, but he cannot hear it. He locks eyes with her, enjoying the panic in her mud eyes as they turn red-raw and begin to bulge.

Feeling returns to his body in a second, followed by a blinding pain. His grip loosens and he struggles to breathe from the shock. A pain is so incredible it is almost beyond the realm of feeling. Almost.

He looks down to see a ceremonial knife jammed into his side beneath his ribs. He looks at it for a few second, then back at Kyther. She is not smiling, only expressing fear. She pulls the knife from his body and he falls to the side, numb. Acting on instinct, he moves to cover the wound but already feels it bleeding. He already feels faint.

*No. Can't stop.*

Fighting incredible pain, he slowly manages to stand up, holding his wound the entire time. His shirt is now completely stained red, and he leaves behind a trail of blood. He walks over to his tomahawk and picks it up, gripping it so tight his knuckles go white. He turns back around, losing feeling in his legs, and stalks back towards Kyther. He removes his hand from his wound and grips his axe with two hands. His breathing quickens as he nears her, and lifts the axe to deliver the final blow.

### Chapter 4

Without warning, Kyther projectile vomits, covering herself in thin, white sick. She pauses, shocked, before vomiting once more, this time on the ground. Edwards stops in his tracks, his tomahawk still raised. As she vomits once more, Edwards shakes his head and moves forward again.

*She had been suffocating. Breathing too quickly. It was making her sick*.

Kyther vomits a fourth time, now clutching her stomach. Her eyes are red raw but not from lack of oxygen; she is breathing quickly, but out of pain, not suffocation. She wipes her mouth clean with the back of her hand and looks up at Edwards, completely defeated.

Immediately he no longer feels the pain in his side. He feels cold. Horrified. He tries to deny it, but he can't. He isn't strong enough. He begins to panic.

He had seen this before. He knew what this was.

He remembered. How could he have forgotten?

*The table. The serum. Blacking out for hours...*

*Chained up for two weeks.*

*Torture.*

*Torture.*

*Torture.*

*...And...*

Edwards' arms go limp and he drops to his knees, panting so fast he feels dizzy. He hears his blood drip down to the cold ground. His vision is fluid, blurred.

*Ender of the Norn...but also their saviour.*

"No..." he whispers, hoarse, "Fuck. Fuck..."

He had to do it. For Lupa. For Seth. For everyone that the Norn had hurt. For everyone that Kyther had hurt.

He had to.

He tries to stand up, but his legs are numb. He fights through it. It felt like there was a tonne weight on his shoulders, pushing him back down to the dirt. He tries to lift his tomahawk, but his arm does not respond.

"You...understand," Kyther whispers, herself hoarse. "The seed of *Mye'Akal*...and the womb of the Goddess..."

"Shut up," Edwards says.

"...Would make...our saviour," Kyther continues. "The Chosen One. *Invictus*. They That Is Undefeated...a god."

"SHUT UP!" Edwards screams, "SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU SICK FUCK!" he brings himself back to his feet, tomahawk raised, "YOU ARE FUCKED! SO...fucking fucked..." his body goes numb once more. Even his rage cannot bring his body to respond. He drops to his knees. His body goes completely cold as he drops his tomahawk by his side, applying pressure to his wound.

He must end it. He had to.

*Do it* a voice calls out to him, *finish her and finish them. Remove her head and throw it at her people's feet.*

*Do it.*

*Do it!*

"...Go," he finally says. "Just...go."

Kyther barely moves, and only crawls further away with what little strength she has left, breathing slower now.

Edwards looks up at her and speaks louder. "Just GO...and never...come...back."

Kyther remains silent. Instead of fighting, she gets to her feet, clutching her stomach. Her heavy sweat has washed away most of the facepaint. Her eyes are red raw and still bulging. Her head is still bleeding. She walks over to her sabres and picks them up, but does not use them, instead sheathing them. She gives a final look at Edwards, tears in her eyes, before turning her back to him, limping over to the bushes. She pauses once more but does not turn back, instead limping into the bushes and out of sight.

Edwards moves to stand up and is stopped by the magnificent pain in his side. He tries again and feels the blood rush out of his head, almost falling over. He grabs his tomahawk and takes a final look at the building around him before leaving, leaving behind puddles of blood.

