Alfyn staggered back by a few steps at Ogen's tale. He could feel the shock written all over his face, and Ogen could read it too. "Those were his words to me," Ogen confirmed as if Alfyn needed to hear it again. In a few ways, Alfyn was sure he did. "It's the damnedest thing, but... Somehow you remind me of him."

"Gods above...!" Alfyn muttered, his hand rising to cover his mouth. "Those words... I heard them too when I was just a boy..."

Ogen arched an eyebrow. "You did...?"

Alfyn nodded. "There's no doubt about it... That's the man who saved my life!" His hands had begun to shake furiously, but he didn't even bother with trying to still them. "When I was little, I got real sick with the same thing you have right now. He passed through town, and he had the ingredients for the cure on hand. He made it for me, and then... He told me that he wanted to help someone in a bind. He never asked for payment or anythin' else in return. He just... Cured me and left."

Alfyn still remembered it like it was yesterday. The first thing he ever truly recalled after he broke free of the haze of his sickness was the gentle face of the man who saved his life. He remembered thanking the man, and he asked why anyone would bother with saving the life of a poor boy who had never known much more than the roof over his head. His mother had told him upfront that they didn't have any money, and Alfyn pushed the point too. The response the man gave him would drive him for the next decade and a half, and Alfyn was certain it would drive him ever onward for the rest of his days too. 

"Listen, son, and listen well. I saw someone in a bind, and I helped him out. Simple as that."

Alfyn had smiled with a whispered "shucks" and hoped that he would be able to do it too one day. The tenderness in the man's eyes had only grown, as he rose to his feet and started to gather his supplies. Even as the stranger left town, Alfyn thought about how he had never met anyone like that before. Few people cared much for Clearbrook, a town so small that a stiff wind could have knocked it right off the map. That man had chosen to stop there and had used his valuable supplies on saving the life of a boy he had never met and would never see again. Alfyn had never met anyone like that before then, and he hadn't met anyone exactly like that apothecary since then either. With not only his potions but the words he spoke, the man had saved Alfyn's life. 

But beyond that, he had given Alfyn a new purpose. 

He had given Alfyn his work as an apothecary. 

He had given Alfyn his friends. 

He had given Alfyn his life. 

Ogen remained silent for a long moment in the wake of Alfyn's babbling story. When he finally spoke up, it was with a sad gleam in his eyes. "Fate truly does work in mysterious ways..."

"Tell me more about him, Ogen," Alfyn pleaded. "I... I don't even know his name..."

"Graham was his name," Ogen replied. "Graham Crossford. It was ten years ago that I first met him. He was traveling the realm the same as I. We ran into one another a few times. He told me he was searching for a remedy for his dear wife who had been struck with a deadly malady. His skill with mixing salves and brewing elixirs was like nothing I had ever seen. He traveled from town to town, healing the sick and wounded at every turn. He managed to fashion the elixir he sought in just two short years on top of all that... But he was too late. His beloved had already passed on, never to return. He told me the story of a bright young boy to whom he eventually gave the medicine. To think I'd meet that boy in the flesh one day..."

Alfyn didn't realize tears had risen to his eyes until after they began to stream down his cheeks. Ogen most certainly noticed them but chose to not comment on it much to Alfyn's gratitude and relief. "After he saved my life, he wandered off again to who knows where. Word has it that he later passed on to meet his love."

Alfyn felt his heart shatter as if he had been sent flying down the ravine Orewell overlooked. "So... He's gone." He had thought before that he yearned for a sign from the man who had saved his life, but he had still held out hope that perhaps he was still out there. Maybe he would run into him just by traveling. Perhaps Alfyn had simply been unlucky up to that point and hadn't found him yet... But he was never destined to meet his miraculous savior again. No one was. 

Ogen shifted with mild discomfort at the sudden grief playing across Alfyn's face. "At any rate, it all makes sense now," he went on, choosing to look away from Alfyn's tears. "Graham didn't choose his patients. He helped everyone he could just like you. We didn't always see eye to eye, but I respected the man, and I would say the feeling was mutual. Thinking back on it, talking with you was oddly familiar from the start. Your innocence? Naivety? Kindness? Whatever you want to call it, it's a mirror image of the man. You're carrying on his legacy as well as any man could. Even if you are a sentimental sap."

