With a flicker, my pipbuck illuminated the stairway that stretched down under the concrete memorial. My hoofsteps fell uneasily on the smooth stairs as I walked down them. In the back of my mind, I was reminded of the stairway down into that old tower. Shaking it out of my head, I reassured myself that the tower was a long time ago.

“I still can’t believe they built this thing.” Shadow said as he followed me closely. “You deserve it, there’s no doubt about that.” He had stuck by my side for so long, never once leaving my side. “It’s just so… big.”

“I for one recall that anypony complaining about that would get a very specific response from you.” I smirked as I fondly recalled the many nights we’d spent romping between the sheets. Well, until I’d had Lever Action, that is. I wish my parents had told me how much effort they took to take care of before they passed. “Besides, it needed to be big enough to fit.”

As I stepped out of the stairs and into the burial chamber, I flicked off my pipbuck light again and let the natural glow in the room take over.

“To fit what?” Shadow asked before he too entered the chamber. “Oh… wow.”

Before us, still in it’s protective shell, sat the crystalline tree I’d spent the last few years protecting. It had dulled some over the years, and I couldn’t figure out if it was because of what happened to our world, or if it were simply the natural order of trees to grow old, die, and renew.

“Hey there, Sis!” The cheerful voice of Pai resonated in the small room. I turned to find the small pink face displayed on a pipbuck in the corner. Gauge give out a small yawn before she pulled herself up to her hooves. She offered a small wave as her horn flickered, tweaking the thick framed glasses at the end of her muzzle. The wrinkles around her eyes betrayed the fatigue she felt. The numerous winces that she gave told me that her muscles still gave her troubles every now and again.

“Finally. You took forever.” She smiled before holding a hoof out to me shakily. Instead, I stepped forward and wrapped my hooves around her. She gave a small squeak before laughing. “Yeah, always with the hugs.”

“How did you even get this in here?” Shadow asked, taking a step towards the tree.

“Kiwi and Cinnamon rigged up some sort of magical amplifier that helps to accurately teleport things.” She raised her hoof and tapped at her own horn with her well aged cybernetic hoof. “Still nearly burned myself out doing it, but we managed to get it up and over here without much issue.”

“Still, you didn’t have to wait for me.” I said, letting her go with a pat on the back. Stepping back, Shadow pressed up against my side and wrapped his wing around me. “At the very least, I could have shown up sooner.”

That roused another laugh from her. “I guess that’s true.” She nodded softly. “But sometimes it’s nice to just slow down and rest a while. To just clear your mind.” She closed her eyes as a wide smile crossed her muzzle. “Oh, to be young again.”

“What? You’re looking better than ever.” I rolled my eyes and shared a laugh. “At least twice as good as Predious ever will.”

“Not all of us can age as gracefully as you, Storm.” She shook her head. “These last three decades have started to take a tole on me, and sometimes I wonder where all the time went.” With a wave of her hoof, she sat down. “Still, some days I wonder what everypony is up to.” Opening her eyes again, she stared at me. In them, I could still see the light of hope burning in them, even after all these years. “Speaking of the devil, how is Predious holding up?”

With a sigh, I dropped my gaze to the floor. “It’s not been easy for him. Mostly he’s out on the road, and it can be years between visits.” Honestly, I missed the bastard. He’d been around just long enough for Lever to be born before starting his ‘pilgrimages’, and now I’m lucky if he stops by for more than a day. “I’m afraid that one of these years, he just won’t show up anymore.”

“Pred’s a smart guy.” Shadow said, leaning in and kissing my cheek. I blushed like I did every time he kissed me, but I couldn’t help but giggle as his peppery beard tickled at my chin. “He’ll come around if things go downhill.”

A soft beep emitted from Gauge’s pipbuck, making her draw her cyberhoof up with a sigh.

“Ah, well. It looks like Ditzy Doo is back at the ship.” She groaned, pulling herself up to her hooves. “As always, Storm. It’s been a pleasure.” She weakly smiled as I got up and gave her another quick hug. “You know, you should think about heading out west for a visit sometime. I know the girls would love to see you again.”

“How are they by the way?” Shadow spoke up. “Last I heard, they were building something for Harmony’s grandson?”

“Yeah, turns out that a magnetically powered rebar canon isn’t exactly a colt friendly birthday gift.” She smiled before turning toward the door. As she did, she stopped and hung her head slightly. “Last month however, we lost Salsa to pneumonia. The others are holding up, but the shop isn’t the same without the spunk she brought to it.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Shadow sighed, taking a step away from me. “However, I did want to talk to you about a rumor that Ficha heard from out your way. Mind if I walk you to your ride?”

