Epilogue

"Dale, Tammy, hurry up! Chip is waking up!"

"Uhhh… Where…"

"Chip! You are back! You really are back!"

"Careful, darling! do not squeeze him!"

The crushing pain helped Chip to go back to his senses faster than any other medicine. "Wait, wait! Let me go, for fuck's sake!"

"Oh, you really are back!" Dale released his grip and turned to wipe a tear from his eye.

"Back and more foulmouthed than I remembered" Foxglove added with a jest, then helped Chip lay down again on the bed. "You really scared us big time, Chip" She said as she caressed his forehead.

"Back to life... " The ranger grinned and relaxed a bit. "Say, how long was I unconscious?"

"Three full days and nights" The pink bat explained.

"Is that so? I'm sorry I did this to you, guys, but..."

"Yeah!" Dale leaned down on the edge of the bed, aiming to be the one lecturing about foolhardiness for a change. "Never do that again! If it weren't for Tammy and her mother's book you would be pushing daisies outside by the fountain as we speak, next to…" His tirade died down to a whisper. "Next to Sir Monterey Jack…"

Chip's mood also faltered. He looked up at the ceiling, recalling the last moments of his rival and also sometimes, his friend. "Next to him, huh?" He said gloomily. "I wonder if he'd allow it" Then, reached down to his aching torso, flinching as the fingers pressed the blade wounds which were now hidden under layers of bandages.

"Tammy said your injuries will leave some ugly scars" Dale commented.

"They will" The stern voice drew everybody's gazes towards the door. Standing in the threshold was Tammy Lombardi. "Dale, Foxglove…" She called flatly. "Could you leave the room for a moment? I need to speak to him"

The bard opened the mouth to protest, but the leathery wing of his girlfriend promptly prevented him from doing so. "Y-yes, of course" Foxglove nodded as she hurried them both outside. "We'll get Zipper and prepare breakfast"

Tammy gave them a silent nod as they passed by her side. Chip gingerly sat upright and watched as his comrades closed the door. He knew what was coming to him and could only wish the ravens were still there to at least provide some moral support. Alas, they were gone. No longer his mind felt encumbered with the presence of the feathery spirits and their raucous demeanors, no longer his thoughts were tainted with anger and spite. He was indeed free.

"Tammy, I want to thank you…" The ranger said as the cleric reached his side. "I knew…"

Tammy drew her hand back and slapped Chip across the face. The chipmunk's head snapped back at the force of the blow. "Aww!" He yelped. "Wait, let me explain!"

The squirrel rubbed her hand, her expression one of conflicting emotions. "Yes, explain!" She demanded in an increasingly tired and trembling tone. "Tell me why! Why did you kill yourself in front of me!"

Chip looked down. There really was no excuse for his actions. No, that wasn't correct, as there was but only one; one he was sure his friend wouldn't want to hear. "You know why…" He said at last, gazing back at her.

These words hurt. The ranger saw as the young cleric crumbled to her knees in front of him, letting out a muffled sob. Tears streaked down her face as she let go free all the emotions she had repressed since the day the witch entered into her life: anger, fear, disgust… and more than anything, jealousy.

"Tammy, please..." The chipmunk reached forward to caress the sobbing girl's hair, but his paw was promptly shoved away.

"She was dead!" She declared looking up straight at him. "Gadget was dead! There was no way you could bring her back!"

"I know that!" He retorted growing incensed as well. "But she was a witch! Her fate was to remain in hell for an eternity. There was no way I would allow that to happen!"

"And it happened? Did your death changed her fate? Did… my sacrifice was worth it?"

Chip put his paw over the chest wound. "Aye, Gadget's soul is free" He sighed. "Lawhinie's soul as well. I'm sorry I scared you"

"Did you actually go to hell?" Tammy asked skeptical. "Did you actually kill their master by yourself?"

