In the vastness of our intricate brains constructed of matter, blood, and organs, we enter a state of slumber. Where we filter out the loudness of the Earth and enter a brief time where nothing matters, not even time, you could lay there forever; and drift in whatever fantasy your mind conjures up. Images of the past and future swept through his mind, the Headmaster shifting and grunting in an annoyed manner as his head twists in annoyance. Asleep, his hands swiftly reaching up to scratch the itches vibrating through his tanned skin, tears threatening to fall from the edges of his optics not hidden by glass spectacles.
Dark crimson walls painted with steaming blood, alone flame extinguishing as a hand reached out to grab the fiery substance, ice shattering as only the vastness of transparent water remained below. Buildings were destroyed by an abrupt explosion that seemed to be a result of a star, a thunderstorm parting as the clouds vanished into the sky. Collapsed yellow palaces, crushing the legs of poor civilians caught amid this abrupt attack. And finally, as he jumped awake to the audio of his daughter inquiring about her parent,
"Dad..? Are you okay?"
Searching around endlessly, he rubbed his forehead, and in the corner of his eye, he managed to catch a glimpse of the very thing he'd been looking for. Right limb extending out to reach it at the edge of his wooden desk, extremities wrapping around the arm of the glasses, Ben responded with a strange comment, after clarifying his well-being,
"Yeah... it's just-"
There was something odd about the devices that aided his poor eye-sight, seeing through the transparent glass to stare at his icy-eyed Emma; it was apparent,
"I felt like I've been sleeping for years..."
The right glass cracked, as he stared at it with no sort of emotion to give, his head fell in his hands as he rubbed his eyes. What seemed like a long sigh exited his mouth, Emma reached out her hand, throwing herself over to rub his shoulder and lay her cheek against his shoulder.
"This plan you've made, Dad... it's a bit risky, isn't it? If any of us mess up, we could lose some of our biggest guns against those demonios inmundos. Or worse, die ourselves,"
"Mm, I doubt it, to be honest with you, Em. We'll do something, we'll find some sort of weakness; as long as we keep moving forward, no matter who we lose. No matter the cost, we have to reach their end. That is our fate, and I will ensure it occurs,"
Pushing himself from the seat behind the table, a simple wave of his hand would repair the glasses, back turned to the girl he'd helped birth into this world. Stepping around it, brushing her lone index finger against the wood to collect the dust, Rivera dejectedly stared, registering her father's words,
"What makes you so sure..?"
Scoffing with an irritated tone obvious in his vocal cords, he shoved his spectacles in the pouch to the bottom right. Yanking the sweater off its hanger so it could slide over his person, he pushed his arm into each hole and tucked the turtleneck around his throat. Spinning around with a determined look in the center of his pupils, he stated to his daughter,
"Whenever it comes to taking back freedom or ensuring justice is served for the home I've lost; strength flows through me. It is for the sake of everyone we care for that I must enact this plan without fail, we must keep moving forward if we are to truly break free of this false world and reach the outer clouds as they govern our feeble existence. No matter what the cost, that is my purpose because- because..."
This man, so ready to risk it all for the freedom that'd been taken from him so long ago in the past; was it truly her father? Ready to reach out and grab her arm, he spun around and slapped her fingers away so he could stare straight into the vibrant coloration of her pupils. Tears streaming down his cheeks, he declared with 'Dark Determination' visible in his eyes,
"BECAUSE I WAS BORN INTO THIS WORLD!!!"
"Why... are you crying?"