Had Ogen not been recovering from a severe sickness, Alfyn would have punched him in the shoulder for that. Instead, he let out a wet laugh that he hoped sounded as goodnatured as possible. He rubbed at his eyes with his sleeve, suddenly wanting to curl up in a corner and cry until all of the sorrows of Graham Crossford had finally left his heart. "Takes one to know one, old man."

~~~~~

Alfyn wasn't sure of when Ogen drifted off to sleep again or when he walked out of the inn room, but it felt like he blinked and wound up at the edge of the cliff near the Forest of Rubeh. The light of day was fading fast now, but Alfyn didn't let that stop him as he pressed one hand against the ground and concentrated his energy on the earth. After a few slow seconds, a stone monument rose out of the cliffside, the same dusty gray as a tombstone. Alfyn paired it with a few flowers summoned by the power of Dohter, and he smiled down at the stone and its blooms. Somehow, this just felt right. 

The wound of Graham Crossford's death still felt open deep in Alfyn's chest. He didn't know what he had expected to find as the truth behind his hero's fate, but he hadn't ever prepared for this. Did Graham know about all of the ways he had touched so many people's lives? Did he know that Ogen was alive now because of what he had said and done? Did he know that Alfyn had been so inspired that he took up a new path in life? Did he know that Alfyn had met the travelers because of everything Graham had done for him? 

Alfyn liked to believe there was a world out there beyond death, a place for the souls of the deceased to find peace. He also hoped there was a way for them to look back at the world they had left behind and see all the love they had brought upon it prior to their passings. He didn't know if he would have been able to stand the idea of that not being true. He didn't know if he would have survived thinking that Graham didn't know what he had done. Graham deserved that if nothing else. 

"Thanks for everythin'," Alfyn began before he realized what he was saying. "I never would have made it this far without you. When you passed through Clearbrook... You didn't just save my life. You gave me a purpose. You gave me somethin' to aspire to. If you hadn't done that for me... I never would have met my friends. I never would have found my family." His fingers clenched into fists. "So... Thank you for everythin'. I don't think I could ever say it enough."

The air remained silent for a long moment before the sound of stirring footsteps behind him pulled Alfyn from his bittersweet reminiscence. When he turned, he was unsurprised to see the travelers gathered there. Ophilia stood at the front of their party with a tearful smile on her face. "I'm proud of you, Alfyn," she began. "I'm sure Graham would love to know that you want to honor his memory like this."

"I hope so," Alfyn murmured. "It may have just been one stop through a small town to him, but to me... It changed everythin'. I don't even want to imagine what my life would have been like without him, so if he's gone... I want him to know that he's remembered well."

"He knows that. I'm certain of it," Ophilia said firmly. "And... I believe Ogen when he says that he sees you as the spitting image of him." She fell silent for a moment, her gaze finding the gravestone behind Alfyn. "You once told me that you were envious of me for being able to believe in people even after all of the betrayal we have seen... I think you believe in people more than you realize. I don't think you ever stopped."

"You think?" Alfyn asked as he glanced back to the memorial. He knew deep down though that Ophilia was right. He had been lost after his encounter with Miguel. He had doubted everything he had ever known and come to call truth... But he had still stood up again and kept fighting. Alfyn had come to his own answers both in Wellspring and in Orewell. Alfyn was proud of his choice too. He would do everything he could in order to help those who needed it. He was saved by someone helping him out when he was a bind, and Alfyn would continue to do so for the rest of his life. 

"If you didn't believe in people, you wouldn't have taken a chance on us," Primrose pointed out, tilting her head ever so slightly toward Therion. The thief nodded from behind his scarf, but Alfyn could see the tears rising in his visible eye. "You didn't need to stay after you learned what kind of people we were. You didn't need to help us... But you did."