"Kill him? No, not exactly" He waved that idea off. Truth be told, he wouldn't stand a chance in such a battle. "That devil merchant had plenty of enemies in hell, they did the work for me" He smirked at the memory of Bryseis and Marius.

"I guess… I should be glad you are back" She said as she stood up and wiped the tears off her face.

"Back to life… I wouldn't have done it without you, Tammy"

Tammy ignored the smile of gratitude he gave and went to pick the grimoire of her mother off the rockbound floor. "I shouldn't have told you about that spell to revive the dead. That way, you wouldn't have done that to yourself… to me…"

Upon the ranger's sudden silence, she turned to him with a renewed incensed expression. "You wouldn't have done it, right? Right?"

Chip looked away.

"So… that's how it works, huh?" Tammy sneered and got ready to yell at him again, but suddenly found her will faltering. She clutched the grimoire firmly in her hands, then made her way out of the room. She stopped one last time at the doorway, and without looking back she added: "Gadget was truly blessed by fortune, despite her many flaws"

And with that, she left.

Chip let out a dejected sigh and plopped down on the bed. "Jeez Tammy, what's with you? He whispered to himself while rubbing his cheek. After some minutes of contemplation, he realized he needed to mend things over with her. "Oh, you darned chipmunk!" He berated himself, mimicking the tone of his former feathered companions as he ran his paw across his face. "Do you want to lose her as well?" "No, of course not, stupid birds!" He took another deep breath, then bolted out of the bed and out of the room.

The chipmunk's limbs slacked and slowed his pace at first, but step by step he felt himself stronger and more secure. At the end of the hallway were stairs, which spiraled upwards and downwards, making him halt and rub his chin wondering which direction the cleric went. "My deductive skills are rusty… I cannot tell…" A faint gust of wind ruffled his whiskers, making him look up with curiosity.

Not a moment later Sir Zipper, mercenary scout and best friend of the late Monterey Jack, came fluttering down the stairs. "Chip!" He blinked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Sir Zipper!" The ranger saluted. "I was…"

"Wait, shouldn't you be resting?"

"I feel quite fine. More importantly Have you… have you seen Tammy?"

"Oh yes, I did" The fly nodded eagerly and pointed up the stairs. "She ran past me as I was making my way down here"

"I must catch up with her" Chip said quite determined. "It is important!"

"She was visibly crying" Zipper added with some concern. "You know, she's been acting gloomy since the night of the battle. I thought she would be ecstatic the moment you'd wake up but… hey, it was you who made her cry, didn't you? For god's sake, pal!"

A grimace of guilt flashed on the chipmunk's face. "Don't worry, Sir Zipper. I'll fix it right away"

"On second thought, you better wait for her to unwind a little. You don't want to repeat your mistake at the inquisitorial palace, do you?"

"Ugh! Perhaps you are right" The ranger conceded.

"Oh, I am totally right" The scout patted his friend's shoulder. "Go up and take in some fresh air, that will help you clear your troubled mind"

"Right. No, wait a minute. How do you know about that incident?"

"See you later!"

"Damn..."

At the end of the stairs Chip found a door, slightly opened, which gave away the smell of incense, wood and fresh air, all mixed into one. Filled with curiosity, he stepped outside.

The golden light of the holy altar bid him welcome to the inner chamber of the church of the innocents, where his desperate battle had taken place three nights ago, according to the scout. The black-nosed chipmunk quickly got his bearings and realized he had just entered through an expertly concealed mouse hole located in the wall of the apse. It was early in the morning; the sun had just appeared on the horizon and its light bathed the heart of the church through the many fractures in the wooden ceiling. The lines of seats were nowhere to be seen, instead replaced by wooden planks, ropes and tools of all sizes. The church had been saved from destruction and soon would be restored to its former glory, and that was a comforting thought for a sinner like him.