Realizing this, he quickly wiped his tears so they'd slide onto his knuckles, fingers tightened into a strong fist; veins ready to burst. Whispering inaudible phrases to himself, he let out a crazed laugh as his daughter took one step, and that was when he embraced her into his chest. Shocked by this sudden action, his grip on her was tight as she was kept close, arms snaking around his body as he informed the child he'd birthed... his firstborn: something. Enough to cause the tears to fall as she pushed herself back to gaze into the vastness of her father's eyes, surprised by the new knowledge he'd shared. Attempting to leave, he shook his head and took her forcefully by her arms, and kept her there as he collapsed to his knees, crying out desperately, "NO!" There was no glimmer in his eyes, no sense of hope or happiness though what he'd said moments prior was that of optimism. All there existed in those azure pupils was hatred and grief for the future, yet to come. There was nothing else, no one else to speak to, his son... he could never understand. This vision was different from the rest,
"It... it's for the sake of our freedom. Back then, I wished... I wished to carve out my path when my mother died, and beyond that; I had hope for our future. That we could make it so we please, that we don't have to rely on useless prophets like The Empress or the Kingdom. And when I saw it; when I touched Alex, I knew the truth. It wasn't just for freedom, or for the sake of justice... when I learned my mother's sacrifice meant nothing in the end... I WISHED TO WIPE IT ALL AWAY!! I always had hope that I'd protect those I cared about to the end, no matter what... but it never mattered. I'm sorry... I'm so... truly... sorry..."
Tap tap tap tap! Fingers repeatedly hit against a microphone, his android's voice echoing out across the halls as Emma ran away barging through the exit so she could locate her mother and siblings. Left alone as the cold chambers of his office encased him in, the Emperor scoffed with an annoyed cadence audible in his tone. Affixing the collar hugged around his esophagus, Rivera strutted through the hall so he could reach the bathroom alone with no one populating it. Taking out his contacts from the right arm of his spectacles, he pushed them into his eyes as the water ran from the interior metal of the sink. There it was, the reflection of his face, gazing into the pretense of his darkened azure eyes, Ben nodded as he placed his glasses beneath him on the sink. Whispering to himself as he stepped back for a moment, eyes shadowed by his brunet curls,
"There is no way to win unless we hunger. Starve ourselves with grief and hatred, use the hate we've been born with to ensure victory. Move forward into the future. Fight onward. For freedom and justice... fight!"
Fist smashing down, shards of glass and metal flew out as they spread across the floor and walls. Short circuiting with electricity and technology that was once hidden within the intricacies of these devices, Ben glared as the glass shards obeyed his commands to emerge from his palm. Stab wounds healing as the skin reattached itself to one another, the Emperor's 'Dark Determination' radiated as bright as a rising sun... this was his purpose. Justice for the family he'd lost that day; this was Freedom.
Japan, Paris, Italy. In the past two months, since the arrival of the demons and the reemergence of Hell in June, there have been three intense cosmic radiation waves radiating from the Earth. Believing this to be the cause of the new target, Ashton Dabrowski, the Headmaster, and the Reaper sent out three squads to each of these locations. Ben would take his friends to Japan, August would take his friends to Paris, and Alex would lead everyone else to Italy. All those remaining, Abby, Cecilia, Charlie, Shadow, Candy, Jonathan would stay here and guard the place. Pink bullets with engravings of a cuddly stuffed animal bear on the side of the Konpeki-made cylinders pierced through the hardened flesh of those monstrous demons, Candy giggling as they dropped dead, jumping to the air as her pigtails bounced with her, with her sister leaping over her, her vampire ally in tow. Slashing through his chest so one would fall to plenty of pieces of its previous formed anatomy, Hill was drenched in the blood of his enemies, snarling in an annoyed manner. Time seemed to slow as he glid through the air aiming toward the concrete-covered platform to his knees, silently growling,
"Wrryyyy..."
As Shadow ran past her friend rolling on the ground, slicing through the ankles of two incoming attackers, she jumped up and broke a duo's noses. Stepping back in agony, they cried out in pain as blood threw itself from their nostrils, Riley landing on her back as she revealed two Glocks; the duo of pistols sliding down her sleeve. It was safe to say their brains were blown out with matter spilling out, whilst Sammy levitated downward. Extending out her fingers to halt an incoming flying horde of the creatures, a simple rocket originating from a launcher was all that was needed to blow them to smithereens. Body parts, limbs, bones, the air was surrounded by destroyed anatomy as they leaked out blood once splatting onto the ground. Kyles let out a heavy pant, dropping it to her feet as Veronica Johnson caught her girlfriend whispering a worried,
"You okay?"
