THE END
-93 years later-
Right now, there's an old woman lying on a bed surrounded by concerned people - many of whom are soldiers who are close with her husband.
Anna'ri's youthful appearance had been kept her whole life, due to Haalfrin's powerful spirit, so the fact that she's looking this old right now is an indication that she's about to die.
Weakly, the woman looks around the room sadly and says, "Haalfrin, I'm sorry I couldn't get a Name and become a mage. I must be incompetent."
Haalfrin leans forward and holds her hand. "For the last time, there's nothing wrong with you. The divine lock on your soul is too strong for now."
It IS part of her punishment that she be barred from becoming a mage.
Anna'ri's grip on his hand tightens. "I know, dear. I'm just upset I didn't get to spend longer here. I'd hate to leave so soon."
A young boy with tanned skin, who is standing on the side, steps forward and says, "Mother, Father's going to find you again. You'll be back before you know it."
This boy may look too young to be the son of an old woman, but he's already a 2nd gate mage. On top of that, his affinity with Death Aura was phenomenal ever since he was young. He took to it even more naturally than Haalfrin did in his youth.
Looking up at her son, Anna'ri still can't believe that she was able to give birth to a child in a place like THIS.
Isn't the father technically a dead person? Isn't this the Death Realm? Does it make any sense for a new life to be born here?
No matter how many times General Haalfrin told her, "The mother is still alive, and the Arkin are neither living nor dead," she still doesn't understand it intuitively; it's all too bizarre to her.
Rather than all that, Anna'ri chooses to see her son's face and think of his birth as a miracle. Maybe every mother in the world wants to feel that there's something inherently magical about their own children.
With tears brimming her cheeks, Anna'ri reaches her withered hand up and touches her son's cheek. "I'll... see you soon..., Yaal'rem."
---------------------
Right as she passes away, Yaal'rem and his father, Haalfrin, both look at the woman as her hand falls limply to her side, and she falls asleep. They can both feel her spirit's connection with her body loosening, and they feel a deep grief welling up inside their hearts.
Haalfrin sadly pats his son on the back and reassures him, "I'll find her soon."
"It's still sad," Yaal'rem remarks despondently. "She's not going to remember us."
Right when he said this, the boy seems to understand something. He feels something deep within his soul loosening up, and he feels his Soul Gates burning.
His seventh Name glowed brightly, and the young boy comprehends his Ar name.
'That's right.' he thinks to himself while inside his Soul Realm, 'Nothing lasts forever. When one thing dies, there is space created for something new. After Father finds Mother again, we can create new memories together. She can experience the wonders of new life once more.'
Death by old age suddenly feels natural to Yaal'rem as he comes to realize the beauty in the passage of time.
As the Death god's son is comprehending that name, and as that gate in his soul opens up, he tries walking through it...
However, he bumps into an invisible barrier, and he's unable to complete the final step. 'I got the Name, so why can't I use it to become a 3rd Gate mage?'
He's confused at first, but then he remembers his lessons in magic. The Ar (divinity) Name can only be used once a person has all 6 other Names.
So, the boy calms down and steps away from the Gate. At least he understands what kind of god he'll be in the future.
With newfound wisdom in his eyes, Yaal'rem holds his mother's hand as life leaves her. "I'll see you soon."
---------------------
Ever since Anna died and returned to the well of Reincarnation, something doesn't seem right with General Haalfrin. The man starts spending all of his downtime training his butt off, and he becomes a little hard to talk to for his son.
Yaal'rem is, fortunately, already old and mature enough on the inside to understand adult matters, despite looking like a 10-year-old child. So, he doesn't hold a grudge for his father's standoffish attitude.
His father and mother were both always equally introverted, so when they're grieving, they're more likely to spend more time alone and occupy themselves with solitary tasks.
It's not just Yaal'rem that notices Haalfrin's strange behavior; he even seems especially stiff and humorless to all the soldiers.
In fact, all the soldiers in the Valor Hall (especially the new recruits) suddenly find themselves being worked like dogs without a chance to rest. Many of them cry out pitifully and futilely, "Where did our kind general go?"
With the mistress gone, the entire Hall of Valor becomes gloomy for many years to come.
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-20 years later-
One day, Haalfrin comes walking through the arch of the gate with a young, black-haired girl in his arms. Of course, the lady is strangely identical to the mistress.
The soldiers on duty at the gate go wide-eyed, and one of them runs off to go tell everyone the news.
One of the first people the guard runs into is Kaalhyme. "Vice-general! Vice-general!" he calls out frantically.
