The wind tore the breath from her chest.
Stelle barely had time to register that she was falling before the void swallowed her completely, forcing her out of the Horizon and violently hurling her back into the Golden Moment. Beside her, Dan Heng descended in silence, his coat snapping sharply as both of them cut through the air like fragments expelled from an invisible rift.
Stelle managed to lift her gaze as the world around her began to spin amid their parachute-less free fall.
Above them, occupying nearly the entirety of the Asdana star system's firmament, two entities collided.
One of them had the form of a pristine white doll, immaculate and impossibly perfect. Its surface was traced with golden details that gleamed like living filigree, and from its body extended threads of gold, stretched taut into nothingness as if anchored to something beyond perception. Cradled between its hands with obscene delicacy rested a miniature world—an orb in which continents, seas, and urban lights could be seen with terrifying clarity. Floating beside it was a massive eye, wide open, observing everything without blinking, fixed upon its adversary with absolute focus.
The other being seemed like a violent denial of any harmonious form. Its silhouette evoked a beetle, a fly, and a mosquito all at once, as if several incompatible ideas had been forced to coexist within a single body. An exoskeleton of electric blue covered its dark form, and two enormous horns extended forward from its head, streaked with shades of purple, fuchsia, and pink that clashed brutally with the rest of its figure. Around it, an infinite swarm churned like a living tide.
Space itself seemed to twist as the golden threads plunged into the chitinous flesh of the giant insect upon impact. A shriek tore across the distance, so intense that even as she fell, Stelle felt her teeth vibrate. In response, the swarm reacted instantly, clinging to the white doll's body, crawling along the threads, covering the eye, and detonating one after another in bursts of energy and organic fragments.
"…This definitely beats anything I've ever seen before." She murmured, more to herself than to Dan Heng.
Stelle had no time to process anything further as she watched a new swarm emerge from the giant insect's body.
Two insects broke away from the chaos and dove straight toward them. Before she could even scream, sharp limbs seized her by the arms and waist. Dan Heng was caught in the same manner.
"No! No, no, no! I am not dying by getting eaten by bugs!" Stelle screamed, kicking desperately as the air sliced against her skin.
The insects descended rapidly, ignoring her wailing, and deposited them onto a solid surface before releasing them without ceremony. The next instant, they were already gone, beating their wings hard as they returned to their progenitor.
Stelle rolled across the ground and immediately pushed herself up, gasping as she tried—without much success—to calm her racing heart. Dan Heng landed on his feet beside her.
A purple light flared in the distant sky, followed by the sharp crack of a weapon being fired. Shooting stars began to rain across the vast firmament of the Golden Moment, streaking through the sky like blazing spears plunging downward one after another, each heralding the arrival of the cavalry.
Before she could fully grasp it, a gigantic stone hammer descended from above and crushed both colossi mid-collision. The impact shook the entire surrounding space within the star system, the shockwave rippling across Penacony like a colossal heartbeat.
Stelle planted her feet firmly on the ground and adjusted the hat on her head with a deliberately casual gesture. Dan Heng stepped forward and readied his spear for battle. Himeko took the front, her saw letting out a threatening roar, while March and Welt took positions on either side, each with their weapon at the ready.
The Grand Theater trembled, nearly throwing them all off their footing.
From the sky, a colossal mass descended and slammed into the structure with a metallic crash. The ground fractured under the impact as a titan emerged amid dust and debris. Gold and obsidian plated its body, overlapping armor reflecting the light with cold indifference. Four arms unfolded with slow, deliberate movements, one of them holding a conductor's baton. A golden visor concealed its gaze.
Its lips did not move.
And yet, Sunday's voice echoed throughout the space, as though it came from every possible direction.
"…So this is the ending we have arrived at."
The figure remained still for a moment, as if assessing its own existence.
"I was stripped of my divinity." It said calmly. "I admit that, for a moment, I felt lost. But if this is the path imposed upon me… then I will accept it."
The colossus raised the baton.
"I will contemplate the Conclusion from another perspective. Was it the Gods who brought creation into the world?" It asked, not truly expecting an answer. "Did they fill their creations with love… or did they ignore them with cold indifference?"
The gale emanating from its body forced the group to reposition themselves to avoid being knocked over.
"That no longer matters." It concluded. "Their silence is all they left behind, along with the remnants of their image."
A golden radiance began to envelop the colossus as the energy of Harmony and Order gathered around it, so intense it forced everyone to narrow their eyes.
"All life shall grow according to the nature that carries it toward its own end! A world of mortals must fall into mortal hands!"
The radiance intensified as the Harmonious Choir and the Choir of the Firmament raised their praises.