"I've had worse commutes... definitely,"
"I doubt it, Char,"
Commented Lane-Rivera, the rock to their feet hidden by the metal and concrete to her soles protected by shoes breaking through to create a giant X that protected the entrance of the Academy. Hardening to a pink crystal, Cecilia took one step forward as her fingers sharpened; as if they were claws that Jason would have his fingernails transform into. Paralyzed with fear, pieces of the transformed rock protecting the Academy had flown off to hover beside her, and as she scratched the back of her ear- she stated smugly as if a part of her husband had infested her speech pattern,
"You've come to fight, haven't you? Don't make me laugh, after all... you're all already dead, aren't you?"
With a simple backhand from the Justice, the dust had been cleared to reveal those cannibalistic monsters, feasting on innocent civilians who once held their precious lives. And instead? Their hope had been stolen away by those who came from the depths of the Earth and sent by those who'd laid beyond the clouds. Him. Fueled with anger, Whitney began his descent to the blackened abyss, Lynn reaching out to comfort her friend. However, her attempt was met with no avail, as Rose ripped her arm back so she'd follow the rest. Hazel's fingers interlocked together as she prayed for the boy, and whatever he was going through, while Alex understood despite fleeing that location to search the rest with Edward. Whitney emerged with a determined look in his eyes as his violet aura blackened in response to his blind rage, giving out an echoing war cry,
"Kuso... KUSO ONIIIIIIII!! (Fucking... FUCKING DEMONNNNNN!)"
Those who obeyed his commands fought for him, a bear fueled by the shade created by the Sun tore out their throats, crimson fluid entering the air and infecting the oxygen. Myers took a look to the right, brass knuckles popping into existence around his extremities blunted edges in the center of his fingers. A simple punch to the jaw for one of these wretched demons, that was all it took for them to fall as the Hunger raged on. For the sake of his freedom, he fought on, as Sunni watched in horror as his brutality, the demons just kept on coming. Trying and failing over and over as their guts, intestines, it all stained his already-dirtied purple sweater. Finishing their search and coming up with zilch, Alex and Ed gazed at Whitney from the rooftop of one of the abandoned apartments in the streets of Italy. Lonely strands that'd fallen over to the front of his forehead flowing in the wind, Amara's expression changed to that of pity. Though he wished to aid the poor boy in his problems, the blood lust, and fate that'd consumed him... just as it did him all those years ago; Whitney had to do this himself.
His parted hair moved, droplets of blood soaring off from the edges of the locks trapped over the peak of his skulls, Myer reveled in the demise of these horrific creatures. Though, as he was about to let out an amazing laugh into the clouds so everyone could hear it, he fell... to his knees. Crying with his forehead to the ground riddled with rubble and debris from his massacre, tears dripping from the edges of his eyes, Whitney shook his head. What was the point? What did killing these demons bring back? His parents? Penelope? Vivian? All of them gone with the wind as a result of his selfishness, Myers snarled in annoyance, then gritting his teeth with self-hatred. Screaming out as blood and spit revealed themselves, throwing out of his mouth,
"Nothing... nothing changed... I'm... the same. The same as I've always been; the same as you. I'm the same as you... I'm sorry. So truly... sorry, Vivian... I tried... but I can't... avenge you, sis,"
Sobs croaked out from his throat in pain, as he held his hair, lifting his head to stare at the disintegrating skull of a demon he'd decapitated. Then once more collapsing as his fist hit the ground, Lynn knelt beside him and ensured he felt the hug around his head. No matter how dirty he was, she was there, because he needed it... he needed a break,
"You told me that I was free because I accepted the path that laid ahead, that my father had made his choice and there was no changing the past. I was free. You said that there was nothing you hated more than a slave, that since the day we were born; we were free. But what happened to your freedom, Whitney? Just because some mistake you made when you were 16, are you going to let them tie you down or are you going to move forward? For freedom,"
Widening his eyes at his past self, Myers snarled at the reference and wrapped his arms around the grip of the male tightening as he held her; head burying in her shoulder. She was right, and he'd known it from the beginning; the truth. But, there had to be something, he'd thought, there had to be some way to honor their memories...
