By the Will of the Council

by Captain Neckbeard

Chapter XI: A Slight Change of Pace

Celestia, Luna, and Clover stood on the easternmost edge of Canterlot, on the platform overlooking the Everfree forest. Clover's legs wobbled a bit, due to the fear the platform could plummet into the mountainside any second. As in the current moment, the gigantic construct of stone was levitating in the air, thanks to Discord's chaotic shenanigans. But the alicorns ensured Clover no one would fall, even if Discord wanted even more extreme rearranging of architecture.

"That's it." Clover pointed a hoof "The Everfree. Not visible from here, but roughly in the middle of the forest stretches a deep ravine. That's where the Elements' dungeon is located."

The sisters stepped closer to the edge of the platform, with their wings extended. They were eyeing the horizon, and also the apparent location of their quest. It was a sparse forest, with only traces of corruption. Discord's chaos was mostly concentrated on places where ponies lived, seemingly.

"How convenient." Luna said "I expected this "Everfree" to be on the other side of the continent. We can easily wing it there in no time."

Clover got around to Luna's left side, and cleared her throat.

"Well, for you."

"Ah, don't worry." Luna glanced down at her "We'll fly you there as well. And when I say "we", I really mean Celestia."

Luna hid a smirk with a hoof as she looked at Celestia. She shot her back a forgiving smile, and said:

"I just wanted to volunteer for that! Thank you, my mind-reading sister!"

"You're welcome! Besides, you always pride yourself upon being the "big sister", so here you go! It's fitting you would carry the extra weight."

"You know, the "extra weight" could just walk as well." interjected Clover "It's not like I'd be comfortable with flying anyway."

"Too bad, it's been decided. Let's go." Luna declared, and she was already mid-flight.

Celestia placed her forelegs under Clover's and they lifted off as well.

"Don't you worry. I'm a really gentle flier!"

But that reassurance had fallen short of calming Clover, and she watched with growing panic as the ground got more and more distant.

☼☽

In no time, the sisters and Clover were soaring above the Everfree forest. Clover's discomfort somewhat dissipated, as despite the great height she was traveling at, she felt safe within Celestia's grip. She also felt a bit like some unlucky prey within her hooves, but that was natural, considering the size difference. At the same time, she kinda began to understand why pegasi loved flying so much. The way the world whizzed past them, while scoffing at any and all obstacles and landmarks in the way, truly could give a pony a great sense of freedom. Now, if you even had powerful magic to boot... Clover could put those earth pony legends into perspective more easily, which described alicorns as angels, or heavenly spirits.

They were making good progress, and the unicorn started thinking where they should land. The ravine couldn't be seen from so high up, so she spoke up. Or more like, shouted, as she couldn't be heard otherwise because of the turbulence.

"You know, I'm not exactly sure where that ravine starts. Maybe it's not exactly in the middle of the forest. We should land soon, and continue on hoof. I can surely navigate us there on the ground."

"As you see fit." Luna shouted back "Call me out when you think... WHOAH!"

Luna's words were interrupted by the high-pitched sound of a magic bolt just missing her. A moment later, several of them began flying towards them from the ground, the casters concealed by the trees. But the green color of the bolts gave the alicorns an idea just who they could be...

"Damn, evade!" Luna yelled, and took a sharp turn to the left while descending.

Celestia also gave up altitude quickly, but opted out from evasive maneuvers because of her "stowaway". In a few seconds, she lowered herself to the ground, and let Clover go. She also positioned herself in front of her, just in case, while she was looking for adequate cover for the mare.

Just a little bit later, after circling around once, Luna made a hard landing on all fours, ready to cast, but it was really only good to scare poor Clover.

"I saw at least three dozen changelings in the treeline, about a hundred yards out."

"By the Creator, what are they doing here?" Celestia furrowed her brows, while looking towards the indicated location.

"I don't know, maybe trying to prey on a nation in its weakened state?"

While behind Celestia, Clover instinctively pulled her tail between her legs, and turned to Luna, stammering out the question:

"Ch-changelings? You mean the love-stealing, insectoid equines of legend?"

"Yes. But they aren't just legends. Although thanks to our tribe's efforts, ponykind didn't really have to deal with them during history."

"Th-thank you? That means, you can deal with them now as well?"

