After returning to Redmont Fief, Will is treated as a hero because he had killed a Kalkara by himself. Will celebrates his return with his friends, Alyss, Horace, and Jenny (George was too busy to celebrate). Later, Baron Arald thanks Will for saving his life in front of the public. Because of Will's bravery and strength, Baron Arald offers Will the choice of joining the Redmont Battleschool (Will's dreams). However, Will must give up his Ranger life if he wants to be a warrior. To Baron Arald's suprise, Will rejects the offer, and says, "I am a Ranger, my lord." So, everyone respects his loyalty to Halt and the Rangers.
The book ends with Halt and Will alone. Halt gives Will a bronze oak leaf as a symbol that Will is a Ranger's apprentice. Halt then tells Will that Will's father, Daniel, was a sergeant. Will, who had thought that his father was a great knight, feels disappointed. At the same time, Halt reveals that Will's father, who had died at the Battle of Hackham Heath, had died while saving a fellow soldier. Then, to Will's surprise, Halt tells him that the fellow soldier that Will's father had saved was Halt himself. Before Daniel died, he had asked Halt to look after his (Daniel's) pregnant wife. However, Halt couldn't save Will's mother, who had died giving birth to Will, so Halt asked the Baron to accept Will into his ward, because if Will had grown up with the Rangers, none of the other children would want to befriend Will. After knowing the truth, Will felt really proud that his father had bravely fought for a companion until the end.
The book ends with Halt and Will alone. Halt gives Will a bronze oak leaf as a symbol that Will is a Ranger's apprentice. Halt then tells Will that Will's father, Daniel, was a sergeant. Will, who had thought that his father was a great knight, feels disappointed. At the same time, Halt reveals that Will's father, who had died at the Battle of Hackham Heath, had died while saving a fellow soldier. Then, to Will's surprise, Halt tells him that the fellow soldier that Will's father had saved was Halt himself. Before Daniel died, he had asked Halt to look after his (Daniel's) pregnant wife. However, Halt couldn't save Will's mother, who had died giving birth to Will, so Halt asked the Baron to accept Will into his ward, because if Will had grown up with the Rangers, none of the other children would want to befriend Will. After knowing the truth, Will felt really proud that his father had bravely fought for a companion until the end.