"You thought you had to do something, didn't you... Whitney? To make sure that you knew that they were proud of you, right? You see, your parents, before everything, or maybe just your sister, I'm sure, wherever they are, they're watching over you. Just as my mother is happy to see me comfort a boy who needs help moving forward from the past, your sister, your mother, your father; they would be just as glad to see you move on. Move on and fight, you cannot win unless you fight. Win and live, lose and die, the only way to keep moving is to fight. Fight,"
"Fight..."
Repeated the boy, a memory resurfacing as his big sister wiped her hands finishing with whoever she'd pummeled for her younger sibling. Scoffing, she pushed the boy forward so he'd walk forward, taking notice of his head as it spun to gaze at the bully's bloodied face. Not in worry, but of curiosity. How did she have such intense strength? It intrigued to a degree that it shouldn't... as she entered the car, and he followed into the passenger seat, he caught a glimpse at the date in the corner of his eye. October 7th, 2050. The day exactly wasn't so... complete in his memory, a memory that far back in the past never is, though he remembered the important bits. As she began to speak to him, he felt a sense of... Deja vu. Wiping her knuckles with napkins, eyes trained forward as she readied to flee the area before she could get charged with assault and battery, Vivan Myers informed her brother,
"The next time something like this happens, Whit, I'm not fighting for you. Not because I don't want to, or I don't like the shit out of pathetic whelps like those, but because you need to learn. The only way to win in this world is to fight, that is the only reason we exist now, if it hadn't been for that kid twenty years ago... none of us would ever be alive. He fought for our race. So, fight. Tatakai. (戦い.) Fight for yourself... because there's gonna be a day where I won't anymore. Not for you, just- just in general, I guess,"
There was some sort of worry in her voice as if she'd known something that he didn't, she was desperate for the future she'd been trying so hard to fight for. Bloodying her knuckles for, and sacrificing her nights to watch movies with. Just so he could have a good childhood, so this boy didn't make the same mistakes as she did a time ago... would it all be for nothing? Then for the first time in years, she'd heard his voice, extremities tightening against her limb as she'd rested against the steering wheel. The past and the present converged into one as Whitney repeated what he'd told his sister that day, that day where she regained hope for the future, and the day she knew... her death would not be in vain,
"I'll keep fighting... just for you all. Lynn... Arigato,"
Throwing himself out of the hoodie over his anatomy, Whitney stood up strong, Alex smiling at his friend's newfound self-realized freedom. Watching as Ed jumped down, he soon followed and decided to meet back at the Academy hoping they'd get a signal to rendezvous with the Emperor's Squad. Rose and Hazel all joined in to help Whitney, the ginger squeezing his bloodied cheeks and kissing him all over so he'd feel better, to which he chuckled and swatted her away like an annoying bug, repeatedly saying over and over,
"Alright, alright,"
Riddled with red lipstick marks, Hazel then joined in to hug him slowly, unfortunately groaning at the chilliness of the blood on his body, Myers pulling back for her while the girls went forward to meet with those protecting the outskirts of the Academy. Rose was met with a slap on her rear from the Hunger, to which she yelped, twisting back to spot the teenage boy with eyes having knelt to a child's body. But a young boy, no older than maybe 10, the bottom half of his body was destroyed. He'd died from shock, eyes still open, Hunger reached down to brush his fingers against his eyelids so he couldn't see this horrific sight. BWOOM!
Just like that, his consciousness skipped through time for about 10 seconds, the power of time erasure had rendered the past but a dream as he experienced the future in another boy. As if he was the boy, he saw through the eyes of a dying man with blurred vision, the lights faded away. To reveal that man. The same man from the vision he'd experienced in June, with long hair, this time surely emerging from the Heavens to descend upon a mountain of scorched corpses. The smell of burnt flesh infested 'his' nostrils, the same thought repeated over and over like on a vinyl record, Is this a dream..? This... scenery...