"Yes, Clover. Don't you worry. They won't prey on Equestria, no matter what." Celestia said, her voice unusually dour.

"Yeah, as she said" Luna doubled down, and pointed out a thick tree "Now you wait over there, and don't move while we clear out the riff-raff."

The alicorns began to move out, but Clover still had to say something:

"Just be careful out there. Legends also say changelings are extremely dangerous in combat."

Luna merely glanced back:

"We're as well."

☼☽

Celestia and Luna were trotting towards the changeling positions, and cast a full-body magical shield over themselves, as per the usual alicorn battle tactic. Celestia asked:

"So, how do we approach?"

"We flank them from both sides. No mercy."

"Anything else?"

Luna pouted for a moment, and thought about it, glancing skywards.

"Yes. Kill them all."

Celestia just rolled her eyes, and distanced herself from Luna, going towards the right. While Luna picked up the pace, and charged at the changeling drones in defilade.

When there were only twenty yards or so between them, the changelings opened fire. Luna suddenly took flight, or more like a giant wing assisted leap, and crossed the heavy forest cover hiding the changelings. Upon landing, she trampled an unlucky drone, immediately killing it.

Luna landed right in the middle of it. A good dozen changelings hissed and roared at her, and concentrated their fire. But the green magic bolts harmlessly bounced off Luna's shield, who picked her first target, cast, then changed targets in the blink of an eye. The result was several dead warriors in a second. Realizing what they were dealing with, the changelings dispersed, but Luna closed the distance, casting simple, but deadly spells. It was really just target practice for her.

Dashing forward in a wake of magic, Luna tackled a drone to the ground. It wriggled for a moment under her, but she stomped on its head, and it popped like a melon. She was out in the open, but the sudden position change required her opponents to readjust their fire, but the next moment Luna was away, and killed another four changelings with quick bolts to the head. She saw targets upon the trees as well, sniping at her, but all their shots missed her, and she was able to take down all of them in the next few moments.

Luna thinned out the hostiles considerably, and she almost thought that would be it, but reinforcements came from the middle of the forest. All drones, with a few warriors, nothing serious. Luna scoffed at the "challenge", and took the initiative, charging at the 'lings.

She charged into a formation of warriors, and got fire from all sides suddenly. She took flight to hover, to get a better firing position, but she also got exposed this way. Didn't matter, she still had considerable magicka reserves, and could maintain her shield easily. Changeling combat spells were pretty weak anyway.

But her own were not, and took down several more attackers making themselves visible, trying to get a drop on the alicorn. She didn't see more enemies, so lowered herself to the ground, but right then, a changeling attached itself to her, trying to bite into her neck from behind. It would have succeeded in wounding her if not for her shield, but this way, Luna headbutted behind, then grabbed the 'ling in her telekinetic grip, and snapped its spine. She threw the unlucky creature away, and sought more targets.

Luna galloped around, but only heard the now somewhat distant casting of her sister. She looked in the direction, and saw the golden flashes among the trees, interspersed with many green ones. She thought about helping, but right then she found herself face to face with three more changelings. They were mere runts, and their faces showed sudden terror when they realized just what found them.

But Luna didn't care about the size of her targets, and dealt out a headshot each, with the third not hitting, as the little 'ling turned tail quickly.

"Demon, demon!" it wailed as it flew away, but Luna shot it down mid flight. It was easy, as the forest didn't allow for much aerial maneuvers anyway.

Luna moved on, with no enemies in sight again. But then suddenly, a huge bolt of magic passed her, flew on between the trees, its deep sound filling the air. That was some more serious stuff, she thought. Maybe the changelings had some unit that could pose a challenge?

She trotted in the direction the shot came from, ready to engage. She didn't get very far when a huge changeling, naturally very heavily armored in chitin, came right at her, along with a retinue. It let out a mad roar, then shot the same powerful spell at Luna she just encountered a minute ago.

Luna dodged, and felt the heat from that one. It was a good decision she didn't let her shield take it.

"A changeling devastator. Must be the leader of this skirmish."

Luna knew well all the changeling units, and the life cycles they could go through. The unit she was facing was only second to last to a queen, and as such, Luna didn't approach the battle so recklessly as before.