"The Embryo of Philosophy shall reconstruct reality for mortals."
With a tenor that heralded his arrival, the proclamation welcomed the one who promised the advent of paradise.
"On the first day, reality was bestowed."
Sunday took a step forward.
"I, King of Humanity, will build a paradise without Gods who bind humanity to alien dogmas and laws."
Welt clicked his tongue as he adjusted his glasses, his hands tightening around his cane.
"His power…" He murmured. "It's returning. This is terrible."
The colossus raised the baton once more.
"On the second day, the calendar was bestowed."
The members of the Astral Express attacked in unison, but the Harmonious Choir and the Choir of the Firmament rose as a living bulwark, blocking every blow, every shot, every attempt to advance, as reality itself began to reorganize under their leader's decree.
"Order was fundamentally flawed from the very beginning." Sunday proclaimed. "And therefore, it shall be destroyed."
"This is bad." Dan Heng muttered. "Very bad."
"On the third day, language was bestowed. Reminiscence—fleeting and impermanent—shall be destroyed!"
March was thrown backward after withstanding the impact of one of the choir's members. A swarm insect lunged and caught her before she could fall from the edge of the Grand Theater, only to be pierced and destroyed seconds later by the shot of a celestial arrow.
"On the fourth day, values were bestowed… The Hunt, which breeds only desperation, conflict, and misery, shall be destroyed!"
Dan Heng cut down three members of the choir in rapid succession, only to find himself surrounded by six more. The swarm intervened, devouring several of them and opening a brief respite.
"On the fifth day, rules were bestowed. The Nihility that devours all light and hope shall be destroyed!"
Welt advanced with his cane, tracing precise arcs as he brought down enemies attempting to surround his companions, before creating a controlled gravitational singularity that hurled them out of the theater.
"The wills of those who came before us have not been torn apart. Even from beyond, they continue to watch over us so that we may find the right path." He frowned, observing the colossus coldly through his lenses. "Who are you to presume the right to rule over humanity?"
"On the sixth day, meaning was bestowed… The Trailblazer who, in their arrogance, seeks to change an impossible fate shall be destroyed!"
Himeko snorted as her drone dispatched several members of the choir.
"If Mikhail believed in tomorrow…" She murmured. "…how could we, who chose to inherit his will, do any less?"
A gentle melody crossed the horizon with musical notes. The dreams and hopes of those still slumbering took form beneath the song sung by Robin, as a memetic entity shaped like the Astral Express rose into the skies and charged toward the Embryo of Philosophy.
"On the seventh day, dignity was bestowed… Bear witness with your own eyes as I proclaim my will! A new world shall be born as the paradise promised to humanity!"
....
A presence descended upon the Grand Theater.
Stelle lifted her gaze almost by reflex, the air catching in her throat. High above—beyond the clash of choirs, the hum of the swarm, and the thunder of the colossus—a figure was silhouetted against the firmament of the Golden Moment. From the far reaches of the cosmos, a gaze settled upon her, and her eyes met those iridescent pupils.
The harmonic pieces in Xipe's chest gently parted, floating for a brief moment before descending. Stelle remained motionless, her expression awkwardly stunned, as that light drifted toward her.
One piece landed atop the hat on her head, bathing it in a golden trail. Xipe's lips moved, yet no sound escaped, while her eyes narrowed with a sweet, benevolent expression.
Stelle closed her eyes as the energy of Harmony coursed through her body.
"I will chart the path to victory…" She murmured softly.
She opened her eyes once more and raised her gaze to the firmament, but Xipe was no longer there. Stelle nodded in her direction, and with a fluid motion, tossed her hat into the air, tracing a perfect arc. Golden projectiles burst forth from its spin and slammed into the Embryo of Philosophy, their attacks losing direction as their trajectories bent around Stelle's desires.
The Phantasmal Express began to accelerate, preparing for impact as it followed the route traced by the hat.
"What can those armed with nothing but ideals and passion truly achieve?" Sunday commented with disdain as he prepared to strike. "Before true power, their conviction is nothing more than something destined to shatter—like the fleeting trinket that it is."
The Harmonious Choir and the Choir of the Firmament raised their voices in unison. The emerging melody overlapped with the notes of Robin's song, seeking to warp it and force it off course, while an invisible pressure attempted to halt the advance of the Phantasmal Express.
The Embryo of Philosophy swung his baton.
The air compressed in an instant and erupted into a gale, accompanied by a kinetic shockwave that tore through the Grand Theater from end to end, ripping fragments from the floor and threatening to hurl everyone—ally and enemy alike—into the void.