Thrust back to the past, back on the sidewalk with those decaying corpses belonging to those disgusting demons, some of them have started to lose their flesh; blood coagulating. Shifting to the same color as his pants, he noticed a crackling portal in space, shifting and sparking with teleportation radiation, a step forward drove him forward. The Guardian standing by the energy-powered gate, the Hunger inquired of the Hierophant a curious question, voice groggy as he rubbed his eyes via index and thumb,
"How long was I..."
"Three hours,"
Just like that, Whitney entered, nothing less of a surprised look in his eyes as he emerged on the other side. What the fuck..?
Now in France, the Reaper and Detective's group were investigating a lead with an abandoned mansion near the Vosges mountain. Where the emerald blades swayed with the wind's movements, a simple push was all it took to swing those doors open. They'd been destroyed for some time, barely hanging on by a thread, so to speak. They all shared knowing looks, all able to split up with one another so they could cover more ground. August went with Matt, easy to catch up and search at the same time, Gen went with her cousin Mei and Azazel went with the World's older sister; Emma.
Upon entering there was a staircase, wide and lengthy that two other shorter stairs were spread out from the left and right. Leading to different hallways. August and Matt both took the downstairs kitchen, living room, Mei and Gen took the left upper hallway and Azazel with Emma to the opposite one. The Detective lifted a frame that held a paper picture, a family portrait. The way they were dressed, the lavish filter around the photo as he held it in his gloved extremities, and the way the boy's face showed displeasure in his lifestyle; no doubt about it, a rich family had perished here. As if that weren't obvious enough from this huge mansion out in the middle of nowhere on a grassy mountain, The Fool let out a dejected sigh. He'd had him back but at what cost? The cost of normality? A regular life, where he could just search for superhumans for the Police and not have to worry about anything else? Was it worth it? On the verge of his psyche shattering to the Crow persona, Emma's voice echoed through the little chamber they were encased inside of, the inquiry spitting out of her mouth directed towards him,
"So... Rosalyn and you, huh? Long lost siblings, something out of a damn fairytale if you ask me,"
The body turned slightly so half of himself could be staring at her, the former Crow nodded somberly, as the wooden frame met the desk to the left of the dirtied mattress. Reeking of piss, blood, and burnt flesh. If he'd looked inside, he had no doubt he'd see the remains of the poor family that'd once lived here; beaten up, the flesh was torn off from the skin, dried up blood infecting the once-snowy mattress. Azazel had no sarcastic remark or plain insult to send back to Rivera's Prodigy, instead, he just flicked off his gloves and whispered,
"Yeah..."
Surprised by this, she stepped forward to examine his face, bending forward pushing out her rear so she could watch his features. Quirking a brow, his pupils darted from side to side, not embarrassed, rather, more puzzled than ever. A simple push was all it took to send her back a couple of meters, as he asked,
"The hell are you doing?"
"Ah... nothing, I guess. Just, the look in your eye, what's it for? Did something happen?"
Scoffing with a smug smirk, Azazel stepped over to the mattress and tore it off from the wooden stand it was attached. Glaring at the decayed corpses caused by this world that'd transformed to mere chaos, Emma gasped in shock at their bodies as he bent down to pick one up. Pieces of their flesh attaching to his light brown coat gifted to him by the Reaper, Karlo demanded of the female business owner,
"Follow,"
It didn't take long for her to suck it up, she'd seen worse when she was but a teenager, she'd done worse when she was just a teenager. He was already out of the room the moment she'd twisted her torso to check if they could walk together, meaning she didn't have to feel guilty about what happened next. Reaching out her icy palm radiating with a sky blue hue brightening up the cabin, their blood was frozen, normally, if you were frozen to such a degree on the outside; it'd burn at first and then you'd feel the chilling cold. She had an idea.