Then, a voice whispered on his ear. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Whoa!" The chipmunk jumped aside. The snooper was no other than his red-nosed friend, carrying in his paws a piece of cheese and a brimful mug. "Dammit, Dale!" The ranger exclaimed. "Do not sneak on me like that!"

"Bwa hahaha!" The bard laughed and jumped on his toes, keeping a perfect balance with the objects in his care. "You were just asking for it, staring agape at the ceiling like a visitor from the colonies" He offered Chip the food and drink.

"You are a colossal prankster" The ranger said as he took a sip from the wooden mug. "Hey wait, is this… beer?"

Dale's smile faded. "Let's just say that the water from the nearest well looks and smells disgusting, even for rodent's standards" He gazed over and beyond the broken windows of the church. "Now I understand why Les Innocents is overflowing with dead humans"

"Hmm" Chip muttered as he devoured the makeshift breakfast.

"It is actually beautiful here inside" Dale said slowly as he contemplated the multitude of morning rays entering into the church. "So, Chip… did you, I mean, did you manage to save Gadget? Is she all right now?"

Chip, as well, looked up and for a moment, said nothing, basking on the atmosphere of the place and in the memories of his last struggle. "Yes, she is safe" He finally answered. "Safe and at peace. So is Lawhinie"

The bard shifted his weight closer to his friend. "And, will you tell me the whole story?"

Chip smiled and turned the empty mug upside down. "Give me a beer of better quality and I might consider it"

"Heh, fair enough" His friend grinned.

Now it was the turn for Foxglove to surprise her companions. "I know, right!" She said as she landed between and enveloped them in a double hug. "These uninspired Parisinian beers can't hold a candle to Saint Pierre's local selection"

"Hear, hear!" Dale raised his paw with enthusiasm.

The three friends looked up and marveled at the visual display of sunlight conquering the shadows in what promised to be a peaceful morning, one they had only dreamed about for a long time.

"Oh-kay, it is way past my bedtime" Foxglove announced, followed by a quiet yawn and a step back. "Sweetie, please tell Chip about our plan"

"Right, the plan!" Dale went vivacious again.

Their black-nosed friend arched a brow. "What plan?"

"Foxy and me… We want to leave for Rouen tonight and get married there"

"For real? That sounds fantastic!"

"Well, we are gonna need your ranger-ly services to get there safe and sound"

Here Foxglove interjected. "If you feel recovered enough to travel, of course"

"Of course I am!" Chip touched the bandages and forced himself not to show discomfort. "Well, I'll be even better as time goes on. We'll travel by carriage, I assume?"

"Yep! And once we get to Rouen" Dale looked down a bit sheepishly. "Would you like to be my best man at the wedding?"

Chip smiled warmly as both future husband and wife held their breath expectantly. "Nothing would make me happier, friends" He finally affirmed. The three of them then hugged and celebrated being in each other company, like the family they already were.

Dale whispered to his friend's ear. "Also, Tammy already signed on for the bridesmaid position, you know"

After a few minutes, Foxglove was the one to break the spell. "Alright guys, I think It's time to sleep for me. Darling, wanna help me get downstairs?"

"Yup, yup!"

"And Chip…" She said as her fiancée took her gently in his arms. "Please, make peace with Tammy. There is something… something has been bothering her since the night of the battle. I can feel it and I've asked about it, but she isn't telling. Perhaps you'd have better luck?"

"Leave it to me" The ranger assured them. "Once she calms down, of course"

"Oh yes, we don't want another incident like the one at the inquisitorial palace, do we?"

"You heard about it, too?""

"Please, I was the one who told the group everything" She confessed with another yawn of exhaustion. "E-ve-ry-thing. Good day, Chipper"

"Nice dreams, Foxy" He replied with a sigh, taking note of the way the bat purposely leaned on her partner's shoulder as they left. Nosy habits aside, there was no doubt that Foxglove was Dale's soulmate, just as Dale was for her. Yes, these two were the very definition of soulmates, the ranger concluded. No matter what the world threw at them, they'll always have each other, in this life, and the next, and the next.