“Ficha? Now there’s a name I haven’t heard in awhile.” She paused, thinking about it for only a moment before answering. “Sure.” Gauge smiled, turning back and offering a wave. “See you around, Storm.”

Shadow looked back with a sad smile as he followed her toward the steps. “I’ll give you some time here alone, alright?” He spoke, keeping those deep blue, unwavering eyes gazing at me. “I’ll meet you back at home.”

“Sure thing.” I nodded, turning myself around and looking back at the tree. Closing my eyes, I listened as their hoofsteps climbed up and away from me. With the two of them out of ears reach, I let out a long sigh and raised my hoof to my neck. I slid it around the golden necklace, reaching around to the back of my neck. With a soft click, I unclasped it. Carefully, I set it down against the base of the tree, and let out a sigh of relief.

Stepping forward, I walked up to the base of the tree. The small gem in the center of the necklace didn’t glow as brightly as it once had, in fact, it looked dimmer than I’d ever wanted it to. However, the small flame at the center of it still burned intensely. I’d fought hard over the years, fighting against raider lords, slavers, magical abominations, and wartime machinations. Each one had threatened the hope of the wasteland, and each time, I’d used my element to defeat it.

Sure, Gauge was correct. I hadn’t aged like most ponies do. However, I could feel myself becoming more and more drained. The thought of burning through my allotted time didn’t scare me half as much as leaving the wasteland without somepony to defend hope. That’s why I’d been so hard on Lever Action, and that’s why she’d ended up in a raider den nearly dead. There was hope in me that maybe one day, her daughter could take over my mantle. To protect hope as I once had. However, with how I’d failed before, I’d thought it prudent to take measures to protect my element and the tree of harmony.

Only a few knew of the construction of this place, Cheap Shot had seen to that. Although, I’d had to lie to them and tell them it would be a tomb for me. Then again, that wasn’t so much of a lie. Even now, I felt at peace here. My place was with the elements, and when I died, I’d already informed Lever to bury me down here. But, who knew when that would be. I still had plenty of fight in me, and I intended to make good use of it.

Reaching around to my saddlebags, I flipped them open. Reaching in, my hoof scraped against the old and tarnished golden helmet inside. Pulling it out, I tried to use my jacket sleeve to polish the golden finish a bit, but to no avail. Carefully, I set it down next to me.

Again, reaching into my bags, I wrapped my fetlock around another cold metal object and pulled it out. The cracked, golden blade that a more dedicated pony than me had once used, glinted in the soft glow of the tree. Reverently, I set it down at the base of the tree next to my element, before reaching back and placing the old helmet on the side opposite of it.

Taking a step back, I closed up my Saddlebags and fastened up my jacket. Sealed away, hope could be protected for now. I still had so much to do before I could allow myself to pass along my mantle. Iron and Knight still proved to be a problem for all these years, and needed to be hunted down. Predious still needed to be freed of the burden he shouldered from me so long ago. And then there was Ficha, who had his own curse that he’s sought to resolve. However, those could be dealt with tomorrow. I needed to take them one step at a time, and the first step was to seal this place until it was needed.

Turning around, I flicked the light on my pipbuck back on, and headed up the stone steps again.

Opening the door to the house my parent’s left me, the warm and crackling fire greeted my cold coat. I stomped the snow from my hooves and did my best to brush off my coat before I stepped inside the warm interior. As I shut the door, I noticed that Lever Action’s coat was still absent. There was a soft click from the kitchen, and the radio inside kicked on.

“...erypony. As some of you might remember, tonight marks another anniversary of the great battle for Baltimare.” DJPon3’s dulcet tones sounded just as relaxing as they ever had, even if the subject matter he talked about never brought happy thoughts into my mind. “To remember those brave souls who fought during that long and terrible winter, we have a song lined up for you all from one of our own talented residents, Miss Shamrock.”

“Of all the money that e’er I had, I spent it in good company.”

The voice of a mare began to sing as I sighed. “Oh, hey.” Shadow said, ripping me from my thoughts as he poked his head out from the kitchen. “Lever’s still at the shop dealing with a customer there. She said she might be a little late for dinner, which has to bake for at least another hour anyway, so I don’t know what she’s worried about.”