To the back of the mansion, he'd already dug up four graves. One for the husband, wife, young son, and then the older daughter. Faces deformed so none of them could ever be identified, Azazel threw their corpses into the dirtied holes in the Earth. Wiping the sweat from his forehead pouring from his glands, Emmy followed suit to see the hardened carcasses she'd held over her shoulders. Throwing them into their graves so they'd shatter to pieces, the Young Priestess did the same to the duo of deceased relatives that the Detective had buried. An urn of ice was all that was needed, large, thick, wide enough to carry the individual pieces. The Detective and the Prodigy watched on as the urn was carried by the cool, Karlo staring at the graves buried with grass hiding the holes dug minutes ago,
"Ever since August left, I'd felt alone. I was free but without purpose. What was I to do when the best friend I'd ever had, just perished and abandoned me the same as my mother? Your brother had helped me find meaning in my life, the same as he did with you, ensuring you didn't feel adrift or lost because of what happened with Pierce. Though I felt I had no purpose after his death, I had to keep moving forward, advance the new society without Kuno's influence. Inform the world of superhumans, destroy corruption; bring about a new generation without worry or hurt. Amara had been tortured by the sins of Kuno's strings, the same as I was, and now..? I found my sister, my rival's returned, but the same world I'd been hoping to rebuild has shattered. Instead of piece by piece, it happened in an instant, the same as I was doing when I was Its puppet. After everything I'd done, sacrificing my marriage for the sake of the Earth so I can honor his memory... now that they're back, and the world's on the cusp of destruction... what do I do? I dedicated my heart without falter, and what did I get in return?"
Fingers shaking, tears threatening to dive out the corner of her eyes, a shaky sigh threw itself out of her throat. There was nothing left for them here, they had to keep moving forward to the future yet to come; as the past was the past. The present was now, live in it now and keep moving in it to ensure the future you want is what you deserve. Stomping away as her teeth gritted, pupils widened as she realized the truth, she whimpered in fear... the same face as her father's when he got the vision of the future two months ago. Unbeknownst to the truth, Azazel sighed to the sky, the remainder of the group pouring out as he rubbed his wrist and checked his phone to see a text from Blaire. 'Hope you're doing well, managed to bake a cake for you with all the supplies here. Tons of love!! xoxo, your Rivera,' A loving smile perked up over his lips, spreading across his face as he realized... maybe there was some point to all of this. Maybe after it all, he could return to a normal life with the girl he loved, with the girl he was destined to be with for the rest of his life. About to text her back, he felt bones snapping as the soft fabric of his wing burst out of his spine, Azazel Karlo screamed out in terror- crimson energy piercing his brain as he remembered... something? Something yet to come, something- in the future.
"Tch!"
Snapping his back around as he readied to fight, unsheathing his katana with a blackened blade, he spun it around so the edge would be over his head. Though nothing attacked him, time was seemingly suspended as his horrifying scream hadn't reached the eardrums of the Prodigious Priestess... however, it wasn't because of him. Staring at the woman's rear attempting to reach out and communicate with her, Karlo's face was grabbed by a mechanical palm, their fingers digging into his tanned skin as they stared emotionlessly into his eyes. Blood leaking from the tip of his skull, Azazel attempted to rid the tightened grip over his peak, though he was met with no avail as the man with green and grey eyes whispered following the images coming into the Detective's brain,
"Humanity's evolution has become finite. The battle has reached a ceasefire at last. It's been 10 years, Father. The cost of freedom has become too steep. It's nice to see you all again... everyone..."
The bursting of a planet, the raging of war, the meeting between Humanity's Greatest Warrior and the Story's Beginner, the realization of freedom, and the demise of... fate's destroyer. And just like that, he shot awake with tears in his eyes, crying in terror as he gripped the blankets. Startled by this, Rose ran over to her elder brother with his wife in tow, holding him by his right and left, the younger teen of the duo questioning,
"Are you okay, Azzy?"
