This Extra Hates Bad Endings

MattisanordinaryyoungcollegestudentwithanaddictiontothepagesofTheGoldenWeaver’sFirstApprentice.Thisnovelwasn’tjustahobbyforhim,itwashislifeline,theonethingthatkepthimfeelalivewhentherestoftheworldfeltunbearablydim.Pageafterpage,chapterafterchapter,hefollowedthejourneyoftheFinster,acharacterhecaredformorefiercelythananyoneelse,evenhisfamilyorhimself.Whenthelong-awaitedfinalchapterwasreleased,Mattdevoureditwithtremblinganticipation.Thewritingwasflawless,everythreadtiedtogether,everyarcresolvedwithmasterfulprecision.Itmadesense.Andyet,whenhereachedthefinalchapter,hisworldcollapsed.Itwasatragedy.Aselflesssacrifice.Onelifegiventosavecountlessothers.A“Bitter-Sweet”ending,thecommunitycalledit.Mattwasdevastated.Heragedataworld—bothfictionalandreal—thatcoulddemandsuchapricefromacharacterhelovedsodeeply.“Ihatebadendings,”hewhisperedthroughclenchedteeth.Asthoughrespondingtohisgrief,hisphoneflickered.Asoftlightbloomedacrossthescreen,formingwordshehadneverseenbefore,yetsomehowheunderstoodit.Howdoyouthinkitshouldhaveended?Stunned,confused,barelyconsciousofhisownvoice,Mattansweredfromthedepthsofhisheart:“Iwouldbethereforhim.I’dsupporthim,behisanchor—hisstartandhisrelease.Hiscompanion.Hisally.Iowehimatleastthatmuch.”Thelightpausedforalong,breathlessmoment.Thenitreplied:Don’tfailthistime.AndMatt’sworldbegantochange.