"What? I'm busy!" the Arkin man replies. Indeed, he was on his way to a meeting just down the hall.
"The mistress!" the guard says happily, "The general is back with the mistress!"
Kaalhyme's eyes go wide, and he immediately barks an order, "Go get the young master and tell him the news! Actually, I'll do that part. Also, on your way out, let Halam and Reyya arrange a celebration."
The guard is about to run out the door to fulfill his command, but Kaalhyme stops him, "Oh! Also, tell them to switch all the curtains and decorations to a more spring style. Also, put the color blue everywhere. It's the mistress' favorite color."
After giving the guards a long list of things to do, Kaalhyme sits down on a nearby bench, suddenly feeling tired. 'Somebody has to think of these things. Haalfrin's head is probably so high in the clouds that he must have forgotten to restore the manor to its original state.'
'Well, I need to let young master Yaal'rem know about his mother's return.'
Kaalhyme puts a hand on a far speak crystal in his pocket, and he calls the tower of Narbenaule, where the Death King lives.
Why would he call Narbenaule when he's trying to find Yaal'rem?
Of course, the young master ended up staying there, since he'd recently been accepted as an apprentice by the King of Death himself, after revealing himself to be a god-candidate.
"I can't trust you to train the boy up properly,' the King had said. 'You're a good general, but a terrible teacher. Wouldn't it be a travesty for the boy to not grow up to be a Death god?"
---------------------
Meanwhile, Haalfrin is carrying Freyya (er... her name is Bethri now) through the archway.
As they come into view of the central archway marking the boundaries of the garden, Bethri looks hard at the plaque that reads, "Friends welcome."
Feeling a strong sense of nostalgia, she turns to Haalfrin and asks, "Do we know each other?"
"Something like that."
---------------------
Just like that, the Hall of Valor is constantly in a fluctuating state between intense celebration and deathly, somber mourning.
Century after century, Haalfrin comes home with Freyya's various incarnations, and they each die after a few decades. Sometimes, they even leave another child behind, though that usually doesn't happen.
Sometimes, Haalfrin has to miss large portions of his wife's mortal lifetimes, due to some of his missions taking a long time to complete. Sometimes, a single war in the Death Realm can last well over 50 years, and Haalfrin has to stick around for the whole thing.
Still, the eons pass by, and Haalfrin's list of tasks to do is slowly being whittled down.
Eventually, his final task is completed, and Freyya is freed from her punishment.
After that, Freyya and Haalfrin stay in the Valor Hall for nearly an eternity – never to be separated again.
---------------------
Far, far in the future, we see Halam rushing through the halls and knocking on Haalfrin's door. "Sir, SIR!"
There's no answer.
Anxiously, Halam opens the door anyway, expecting to see his master and mistress asleep next to each other; it's so early in the morning right now that the sky is barely starting to turn grey.
Yet, instead of finding them both fast asleep, the servant sees that Haalfrin is… already suited up in his armor – only finishing up by putting his helmet on.
The master then turns around to his chief servant, "What is it?"
Halam points out the door with fear in his eyes. "I've just received the news! Elshirothe has returned, and she's destroyed several worlds by now!"
"I know," he replies calmly as he straps his sword to his waist.
"Are you ready, dear?" comes Freyya's voice from the closet on the other side of the room. Instead of being dressed in comfortable nightwear, she's wearing black leather armor, and she's holding a silver spear in her left hand.
Haalfrin nods. "I'm ready. Let's go."
---------------------
As Haalfrin walks out the door – hand in hand with his wife, one of his many children stops them.
"Dad? Mom? … I've heard the news about Elshirothe… Are you coming back?"
Haalfrin pauses in his tracks and rubs the young lady's head. "I don't know," he replies calmly.
His daughter gets teary-eyed hearing this, and she asks, "If you don't come back, will you let me finish up your biography? I know you've been writing in it, but you refuse to let any of us read it until you're done."
Haalfrin shakes his head, "I've already said everything that needs to be said. Anyone who reads that book should know how my story ends. We-"
He's about to explain more, but his voice is cut off by a single angry look from his wife.
Right. They're not supposed to talk about the future. He looks down and goes red in embarrassment.
As the pair of Death gods walk through the garden and exit the Hall of Valor for the final time, they both turn around and see their mansion full of servants, friends, and guests – all crowded around the garden and watching them leave.
With one hand resting on their weapons, and the other hand interlocked with each other's fingers, Haalfrin and Freyya both turn to face their family and friends.
Energetically, like a pair of actors bowing to the audience before the curtains fall, the pair of husband and wife give a long, low bow, and they say in unison, "Goodbye!"
THE END