“Alright.” I said, carefully removing my old leather jacket and hanging it up. “You know, that shop of hers has really taken off. I’m not saying the circumstances were worth it, but I think she’s really good at being a merchant.” Well, at least a hell of a lot better than she was at being a bounty hunter.

The tiniest of yawns met my ears from in the den. A shadow shifted along the wall as a small figure walked past the fireplace. The tiny hoofsteps reminded me that even though Lever’s time in the raider den was abhorrent to think about, it had given us all one thing to be thankful for.

“Grandma?” The tiny green filly rubbed at her eyes with a hoof, while her frizzy red mane drooped over one of her eyes. The widest smile parted her muzzle before she gasped and ran up to me, hugging my foreleg. “You’re back!”

“Of course I am.” I said with a light laugh. Reaching down, I scooped her up in my foreleg and pulled her tight against me. “I told you I’d be back this year in time for Hearth’s Warming, didn’t I, little one?”

“And all the harm I've ever done, alas it was to none but me” The mare on the radio continued to sing as I walked little Percussion Cap over to the old couch and set her down on it. As I did, Shadow trotted into the room. I rolled my eyes as he darted his eyes between me and the faded blue apron he wore that read kiss the cook.

With a grumble, he walked himself over and leaned down to me. With his hoof on my chin, he kissed me the same as he had for over three decades. My legs wobbled as they always did, and I could feel the heat radiating off my cheeks as he pulled back. Carefully, he pulled me into a rocking hug, and I simply pressed into his warmth.

“Eewww.” PC giggled as she hid her muzzle behind her foreleg.

Keeping his muzzle against the side of my neck, he spoke in a whisper. “Gauge confirmed the rumors.” He stroked down my neck with his wing. “Knight and Iron are indeed out west.” That was definitely good news. Maybe this time we could catch them off guard. “We could head out tomorrow…”

“Awww….” PC whined. “But… you just got here.”

“And all I've done for want of wit, to mem’ry now I can't recall” The radio softly played on as I thought about it. Even though I didn’t age like most mares, I still had a limited time to spend with those around me. We had something to go on for Iron and Knight at least, and that was more than we’ve had in years. Still, maybe I’m going soft, but I deserved a break.

“You know what?” I said softly, giving Shadow his own kiss on the cheek. “Let’s wait until after the holiday.”

“You mean it?” PC gasped as she bounced on the old couch. It’s springs squeaked horrendously under the worst assault it’d had since Lever Action was just her age. Even then, Lever was the worst assault it had had since even I was a filly.

“Yes, sweety.” I nodded as she giggled and bounced even higher.

“So fill to me the parting glass, goodnight and joy be with you all” The mare in the radio sang out, brightening the flame of hope that even though was weak, I could still feel from all across the wasteland.

“You know, maybe you’re right.” Shadow nodded, brushing at his greying beard. “Goddesses, I can’t even recall the last holiday we spent off work with Lever at all.” With a bouncing wail, PC lept off of the couch and straight up onto Shadow’s back. “Oh no! You got me!” He laughed, stumbling to the side before lowering himself down by the fire with a groan.

“Hehe!” PC giggled and sat down on him triumphantly. “I’m the best bounty hunter in the wastes! Just like you are, Grandma!” She beamed a smile at me that both brought me hope, and struck fear into me at the same time.

“In time, PC.” I spoke softly. “You still have a lot of growing to do before you can decide what you want to do.”

“Of all the comrades that e'er I had, they are sorry for my going away” I sat and wondered just what she’d end up getting herself into as she grew up. Would she follow me and undertake the mantel I wore? Would she fail miserably like Lever did? Sitting in thought, I almost missed her tiny little gasp.

“Grandma, will you tell me the story again?” She sat up attentively on Shadow, leaning forward with her ears perked high in anticipation.

“Again?” I asked in disbelief. “Aren’t you tired of hearing it?”

“Now way! Not when you’re the most amazing mare of amazingness to ever have lived!” She bounced giddily on Shadow, much to his discomfort. He looked up at her with a stern glare and tickled at her side with one of his feathers. She nearly collapsed in a gigglefit before he stopped.

“And all the sweethearts that e'er I had, they would wish me one more day to stay” As I half listened to the mare in the background, I figured that of all nights, this was the one that I needed to remember it on. We’d lost too many for me to so easily dismiss a chance to make them live again through their story.

“Alright then,” I sighed, moving and slowly sitting myself down on the old couch. As I did, the front door creaked open, and Lever’s muzzle poked in. She smiled as she saw me, and I smiled back at her. “Here’s the story of The Long Winter.” I began, reclining into the old couch and getting settled for a long night.