But then, who was Tammy's soulmate?

Later that morning a crew of human workers arrived at the church bringing with them stridency and coarse language improper of such a revered place. Chip, following common sense, scurried back into the maze of tunnels that were as ancient as the church itself. He soon found himself putting up with the overly grateful rodent pilgrims that witnessed and survived the battle against the devil cat a few nights ago, and who recognized him not only as one of the great heroes, but also the one that came from the death miraculously, something not seen since the days of Farceur, the immortal opossum, one year before.

At evening, Zipper joined Chip, Andreas and Eustachious for supper in the modest and kind of small dining room, just as the oldest of the priests had finished blessing bread and beer. "Hello again" The fly greeted everybody as he landed on the table. "So, I see you are still alive" He said jokingly at the chipmunk. "I reckon you followed my advice and kept your distance from our cleric"

Chip grunted at him as he reached for his share of the dinner. "In fact, I didn't see her again in the whole day. I'm kind of worried, sun is setting down and we are about to leave"

Andreas took a sip of beer. "If you are talking about mademoiselle Tammy Lombardi, she spent the day praying and meditating with us at the inner sanctuary. Poor girl has been afflicted with great distress since the night of your battle"

"Inner sanctuary?" The ranger raised his voice. "What inner sanctuary? I checked every door in this place and found nothing like that"

Old Eustachious simply shrugged. "That room is well hidden and not open to the public. A pair of ancient holy relics are in custody there"
"Is that so? I had no idea"

Zipper could hardly contain his laughter. "Pfft! What ever happened to your tracking skills?"

The chipmunk leaned back on his seat. "They are rusty"

"When a woman doesn't want to be found" A very drowsy Dale Oakmont entered the room. "The universe conspires in her favor. right, Foxy?"

"Womanly magic" The bat came in as well, a big smile on her face. "It just works. However…" She grinned impishly as she took a seat.
In came Tammy Lombardi herself, just as Foxglove had foreseen, leaving everybody out of words. "Oh!" The squirrel made a double take at the sight of the crowded room and the sudden silent atmosphere. "Hmm, good evening, everyone?" She said faintly as she made her way towards the table and the basket of bread.

Chip, of course, followed her with the gaze. The cleric had already put on her traveling gear: boots, leather pants, doublet and cloak. Her father's sword hung from her belt; her mother's grimoire secured inside her backpack, judging by shape and weight. For a moment, their eyes found each other. The ranger was the first one to look away.

"Oh boy!" The bard slammed his palm on the table in an attempt to snap everybody out of the trance. "Tammy, you sure are ready to leave town! We still have a few hours left to enjoy, what's the hurry?"

"Well, I…" She started to say.

"Let me guess! You cannot stand the taste of Paris' selection of beers anymore!"

The two rodent priests chuckled, well aware of the fame of the local breweries among the country's far away provinces.

"N-No, of course not!" The squirrel shouted quite flustered, then settled and looked down at her own mug, filled to the brim with French beer. "Well, maybe…"

Dale leaned back smugly on his seat. "I knew it"

"No, you are wrong…" Chip commented casually after gulping down a morsel of bread. His words drawing not only Dale's, but everybody else's attention to him. "She has someone waiting for her back in Saint Pierre. Have you forgotten about Bink?"

"Bink? Who is… oh!" The red-nosed chipmunk got hit by the realization. "Now, I was just joking!" He quickly showed a goofy smile. "I could never forget about little Bink! Who is taking care of her anyway?"

"Louis" Chip and Tammy answered in unison and with the same vexed tone.

"You two make a good team" Andreas lauded cheerfully. His old partner nodded approvingly.

Foxglove leaned in and joined the praising. "Indeed they are! You should have watched them slicing undead left and right back at the inquisitorial palace. They were like, sword dancers of these middle eastern tales"

"May God bless you all for expelling that evil from our land" Andreas said raising up an open palm and doing the sign of the cross.