The insects surged forward without hesitation, placing themselves between the impact and the members of the Astral Express. Their bodies were torn apart one after another as they absorbed the blast, yet each ensured it dampened a fraction of the force. Others dove downward, clutching those who lost their footing, holding them fast with legs and mandibles before repositioning them on stable ground.
Stelle felt the hat vibrate as it passed close to her head. The gale's trajectory fractured, veering off in multiple directions, dispersing before reaching its peak.
"To rely on an aberration like this to prop yourselves up…" The Embryo watched the scene with visible disgust. "Is there any fall lower than that?"
A harsh buzzing tore through the air, accompanied by a vibration that made the space around them tremble.
A mocking laugh rose from the void.
From on high, a new figure descended.
Its size rivaled that of the Embryo of Philosophy. Its form evoked both a fly and a mosquito, clad in an electric-blue exoskeleton, with compound eyes of an intense red that quickly fixed upon the golden colossus. With the beating of its wings, the surrounding air became steeped in a repulsive sensation as the currents darkened to a blackened hue.
The being halted midair, and from its body amorphous masses began to slough off.
They fell like rain upon the Harmonious Choir and the Choir of the Firmament, embedding themselves in their bodies, slipping inside them without resistance.
The bodies of the choir members twisted as the parasites began to burst forth from within, tearing their flesh apart and multiplying through constant binary fission. Before long, a new army rose into flight, falling into formation alongside its progenitor.
"Pathetic." The insect delivered its verdict with a laugh at the sight. "So many proclamations, so many decrees… and you can't even defend your own bodies. Are these truly the followers of Order in this age? You no longer possess the same quality as those of the past."
"Who dares interrupt my work?" The Embryo demanded as he turned toward it.
The insect pulled a face full of disdain.
"Hm? You really want to know? Very well. It's been some time since I last had to formally introduce myself. I'll make my own proclamation as well! In the name of the Lord of the Flies." It declared. "This entire choir will now serve as the incubator for my army. Not bad, right? Don't die before the real fun begins—I'd be disappointed if things ended too quickly."
A wave of energy erupted from the body of the Embryo of Philosophy as it unleashed a furious attack upon the mass of parasites. Fragments of light, metal, and flesh scattered through space as it attempted to eradicate the infestation.
Beelzebub clicked its mandibles, clearly amused.
"Spawn." It said, turning one eye toward the swarm. "Protect them at the fool invoker's command. You know what to do."
The insects moved in tight formations, carving routes through the Embryo's attacks toward the insect, lifting the members of the Astral Express and hurling them from point to point across the Grand Theater, drawing them ever closer to the Embryo as it focused its attention on Beelzebub.
Himeko decided to set her preparations in motion.
For several minutes now, her attack satellite had been silently launched into orbit, aligning with its target and ready to strike. Without taking her eyes off the battlefield, she activated the trigger.
A beam descended from the sky.
The impact struck the colossus head-on. The damage dealt wasn't as much as Himeko had hoped, but it was still a fairly respectable hit.
"I'll need to modify it later to increase its output…" She murmured under her breath.
Stelle once again hurled the hat into the air, tracing a new route. The spectral train accelerated, following the marked path as enemy trajectories bent away, opening a direct corridor toward the Embryo.
"We have our own declaration as well. Don't look down on us." Himeko declared without taking her eyes off the increasingly enraged colossus. "As long as there's still a tomorrow worth fighting for, we'll stand against you."
"If you refuse to see it." Welt added coldly. "Then we'll force you to—just as you seek to impose your own vision."
Stelle fixed her gaze on the colossus, its body cracked and fractured after its own gales collided with the currents produced by the insect.
"The stagnant sweet dreams you offer can't contain the desires of those who still look toward tomorrow."
The Embryo's body began to collapse in on itself as an oppressive pressure welled up from its core. Golden tears streamed down its porcelain face, falling alongside fragments of metal as energy gathered around it.
It raised its baton, preparing to unleash a concentrated attack. Arcs of electricity raced along its arms and the baton itself, carrying with them an ominous foreboding.
Welt clicked his tongue, frowning as he noticed a third energy—distinct from Order and Harmony—beginning to emerge from the colossus.
"…"
Gripping his staff tightly, he braced himself. The battle seemed poised to take a new turn. Whether the winds would shift in their favor or in that of their enemy… all that remained was to respond accordingly.
*********
The shooting stars stained the firmament purple.
"Heh."
Boothill lifted his gaze, tracking with the corner of his eye the incandescent trails carving through the sky of the Golden Moment. A smile spread across his face. Beneath the brim of his hat, as the revolver spun in his hand with a dry, familiar click, he snapped the cylinder shut with his thumb and then pointed the gun behind him.