“But since it falls unto my lot that I should rise and you should not, I'll gently rise and I'll softly call: Good night and joy be with you all”

“It all began one rainy day.” I began, closing my eyes and remembering it as if it were all just yesterday. “I had just returned to New Appleloosa from a job…”

In the end for Shadow, he had chosen to forgo the life he’d once had, in favor for the one he could make with the mare he grew to love. Never once did he question his choice to stay below the clouds, and not once did he leave Storm’s side. His devotion to his wife and her friends was second to none, and less and less he needed to wear the armor he’d donned so readily in the past. Finally settling down after the fight in Baltimare, the two of them decided to start a family of their own. Nearly a year to the day of the final assault, their daughter was born. It was the high point of Shadow’s life, and along with Storm, the two raised their daughter in peace. But as it does, the wasteland catches up with all good hearted ponies. Nearly thirty years later, on a cold winter's night, Shadow was gunned down by Iron and Knight Cross after having tracked the pair down on a rumor. With his last breaths, he struck down Knight Cross, killing her in front of her own sister. His body was taken by Storm after Iron fled, and she began the slow trek back home. Finally, he was laid to rest in a small plot behind Harmony’s shop in Dodge, where Storm often stops by to tell him of all the events in her life, and how much he is missed by all who knew him.

The night of the final fight, Iron and Knight Cross fled Baltimare with those pegasi loyal to them. The two incestuous sisters traveled northwest across the wastes, murdering and pillaging what settlements they could along the way. Eventually , the trail of destruction that the group left ran cold, and ended with a dead end for those looking to take down the rogue faction. For at time, it seemed as if Iron and Knight had accepted their fate of a life below the clouds, and had found a place for their faction to settle. However, after nearly two and a half decades of silence, they attempted to contact their sister Grand Cross above the clouds. Three Raptors descended upon the western wastes, scouring the lands for the wanted mares, only to come up empty. However, the move had tipped their hand, and word had begun to spread around with the names of the mares being looked for. Eventually, those words made their way to a small brothel often frequented by wandering zebra mercenary, who couldn’t wait to tell some old friends the great news.

After the fabled Long Winter had thawed, Predious gathered up his things and left his friends behind. Filled with the hope that Storm had given him, he decided that he would begin the search for a way to end the curse that he had so willingly accepted. Traveling to the far corners of equestria and beyond, his trips became longer and longer, spanning years before he would return to his friends once more. However, even with the extensive knowledge he had gained over nearly four decades, there were no leads on any way to expel the curse from himself, and his hope began to grow dim. However, the rumors of a Stable stallion taking over Fillydelphia spurred his interest, as the stallion was told to have access to unheard of amounts of information and resources. With one last visit to Storm, he made her promise that if no hope could be found, that she were to be the one to end his life before the curse took him. With the knowledge of their agreement firmly in place, Predious walked into Fillydelphia with his last shred of hope. The stallion who finally walked out however, was no longer the same…

Harmony wasted little time in restarting the business that had been her family's livelihood for decades. After recovering from the wounds she suffered in the final fight in Baltimare, she fashioned herself up some junk prosthetics and got back to work. Hiring mostly the refugees from other settlements to scavenge what was left to take from Sunshine City, she reinvigorated the wasteland economy. In rebuilding the city of Dodge, she promoted a new community to form. Only with her husband, Oil Can, by her side, and a set of twins on the way, Harmony finally took the time to sit back and take in all that she’d accomplished. During that downtime, she made the trip back to Manehatten with Short Staff to finally lay the rest of their family to rest. For another two decades she ran Sunshine Caravans out of her home in Dodge, right up until her grandfoals were born. When she finally hoofed over the business to her daughter, Leaf Spring, she was approached by her son with a proposal. After listening to him carefully, Harmony gave Split Lock the supplies and pony power to set up a west coast hub for the Sunshine Caravans. Along with him, she sent Kiwi’s girls and Gauge in the hope that they could make the business successful enough so that Split Lock’s own son could one day take over. Even today, in her old age, she still steps in when a customer comes in with a hard job or a complaint. Stubborn and prideful to the bitter end, Harmony won’t ever let a customer rip her off, and has only ever let one debt go unpaid in all these years. However, she always claims that with no receipt for Storm’s pipbuck, nopony could ever prove she’d let the debt go at all.