After a moment of respectful silence, the female cleric addressed the little scout. "Sir Zipper? Would you accompany me to visit the grave of Sir Monterey Jack? I want to say goodbye one last time"

"Of course" Zipper nodded eagerly. "At what time are you leaving, anyway?"

"The time…" Tammy glanced over her shoulder at father Andreas.

"Eight o'clock, dear, remember? Right after evening mass" He explained. "The nocturnal couriers have stopped to attend mass in this church every night for ten years faithfully. Sure as the setting sun, they won't miss mass tonight. In fact, smallfolk pilgrims use their carriage to come and leave Les Innocents"

"He'll take you all the way to Rouen" Eustachious added. "Musketeers from the king will join the route at certain checkpoints. It's the safest way to travel there these days"

Foxglove nodded in high spirits. "We have roughly two hours left, then. Let's better get ready!"

"One hour and twenty minutes, actually" The oldest priest corrected, and none of the adventurers dared to doubt him.

"Well, I'm ready" Tammy said decisively as she turned to the door. "My sister is waiting for me… I won't disappoint her" With these words she waved at the group and stepped out. "Sir Zipper?"

"Coming!" The scout gave his rations one last bit and bolted off the table. "Wait for me!"

Once the squirrel and the fly were out of sight, Foxglove stood up and glanced disapprovingly in the ranger's direction. "Chip, what are you doing? You miss the chance to make peace with her!"

"Yeah!" Dale seconded. "You didn't even offer her food!"

"What?" Chip also stood up. "Did you even notice how cold she was towards me? It's obvious she's still mad"

"Yes, well… There are a few cracks on that ice wall she built" She continued. "I could tell her heartbeats spiked the moment you remind us of Bink. They spiked again when both of you united to attack my darling and his poor memory. Not to mention when I spoke highly about your teamwork"

"Are you sure?"

"What I am saying is… you still have a chance with her. Go! Before you ruin my wedding!"

Dale raised his paw. "I must add, I'm not looking forward to be locked inside a carriage for days with an angry Tammy. So, please go"

Chip looked down dejectedly. "I don't know if… there anything left to save? I admit I did something terrible to her, unforgivable"

Andreas cleared his throat. "You'll only find out the moment you talk to her, young ranger"

Eustachious agreed. "Don't be afraid. Tammy Lombardi is a good, righteous girl. I can tell she hasn't given up on you just yet. Soulmates can be tenacious like that"

"I already found my soulmate" Chip quickly pointed out. "She died"

"I see…" The old priest became quieter, pulling in and then slowly releasing a deep breath. His next words came out in a more caring tone. "But.. what is a soulmate, exactly? What if you could have more than one?"

"More than one? No, that's not how it works" The ranger said emphatically.

"Indeed, people assume we only get one soulmate for eternity, looking always for 'the one' but in reality, its more complicated than that"
Upon the ranger's dubious stare, he continued. "Would you say that a soulmate is someone who is connected to you by fate itself?"

"Yes, definitively"

"And whose purpose is to accompany you through the good and bad moments of life?"

"Yes"

"Someone who makes a better person out of you?"

"Sure"

Eustachious grinned. "By that definition, you just described your friend Dale, didn't you?"

Chip and Dale glanced in shock at each other. "Hey, you are right!" The bard celebrated. "Well, I've always knew this grumpy chipmunk and me were total soulmates. I mean, we are like two sides of a same coin"

"Hmmm" The ranger frowned at his festive friend. "Perhaps… I mean, perhaps you are right".

"A soulmate is not just a person to fall in love with for an eternity" Eustachious said as he scratched his beard. "Any person who mirrors us in some way and we feel drawn to could be a soulmate. They are their own individuals, of course, and we might not always be in agreement with them, but still, something about them reminds us of ourselves. They cross your path at different points in your life, either for a long time or a short time, but always leaving their mark and transforming us for the better"

Foxglove couldn't help but to sigh dreamily. "That was beautiful! Chip, close your eyes" She offered. "Think about Tammy, about everything you two have lived through together. Do you feel she could be… a soulmate?"