The big changeling attacked in tandem with its lesser cousins. They closed in on Luna, while the Devastator covered them. Wanting to concentrate only on the latter, Luna took a mental note on all four drones, and let out four magic missiles. They tracked, and hit them, and each got evaporated into arcane dust. It was practical, as the alicorn could hold a barrier before herself, directed towards her mighty foe.

After the heavy warrior tired itself out a bit, Luna took the initiative, and started to cast offensive spells, and pulverizer bolts at that. Their delayed-explosion nature would be perfect for getting rid of that armor, possibly stripping it in a single well-placed shot.

But the heavy wasn't just well-armored, as it turned out, but surprisingly nimble as well. About the same size, but heavier set than her, the alicorn thought it would be an easy target, but it just darted around the battlefield using its wings, assisted by magic. Luna couldn't score even a single hit, although none of its counterattacks could hit either.

It closed the distance, with every dodge getting closer to Luna. But she held her ground, she wouldn't let herself get beaten back by some bug. When it was close enough, Luna scored hits, but the devastator merely flinched, then blasted her with a powerful telekinetic shockwave, charged with a current of magic. It burned away Luna's shield, and a bit low on magicka, Luna didn't recast, but waited for the next attack with a laser focus.

In a split-second it came, in the form of the standard, powerful cones of magic. Luna was on the nose, and dashed sideways, then sideways again, the bolts trashing the forest behind her, but she was untouched.

Now the distance was really short between them. Luna charged a pulverizer bolt, hoping at this distance it wouldn't be able to dodge it, but it got interrupted by a weaker bolt hitting her. The chargeup-cancel was on purpose, Luna knew, but it surprised the changeling that the alicorn didn't suffer any damage from the direct hit.

And that was the moment Luna took the initiative, and changed tactics. With built-up momentum, she flew into the changeling's face with a haymaker. It recoiled, then she immediately followed it up with a buck to the chest. Temporarily stunned from the powerful kick, Luna knew it was time to finish it off, but she didn't have enough magic yet to achieve a single-shot victory.

By a sudden idea, Luna grabbed the Devastator in her telekinetic grip, and began to tear. The 'ling struggled to get free, but Luna's magic proved to be stronger, and it was held up, like a doll, its body being pulled in two directions. Then with one violent snap, the changeling's body gave in, and was torn in roughly half. Luna let go of the two gruesome halves with disgust, and wanted to resume the battle, but the changeling reinforcements lost their nerve, more than likely witnessing the bloody display of power. The alicorn shot after them, and successfully sniped a few, but ultimately, she saw little sense in giving chase. With their leader gone, and giving up fighting, they would not just flee the forest, but Equestria as a whole.

Luna let out a sigh of relief, but heard Celestia was still fighting. So she decided to help her finish up. She looked at the forest behind herself one more time. Many of the trees had huge scorch marks, while some of the thinner ones were outright blown up, leaving only splintered stumps in their wake.

"That's some collateral!"

Satisfied that her part of the battle was finished, she set out towards the sounds of increasingly sporadic magic bolts.

☼☽

Luna didn't take her sweet time to get to Celestia's position, but regardless, there was little she could do at that point to help. Dozens of changeling corpses lay around Celestia, almost in a pattern, testament to her more defensive fighting style compared to her sister's. Celestia was checking for targets, but only Luna showed up.

"Ah, Luna. Is the forest clear?" she asked.

"There were a few runners, but I don't think they will show up ever again." Luna answered, while walking around a bit, then she added, teasingly: "Had a good time?"

"No." came the answer, resolute.

"But you did such a good job, and so quickly. I just couldn't think so differently!"

"I did what I had to do, Luna." Celestia said, then continued "These changelings were turning feral, I think. Their relentless attacks and disregard for self-preservation showed that."

"Strange. I noticed the opposite, but maybe you got to fight the bottom-of-the-barrel."

"Whatever. We're both okay, so I'm just glad it's over." Celestia sighed, then changed the topic "Clover?"

"She should be that way. If she stayed where I told her." Luna indicated the direction with a foreleg "She should be alright."

"Should?!" Celestia raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I didn't check. I was a little preoccupied, you know." Luna shot back, slightly frustrated.

"You should have gone to her instead of me after you finished."

"Oh, I'm sorry I worry about my sister!" Luna put a hoof to her chest apologetically, but her voice was tense.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you worry about me!" Celestia answered, and stepped closer, caressing Luna with a wingtip "But I'm an alicorn, I can hold myself."