With every step, the pain grows stronger. He feels dizzier and dizzier. He is unsure as to how he continues to walk. He rounds a corner and sees a wall of the dead, unaware of his presence. He stops for a second, gritting his teeth to clear his vision from the incredible pain. He turns on his heel and heads back up to take the dirt path Lupa and Jules had used earlier.

The unstable path made walking all the more painful. He felt like could drop to his knees at any moment. As he walks, he passed the herd: an occasionally shifting mass of indistinguishable bodies. He makes it a several metres behind the herd before proceeding to try and walk down the slope down to the road. He loses his footing and tumbles down the hill, landing in a pile on the jagged road. He feels his wound open even further and cries out in agony. This attracts the dead who proceed to shuffle towards him, attracted by the scent of his blood. Seeing this, Edwards uses his tomahawk to force himself back to his feet, his injury so large he can almost fit all his fingers inside it.

He begins to limp, his vision blurring more with every step. He hears the walkers getting closer, but can only hear the dripping of his own blood and his shallow breaths. His skin is coated in a layer of sweat that feels like a coat of weight.

*Give in. It might be quick*.

"No..." he whispers. "Can't...die...yet..."

He makes a few more steps but soon it becomes unbearable. He can barely breathe. He looks down at his bloody torso, and the bleeding which shows no sign of stopping.

One more step and he finally gives up, dropping to his knees. His breathing is harsh, shallow.

He throws his tomahawk ahead of him, just out of reach.

He hears the whispers of the dead, gnashing at him, calling to him.

He lowers his head, his frayed hair falling over his face like a death shroud. He swallows and breathes calmly, accepting what is to come.

He looks up for a final time; there, in the middle of the road, stands Holly, her beautiful face smiling, her ocean-blue eyes beckoning him. By her side comes a small boy, a carbon copy of him. His son. The one he gave up. His greatest failure.

"I'm coming," he whispers.

The walkers descend on him, but he does not feel afraid. He feels their jagged nails dig into his flesh, but it does not hurt him. One manages to grab at his injury and rips it open further, spilling blood onto the broken tarmac; another reaches in. He feels it grab at his intestines but he doesn't scream. He accepts. He feels his organs move away as they are pulled outside his body and into the mouths of the dead. Another walker gets its teeth into his neck and bits out a chunk. Slowly, he is pulled apart alive, but he feels nothing. Nothing except a sense of relief. His days are done.

Willingly, he falls backwards into the mass as they rip his body apart.

Edwards comes to his senses and feels a great panic. He looks ahead of him and sees no figures, only the broken road. In panic, he reaches for his tomahawk and gets back to his feet, hacking the skull of the closest walker and then a second. He starts moving faster, ignoring the pain in his side as much as he can bare. He trips over a piece of tarmac and has only a second to stop a falling walker from biting him.

The walker suddenly goes limp; through his blurred vision, Edwards sees an arrow sticking out of its skull. Other approaching walkers are cut down by arrow fire, accompanied by a series of shrieks and yells. Further up the road, Lupa and Kail, on horseback, lead a band of at least ten Heathens, who proceed to drive the herd back up the mountain. Lupa dismounts and charges at several walkers, easily dispatching them with her knife. She lifts the dead walker off Edwards, who smiles at the sight of her. "Wolf," he croaks. Lupa turns away from him briefly to kill a walker, but when she looks back his eyes are closed and he is no longer breathing.

### Chapter 5

Edwards opens his eyes and comes to realize that, for the first time in weeks, he is comfortable. He blinks several times to get his bearings before realizing he is in a comfortable bed, surrounded by stone walls. The only light is an oil lamp hanging above him. He tries to sit up but feels an excruciating pain in his side that puts him right back down onto the bed. He tries a second time and somehow manages to sit on the edge of the bed. His legs feel weak: a symptom of sleeping for days. He manages to stand before realizing where he is: Kyther's quarters. He begins to panic and reaches for his tomahawk, only to realize his equipment has been stripped from him. His rush sends another burst of pain from his wound, and he removes his shirt to discover all of his injuries have stitched up in the exact way his older wounds were stitched.

