Nighttime. April 7th, 2026.
The Requiem Judge, Alexander Amara, had spontaneously detonated himself beneath Retly's capital, thus effectively marking the start of Riot's assault upon the Demon City's monstrous forces.
But while what seemed like the second phase of the attack had already occurred, the first phase was still underway. The explosion's orange light shone against their faces with eyes trained on the source. Snowy spikes attached to red hair swayed simultaneously with the wind's flow while Divergence's scarlet hue peeked over shades.
"Alex's done it," the King relayed to his partner through an earpiece.
A slash from a blade cut apart the prohibiting tape covering his mouth. Unleashing a deep exhalation previously trapped, the Founder analyzed his darkened whereabouts.
'Where am I? I don't recognize this place at all…' Cal thought through the haziness of reawakening.
But while the area was unrecognizable, who stood over him he knew all too well. Clad in her usual attire, that being her jacket and the black dress underneath, she glared at the bound Founder. After yanking some bandages over her arm, she sighed. Going for the kneel with a knee against the ground, Katie tightened the chains against her victim's legs to ensure his entrapment. The second the binds secured, a stinging sensation shot through his nerves, and he instinctively jerked his legs.
"Agh!" He groaned aloud.
"Don't bother moving. These chains aren't inorganic, they're extracted from Ace's technique meaning they're strengthened by Vita," Katie replied, still securing the lower chains.
Callum remained speechless for the time being, continuing to uselessly examine his surroundings to Katie's irritation. As his eye glimpsed past her imposing body, her pupils shrunk, and a hand connected to Rivers' cheek. Watching saliva splatter onto the wall in tandem with blood, the Source stepped away and swung her hand.
"Heh, I'm surprised that worked… but it did and you bled. That's more than what Ace can say he did to you. Truth be told, I can't wait to rub it in his face when I told him what I did to you," Katie said while half-smiling, grabbing a chair from against a wall.
Sitting in it after implanting it into the ground across from the bound Founder, she allowed her arms to rest over her legs, raising her azure eyes from the ground to glare into his red retina. His blurriness from resurfacing to consciousness had faded. He was awake, alone in the darkness with Death's Source and only one light source shining onto his face; the torch attached to the wall to his right.
"These chains… are to restrict my freedom?" Founder Rivers asked.
"Of course. What kinda stupid question is that?" The Source answered his query with a raised hand.
"I see. Then Ace Wilder must've used a life-risking covenant to prevent me from breaking free thus granting the chains I'm bound by nigh unbreakability. That also means that if I ever break free without his permission, he dies. Am I right?"
"Do you even have to ask at this point? You're right. You're one of the most perceptive people in the world. But whether or not that's a byproduct of your innate intelligence is up for debate. After all, you can see the future," Katie replied while smiling.
"I can. That being said, I have to ask that, since I have the Requiem Artifact, I should be unbeatable. But, you somehow did it, didn't you? You beat me and confined me in chains formed from Ace's life force. Tell me—how?" Callum's curiosity urged him to satiate.
Katie's eyebrow raised. She reluctantly sighed, venting a tiny chuckle before she held her head.
"That's one of the many things I can't exactly tell you yet. Over these past three years, we haven't been taking the threat of Retly lightly. After all, don't you think it's a little weird that your pathetic demon nation was bombarded with wars for so long before they finally ended yesterday? Manipulating other nations to mobilize their offensive forces and mount an attack on the infamous oppressive superpower titled 'Retly.' It was easier than you think, ya know," confessed Moon, shrugging her shoulders after she finished speaking.
"So you informed multiple nations around the world of Retly's existence, garnering support for our destruction by using their atrocities as excuses. That's not a bad plan but there's one thing about it that irks me. You couldn't have infiltrated our ranks in just one day, there wasn't that much chaos in the recent war against that peasant town. With that being established, how long have you… been here?" Callum asked.
"That doesn't matter presently. I'm the one asking the questions, remember? So before I ask you anything regarding Retly, Riot, the demons—I want to ask… did you lie to me back then?"
At the mention of that memory, Callum's head fell, and his sole eye's crimson brightness dimmed. Squinting to the ground, his pupil shaky, Katie remained unwavering in contrast to him. In her blue eyes inherited from her beloved father, no tears appeared from her eyes' corners, nor did her pupils quiver. She awaited his answer with whittling patience, for each second that passed, her nostrils flared more and her eyes brightened.