After all the fighting was over, Gauge and her brother stood as the only ones left of their family. With nothing to tie them down to the city they once called their home, the two abandoned the new order that Cottage had enforced in the Steel Rangers and followed Harmony south to the remains of Dodge. For a time, things were calm. Gauge worked hard as one of the traveling merchants, often making long runs to places with high tech salvage such as Hoofington and Las Pegasus. Diesel however, not the merchant type, opted to travel with her, using the training he’d received as a Steel Ranger to act as the bodyguard for his sisters caravan. However, after only a decade, while on a routine run between Baltimare and Dodge, Diesel was shot and killed by a raiding party. With the loss of her brother weighing heavily on her mind, Gauge decided to accept the position of manager when Harmony’s son wished to expand the Caravan out West. In the days since then, she’s helped him grow, and worked with him to restore an old Airship that she one day hopes will help her make the trek out east again to visit her friends.

P.A.I. Opted to stay with Gauge after the fight in Baltimare, rather than returning to Storm’s pipbuck. For years, she grew closer and closer to Gauge, growing to love her as one pony would another. For the Caravan, her job was to monitor Caravan communications, and to relay messages between them. When Gauge decided to move out west, PAI opted to still keep up the communication networks in her spare time, still keeping in frequent contact with Storm and Harmony. Even though P.A.I. had never been designed for it, she felt happy and contented with her life outside her orchard. Even so, she would hop across the spritebot network now and again to make sure that her birthplace was still intact. However, as she and Gauge grew older, she realized that it was time to finally leave the orchard behind for good. With the help of Gauge, , and Kiwi’s group, they used the newly repaired airship to remove the Tree of Harmony, and to move it out to Baltimare, where it still sits to this very day.

For Kiwi, Salsa, and Cinnamon, the choice to leave the Rangers was an easy one. With the promise of a job in the new home of the Sunshine Caravans Trading Outpost, the trio set out to make a new life together. With the technical specialties of each of the mares so heavily developed, Harmony commissioned and built a workshop for them. There, the three ate, lived, and slept together as they tinkered and rebuilt the unique pieces of junk that Harmony had brought into her shop. Even though she hadn’t quite gotten the hang of it, Kiwi acted as the leader of the group, keeping them together through thick and thin. During Harmony’s pregnancy, Kiwi took over running the Sunshine Caravan’s until Harmony was back on her hooves. When asked if any of the three were ever going to find a stallion for themselves, all three mares would just giggle and insist that the love they had for each other was all they’d ever need. After a few decades of tinkering, building, and working, the three mares grew tired of the day in and day out of their lives. When Harmony’s son had proposed setting up a shop on the west coast, the trio jumped on the chance to go and see the wasteland. With a teary eyed goodbye, and one last visit to the mare who’d saved Baltimare all those years ago, the three headed out west for new, rubble filled pastures.

With the fighting over, Ficha’s life resumed much as it always had for over a century and a half. He had stopped for a time to aid in the rebuilding of the wasteland, but as it always was for him, it was never for long. Even when Chasm had finally been rebuilt, and he was offered to take over as Mayor of the town, he simply refused and went on his way. For years he took odd jobs around Manehatten, Fillydelphia, and Baltimare, at least, up until Storm asked him for a favor. Figuring that it would at least keep things interesting, Ficha headed out west at the request of Storm. There, he wandered the wastes as a mercenary for hire, stopping in every bar and every brothel to listen and take in the loose talk thrown around in them. It was nearly two decades after he’d arrived, that word of a massive search for a pair of enclave mare’s met his ears. With his job finished, he returned to Storm with the rumor, and once again readied to go on his own way. Before he went however, Storm finally asked him how he managed to live for all these years without ageing a single day. Thinking to himself that perhaps one day he would see fit to finally reveal the true nature of his curse, he simply laughed as he headed for the door. As he left, the last words he’d said to Storm insisted that someone as handsome and as charming as himself just couldn't be put down. Much to the aggravation, annoyance, and relief of both Storm and Shadow, Ficha walked out of the door and out of their lives yet again. However, as had been the case throughout Storm’s life, they were fated to meet once more down the road…