Momentarily meeting their eyes, he nodded as he stared down at his legs, then forward as he continuously spoke. Stating out loud,
"Yeah... it just feels like- I've just woken up from the longest dream ever,"
A fire crackling in the center of a field, particles lifting into the air as they sat around, laughter filled the air as the blue-eyed Emperor took a sip from his cup reading, 'Best Daddy Ever' presumably gifted to him by his youngest daughter. Genesis always was a bundle of sunshine, no matter the situation you'd put her in. The way the silvery golden pampas gold swayed in the wind, the chilly air hitting his cheek, all reminding him of a time. Jason twiddled the cup in his hands, feeling it vibrate in his palm as he stared straight ahead, a sharp inhale vibrating through his lungs. Madi went from looking over, pretending to joke with Henry, to staring at her brothers' saddened expressions. Sending not just her into a depressed fit, but everyone else there included to sit there, heads down and wondering what could've been,
"Whatever happened to the buncha kids who saved the world from a demon invasion in 2013? Look how the mighty had fallen, huh?"
Sarcastically questioned of the Icy Magician, finishing the sharpening of his signature frozen ax before throwing it to the side, as the Chariot shivered at the thought of those once-forgotten memories. The Emperor grunting at that same memory, of that day... when he failed to save that which he cherished most of all. The last remnant of his true family that cared for him, Jason winced... a time where he could visit the true tombstone that had his mother's decrepit corpse beneath the Earth? The hometown he'd lost, the family he'd abandoned for the sake of their own lives. What was it worth? That was the question she'd asked herself, they lived, but for all those who'd perished; was it worth it all?
"Did we truly ever save the World? It'd have destroyed itself in a few years anyway, and it did, at that. Nyarlathotep corrupted the Government and media from within, Ryder as the ambassador against us for the acts I'd committed for protection. And now, here's the next one. Once more, The Author seeks to destroy us all without hesitation, for the sake of 'True Happiness.' And why should we stop Him? There's no point, everything we do, all just leads to more pain. The truth is, all worlds are destined to fall, as that is the will of The Author. I doubt we'll ever be able to see our hometown again, visit our old home and see our mother's grave. Tell our kids about the days we used to have to laugh around a lunch table like immature brats... but those days never existed,"
Every single waking moment of their lives had been filled with worry and agony, ever since that fateful day in which Jessica Rivera had been diagnosed with lung cancer. The Kingdom, The Superior, Nyarlathotep, The Outcast, Ryder, The Aether, The Crow, and The Author. All seeping their way into their lives like infectious parasites that held no sense of empathy, slaughtering innocents for the sake of their mission. But, how did any of them differ from that? Ben chose to slice those FBI agents in half that day, Jason chose to kill those criminals, everyone CHOSE to leave that world. No one ever tried... because why would they? It was human nature, save yourself and leave everyone else. Sacrifice others, devote your heart for the sake of something you care about.
"And you guys believe it was all for nothing, don't cha?"
El asked of her sibling friends, the Triplets perking up to hear her interjection, intrigued for her input into the situation as Miller scratched behind his ear. Staring as the frozen ballerina danced in the cage of ice he'd encased her in, movements still and slow, Henry sighed and relinquished his crossed posture over his chest,
"Everything we've been through, every single high, every intense low we've experienced... it's all for this. Now, more than ever, I feel the end inching closer and closer as death peers over all of our shoulders. We dedicated our hearts, we fought the good fight. So what if those good days never came to be? And they never come to be in the future after we stop fighting? Looking to the future, reminiscing of the past? Exist in the present, focus on the time we have together now... if it hadn't been for this tragedy, I wouldn't have ever gotten to spend individual time with my best friends ever again. That's... that's all I ever wanted to ask for. We may never truly be free, justice may never truly be served for the sake of those we'd lost along the way- but as long as I have all of you with me... strength flows through me. I will continue to fight for the fleeing dawn, reaching out my hand so I can grab it wholeheartedly. So keep fighting, and I will dedicate my heart to whatever you ask of me. I am always... in your debt, Ben,"
As soon as he finished saying that, the Emperor took a bite of his nail, forcefully ripping it off and spitting it out. Eyes staring to the grass beneath him, kicking the back of his boot into the dirt so it'd enter the air for a moment. Gritting his teeth, he sobbed into his hands to the surprise of everyone remaining, abruptly cackling with his cries for help. Jay reached out to touch his brother's shoulder, the Thunderous Priestess whispering in fear for his mental state,
"Benny.."