"Lupa," he says to himself, smiling as he says her name. Calming himself, he walks over to the heavy wooden door and into a cold stone corridor. Leaning against the wall he walks along towards a beam of light. He comes to another door and opens it. He is temporarily blinded but it soon clears, and he discovers he is looking upon the ruins of Haven. Amongst the ruins are numerous Heathens who are working to clear away debris. Confused, Edwards breathes quickly and begins to feel dizzy again; he becomes calm once he sees Jules emerge from the crowds, his head wrapped in bandages.

"It's alright," he says, "We almost thought we lost you,"

"W-W-What?" Edwards stutters. "Where...how..."

"They took it back," Jules smiles. "The Norn are gone,"

The crowd separates and Lupa emerges, still wearing the jacket. As soon as she sees Edwards, she smiles and charges at him, wrapping him in a painful hug. Edwards begins to cry and hugs her tight. She finally lets go and begins to tear up. "You. Save. Us," she says with effort. "Thank. You..." Lupa then proceeds to drop to her knees and kneel. One by one, the other Heathens do the same until the whole village is bowing at Edwards' feet. Edwards smiles and tells them to stop, approaching Lupa and caressing her cheek. He hugs her tight as the village looks on.

#### *Several days later...*

Edwards, Jules, Lupa and Kail ride on the edges of the Wilds along an overgrown highway. They come to a stop at a large barrier made of cars and wood and dismount. Kail speaks up, "Here. Old Road. North," he says.

Jules approaches the barrier, all of his gear loaded into a backpack. He reads an overgrown sign, confirming what Kail had told them, "This is it," he says. "The highway."

"Way home," Kail nods.

Jules turns back around and shakes Kail's hand, "Thank you. Your people saved my life,"

"You save ours, Sky Man," Kail replies.

Jules then walks over to Lupa and the two of them hug tight. "Farewell, young wolf," he says. "Thank you...for everything."

He then walks over to Edwards, who is still heavily bandaged. He holds out his hand. "It was an honour, brother,"

Edwards grabs his arm. "The honour was mine," he says. The two of them then hug.

"You know..." Jules adds. "I've got a long way to go, but I don't care. Either I die on the way...or I go home."

"It's nice when it's so simple," Edwards smiles.

"Indeed," Jules says, "You know, home...it's your home too. Your *real* home."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you're welcome to join me," Jules says. "To take the voyage, to come back to your homeland. God knows there's a place for you."

Edwards sighs. "No, I'm afraid," he says. "I have people here, in this land. People I love. My family."

"I understand," Jules replies. The two shake hands again. "Farewell, brother. And although the chances are impossible, I do very much hope that we meet again."

With that, Jules grips the arms of his backpack, climbs over the barrier, and disappears from sight.

#### *One week later...*

Edwards once more stands at the same barrier, a bag of food and other supplies hanging from his shoulder, his tomahawk at his side. His eyes look over the barrier, considering the daunting trip ahead of him. He turns back around at the gathered Heathens, the people he had been helping to build their home, who had been healing him. He makes sure to smile and nod at all of them, before coming to Lupa. The two of them hug for what seems like forever; when they let go, Lupa removes Edwards' jacket, handing it to him. Edwards takes it and looks it over: it meant something to him. It had shielded his back from the cold many seasons. But it did not belong to him anymore.

"This is yours," he says. "Wolf to wolf."

Lupa begins to cry and takes back the jacket. She then throws herself onto Edwards, burying her face in his chest as she weeps. Edwards grips her tight and places a kiss on her forehead. Without a word, he starts to walk away.

"No!" Lupa cries. Edwards does not turn back; he knows that if he does, nothing in the world could stop him from going back. He listens to Lupa's cries as he climbs the barrier and for the first time in forever glimpses the lands beyond the Wilds.

He stands at the top of the barrier for several minutes, not thinking, not speaking.

He cannot turn. *Do not turn*.

He relents and turns, only to discover the road is empty. The Heathens are gone, as if they were not there in the first place. He smiles.

"Thank you," he says before he jumps over the barrier, leaving the Wilds behind.

### Chapter 6

It was a sight he never thought he would see again, but was nonetheless glad to see. That is, in the grimmest way possible. The Cobra Bunker. It had not changed since Edwards had seen it last. How long ago had that been? A least a month. Perhaps more?

He didn't care. All he cared about was these people had fucked him over. Torn him from his family, from his home.