Luna smirked, and couldn't help not to point out the obvious. She softly touched Celestia's chest, where the scar of her wound was still faintly visible.

"Sure you can... My reckless sister."

Her voice carried a tinge of mockery, but also, it was the voice of someone who cared. Celestia almost picked up her sister in a loving embrace, but she realized she didn't want to share such a moment where at least half a hundred dead changelings were lying about. Instead, she just smiled, and said:

"I guess you have a point. I was a bit reckless regarding that monster."

"And with all this Equestria-saving adventuring, you didn't even tell me how it happened."

"You know what? Let's find Clover. On our way, I will tell you in a nutshell."

☼☽

Luckily, the sisters found Clover easily. She was where she was supposed to be, unharmed. And with the trio reunited, they once again began towards the ravine, where the dungeon housing the Elements of Harmony had to be.

On their way, they crossed the site of the battle, Luna's battle, to be specific. And as such, Clover couldn't not notice all the disfigured, maimed, torn up, or just otherwise burnt changeling corpses. She gulped, then commented in a quivering voice.

"You sure know how to kill."

"These changelings are easy." Luna glanced over, with an incredibly smug look on her face.

"W-well, I'm just glad you're on our side." Clover stammered, still uneasy.

"Alicorns are protectors of ponykind. An alicorn would never turn against...

Luna stopped mid-sentence. She reconsidered what she wanted to say, and looked at Celestia. For some moments they were staring at each other, and her mind snapped to a visage of Arcana. And to the visage of the whole Council, scheming, unbeknownst to them. Of course, Luna had no idea if that was true. She didn't even know if Arcana was truly responsible for Discord's release. But the doubt and suspicion lingered about, with an overwhelming presence.

"Uh, you can be sure we will always be on your side." Luna finished the sentence after a few seconds. Of course, Clover noticed the pause, and the change in tone, but didn't react.

Only after a few minutes did she speak.

"So let's say, we indeed find these Elements, and you can indeed use them to save Equestria. What after that? Will you just leave, and never return?"

Luna and Celestia once again exchanged a glance. Really, what would happen? They defeat Discord, then continue their original mission? Deliver the Elements -Teardrops- to the Council, and pretend everything is alright, that they weren't used, they weren't lied to, they weren't sent into the clutches of a mad god? Or confront Arcana about everything, and risk getting banished? That, or worse... The prospects of the future were grim, and that was definitely a conversation for later with Celestia. But right there and then, Luna didn't want to think about any of that. It wasn't a state of mind suited for saving Equestria, after all.

"We'll definitely have business after we defeat Discord. Yes, I think we would indeed leave."

"But we would drop by from time to time. Equestria is beautiful, and so are its ponies!" Celestia added, in a much less glum tone than her sister.

"Oh, I'm glad you think that! Even if the pool of normal ponies you met were really small." answered Clover, with a playful eye roll.

☼☽

As if on cue, a minute later Discord popped up in a bright flash. The sisters stopped in their tracks, and stared at him. Clover took cover behind Celestia, just in case. She knew by that point Discord might not be as harmless as he made himself out to be.

Discord put both his paw and claws on his hips, and looked around.

"Ah, just look at the mess you made! Seriously? That's the best you can do with a changeling incursion?"

The sisters weren't amused to say the least. Luna snorted, and said:

"You sent these bugs after us, didn't you?"

"What, me?!" Discord replied, and lifted a paw to his chest "Why would I do such a thing? I mean, it's all so predictable: Changelings attack, alicorns kill them, everypony walks away unharmed. There is no chaos involved whatsoever! It would be boring. But really, just look at this fellow."

Discord picked up one of the (relatively) intact changeling corpses. (That one was probably Celestia's kill.) He reanimated it with a snap, and the changeling began, in a squeaky, raspy, utterly alien voice:

"I was just a poor changeling drone, seeking some love! But these evil alicorns had to come and kill me! I meant no harm! I just... I just wanted to eat! I was starving! But now, that will never happen."

The spell expired, and the changeling went limp once again. Discord threw away the corpse, and spoke:

"See, Clover? That's the only thing your "saviors" can do. They can only murder and destroy, instead of creating. Unlike me!"

Clover merely peeked out from behind the "great destroyer". She didn't answer, but still gave Discord a nasty look.

