EPILOGUE
Abe leaned heavily on the interior wall of the Slig jetcopter as they blurred above the Glukksonian landscape. The events of the day had been as stressful as they had been painful; today, the great Glukkon capital had fallen to the power of Munch and the Keuja, King Fragg was dead, Alf had died in battle, and no one knew what the future would bring.
Apparently, brave Cloud the Slig had called for help. Abe found it odd thinking of a Slig as his friend – in fact, he had come to respect Oner and Edur as friends, in their rough-and-tumble way – but Oddworld was, after all, an Odd World.
After the Sligs from Denzling had landed their empty troop transport copters in the ruins of the capital, allowing the remaining Mudokons and Sligs to board, Stranger had come out of the palace. Abe remembered how shocked he had been when he saw the Steef at the head of an army of Snoozers, but he had not disagreed with fate and had instead let Stranger order his army to attack the Keuja.
The Snoozers’ electric guns had not been powerful enough to stop the mighty creature in its destructive rampage, but the machines had slowed the Keuja down enough to let Abe, Stranger, Oner, Edur, Jake, Cloud, Crak, and all the others aboard jetcopters and blast away.
“What on Oddworld can stop that thing?” Abe whispered.
He felt a hand on his shoulder; a Mudokon hand. “You must have faith, Abe,” Jake said.
“Faith?” Abe laughed. “Faith in what?”
“Faith in yourself, Abe.” Jake smiled. “When all others fail, you have to trust yourself to do the impossible.”
Abe sighed. “But with the Keuja still out there…that monster can never be stopped. How can you destroy a thing that can take a grenade, thousands of lasers, a missile strike, and an army of Snoozers – and survive it all?”
Jake looked momentarily puzzled. Then suddenly his body snapped rigid and his eyes went glassy. “We must go back to RuptureFarms, Abe.”
Abe’s eyes went wide. “What?”
Jake blinked repeatedly, gasping as if stunned. “What did I just say?”
“I…” Abe wondered if he should repeat what Jake said. “You want me to go back to RuptureFarms.”
“Not me.” Jake shook his head. “I don’t know what I’m talking about.”
“You Mudokons hardly ever do!”
Abe turned to look at the SKRUT Oner as he walked over, Edur in tow. “What do you Sligs want?” Abe snapped.
Oner shrugged. “You seem to come through everything, Abe. You stomp over everything between you and harmony with nature.” The SKRUT grinned. “I figured you might have the answer to beating that thing.”
“Well I don’t,” Abe growled.
“You have to go back to RuptureFarms, Abe.”
Abe was shocked. The voice coming from Jake’s mouth wasn’t even Jake’s voice – it was Bigface’s!
“Bigface?” Abe whispered. “What? How?”
“I am simply using Jake as a vessel for the Will of the Odd. If you want to stop the Keuja – and I know you do – then you must return to the ruins of RuptureFarms. The knowing will come to you there.”
“The knowing will come,” Abe repeated softly.
“Cheesy line,” Oner snorted.
“Do not mock destiny,” Jake said in Bigface’s voice.
“Destiny, shmestiny,” Oner said, and turned to leave. “See you at RuptureFarms, Abe.”
Abe watched Oner leave, confused. What was Oner trying to say? “You believe him, or don’t you?”
Oner shrugged. “Ah, dunno. I just need somewhere to go other than base camp…they’ll fire me for failing to protect Mantin City from that monster. After we drop your people off in Denzling – and check with the governor to ensure your safety – we can grab some motorcycles and hit the road.”
Abe grinned. “Thanks, Oner.”
“Think nothing of it! It’s my dang job!”
Abe glanced at Edur. “And you?”
Edur shook his head. “If Oner’s going with you, someone needs to hold down the fort at Denzling, and advocate for your Mudokons’ safety so you two can leave sooner.”
“Not just two!”
Abe turned toward the sound of the voice. Cloud and Crak stood near the back of the jetcopter, both of them wielding rifles and looking very close to fearsome.
“We’re comin’, too,” Crak declared.
Abe smiled. “The more help I can get, the better. Thanks, chums.”
“I ain’t your chum,” Crak said. “I jus’ wanna get rid of that Kooja thing. That’s all there is to it.”
“Same for me,” Cloud said resolutely.
Abe grinned. “Understood.” He turned to Jake. Was it his imagination, or was there a slight misty image of Bigface’s mask over Jake’s face? “Bigface…we’re already on our way.”
* * *
The jetcopter flew off toward Denzling, leaving the ruins of Mantin City behind. The Keuja and the Bringer of Pain still roamed free behind them, bringing with them the scourge of the dark…but in the pact of Abe, Oner, Cloud, and Crak, hope still burned.
TO BE CONTINUED…
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cant wait for more 