He had waited a long time for this. A part of him believed that he had only survived the Wilds because he wanted to come back here. To take revenge.

Through a pair of binoculars, he surveyed the area: there was a hole in the fence that he could crawl through; a cluster of walkers to take care on any stragglers; a cage filled with prisoners, presumably awaiting the same fate he had suffered.

On his journey he had picked up an old rifle; it was battered but it still worked fine enough. He crawls on his belly through the overgrown grass, heading towards the gap in the fence. He slides through the gap, making sure not to make any noise. He crawls underneath a broken down car that formed much of the barrier surrounding the bunker. He could hear laughing, cheering and drinking nearby.

He spots a guard, unaware and with his back to him. Edwards creeps from underneath the car and removes his tomahawk. Spreading out his weight, he creeps up behind the guard and slashes open his throat with the blade of the tomahawk. He carries the body down to the grass and axes it in the head before removing their weapon: an automatic rifle. He ducks back into the grass to avoid a passing patrol and waits until their backs are turned to him. He crawls over to them and axes one in the neck and the other in the skull in quick succession. He removes the weapons from their corpses and sneaks over the cage of prisoners who had remained silent.

"You wanna get out?" he asks. One of them, a young man with ginger hair asks what's in it for him. Edwards shrugs. "You help me kill them all." to which the prisoners agree. Edwards uses his tomahawk to remove the lock from the cage and hands the guns he collected to a couple of prisoners. He orders them to follow his lead and they stalk into the main square.

Edwards leads the armed couple to a stack of wrapped water bottles, ready to be filled. He surveyed the area and recognises a few of them. "Now," he says.

The three of them fire their weapons into the crowd, catching them by surprise. Within seconds, six people are dead. Edwards leaps over the cover and continues firing at anyone he sees; a hidden sniper is quickly killed by one of the prisoners. Edwards reloads and waits beside the bunker door; he kills the Cobra who opens it and proceeds to methodically slaughter everyone inside, taking ammo from everyone he sees. He is ambushed by Buffalo but Edwards easily dispatches him, delivering a blow to Buffalo's stomach with the butt of his rifle before axing him in the chest. Just as Edwards reloads, he spots Walter as he turns the corner. Edwards blindly fires two shots that both hit Walter in the chest; while Edwards darts into a room to seek cover, Walter crawls back through the corridors of the bunker.

Edwards comes out of the room and follows the trail of blood left by Walter; one of the rooms he passes has its door slightly open. Inside he discovers the Cobras' armoury - the one they had lied about when they captured him. He grabs a replacement rifle and some ammo before spotting a familiar pistol and holster. Recognising the weapon as his Mark 23, he takes it gladly and wraps the holsters around his waist. He abandons the rifle and continues through the bunker, efficiently dispatching any targets with his Mark 23. Even after so long without it, it feels like an extension of his arm.

The blood trail ends inside a room in the depths of the bunker: the same room in which they had ambushed him so many weeks ago. Inside, Walter lies in the corner, bleeding heavily, but still alive. Edwards marches up to him and holds the Mark 23 to Walter's horrified face.

"Remember me?" Edwards growls. Walter only spits out a "please" before Edwards fires a single shot, killing him. Edwards glances at the corpse for a few moments before turning his back. He travels back through the bunker, numb to the carnage he has just wrought. He finds the dying Buffalo and notices his coat, remembering how similar it was to his old jacket.

"Nice coat," Edwards says before killing Buffalo and removing the jacket from his corpse. He walks back outside and watches the prisoners as they slaughter the remaining Cobras. He puts on his new jacket, walks through the gates, and leaves the bunker behind.

Several hours later, Edwards discovers the same overgrown garage that he had taken rest in so long ago. He takes shelter inside and sits down at the desk before breaking down in tears.

### Epilogue

In the present day, sat at the same desk, Edwards stops writing and pauses, holding back tears. He breathes before he continues.