Chip did as told and, after a long pause of realization, sprinted out of the room.

Sun had long settled down beyond the horizon, but its last rays of light still lingered painting the sky with shades of orange. The field around the fountain of the innocents was quiet and breezy, devoid of visitors save for a squirrel and a fly that stood before a pair of small gravestones located in a hidden crevice at the base of the structure.

"Here lies Sir Monterey Jack, a real hero" Zipper said with a knot on his throat.

"Here lies Desiree D'Allure, loved forever by Monterey Jack" Tammy whispered.

The scout could barely contain the tears. "We've… come to say goodbye, Monty" He said with an aching heart. "I'll go and tell your family… that you fought like a true Scotman…"

"Thank you, Sir Monterey Jack" Tammy continued, pressing a fist against her chest. "For taking care of me, for protecting me with your sword, for… everything you did. Now it's time for me to go back home"

The cleric knelt before the tomb and deposited an offering of bread and cheese. "I've been wondering…" He turned her gaze to the hovering fly. "You never asked me to use my magic and revive Monterey, as I did with Chip. Why?"

He swallowed hard before replying. "To tell the truth, The Monty you met that night had already lost his will to live. He lost it right here, in this spot, the moment he finished burying his beloved Desiree. He would have hated me and you if he were to open his eyes again and find himself in a world without her.

Tammy listened and decided about telling the fly the secret that had been consuming her for days. "You know, Zipper…"

"I'll meet Monty again, right? In another life?"

"Another life…" She sighed. "Yes, we will" She finally said forcing a hopeful smile. "According to what Chip and Gadget claimed"

"We can only hope they were telling the truth"

"I know, right?" She said as she stood up.

Their mournful atmosphere was transformed by the tolling of bells coming from the church's tower. A human acolyte, either Hugo or Abel, was spotted calling for the evening mass. Soon other towers across Paris joined in harmony. A warm feeling of peace surged from the hearts of the companions. This feeling made the scout recover a small piece of hope. "I've never noticed before, but the sound of these bells is beautiful"

"It really is, isn't it?" Tammy ran a paw over her red hair. "Sir Zipper, are you sure you won't come to Rouen with us? I'll miss you"

The fly shook his head. "Thank you, I'm sure. I'm leaving by boat this same night. Down the river Senne to Calais first, then to England and Scotland. It is my duty to tell Monty's family about what happened here"

"I understand"

"And you? Are you sure you want to tell Desiree's family the bad news?"

"Only about her death" She rectified. "No parent should hear that her daughter died as a criminal in the depths of a crypt"

"Yes, I think… she'd be grateful if you exclude these details"

Monterey Jack's closest friends shared a last sad smile. "It's time for me to leave" Zipper finally said. "I wish you safe travels, and that we meet again someday"

She leaned and hugged her small companion. "Until we meet again, Sir Zipper"

However, as the hovering fly turned around to leave, his smile turned into tense parting lips. The ranger was making his way towards them.

"Don't worry" Tammy assured him. "I've a lot to talk about with him"

"I'm worried about him, not you. Farewell, dear Tammy"

"Farewell, dear Zipper"

The fly and the chipmunk meet one last time. "Farewell and safe travels, Chip"

"Hm? Are you not coming with us, Sir Zipper?"

"No. I have my own path to follow"

"This is the goodbye, then" The ranger offered him his hand to shake. "Until we meet again"

The scout did the same. "Until we meet again"

And so, Zipper left the party, not without whispering one last advice to the green-cloaked chipmunk. "Careful with her sword"

Chip regarded him one last time, then went to Tammy's side. "So, this is where Monterey Jack rests?" He asked cautiously.

