Shifting through the Seas, stampeding through the sinking shoreline, Alex finally managed to reach his father's lost spirit with open arms that entangled the Emperor's neck from behind.
August's hand raised from the stable beach bordering the omniscient Seas. Channeling reserve Requiem energy through his soul, he shot Orderly Thunder's emerald-colored bolt through his palm toward his brother's unprotected backside. Unfortunately, the bolt he'd fired scraped the Unlimited barrier and deflected, soaring into the air to split apart the overhead clouds.
"Shit," he cursed under his breath, stumbling from his seated posture to start sprinting toward Alex.
"FATHER!!! LISTEN TO MEEE!!!!" He screamed.
"Please listen to me, father. You're not anything more than what you were the second you were born. Not a God. Not an Emperor. You're just a man. A man who was dealt the worst hand in the history of both versions of humanity. I can end… EVERYTHING! I'LL DESTROY THIS WORLD FOR YOU, FATHER! So tell me, what do you wish for? Would you rather me destroy this world with your help or stay here for eternity, wandering these forgotten Seas?"
As Alex attempted to plead with his father's apparition for the power to destroy the New World's inhabitants, August was inching closer. Throwing both arms forward, continuously flailing his legs back and forth, his jaw unhinged—unleashing but a final desperate scream.
"I AM YOUR REAL SON!!!!!"
One last attempt resounded from his body. His left arm extended forward, fingertips brushing the backs of his long idle hair. Frightened beyond belief at what the future told, August hoped from the bottom of his heart that things would go his way. Unfortunately, this wasn't that kind of story.
Neither Augustus nor Alexander were the main characters of this new tale. Just like the Old Allfather he inherited his omnipotent power from, the Emperor's apparition was unable to make the choice. So, he made another. Instead of him being the one that would save or end the world, his will emerged from the Requiem Artifact anew—ensnaring the next person it would inevitably touch.
And that person was none other than her. Simultaneously transported into the Seas to replace the Emperor's lost spirit was someone they undoubtedly recognized. That pale white face, black hair, and dark-azure eyes.
Katie Moon turned around, noticing her surroundings with shivering, confused eyes. Alex's outreaching hand, his eyes tearful and face desperately. August's fingers continuously developed black ropes to ensnare his black-haired target, snowy strands atop his head swaying behind him. Right now, only one thought coursed through her head. Unable to process what was currently ongoing, she unintentionally vocalized that thought with an open mouth expressing a hopeless scream.
"STOP IT ALREADY!!!!"
The Seas of Time had obeyed her wishes. No longer was any of them chasing her, instead, they were all warped onto the beach once again. All three rising from their knees simultaneously, August and Alex went toward Kate a second time. Just before they could inch any closer, however, she withdrew her sword and summoned her Deathly spirit-companion.
The Grim Reaper faced August himself, closing the space between its skull and his face, their heads were now millimeters apart. Despite being devoid of a physical form, the very essence of his heartfelt the abnormal chill of facing down Death itself as it breathed breaths colder than winter's shivering chill.
Alex was threatened by the tip of Katie's unsheathed Blade—pointed at her throat. Maybe she hoped it'll all end this way, that she didn't have to resort to such horrific ends! But the Requiem Judge and Reaper were relentless. For all they knew, this could be the end. So regardless of their deaths were assured, they moved forward.
Alex's hand touched Kate's right shoulder.
And August stepped through the Grim Reaper, placing his hand upon Kate's left shoulder.
Both energies, intertwined through destiny via the Emperor's blood, collided once Katie was touched. Such agony was unequivocal to anything she'd felt until this very moment. It was almost as though she could see everything at once… but that wasn't just a happy accident. This tiny instance of fate preordained from the beginning of the time allowed her to make the choice that would alter the very fabric of the world.
She saw everything. The past, the present, the future. But more than that.
'There was something… far more important… than anything else.'
Despite the infinite possibilities the theoretical multiverse offered, she was born into THIS world. For most of her life, she'd wondered if her beings' purpose. It was only at this moment did she glimpse into her darkness, spreading ever further to ensnare the depths of her very soul. Then again, only in darkness can true light be finally found.
After digging through the depths of despair that spanned her life's entirety, only then did she allocate the tiniest sparkle of light within. The light that would alight the star of hope that would ignite the hearts of every citizen of the Evolutionary Capital. But did that matter? No… it never did. Not to her.
Those familiar faces flashed through her mind.