*"And so, the story comes to an end. No living soul has ever heard or read this story. At least, not until now.*

*Never do I allow myself to remember. The memories are just too painful. It is only here...this overgrown ruin...my second home...that I allow myself to remember. The one place where this story can be told.*

*My days are numbered. I make no pretensions to that fact. In a matter of days, I will die. How, I do not know. Who will kill me, I don't know. I won't know until it comes. And in some strange way...I welcome it. I've had a long life. Sometimes, it's been a good life. Other times, though...the bad always outweighs the good. I've fought wars for people and country. People have died for me, when it should have been me who died for them. I'm tired of the death, the pain, the suffering. What made me strong is now what is killing me. In a way, I guess it always has been.*

*Way back when, before the land that I now call home ever existed, I travelled with a small group. We had a saying: WE are the walking dead. We believed that a part of us had died when the dead rose. The weakness. The people we once were. So that we were no different than the dead. It wasn't until we found a home, had families, that we discovered that was a lie.*

*That land...the things I saw, what I did...it killed whatever was left of that young schoolboy that lurked still inside my soul. Buried any trace of who I used to be. Part of me is grateful...another part mourns every damn day.*

*I never went back to the Wilds. This place is the furthest south I dare to tread. For if I go any further, part of me believes that I won't come back.*

*I never saw the girl again. Never heard any stories. I thought I should have: a girl of no words fighting to protect her home, her family, at any cost. Writing messages in the blood of her enemies. The stuff of legends. But no. I heard nothing. She could be dead, but I doubt that. I doubt that with every fibre of my being. No, she still lives. I know it. Maybe she has her own family, carving out their own stories in that land of the lost. I wonder if she kept that coat. I know I kept mine.*

*The woman...I never saw her again either. It took me a while to realize that she had been right. All of them had been right.*

*I will never forget what they called me: Mye'Akal. World-Ender. They That Speaks to the Silent Voices. I never heard these Silent Voices. I never believed in something...higher than us. Until that very moment...that moment I knew that killing the woman would also take another life. An innocent life, born to a mother who was less than innocent. Maybe I should have killed her, and the child alongside her. I would have spared it a life of misery. But I didn't. And I proved them right.*

*She lived. She should not have, but she did. Maybe she reformed her cult. Maybe she revived the Pale Whispers. It makes no difference.*

*I had ended them...but also saved them. Just like their prophecy had said.*

*I'm an old fool. A fool blessed with life. With children. I have never been the best father. Far from it. And I make no excuses. My biggest failure was the son I never knew. The one I gave up to strangers because I was afraid. Because I was weak. But in truth, I have two...two children who never knew their father. One born from love, another out of cruelty.*

*I wonder if the child is alive. As evil as the woman was, she knew how to survive. Maybe she learned how to be a mother, raised the child right. I doubt it, but I will never know. Perhaps the child is still alive, making its own destiny. I pray it follows the right path.*

*The Man Who Fell From the Sky...I never heard his tale again. Never heard word of a plane flying over the land and back across the ocean. Maybe he didn't fly. Maybe he made it, and maybe he is writing his own story, right now as I write the end of mine. I hope so. He was a good man. Good and kind throughout. For a long time, I didn't believe his story. I only started believing when he left, when I saw that glimmer in his eyes. He was going home. There is nothing like that shine.*

*It makes me wonder...what is the rest of the world like? Is it like the Wilds? Degenerated, monstrous, cruel? Or is it like the Sky Man's home? Bountiful, peaceful, what the Old World once was, only better. Kinder.*

*It doesn't matter. I have my own home. My own family. My time is limited, and I must appreciate them for as long as I have.*

*Farewell.*

*Signed,*

*Wolf"*

Somewhere, far away, a deer wanders through the undergrowth. It picks berries from the dirt. Unaware.

A spear flies through the bushes, completely silent. It finds itself in the deer's neck with so much force it is driven straight through its thick hide and muscle. Instantly the animal falls to the ground, choking on its own blood. It makes no sound, incapable.

A lithe figure emerges from the bushes. A boy. Tall, dirty, skinny. He kneels beside the dying animal and places a hand on his skull. Instantly, the animal calms. Its eyes relax, as if accepting its fate. It passes, and the boy removes the spear. A spear made of two blades melted together. The boy looks out through the trees, only to reveal that the skin around his eyes has been painted black.

"*Invictus!"* a voice calls out. Whispered, but carried well. The boy turns around to see his mother, wearing similar facepaint. The woman is revealed to be Kyther. "They are coming," she says.

The boy's face hardens. He cleans his spear. "Then they are coming to die," he says.

