//------------------------------//
// Epilogue 
// Story: MLP: ODST - Hazardous Venture 
// by JO3 
//------------------------------//

	A sharp pain pierced the soldier's flesh. An ever present cold forced a shutter. Joe awoke, eyes wide, but vision as though they were still closed. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, dark room, a repulsive flavor greeted his tongue. Coughing the wretched cryogenic fluid out of his system, the soldier lifted the lid off of the cold cylinder. As he fled the cold tomb, the pains in his arms were lifted from him. The groggy soldier walked forward, charred armor creaking in protest to the sudden movement. He reached for a nearby novel on a shelf, but his reading abilities alluded him. He took in his surroundings, survival instincts taking charge. He found himself in a wooden room, with no windows, and only one exit; a staircase toward the back. The survivalist shambled toward the staircase; his only means of exfiltration. Collapsing at the third step, Joe crawled up the obstacle, his muscles screaming “exhaustion” and “pain”. Once at the door residing atop the monumental challenge, the soldier pushed the structure open with all his might. The small door barely opened enough for the fatigued man to walk through. The newfound light beyond the threshold blinded him. Darkness greeted his vision once more. Joe took two more steps forward, hearing a muffled and inaudible conversation, before he completely collapsed once again. The darkness of his vision slowly spread into his mind. He felt his body shift, but he felt nothing more afterwords. He was numb to his senses, but his thoughts had one last thing to say: Am I alive? He did not know.


THE END ?