Alfyn looked down at his hands, finding them still trembling from the revelation of Graham knowing Ogen. "I know it's hard to say, but... I don't regret wantin' to help out everyone I can," he admitted. "It may have ended badly with Miguel, but if pickin' and choosin' means I miss out on helpin' people like you guys... Then I don't ever want to play god. I don't ever want to be the judge. I want to be able to help those who need it. I want to help someone in a bind. Simple as that."

"Thou suiten the idea," H'aanit smiled softly. "The people of Orsterra art in good hands so long as thou art there to helpen them."

Alfyn rubbed at his eyes once again, and he stumbled toward the travelers on legs so shaky they felt they wanted to give out on him at a moment's notice. "I love you guys," he muttered as he found himself in the midst of a tight embrace. "I wouldn't trade this for anythin'. Thank you for bein' here for me. Thank you for bein' my family."

"It's been our greatest honor," Cyrus assured him from somewhere else in the hug, and Alfyn smiled from his place pressed against H'aanit's furs. "There is no place we would rather be."

Alfyn wasn't certain of how much time he stayed there in the arms of the people he loved most, but it didn't feel long enough. He didn't think it ever could. Alfyn had made his choice about his work, and he would never doubt it again. Chances were worth taking as long as they could lead to a love like this. He would never regret taking a chance on someone. Miguel had been cruel, but all Alfyn could do now was follow what he thought was right. 

And deep down, he knew what it was. 

When Alfyn pulled away from the hug, his tears had only intensified, and he found himself helplessly shifting through his bag in search of a handkerchief he could use to dab at his eyes. He fumbled for a few moments before snagging clean fabric and pulling it up to his face. Alfyn was certain the rest of the travelers were getting teary eyed too for more reasons than they could ever hope to count. Their journey was getting closer to its end, and they would all be heading their separate ways soon. Alfyn didn't know how he had ever lived without them, and he wasn't certain he would know how to go back to life on his own either. 

But he would never truly be alone, would he? The travelers would be there for him regardless of where in Orsterra they all wound up once all was said and done. They would reunite whenever they could, and perhaps one day, they would be able to take to the road once again on a new journey. There never truly was an end so long as a new beginning waited just around the corner. 

And Alfyn knew that when he returned to Clearbrook, he would be able to bring the knowledge and heart of his travels with him. Nothing would ever be the same again... And that was exactly what he wanted. 

Alfyn finally pulled his handkerchief away from his eyes as he saw a dark shadow approaching the edge of the cliff. Somehow, he wasn't surprised in the slightest to see that it was Ogen. It was almost like the older apothecary had known this was what Alfyn was going to do. Perhaps he had seen it in those grieving eyes and knew instinctively to come out to the edge of the cliff as soon as he awoke. 

"Ogen," Alfyn began, unsure as to if he would be able to muster eye contact with him. "You sure you're okay?" He knew Ogen could sense the layers to that question too; this wasn't simply a matter of ensuring Ogen's body was strong enough to walk around. Ogen's heart was another question and an important one to attend to as well. 

Ogen nodded slowly as he settled beside Alfyn to look down at the memorial. "Aye. Thanks to you, I'll live to see another day. For a couple nights, I didn't think I'd make it, but it seems your brew won out in the end. I haven't seen a medicine that potent in a long time." Ogen's eyes fell shut, and the light of dusk lingered on his hollow cheeks. "You'll forgive me if I don't say 'thank you.' This wasn't the fate I asked for after all."

"Don't mention it," Alfyn assured him. Somehow, he knew from those words alone that Ogen would be trying again. He had given up on his life, but Alfyn had given him something new to believe in, and Ogen would follow it just as he had followed Graham's years so many years prior. Alfyn truly was just like Graham without ever realizing it, and there was no one in the world he would rather be compared to. 

"That grave... Did you make that?" Ogen asked, inclining his head toward it ever so slightly. He didn't know how Alfyn could have pulled something like that together so quickly, especially since he didn't think it had been that long since they last spoke, but he saw no other explanation for it. 