As the boy and his mother rush through the undergrowth, the scene transitions to above them. The view climbs higher to reveal Earth from space, with what was once the United States lit up by a few faint glows. It transitions around the globe, showing the United Kingdom lit up, before travelling over Europe, which is pitch black. The scene stops over eastern Europe, where a single country is highlighted by a magnificent display of light.

### Alternate Ending

Edwards stands on top of the barricade, unable to walk forward. Tears in his eyes, he turns around. Lupa and the gathered Heathens, on their way back into the forest, stand still and watch him. Lupa steps forward and silently holds out her hand. Edwards cries, climbs down the barricade and hugs her tight. The Heathens lead Edwards back to Haven, where rebuilding begins.

Edwards adapts to the hunter-gatherer lifestyle of the Heathens. Over time the tribe runs out of ammo and turns to bows, arrows, axes and swords. Edwards learns the tribes creole; soon, all of his conversations are in the Heathens' creole, and he abandons English altogether. The others begin calling him "Elder", and he becomes the tribe's defender. After some more time Lupa gives birth to twins, a greying Elder by her side.

Lupa's children grow up strong, perfectly adapted to hunting in the wilderness. The Elder takes them hunting and wards off outsiders with his bow and his roar.

A group of settlers arrives in the Wilds, setting up camp in the Heathens' territory. The Elder and his fellow hunters lay traps and build warning signs, but the settlers ignore them. Things come to a head when a child is shot and killed by the outsiders; an enraged Elder vows revenge. Over the course of months the Elder hunts and down and kills the settlers, forcing them to leave.

More years pass. The Elder is now an old man, but remains just as ferocious. In his spare time he meditates and explores the wilderness, finally finding peace. While returning from one of his walks he runs into a figure he recognises: Alex Junior, now a middle-aged man. A.J. calls out to the Elder, who tells him, in English, to turn back. He grunts an apology before retreating into the trees, listening to A.J.'s quiet sobs.

More time passes. The Elder takes Lupa and her children on a hunting trip, stumbling across a cave. The Elder explores, imploring the others to stay put, and discovers a bright light deep in the cave. He comes too close, and is dragged towards the light by an unseen force. The Elder shouts at them to run and is pulled into the light.

The Elder falls through nothing, and sees alternate timelines where he returned home, and some where he died. The light suddenly vanishes and he wakes up atop a mound of bodies, the land around him burned to cinder.

## Deaths

* Interith *(alive)*
* At least twenty unnamed members of the Norn *(off-scene)*
* Buffalo
* Edith
* Walter
* All known members of the Cobras
* Harry Edwards *(confirmed fate)*

## Trivia

* First appearance of Invictus
* First (and last, in *TFF continuity*) appearance of Holly Parker *(hallucination)*
* First (and last, in *TFF continuity*) appearance of James Edwards *(hallucination)*
* First *(and last, in TFF continuity)* of the Republic of Sovia
* Last appearance *(in TFF continuity)* of Harry Edwards
* Last appearance of Lupa
* Last appearance of Jules
* Last appearance of Kyther
* Last appearance of Interith
* As the final episode of *The Fatal Frontier*, this episode is the final episode of the original franchise.
* This episode is the longest instalment in *The Fatal Frontier* and one of the longest in the series universe.
* The release date of this episode matches the in-universe birthday of Kyther.
* This episode confirms that the jacket that Edwards wears from *Season 16* to the series' finale, and subsequently worn by his great-grandson Eric in the Extended Universe, is not, in fact, the original jacket that Edwards acquired in *Season 7*, and instead he gifted that jacket to Lupa.
* The final scene reveals that, approximately thirty years after the outbreak, there are at least 15 communities in the northern hemisphere large enough to be visible from space at night; most of the United Kingdom has been restored; and Sovia has been partially restored.
* Edwards' line "*And because children should always be buried*" is a reference to the same line in Justinas' will, in which he requests Edwards to journey to Sylvania and bury the bones of Lunchbox Boy.
* Edwards telling Lupa to stop speaking because of the pain it is causing her is a reference to the similar situation he was in after Grenowich crushed his larynx, which resulted in his distinctive gravelly voice.

 **Part II** | "Feral" • "Lies" • "Worship" • "Sins" • "**Wolves**"