A faint current of air stirred his hat.
"Huh? Well then?" He said calmly, not bothering to turn around. "You gonna introduce yourself, or are you hopin' I'll do you the favor of turning around so you can shoot me in the back, creature?"
From one of the sectors where the starlight hadn't quite settled, a figure stepped forward a few paces. Boothill caught a glimpse of the silhouette reflected in the metal of his revolver. Dark skin, long black hair pulled back. He wore a white tunic traced with blue lines that seemed to light up and dim in a steady rhythm. In his hands he held a bow of clean design, free of superfluous ornamentation. Two white quivers hung at either side of his waist. He didn't look older than twenty to twenty-five.
When their gazes met, Boothill tensed.
The stranger's irises were utterly bizarre—even for someone like him, who over the years had seen countless traits from countless species. This was definitely the first time he'd ever seen anything like them.
"…It's like someone took different shards of glass bottles and pieced them together into a new one." The comparison was almost laughable, but he couldn't think of a better way to describe what he was seeing.
A strange sensation spread through his body. Frowning, he made sure to move fast, springing backward in a single leap. At that very instant, the space he'd just occupied was torn apart by a barrage of golden arrows.
The ground detonated, pulverized in an explosion that left nothing but a smoking crater where he had been.
He dropped to one knee, bracing himself to stay steady before pushing back up as the dust finished billowing. He clicked his tongue while drawing his second revolver.
"Shit…" He muttered, tilting his head. "Didn't even let me see when you fired."
The only thing he'd managed to register was the faintest brush of the archer's fingers as he released the string.
"Tch." He couldn't help clicking his tongue again as he realized this was going to be a troublesome fight.
The man let out a weary sigh.
"It would've been simpler if the first strike had been enough, but I suppose I should be used to things not ending the way I want them to… After all, times have changed since the distant past, back when the Grand One still stood. Unfortunately for you, that stubbornness of yours will only drag out something that could've ended much quicker—and with far less pain." He said calmly before giving a slight bow. "But what does it matter? I still value propriety above all. Since this has gone from an ambush to a duel, I owe you the proper respect and an introduction. My name is Horus."
Boothill bared his teeth in a crooked grin as he set his feet on the shattered ground, lining up both revolvers.
"Heh. Well now, creature, decided to bare your fangs at old Boothill?" He said with a laugh. "Looks like this'll be a longer conversation than I figured. Don't go blamin' me if you head home with a new hole or two decorating your body, alright?"
Multicolored met red—Horus's irises shimmering with many hues, Boothill's burning crimson. Horus frowned as he settled into a combat stance.
"After all, what would my colleagues say if they saw me let you walk away without a proper show of courtesy, after you tried to shoot me in the back?"
********
A wave of discomfort ran through Aleph's body as he tried to move.
It felt as though millions of needles were piercing countless holes through him, or like a broken faucet spilling water uncontrollably…
His vitality was draining away.
He could taste the metallic tang of blood in his mouth. The weight of his own eyelids overwhelmed him as he struggled to open them.
A gentle touch slid over his face, covering his eyes.
"Shhh."
Aleph began to cough as an overwhelming vitality flooded in, replacing what had been lost.
"How interesting… It's not uncommon for me to glimpse those of your kind—simple beings who live by and for violence, bathing in corruption just to see another day while consuming everything in their path. Bereft of any notion of affection, reason, or thought… even of a heart." Benevolent and serene, the touch sent chills racing through his body. Whose voice was this? "…And yet you possess two hearts within your chest."
A hand slid down to caress his pectorals.
"Is this perhaps a change born from the assimilation of those two components into your being? Or is it the work of the machinations of that Pure Daughter who stained you with her essence?"
An image invaded his mind as a warm, enveloping sensation rose from his hand.
"Ah."
A pained sigh assaulted his senses.
The person before his eyes flickered between a gray-haired girl with drill-shaped twin tails and a voluptuous young woman with pink hair.
"Even in their current state, they're still the most beautiful…"
That was when Aleph finally understood what the sensation in his hand was…
"No! H-How… how? This… I—"
His hand had pierced straight through her chest and emerged from her back, filling him with warmth as the girl's body went limp in his grasp.
Blood spilled from her mouth, yet she still tried to keep a smile on her face as tears began to fall onto the ground—and onto the body of her killer.
"I… I d-didn't want to…"
Despite his feeble attempts to justify himself, he received not a single look of disdain. Those dying eyes held neither anger nor hatred. To his confusion, they conveyed only sorrow, sadness, and an overwhelming affection.