Alfyn nodded. "Just my way of payin' tribute." His eyes went downcast and stormy. "Only wish I could have met him one more time... Ah well, eh?"

Ogen hummed. "Knowing him, I think he would have felt the same about you."

Alfyn felt a fresh wave of tears rise in his eyes at that, but he did his best to blink them back down. "It's nice to know there's someone else out there who remembers him. I was about to get scared nobody else knew a thing about him, but now... I think I can finally understand all I need to." Alfyn looked back to the memorial, and he wondered if he had a fine enough mastery over Brand's earth magic to add Graham's name to the stone. It felt like the least he could do. 

"You're just like him," Ogen reiterated. "I think he would have done the same thing you did back in Saintsbridge. I guess that's the difference between me and him at the end of the day... The difference between me and you too."

"You didn't need to keep it all hidden, you know," Alfyn suddenly burst out. "About Miguel, I mean. I would've listened if you at least tried to tell me what you knew about him. I don't know if that would've changed my mind, but... I would have wanted to hear you out if nothing else."

"I agree," Tressa chimed in as she stepped up to stand next to Alfyn in front of the grave. "I think we would have all saved ourselves a lot of trouble if we had just understood why you chose to act the way you did. Maybe it wouldn't have changed what Alfyn chose to do... But you should have at least said something." She was being far gentler with Ogen than Alfyn would have expected, but he was glad for it. Alfyn couldn't say he was happy with the way Ogen had handled the situation with Miguel, but he appreciated that Tressa was willing to respect his opinions about Ogen enough to not snap at him entirely. 

"Yeah," Ogen admitted. "Maybe I should have been honest with you. Maybe I was too focused on sabotaging myself to care. Think what you want." He shrugged, the motion loose and jerky as his hands found a home in the pockets of his jacket. "By the time I got to Saintsbridge, I guess all I wanted was to be hated by anyone who was willing. I thought it was the price I had to pay."

"As long as a person wants to get better, they're always deservin' of a second chance," Alfyn told him. "I know you didn't exactly want it, but... I know you needed it, and I'm glad I took that chance. I know you'll change the way you look at everythin' after this." He smiled up at Ogen bittersweetly. "The best medicine can change the heart too on top of healin' the body. I think Graham knew that too."

Ogen tilted his head back as his eyes fell shut. "Yeah... I'm sure he did."

Alfyn turned around to face the rest of the travelers, and his smile grew bright. "When the mornin' comes, all of us are headin' for Grandport. We've got a journey to see through to the end. After that... It's back to the road for me. As long as there are people who need healin', I'll need to keep travelin'." Alfyn glanced back to Ogen. "What about you, old man?"

Ogen let out a loose scoff, but there was no malice behind it. "What about me indeed... Guess I'll keep on living. Atone for my sins as best I can. I imagine there are still people out there who need me too." He turned to face Alfyn in full, and in a shining moment, Alfyn saw the most genuine smile Ogen had ever given him. "First Graham... And now you. You helped me remember... What it means to be an apothecary."

Alfyn laughed softly. "Guess I did somethin' right then." His expression hardened into something almost pleading but loving. "Be safe, you hear? I reckon you won't get lost in your travels after this." Alfyn turned back to the travelers again. "And I won't either."

Ogen stared at Alfyn and the rest of the travelers for a long moment before he nodded. "I know."

With that, Alfyn turned to look back at the rest of the travelers before starting back down the path leading to the rest of town. Ogen watched them leave for a long moment before he let out a small exhale through his nose. He ensured they were out of view before he crouched before Graham's memorial, pulling out an herb from his satchel. Skybalm was a common herb for apothecaries to keep with them, and Ogen was no exception. In many ways, it felt like the very symbol of the trade. 

And it was the perfect thing to offer Graham's memory. 

"Thank you," Ogen whispered through his own masked tears. "For everything."