"We gathered all the pieces we could find" Tammy explained quietly. "And buried them next to his loved one. It is what Monty would have wanted"

"I wish I had been here for the funeral" He whispered as he knelt to take a closer look at the inscriptions.

"I missed you that morning, I really did" She said without looking at him. "But it was your choice not to be there with us"

He stood up again and turned to her. It was obvious his friend was still hurt. "I'm sorry, Tammy. I'm sorry for everything I did to you" He said plainly and honestly. "I confess I took advantage of your power and used you without any regard for your feelings"

"You have no idea how terrible was…" She wiped a runaway tear. "To watch you stab yourself to death" Her paws began to clench and unclench. "To watch you… fall dead in a pool of your own blood"

Chip closed his eyes and took in a shuddering breath. "It was… the only way…"

This time, the squirrel turned to him with a glare. "Yes, I know that! You had to go and save your beloved Gadget from the hole she dug herself into! You decided it on a whim, your friend's opinions and feelings be damned!"

"I'm sorry…"

She turned to look at the gravestones again. "No, I'm the one who should apologize, yelling at your like that… forgive me. You know, despite everything I've said since you woke up this morning, I'm well aware that…" She paused for a moment to reflect on what she was about to say next. "Well aware that you trusted me to bring you back to life" She said bitterly.

Chip looked at her blankly. "So, that's what it's been bothering you, Tammy?"

He reached to take her paw on his. It almost surprised him when she accepted. Not only that, but the girl actually came to him and buried her head on his shoulder. "No, Chip" She said taking deep breaths to calm herself down. "What bothers me is that I almost failed you. Almost" She confessed and started sobbing into his ear.

"No, of course not! You didn't fail me!" Chip caressed his friend. "I'm here with you, alive and safe!"

Tammy pushed herself away. "Chip, listen… your plan had a fatal flaw. On that moment I was exhausted and out of divine power. The spell is of such a high level that requires the whole mana pool of the caster in order to get at least a chance of success. There was no way I could… do it…"

Chip's expression blanched. Tammy was completely right, not even once he considered the requirements of the spell or if the cleric was in condition to perform it. He simply assumed she would cast it seamlessly like the other spells in her book. "I…" He stammered quite confused. "But, at the end, you did it. You saved me"

"I had already failed twice. Dale, Foxglove, Zipper, they were frantically ripping out pieces of their clothes and pressing them on your wounds. I was behind them, begging God to help me, to give me the power to save you. Then, when I opened my eyes again everybody and everything were gone, except for you and… my mom standing next to you"

The ranger let her paw go astonished as he was. "B-Bethany?".

"Yes…" She said with a depressing tone, as if meeting her mother again had been a cause for grief.

This change of mood for the worse wasn't lost on the inquisitive ranger. "Tammy, listen… I'm not saying I don't believe you saw something or someone, but there are fiendish beings out there, that take advantage of situations like… like the one I got you into"

She raised her voice a little. "Do you think I don't know that? That I wouldn't recognize my own mother from some opportunistic devil like Mephisto? No, Chip. It was her, of that I'm absolutely sure"

"If that's the case, what did Bethany say to you? Did she help you cast the spell?"

"No" She shook her head. "She actually plead to me to stop, because it was clear I was hurting myself. When I told her I wouldn't, that I would make you come back even if I died trying, mom placed her arm on my shoulder and gave me that warm and proud smile… the one she used to draw every time I would share dessert with Bink. No devil could come close to mimic that"

Tammy made a pause to gather the courage to tell what happened next. "Mom told me… she told me I wasn't powerful enough to revive you, unless… unless…"

"Unless what?"

"Unless I added a sacrifice"

"A… sacrifice?" Chip narrowed his eyes as he considered that word. Once he did so, his paws lunged forward and held the cleric by the shoulders. "No, wait! Tammy, what did you do!?"