June. Kima. Natalia. Jefferson. Hana. Azazel. Alex. Ace.
'Let fate toy with you before you die like a fool. Live a long, foolish life.'
Then, that wide scenery. Littered wholly with unwavering greenery that produced such clean air that brushed against her face and seeped through her hair. How could she withhold her smile when faced with such unimaginable beauty? Such beauty she always wished for.
Such beauty that didn't exist for anyone but her.
This wouldn't be her end, no. Even if it was all predestined and someone was controlling her with strings like a puppet, it didn't matter.
From the bottom of her heart, more than anything, she wanted this. 'This' being—her justice.
August and Alex's eyes widened, their hands against Katie's shoulders immediately withdrawing upon noticing her face. With gritted teeth and angered pupils revealing veins, tears squeezed out her eyes' corners to stain her cheeks, streaming down her face.
Before she evokes the end of the world, those memories, those she'd accumulated and those she'd been sent—flashed through her head but one last time. Gazing upon these iconic times where she was ignorantly peaceful, she smiled. This wasn't the end, it couldn't be.
After all—
'Everything… is still ahead…'
…
But while the conflict was ongoing beyond the scope of man, the Tower's erection had enveloped the Requiem Tower. Ginormous pieces of rubble fell from the destroyed to crush Retlyian soldiers amid the fighting, citizens cowering in fear within their homes. Jefferson felt the ground rumble beneath him, his pupils shrinking once noticing the looming shadow of the Tower of Chains cast over him.
'This can't be happening. This isn't reality… this isn't real…'
"Darrell!" yelled one of his allies.
His head snapped to the source. June was the one who'd called for him. Almost instantly did he snap back into shape, running toward her so he could glimpse down at the horrors occurring below them. The demonic remnants of the demolished Retlyian army dragged their disfigured corpses up the intact stairway until the remnants of the Reaper's followers stomped on their skulls, intending to slaughter their nations' traitors.
Branding different weapons sharpened to the hilt along with their supernatural Evolutionary abilities, the fighters unleashed blood-curdling war cries while relentlessly charging forward. Knowing he couldn't stand idle for much longer, Jefferson's eyes produced a bright purple light. His fingers interlocked, mentally invoking Kima's technique upon opening a shadowy gateway.
'Mimic: Purple. Directional Copycat: Bestial Dimension-Shifter.'
"Rainbow Dragon."
Unraveling its tail after exiting the portal, the beast's jaw unhinged; multicolored flames embers hissing out its mouths corners. After petting the dragon behind its ears, Jefferson pointed his finger ahead. The remnants of a heatwave blast in his face following the beast hurling a rainbow-fire blast toward the charging enemies.
The imminent flames singed their skin to blackness, effectively burning them to skeletal smithereens. Darrell scratched his nape, exhaling what seemed like steam. He tore off the sleeves hiding his arms' muscular build and then turned around immediately after. Unhinging his jaw with shrunken pupils displaying his desperation, his voice discharged a scream that instantly gathered everyone's attention. Those previously in horrified awe gazing up at the Tower turned toward the yell's source, their faces froze while listening to his instructions.
"EVERYONE!!! STOP YOUR DAWDLING AND FIGHT!! WE'LL DEAL WITH THE TOWER LATER! IF YOU WIN, YOU LIVE! IF YOU LOSE, YOU DIE! THERE'S NO WAY TO WIN IF YOU CAN'T FIGHT SO FIGHT GODDAMMIT!!! ADVANCE AND MARCH FORWARDDDDD!!!!"
Jefferson charged ahead to challenge the incoming Evolutionaries, the copied Rainbow Dragon soaring after its faux master. By the time he'd reached the bottom of the stairway, he was already rising on the Beast's back, holding onto little patches of fur spread across its back. Every so often, at his mental command, the creature would spit out beams and blasts of fire to singe anyone targeting him. Kima shakily exhaled, clasping her fingers together.
June reduced the sounds of canine howling to background noise, only jerking to consciousness once Kim's hand placed upon her shoulder. Wilder turned to her purple-eyed friend, noticing her staring ahead with fire in her eyes. As long as any one of them drew breath, regardless of their differing beliefs, they'd always have one another's backs.
Her two werewolves by her legs, Kim looked down at her shorter comrade and said, "Let's go."
June's closed eyes opened, revealing the white-planetary markings of Eternal Sight encircling her pupils. Then, after tying up her hair, she excitedly agreed with, "Yeah!"