The cold emptiness of space wrapped around Takumi like a suffocating blanket. His vision blurred, his mind foggy, and his body completely drained. He floated through the abyss, powerless, helpless, and utterly defeated. There was no sound, no light, just the vast void of nothingness pressing in from all sides.
His mind screamed at him to move, to fight back, to do something—anything—but his body refused to obey. It felt as if every ounce of energy had been ripped from him, leaving nothing but a hollow shell. His power, once so immense, was now barely a flicker in the darkness.
Nihlus.
The name rang in his head like a gong, the memory of the Voidbringer's devastating punch still echoing through his bones. That last blow had sent him hurtling across dimensions, smashing into Ardynia with such force that the planet itself had been obliterated, reduced to dust. All those lives, all those people—gone. And it was his fault.
Takumi's eyes flickered open, the stars above barely visible through his haze of pain and exhaustion. He floated in the blackness, his body limp, drifting aimlessly through the remnants of what had once been a world full of life and promise.
I failed, he thought, his mind heavy with guilt. I couldn't stop him. I couldn't protect them.
The weight of his failure pressed down on him like a mountain, crushing him beneath the sheer enormity of it. He had always been able to bounce back, to find some spark of hope in the darkest of moments—but now, floating in the empty vacuum of space, even that seemed distant.
His strength, his godhood, his very essence—Nihlus had taken it all. He could still feel the lingering effects of the siphoning, the hollow void where his power had once been. It wasn't completely gone—there was still a faint trace, a flicker deep within him—but it was nowhere near what he needed to face the enemy.
Takumi's eyes fluttered shut again as he let the void take him, his thoughts scattered and unfocused. He wasn't even sure if he was still alive—was this what it felt like to die as a god? Floating forever in an endless sea of nothingness, powerless and alone?
Just as the numbness began to take hold, something stirred in the darkness. It was faint, almost imperceptible at first, like the distant echo of a memory. But slowly, it grew—warmth, a soft glow, breaking through the blackness.
Takumi's eyelids flickered open again, his gaze drawn to the soft, golden light that was slowly enveloping him. It wasn't just warmth—it was… familiar. Comforting. He knew this energy, this presence.
"Takumi…" a voice called out, gentle but firm.
His heart stirred, recognizing the voice. It was someone he hadn't heard in what felt like an eternity. "Veronica?" he croaked, his voice barely audible in the vacuum of space.
The light grew brighter, and from it, Veronica's figure emerged, standing tall and strong, her revolver gleaming at her side. But this wasn't the real Veronica—no, this was her essence, her presence. A fragment of her that had somehow found its way to him, even in this darkest moment.
"You're not done yet," she said, her voice cutting through the haze of Takumi's mind like a knife. "You've faced worse. You've come back from the edge before. Don't let Nihlus be the end of you."
Takumi blinked, struggling to focus. "I… I can't. He… he took everything. I can barely move."
Veronica knelt beside him, her face inches from his, her eyes locked onto his. "He didn't take everything. You're still here, aren't you? That spark inside you—it's still burning. You just have to find it."
Takumi shook his head weakly. "I… I don't know if I can. I'm too weak."
Veronica's expression softened, but there was no pity in her eyes. "You're never too weak, Takumi. You've built worlds. You've defeated gods. This is just another fight. It's not about power—it's about will. About standing up, no matter how many times you're knocked down."
Her words cut through the fog in his mind, and slowly, the tiniest ember of strength flickered within him. It wasn't much, but it was something.
"You can't give up now," Veronica continued, her voice growing stronger, more insistent. "There's too much at stake. You've got people counting on you. You've got worlds to protect. You've got… me."
Takumi's heart clenched at the thought of her—of all of them. His team, his friends, the people he had sworn to protect. They were still out there, fighting, surviving, waiting for him.
"I can't…" he whispered, the pain in his chest tightening. "I can't lose you."
"You won't," Veronica said, her voice softer now. "But you have to stand. You have to fight."
Takumi's hands twitched, and slowly, painfully, he forced his body to move. It was agonizing—every muscle, every fiber of his being screamed in protest, but he pushed through it.
"That's it," Veronica encouraged, her presence growing stronger as Takumi began to stir. "One step at a time. You're stronger than you know."
With a grunt of effort, Takumi clenched his fists, summoning what little energy remained within him. It was faint, barely more than a flicker, but it was there. Slowly, he forced himself upright, his body trembling as he hovered in the void.
Veronica smiled. "There you go. Now, get back out there and show them what you're made of."
The warmth of her presence began to fade, the golden light dimming as the blackness of space closed in once more.
"Wait!" Takumi called out, panic rising in his chest. "Don't leave me!"
Veronica's voice echoed softly, a whisper in the wind. "I'm not leaving. I'm always with you."
And then, she was gone.
Takumi floated in the silence, the void pressing in around him. But now, he wasn't alone. That tiny flicker of strength, that ember of power—it was still burning inside him. It wasn't much, but it was enough.
He wasn't finished. Not yet.
Takumi clenched his fists and focused, drawing on that tiny spark of energy, coaxing it to life. Slowly, he began to gather what little power remained inside him. It was faint, fragile, but it was growing.
"I'm not done," he whispered, his voice hoarse but resolute. "Not by a long shot."
With a final surge of effort, Takumi summoned a burst of energy, propelling himself through the void. He had no idea where he was going, or how long it would take to get there. But he wasn't going to drift in the darkness any longer.