~~~~~

Alfyn didn't truly feel himself breathe again until he arrived back at his inn room. His body threatened to cave in on him entirely once his bed was in view, and he didn't care in the slightest that all of the travelers were watching him as he collapsed onto the mattress. H'aanit and Therion took seats on either side of him, and H'aanit even found the confidence to brush a few threads of wayward hair away from his face. It was everything Alfyn had ever needed, and he wondered how he had ever doubted if he was doing the right thing by staying there with the travelers. 

"I am proud of thee," H'aanit said. "For handling the situation with Ogen. I doubten many would be able to approachen the subject with the grace thou did."

"I know I couldn't have done it," Tressa remarked from across the room. "I'm still a bit upset with him for the way he acted back in Saintsbridge, but... I guess that what we heard from him was the closest he ever gets to apologizing for anything."

"When you hit a point like that, you don't care about anything but making the world hate you," Therion remarked softly. "I'm not saying it excuses what he did or didn't do in Saintsbridge, but... I guess I get it."

Primrose nodded her agreement. "I know a lot of people would have chosen to just leave him, and the fact that you didn't says a lot. I hope you found your answer from Saintsbridge and everything that happened with Miguel."

"I did," Alfyn replied without missing a beat. "And I know that I'll take a chance on anyone I need to in order to do good. I took a chance on you guys, and that was one of the best things I ever did. I'm glad I took a chance on Ogen too. I think he's gonna do all he can to set things right goin' forward. And one day... We'll see each other again, and I'll see it for myself. I just know it."

The room fell quiet for a long moment before Ophilia smiled while looking out the window. "I never would have thought that Ogen would have met your idol before he passed on," she admitted. "I suppose all of us were so caught up in our other opinions about Ogen to ever think of asking."

"Besides, asking if two apothecaries know each other just because they're practicing the same craft feels a bit reductive," Tressa shrugged. "It's not like every merchant in the world knows each other just because they're merchants."

"Speaking of your idol... How are you feeling about learning the truth behind Graham Crossford?" Olberic asked. "I imagine that hearing what Ogen had to say was... A bit of a shock."

Alfyn bit down a fresh wave of tears with a tiny nod. "Yes... It was. It still is." He clamped his eyes shut. "I guess there was always a small part of me hopin' that I would be able to find him again. I didn't ever dedicate too much attention to it since I was focused on other things, but... I still hoped that there would be a chance for us to talk again. He did so much for me, and he deserved to hear about it in my eyes."

"I'd liken to believen the man is watching over thee even now," H'aanit said, and Linde padded over to Alfyn before nudging at his hand with her head. Alfyn knew it was her way of trying to pull his attention away from his own bittersweet thoughts, and he gladly obliged with brushing his fingers through her fur. "If there is a life after death... He must knowen."

"I hope so," Alfyn hummed. He pushed himself up into a seated position so he had an easier time of stroking at Linde's head, and the snow leopard purred as she pressed herself against him a little bit closer. "It's a shame the two of us were never able to see each other again... He did so much for me, and... I never got the chance to tell him about it."

"But you heard Ogen, didn't you?" Olberic pointed out. "He believes that you are upholding your idol's legacy the best way anyone could ever imagine. You embody everything Graham Crossford once stood for. That has to count for quite a bit, doesn't it?"

"Especially comin' from Ogen," Alfyn agreed. "If he said somethin' like that... I know for a fact that he meant it." His fingers paused on the top of Linde's head, and the snow leopard pressed against his palm to encourage him to keep going. "I have to wonder if there's anyone else out there who would remember him... It's not like I'd know for certain though. I can't just ask everyone in the world if they know about an apothecary who passed on at some unknown point in the last decade."

"Perhaps not... But you and Ogen remember, and sometimes, that's all you need in order to keep the memory of someone you have lost alive," Ophilia pointed out with a smile. "It's hard to think about my father's passing, but... I know that he still lives on within my memories. That's what I'm choosing to treasure above all else."

The air in the room went stiff when Ophilia's smile grew dark, but before anyone had the chance to press her on the matter, Cyrus frowned at Alfyn. "I hate to break up the moment this way, but... I have been wondering about one thing around this mystery mentor of yours," he admitted. "Ogen said his name was Graham Crossford... Does that name ring a bell for anyone else?"

The travelers went quiet for a long moment before Therion started to nod slowly. "Now that you mention it... I feel like I've heard that name sometime recently."

"You have," Cyrus told him. "It was in Duskbarrow when we were investigating the secret library within the ruins. We found a book discussing a sorcerer by the name of Odin Crossford who once helped to seal a dark power beyond the farthest reaches of the world in the Gate of Finis."

"Crossford..." Alfyn repeated, chewing on each word as carefully and slowly as he could stand. "Do you think there's some kind of connection between the two? If they happen to have a surname in common, then..."

"There's a chance they could be related," Tressa finished for him. "If they are, then... I don't know. It feels like it has to mean something with all that we've seen up to this point."

"Perhaps they are related... But for all we know, they could have nothing in common," Cyrus pointed out. "I do not wish to put too much stock in something that could prove to be circumstantial. There are many surnames out there that are shared by many families that have no connection. For all we know, the same could be true here..."