What advantage did lying give him? Fib through his teeth to his captor, ensure his arrival to Hell upon his inevitable demise? No, of course not. Whether or not the truth would hurt her, he didn't have a choice—whether he wanted to or not, he had to say it. The truth of this world and all others beyond it, the unavoidable cruelty that engulfed everything in its path. But then he remembered… that she was its victim, too. More than anyone else, she'd understood everything he went through.
Nevertheless, he had to ask, even if he did reveal everything and bear it all for her to hear, would she accept that inescapable truth?
"I… Ever since I was born, I've been me."
That was what he said. Katie was justifiably puzzled. She didn't have an especially confused expression sans the wide eyes and she parted her lips, all she could say to question his words was a simple…
"Huh?" Katie leaned forward. "What the hell're you talking about?"
"Ever since any of us were born, we were all ourselves. Because we're humans, because we were simply born into this world, we are free—we're special. So long ago, trapped beneath that rubble, I realized the truth of my world. That there was corruption I needed to obliterate, that I needed to rework the framework of the world. And so, I did. But, in my hubris, I made things worse than they already were. I created the Remnant World, I summoned Artifacts into existence, and bred a new form of racial injustice that will persist until one side or the other completely perishes. But regardless of the damage I've caused, I know I wanted this. Despite the guilt and everything that's happened because of me, I know it has—I know my sins. Maybe I did lie to you back then, but I don't care. I want to… make a better world for everyone to live in, so I can finally be at peace and free with the people I love. Until that peace is attained, I will switch sides as many times as I want. I'll keep soaring higher. That's just the type of person I was always meant to be."
Katie was idle after Callum had spoken. He awaited her reply, assuming that what'd come next would be her angered screams. However, when she stood up and offered her hand with a comforting smile, he realized he was hallucinating. This couldn't be real. The embodiment of Death's Source offering him a hand—but what did it symbolize? Maybe this was their way of settling their differences? Or just accepting that they had splitting paths. While the Founder remained chained, all possibilities coursed through his mind like a chaotic stream bursting through the forest.
Unexpectedly, the chains fell seconds after, leaving Callum to momentarily glance at his hands in shock. Without distracting himself any further, he stood up from the chair and slid his hand into Katie's. His surprised expression remained even after deeply examining her smiling face.
"I understand then. You and I are the same. We will do anything we can to achieve what we want, that's what makes us unstoppable. Even if it means everyone should die, we won't stop until our justice is served." Katie's words were spoken with unwavering carelessness, her viciousness even sending Callum to parted lips. "In the face of adversity, no matter who it is, we laugh and destroy. That's what makes us unstoppable."
'I believe I understand now,' he thought.
But following his realization, there was a calm moment. Everything in the world slowed while she seemed to expand in size. Quite literally, he was clutched in the palm of Death's hand. Only when staring ahead at his demise incarnated did he fully realize the weight of his actions. The self-destruction, the uncaring obliteration, all the deaths—all for the sake of that lowly dream he could never reach. No matter how hard he tried, his innate ambition was never a product of his nature. As foretold by the stars of this New World, he was 'chosen.' One of Inheritance, the same as the woman before him. But, of all the spirits to be connected to, it had to be that dazzling legend that everyone whispered about.
It was Katie. Death's Source. He'd seemingly underestimated the extent of her darkness, the limit to her hatred. This power was never his, how long could he'd have masqueraded further with the usurped Requiem might? This end was always assured, no matter what path he took. But there was no changing the future; it was already written.
'I wanted this. I deserved this. I know better than anyone that this is a righteous end. For it is only within true darkness can light be found. And it is only within true light can darkness… expand. That darkness—that light… it's right before me. It's so cold and hot, I wish I could run, and at the same time, I'm grateful. No matter what, regardless of everything, I wanted this end for myself. This is… my freedom.'
In his final moments, Callum Rivers abandoned his selfishness. Whether he meant to or not, the Requiem Artifact was returned to Riot, however, at the cost of the Founder's life. As Death's Storm raged over the city, annihilating anything and everything in its path, her first victim was a mere skeleton—reaching for the moon but encased by the transparent sphere that entrapped them all.
To Be Continued.