"Oh come on, you're still afraid of me? You shouldn't be. I was just joking earlier! I didn't actually want to rip out your throat, I swear! I could never kill. Unlike your alicorn buddies here."

Clover opened her mouth to answer, but Celestia extended her wing partway, so the mare was fully in cover.

"Enough of this nonsense, Discord! Instead, tell us: If Arcana indeed freed you, what did she tell you?"

"Oh, so now you believe me!" Discord pointed a finger, and giggled "Compared to how much you were in denial earlier, you made leaps in your conviction."

"Just humor us, you jester." Luna said, cocking her head "Surely, if your statement is true, there must be some sort of agreement between you."

"Humor you? Oh, but I thought that's the part you don't like about me. But fine..."

Discord straightened himself, and cleared his throat.

"For millennia, I was the guest of the most secure cell in Tartarus, locked behind nine divine binds. But not long ago, Miss Glowy Eyes sought me out, and broke the bars, along with her buddies. You can imagine my joy..."

Celestia and Luna just stood motionless, their expressions focused and serious. As no further reaction came, Discord continued.

"Of course, at that point I had to ask for what I can thank this almost-divine intervention. And Arcana was babbling something about "everything that will happen is what supposed to happen". Or somesuch."

After a dramatic pause, Discord slapped his forehead in faked frustration:

"Ah, was she always that cryptic? Or is that just typical of alicorns? Anyway, at that point I wanted to turn her into a pink, three-tailed molerat, because why not. But my magic just bounced off of her! Then one of them smugly commented that my spells would never work on them "divine ones". Bunch of stuck-up twats, if you ask me."

At this point, Discord seemed actually bored by his own tale. Luna’s ears had drooped, while Celestia's mouth was left open a bit. The latter asked:

"Anything else?"

"No, that is all. Why, what did you expect?! The Comprehensive History of the Chaos God, volumes 1 through 99? That's all that happened, and I preferred it that way. I just wanted to be out of that dreadful, boring, predictable place, and spread some wonderful chaos already!"

"Besides," Discord continued, and pointed out both sisters "I think those wards are redundant. Sadly, I indeed can't corrupt alicorns. That must include you two as well. But it's funny that you're not aware of the full range of your abilities. Does that have a history, I wonder?"

Discord put his paw on his chin, and looked at them sideways. Luna scrunched up her muzzle, but didn't say anything.

"You know what, don't answer. The answer you sought, you got, so let me take my leave now. I can't put a claw on it, but this forest... It somehow makes me uncomfortable. There's something about it that just... gives me shivers. And no, I'm not talking about the dozens of corpses you just made. There is something else."

Discord looked around, as if something was watching them, seeming concerned. But after a few moments, he snapped out of it, and continued.

"But it doesn't matter. Whatever it is, I'll surely find it out soon enough. It was a joy as always, ladies! Ta-ta!"

Discord disappeared in a flash of light, leaving -once again- a trio of flabbergasted ponies behind.

☼☽

For the rest of their journey, the members of the small group didn't really talk with one another. Not that they had any peace of mind before their most recent encounter with Discord, but that stirred them up even more. But they wanted to focus on the task at hand, and that was finding the Elements of Harmony. Good thing Discord also couldn't read alicorn minds, otherwise he would've surely remained with the small search party.

Only Clover talked a little, from time to time, navigating them through the forest, and sometimes Luna, urging them to go faster. Of course, it wasn't so easy for Clover. What was only a faster walk for the alicorns, was already a trot for the unicorn.

At this faster pace, it took them less than an hour to reach their destination. Finally, they stood in front of the ravine, that looked like a gash on the face of the earth. It was about fifty yards deep, and thirty wide, and along its length, bent towards the east. Clover scratched her head, looking left and right.

"Now, about that entrance... If I remember correctly, there should be a small clearing on the other side, and the cave is just beneath, relatively speaking."

Luna shrugged.

"So, which way then?"

"Hmm... East. I think east."

"Then let's not stall any longer." answered Luna, and flaring her wings, she dove into the depths of the ravine.

Celestia and Clover followed, the latter getting an air hike again, of course. She was uneasy about it, citing how the first time they were almost shot out of the sky. But Celestia jokingly reassured her that changelings definitely don't like ravines, and they were completely safe there.

They were flying on, and soon, they could see a series of narrow, disconnected paths, leading down the sides of the ravine.