"But could it be a coincidence with all that we have seen?" H'aanit countered. "There existeth a chance that the two men are intertwined, and if they are..."

"Then we have no way of findin' out now," Alfyn sighed. "With Graham gone, we can't exactly ask him. His wife passed on before he did too, so it's not like we'd be able to track her down and ask her what she knows. For all we know, they wouldn't have even had any information for us in the first place. It could just be a coincidence, but even if it's not... How can we know?"

"We can't," Olberic concluded, and the travelers nodded uneasily. "If nothing else, we have gathered quite a bit of valuable information about all that we will need to put to use when the moment is right. The Gate of Finis hides many secrets, and we are getting closer to unraveling them."

"But there's a lot we still don't understand too," Primrose sighed, raking her fingers through her hair anxiously. "It's not like we have the time to just go to Duskbarrow and look through all of the books there about everything we don't yet understand. We've got a fair to get to, and after that..."

"Let's not worry about anything we need to do after the Merchants' Fair," Tressa declared, placing her hands on her hips firmly. "We've been stressed about more than enough lately as far as I'm concerned, and we deserve to take this chance to just breathe. We stopped Redeye, but we haven't even taken a day to breathe. When the Merchants' Fair begins, we should try to enjoy ourselves. After that, we can go back, to worrying about what could be going on with the Gate of Finis and everything else the world has been keeping a secret from us."

"Tressa is right," Ophilia announced, brushing out a few wrinkles in her skirt with a determined frown. "We've been constantly on the move ever since the Ember was stolen. We've barely had a moment to breathe since then. I think now is the perfect time for us to take a step back and let ourselves rest. Once the fair is over, we can think about all of the implications of our recent struggles."

"Then it shall be done," Olberic agreed. "Once we get to Grandport, we leave all of our worries at the door in favor of simply having a nice time. If you ask me, we have all done more than enough to deserve a break that will let us decompress."

"And I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that we find something great there," Tressa beamed. "If I can, I want to splurge and find something great for each of us. Grandport is supposed to be a merchant's heaven. I'm sure we can all find a few mementos of our travels there, and we can forget all about this Gate of Finis nonsense until it's over."

"Perfect," Therion agreed. "We should probably try to get some sleep before then. We need to walk to Grandport even after we use the Warp Staff to get to Goldshore, so we need to wake up early in order to get the most out of our time at the fair."

"We've got a few days to enjoy ourselves too," Primrose pointed out. "I'm pretty sure the fair is supposed to last a few days, so we've got more than enough time to breathe and put all of this behind us."

"Then it's all the more reason for us to get as much rest as we can so that we can enjoy it," Tressa announced. "We helped to cure countless patients who were suffering from a plague. We've more than earned it."

"I cannot believen it has only been one day," H'aanit confessed softly. "I supposen our days have been getting busier and busier as of late."

"So I'm going to take advantage of this time and go get some rest," Primrose said, starting toward the door with a wave. "I'll see you all tomorrow."

The rest of the travelers streamed out from there, and Alfyn waved once his hands were free from Linde's departure. Cyrus was the last to leave, and he pulled the door closed. Alfyn and Therion were left alone in the silence, and Alfyn flopped back onto his mattress as soon as the rest of the group was gone. His exhaustion was only mounting now that he had given himself the chance to acknowledge it, and Alfyn knew it was just a matter of time before his consciousness gave out on him for some well-deserved rest. 

"How are you holding up?" Therion asked, and Alfyn realized that the thief was still sitting next to him on the bed. "I know it's... It's hard to lose people you care about."

Alfyn nodded. "Yeah... It is." He still remembered his grief from losing his mother like it had happened yesterday. It was familiar in a way that he didn't want anything to ever be again. Alfyn had known his mother was getting older in the years leading up to her passing, but that had done nothing to truly soften the blow from his grief when it finally rushed up to greet him. 

Therion brought his legs up to his chest, and they disappeared beneath the purple void of his cloak. "I didn't know what to do with myself after losing my mother," he confessed. "I guess that was how it wound up so easy for Darius to take advantage of me. There was no one there to bring me back after that, and..." Therion reached out and set his hand on Alfyn's shoulder. "I'm glad you're not facing that kind of grief on your own."