To their heads, it hovered and towered as the peak scraped the clouds, levitating above the Earth as the next day came. Leading the pack, the ceiling was barged through as the Castle was infiltrated by the Protectors. Madi leading forward, dragging the edges of her sneakers against the dirtied floor to her soles, everyone followed in a calm and orderly manner. And despite that, all ready to bring out their weapons with attacking an enemy being the next step. The sun's normal golden rays had shifted to a bloodied crimson as they shone down on the Earth from above, and as the Requiem Emperor passed by a metal bar, he glanced at it in remembrance. The very first time he'd seen his father was when he was trapped in bondage and chains. What a loser.
"Stupid old man,"
Indistinctively muttered the Headmaster, then reaching the center of it all; the Throne Room. Spikes poking from the ground below, the main entrance to their backs with a deadly throne pushed more toward the front as the Demon King slouched there. Raising as he recognized the rebellious whelps from so long ago, Morningstar's lips parted as his threatening booming voice echoed from the depths of his throat,
"Ah, the pathetic children that'd somehow slaughtered the Rivera Empress. Look how old you've all become... we've a lot of catching up to do, don't we now..?"
Jason snarled in annoyance, growling with an irritated tone as he unsheathed his Ketsueki blade and spun it over his head. The tip directed toward the throat of his doppelganger, the Empress of Light and the Requiem Emperor followed to support their brethren-led assault. Henry's skin immediately burnt off, turning to ash as only his flaming orange fiery skeleton remained, a layer of ice protecting Matthew's skin whilst El's lightning-sparked of her clothing. Crackling around her anatomy, she raised her hand as a bolt manifested in the center of her palm, extremities gripping it tightly. Just as he was about to stand up to combat his old rivals, Trident emerging from a plentiful amount of pentagrams bursting into existence accompanied by whispers from Hellish demons from the depths, their plan was activated. The bottom bouncing against the platform to his ruby feet, Lucifer's sadistic smirk was the signal, Ben thrusting himself forward- a sudden push to the side was all. And it wasn't just him, they were hands made of molten rock as they all readied to throw his allies out the way. The Emperor's eyes widened at the sight in front of him, Henry's right limb attached to his body extending out in a flat palm- his entire body pierced by the horrible tendrils. All originating from the murderous spirit belonging to that of The Chaos' Offspring, Ashton held an apathetic expression from the roof of the Hovering Castle. Fingers cracking back in place, he swiped his hand to the side so Henry would fall over, spikes sinking back to the Earth. El sped forward to catch her friend's body before it could hit the ground, screaming out in terror as the tears fell from the corners of her eyes- the Superior leaped downward to land beside his demonic brother. Madi and Matt pushed past Ben, throwing themselves on their best friend's corpse to check if he was alive. Attempting to feel for a pulse, it was no use, his heart had immediately been destroyed... the very last words he could let out before perishing were simply,
"For... freedom..."
Stepping in front of them all, Ben Rivera defended his friends and family from any more secondary attacks as they tended to their long-time ally. Colon's bloodied hand in Matt's palm, the Protectors tried as hard as they possibly could to reach out to their fallen comrade,
"Henry! Come on, talk to me, bro!"
"You can't... you can't be dead... come on! SPEAK TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!"
The Superior, with his King brother, stepped forward to question Rivera's intent. Another sanity-reduced cackle escaped the intricacies of his throat, extending out his fingers so they'd claw at the flesh and skinned hide that'd covered his epidermis. Inhaling sharply, Ben's eyes looked to the side, tears welling up in each corner as he scratched behind his ear,
Pushing out his hand, his thumb met the back of his index finger, brown hair swaying in the wind as the Superior realized... his kept-in power. KRAKK! His knuckle went, eyes staring at the platform to his feet for but a moment as the snow dug itself up his brunet curls attached to his skull. Yanking his head upward so he could glare into the eyes of his enemy, 'Dark Determination' radiating in the center of his pupil, he declared coldly with a broken voice,
TO BE CONTINUED - THE CHARIOT'S CARD IS FLIPPED, ALL THAT REMAINS IS THE BATTLE AHEAD!