This was it. The moment she had awaited for three days and nights. Sucking her breath in, she held her partner's gaze with her own. "I offered my life, Chip!"

"Your life?" The revelation made the chipmunk shuffle backwards a pair of steps, completely pale, completely aghast. "Are you saying…" The answer came to him by itself. A life for a life, her life in exchange for his. "No… No Tammy! That's not possible!"

"But it was" She smiled sadly, reaching forward to touch the warm cheek of her beloved, who stood there speechless. "And it worked. It really worked. I said the words and a light blinded me. I opened my eyes again and witnessed your wounds closing, your chest drawing breath and your heart beating again. I brought you back to life, if barely. I was so happy I started to cry in front of the others! You were back with us!"

The ranger became very still, very quiet, very desolate. His arms fell limp to the sides, his heart shrunk with grief. He could picture it now, Scales like those found in a market, Gadget and Tammy chained at the opposite ends. No matter what he did, what quest he completed, what heroic feat he accomplished, he could never save both of them. He would always be a failure to one of them. "Tammy…" He asked with a sudden thickness in his throat. "How long… do you have left?"

The cleric stepped back and clutched her arms on her chest. "I don't really know. Mom was gone before telling me. It might die tonight, or tomorrow, or within one year. I don't know..."

Chip turned his back on the cleric, curled his arms over the head and screamed at the top of his lungs, "Aaargghhh!"

"Chip… Chipper" She lightly touched his shoulder. "Please, calm down. What is done is done and..."

"No!" He promptly interrupted, causing his friend to shrink. "I refuse to accept it! Tammy, I'm going to fix this! I'll ask Odin to help me again, or some other god, some other devil! Someone has to help us!"

"Stop, just stop" The squirrel pleaded grabbing her friend by the wrist. "Please, no more deals, no more contracts or fine prints. You'll only bring more suffering to all of us"

"No… I know I can do it! Just trust me!"

She let out a deep, dispirited sigh. "Enough… The truth is, I don't want you to save me, Chipper"

"What?" The ranger could barely believe his ears.

"We are here, we are together, we survived the battle and lived to see another day. Do you remember the night before, when even Lawhinie told us our chances to survive were bleak at best? And yet we did it! We did survive despite losing her and Gadget. And then you made sure their souls were free. Isn't that the closest to a happy ending we could have hoped for?"

"A happy ending?" Chip argued raising his voice again. "You just told me I'm going to lose you any random day!"

Tammy smiled sadly. "That's what a normal life is, Chipper. Who wants to live forever, anyway?"

Chip realized he had been disarmed and couldn't argue anymore. "It is my fault" He mumbled, admitting defeat.

"That's why I slapped you in the face this morning" Tammy said with a guilty blush. "But as the day went by, I realized it's nobody's fault. Just a chain of difficult choices and difficult consequences. We both did the best we could to protect the people we love. What I want to say is, I'm sorry I hit you, Chipper"

Chip smiled faintly at his party's cleric, realizing she was indeed a very brave and righteous companion, even more than that, a beloved friend. "Duly noted" He smirked and took her paw up to his cheek again. This time, he received something much better than a slap: a warm and gentle stroke. "We might die tomorrow" He quoted.

"But today we are alive" The cleric smiled.

His other arm wrapped around the squirrel's waist and pulled her closer, making her gasp in surprise.

"Chip…" Tammy whispered as her heartbeats started to accelerate. Sly as he tended to be, and rather than giving a verbal response, the ranger leaned in and pressed his lips over hers in a soft, delicate and long due kiss. The cleric accepted this gift and even raised the stakes, kissing back her beloved chipmunk with increasingly urgent desire.

They kept on celebrating life and love for each other in what felt like a moment frozen in time. With their eyes closed and their hearts beating in synchrony, the couple at long last envisioned their warm bright souls linked to each other's by the eternal thread of fate. Linked together as soulmates.

And not even death can break bonds like these.

The end.