"Me too." Alfyn didn't realize he had started to cry again until after he had already sniffled twice. "I guess I was still holdin' out hope that he was out there waitin' for me. When we first got to town, I asked him for any signs or advice he could give me about what I should think over the situation with Miguel and Ogen, but... Nothin'. There was a part of my mind that acknowledged he could've been gone, but I was really hopin' I was wrong. I wanted to be wrong. I never got to see him again after what he did for me, and... I didn't realize it was somethin' I wanted so badly until I heard it was never goin' to happen."

"I can't say I trust Ogen with much, but... He knew the man better than any of us. If he believes that Graham Crossford would have been proud of you for carrying on his legacy, then I'm choosing to trust him," Therion told him, and Alfyn felt something in his chest soften. The idea of Therion trusting anyone had once seemed so impossible, but now, Therion was placing his faith in someone he despised solely for Alfyn's sake. "I'm sure he would be proud of you."

"Yeah... I'm sure he would be too." Alfyn reached up and took Therion's hand with trembling fingers. "I'm sorry if this is too much to ask, but... Could you stay with me tonight? I know you'll just be across the room otherwise, but..."

"Of course." Therion wasted no time in adjusting his position on the bed so he was pressed against Alfyn, pulling him into the tightest hug he could muster around their notable height difference. Therion had always run cold, but now, he was every bit as warm as Alfyn could have ever asked for, and he almost hoped this moment never ended. 

Therion remained firmly at his side even as Alfyn began to cry in full. He had been doing his best to hold his tears back, but at the apex of his exhaustion and grief, he couldn't restrain himself forever. Therion didn't seem to mind it, and he simply rubbed soft circles across the small of Alfyn's back to try and console him. The gesture was tiny, but it was everything Alfyn had ever needed. 

Neither one of them knew how long they laid there together for, but they didn't pull away for the rest of the night. Therion nodded off first, his breathing evening out as his fingers stilled from where they were draped across Alfyn's side. Alfyn, having run out of tears to shed at least an hour ago, smiled and dipped his head enough to press a kiss to the thief's forehead. Therion moved a bit closer to him, and Alfyn pulled him in gently. 

Alfyn couldn't say this was how he had expected his trip to Orewell to go or end, but he was satisfied with it regardless. He had done as he thought was right, and his convictions had guided him true to the end. Alfyn had once wondered how he could live with himself with all the mistakes he had made, but now, he saw that he was simply human. No matter how many times he messed up, he would always stand back up again and keep fighting. He would always help others with anything and everything he could. 

Alfyn prayed with everything he had that Graham was watching him from beyond the grave as his eyes finally fell shut. He wished he could have met the man one last time to speak with him about all he had done... But upholding his legacy would have to suffice. Alfyn knew he would never forget this journey of his, and he would be able to treasure it for the rest of his life just as he hoped Graham had come to treasure his own journeys. 

When Alfyn returned to Clearbrook, he would be changed and stronger... And that was exactly how he knew he deserved to be. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And so ends Alfyn's final chapter!

I want to apologize for this one going up a bit late. I got very caught up in the marathon (and subsequent post-marathon exhaustion) and didn't get this chapter up as soon as I would have liked. For the record, the marathon was a resounding success, and I was able to pull it all off. Thank you to everyone who came, and if you want to see the full process, it's up in highlights over on my Twitch page (digitaldreams0801). 

As for the chapter itself, I'm really happy with how it turned out. This feels like the perfect penultimate final chapter. Tressa's is always going to be perfect as the final one in my heart, but Alfyn's is a really good one to build us up to that ending. Just... God. I love Alfyn so much, and everyone else should too. 

I don't have many tiny details to comment on, but there is one I would like to highlight: the herb Ogen left at Graham's memorial. I chose skybalm because it's said to be an herb all apothecaries keep at hand in Octopath II. It's a very tiny detail, but I think it hits harder than a flower would given Ogen and Graham's common profession. 

With all of that said, that ends Alfyn four... So next up is the final chapter four: Tressa. Until then, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Feedback is appreciated as always. Have a nice day, everyone!

-Digital