Despite their horrific experience at the hooves of Filius, Stratos and his daughter Swivel Spark found that returning to their old way of life wasn’t hard. Once Stratos had recovered from his wounds at Tenpony tower, he gave his account of events to DJPon3 so that the story of what Storm had done for the wastes could spread. Afterwords, he and Swivel resumed scavenging the ruins of the old world, this time avoiding any they found that looked to be from even before the great war’s time. Years later, on a trip out west, Stratos fell ill and passed away. Without a clear direction to put herself, Swivel continued out west by catching a ride with Short Staff’s caravan. Upon reaching the ruins of Las Pegasus, Swivel began to look for work around town. She quickly made a name for herself as one of the more successful scavengers in the small city, and after a few years, she felt like there was something missing in her life. That is, until one day she stumbled into Demy Octavo, the stallion who ran the local radio station. Still enamored by her own short stay in Tenpony and her father’s talk with the DJ so long ago, Swivel began to stop by the Demy’s workplace more and more. Soon, their meetings became more than that, and the two of them realized that they couldn’t live without one another. A couple of years after the two had met, Swivel gave birth to a healthy pair of twins which she named Eighth Note, and Silver Note. Swivel grew to forget the terror she felt in the days of Filius, but she would always recount the story for her foals whenever she could. While her son, Eighth took his father’s place in the radio booth, Silver however had become enchanted as she grew with the story of ‘the blue phoenix’. It was only the day after Swivel died in her sleep that her daughter set out to seek the mare she’d grown up hearing so much about. Eighth Note on the other hoof, had a different role to play in the coming events of Las Pegasus, but that is a story best saved for another time…

Following the growing migration, Pendergrass tried to do right by his godson and nephew, Finn, and moved out east. With only the few precious heirlooms that they could pull from the rubble of Sunshine City, the two traveled the roads, scavenging what little they could along the way. In the time that the arduous journey had taken, Pendergrass recounted to Finn the stories of their family. How each member had been a hero in their own time, including Finn’s parents. These stories stuck with Finn, running through his head again and again until he found an outlet one day by joining Storm’s growing crew. Pendergrass watched as Finn grew into a fine stallion. Alas, Pendergrass soon was killed in a fight with Iron’s faction of pegasi.

Following the death of his uncle, Finn went into hiding, not knowing why they were attacked. Upon taking refuge in a cave just outside of Las Pegasus, something odd happened. A locket that Finn had as a keepsake from his father began to hum. Upon further inspection, Finn realised the cave he was hiding in housed a Stable: Stable 13, when a loud rumbling noise shoot the cave due to the large door opening for seemingly no reason. In the years that followed, he managed to make a home for himself among those who resided within the Stable. However, he knew that one day he’d eventually have to leave. With that in mind, he soon fell in love with a mare named Green Leaf and had a son whom they named Sawyer. However, his happiness was to be cut short. Green Leaf knew that Finn would have to leave eventually, and with a pained heart she helped him open the Stable door. It is uncertain what happened to Finn after he left Stable 13, but his memory will live on in his son, for he left behind his locket so his family could remember him.

The great steel door of Stable 13 had once again shut. However, it would only be a little over a decade before that door once again was opened, and a new chapter was written in Pendergrass’s family of heroes. Forty seven years after the end of the Battle of Baltimare, the wasteland had become restless again. Temperaments were high, resources at an all time low, and it seemed as if the whole western coast had come to a boiling point. Those who survived the many conflicts over the years couldn’t be sure of the events soon to unfold, but they knew that they would soon need another hero to step up and protect them. Unknown to them, that hero would be the most unlikely of ponies to have that title.

So ends the heroic tale of Storm Rider. From a simple bounty hunter, to the courier of hope across the wastelands. She stands as a beacon for those who fight for a better tomorrow, and until her very last breath, she will lead those ponies into battle against all who threaten hope itself. It is an endless fight, one she knows well, but again the wasteland is changing and the storm of war is once again on the horizon. However, in the face of Storm Rider, war isn’t something she’s afraid of.

Because, war? War never changes.

Author's Notes:

Hey everyone, Digital here. I wish to thank all of you, new and old for sticking with this story all the way to the end. It really means so much to Gamma and I that you enjoy our work. I would like to thank Plagen Shiki for doing an audiobook version of this story just because he wanted to. I'd like to thank Gamma for joining me in the creation of this story, because without him, Storm's adventure might never had made it past chapter 3. I'd like to thank my friends who let me use the characters Predious and Tasteless Smoke. I'd like to thank my friend Eff EL for supporting this story the whole way through. I'd like to thank Lost Art from the Gunbucks Tumblr blog for making such wonderful art for this story. And lastly, I'd like to thank any future readers who give this story a shot. It really means a lot to me.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed reading Storm's journey and I hope you all continue to support any future projects Gamma and I do.