"We're at the right place." Clover commented "I can remember we descended here to reach the cave."

"Here?! How?" Celestia asked from the unicorn, who this time, rode on the back of Celestia, for added safety.

"By using self-levitation, of course."

"Hm. Not bad." answered Celestia, with approval in her voice.

☼☽

It didn't take much for them to catch up to Luna, who was already standing at the bottom of the ravine, in front of the cave entrance. Celestia landed, and let Clover down. The cave, like a huge hungry mouth, stared at them with its black emptiness.

"This is it. This cave will continue in the dungeon, where presumably, the Elements of Harmony are located." said Clover, gesturing dramatically.

Luna, a bit bemused by the sight, said:

"Okay then, my little explorer. Lead the way?"

Clover stepped inside the cave, and Luna followed, but Celestia didn't budge. She just stood there, staring into the emptiness, with her brows furrowed. Luna noticed, and turned back.

"What's wrong, Celestia? Why aren't you coming?"

The older sister let out a breath carefully, then slowly turned to Luna.

"Can't you feel it, Luna?"

"Feel what?"

"What's stirring inside."

"I...can't?" Luna answered, and looked around confusedly "Look, just speak clearly. If it's one of your visions again, then by all means, share."

"It's no vision, it's a memory, Luna. A memory of this place. It's filled with great sadness. And regrets."

Luna put a hoof to her chest for a moment, then made a nonspecific, unguided gesture with it.

"Sadness? Regrets? Uh, we’ve surely never been here, so how it can be a memory?"

"Luna, this place holds darkness, and that one thing is so crystal clear as if a memory."

Luna looked back into the cave, at a grey silhouette; Clover, who was waiting for them to follow. Then she turned to Celestia, and walked up to her.

"I respect your strange visions now, sister, I really do. You were right about Canterlot as well. But I think right now, we should just move on. Equestria needs us. We can figure out your vision -future memory- later."

Celestia looked past Luna, past Clover, into the darkness of the cave. After a long blink, she said:

"Sure, Luna. You're right. Let's go."

And Celestia finally went in, and Luna closely followed. And as she saw her sister walking before her, she couldn't shake the feeling. Celestia tended to be right about these things. But was there something she didn't tell? What could she see? Was it more dark secrets about their tribe? About Arcana? Was it some elaborate trickery, set up by Discord, inside this cave? Or was it maybe about...them? Was it something about them, and that's why Celestia seemed so distracted?

Eventually, Luna dismissed these thoughts, and stopped pondering. As earlier, she reassured herself once again: right now, the priority is defeating Discord. Everything else can wait for later.

Comments

[Reviewfilly]

The action is a welcome change of pace, though after the two great monsters, it felt more like a de-escalation than a raise of stakes. Unless, of course, the point was to show just how bloody dangerous and indiscriminate C&L are in which case, it worked pretty well.

I was originally going to make a negative note about Discord, saying I really can't put my finger on him and that he seems to behave differently in each chapter he appears, but then I realized this is probably more than intentional and really fits him after all. I like his smugness and find it interesting that apparently he's not entirely in the loop either about what's going on.

Celestia's "future memory" of the cave was probably the moment I liked the most about the chapter. It's a great way to utilize information the reader knows, but the characters don't. I would've probably spelled it out less, so that the realization can hit that much harder, but it still works very well.

All in all, I have some reservations about the pacing, but I'm very interested to see how you'll wrap up this story. There's a lot of loose ends that need to be handled.

[Captain Neckbeard]

Unless, of course, the point was to show just how bloody dangerous and indiscriminate C&L are

Yes, that was exactly the point. This fight wasn't supposed to have big stakes. I just wanted to have a fun chapter before the big things happen. Fun to me, at least

is probably more than intentional

Your take is again correct, I aimed to write him throughout the fic as this sort of unhinged schizo, who isn't just some jokester who doesn't know better, but a Chaos God. He knows he's bad, but doesn't care, and his own godly nature makes him sort of a "mess", who is outright threatening one moment, but then just reverts back to having fun the next.

I would've probably spelled it out less

It would've been better that way, yes, but I'm always unsure about how much my readers would "get" what I write

but I'm very interested to see how you'll wrap up this story.

Hopefully you won't feel it's been a waste of time upon reading the final words.