"Hate me… please hate me…"
"It wasn't your fault, Dante." She whispered in his ear with her last remaining strength, just before life finally left her.
"A… a g-good g-goodbye… sh-shouldn't e-end with a-any o-of us i-in t-tears, r-right~?"
The image vanished as suddenly as it had appeared, leaving behind only a sense of emptiness.
"Whatever the case, it doesn't matter much now." She remarked calmly.
A shiver ran through his body once more as a second, a third, a fourth, a fifth, and finally a sixth hand began to caress him.
"There, there."
Aleph could feel some of those hands begin to stroke his head, giving him the same sensation a puppy might feel when petted by a human… perhaps, in this being's eyes, he was not all that different from a helpless pup.
A warm sensation began to emanate from his head, while the damp feeling of a kiss lingered on his forehead.
"In the vastness of the night, hidden at the farthest reaches of sight, life proliferates endlessly, seeking the path to permanence, yearning to overcome its inevitable conclusion." She murmured softly as she cradled him in her arms. "What fate awaits you, who constantly oscillates between being and non-being, between life and non-life?"
A finger tapped his nose as the other hands traced something across his body, leaving behind a moist sensation.
"Is it the path of the destroyers, the meaningless void of Nihility, or to give free rein to your obsession and pursue it to the furthest reaches of the Cosmos like a rabid Hunter?"
As he tried to part his lips to offer an answer, he felt a hand cover his mouth.
"Giving an answer in the moment without thinking it through is simply irresponsible and disrespectful to the one asking the question. Little Scion of Elation, don't you think you should be a bit more polite? You needn't worry about answering a question you don't yet have the answer to. I'll simply remain silent and watch you until you find it. Still… I'll offer you a kind piece of advice."
Aleph felt the sensation of a kiss once more, only a few inches from his lips.
"Do not walk the Path of Remembrance."
A sensation of weightlessness overtook his senses as the arms released him. His eyes narrowed as he tried—unsuccessfully—to adjust to the harsh light… streetlights?
Ignoring his heavy body, the blood flowing from his head down his forehead, and the pain of his broken horns, Aleph tried to move forward as best he could.
"What's the difference between me and an insect crushed under a boot?" A sneer of contempt crossed his face as he recalled how easily he had been dealt with after the hammer fell on his head. "I'm so hungry…"
Forcing his weak legs to move, Aleph continued pushing forward, focusing on directing the Swarm toward the Grand Theater. But even his stubbornness had its limits.
Unable to take another step, his legs gave out. Aleph's eyes flew open when he realized his head was about to slam into a fire hydrant.
"…How pathetic." He murmured as he closed his eyes, knowing he couldn't avoid the fall.
But in the end…
The expected impact never came.
Slowly opening his eyes, purple met rose-gold. Holding his completely filthy body without caring about getting dirty herself, Acheron stopped his fall.
"Don't worry. They can handle the rest." She said as she draped Aleph's arm over her shoulders. "Now it's your turn to rest a bit. You've already done enough."
Aleph clenched his teeth hard as he tried to restrain himself.
"Why… why."
Weakly, he tried to struggle free and move on his own.
"Angie? What are you doing? You don't look very good—just rest already."
"No, I can't. I still have to do… something… I can still—!"
He didn't even have the strength left to open his mouth, much less resist the firm grip on his body. As his consciousness faded, his gaze lifted, and his eyes met those of a colossus collapsing from the Grand Theater, also falling into unconsciousness.
The same thought lingered in both their minds.
"I'm… so… useless."
*************
The great insect fell.
The stone hammer came down, and the impact rippled through the colossus's body like a shockwave. The King of the Swarm lost all tension and collapsed without resistance; its massive form began to cave in on itself as the energy sustaining it dissipated into motes of light. At the same time, the golden puppet was hurled into the Grand Theater, dragged by the force of the final blow toward its last confrontation with the Nameless of the Astral Express.
Black Swan did not follow the colossus's fate, choosing instead to focus on what truly mattered to her.
She watched as the insect's body shrank during the fall, as plates and appendages retracted until a human silhouette was restored. Every meter it descended was an uncomfortable reminder of what Aleph had become… and of who had dared to push him that far.
"This should never have happened." She murmured.
Her fingers clenched tightly into her hand; had she not been wearing gloves, her nails might have pierced her palm, drawing the closest thing to blood her body could produce.
Frustration coursed through her with unsettling clarity. Those two idiots… they had helped Aleph break limits that should never have been touched, to unleash something even Burroughs had never mentioned in his reports.
Why had Aleph been able to wield the power of the Path of Propagation?
She recalled Constance's words, spoken with a confidence that had seemed like nothing more than arrogance at the time.
"Are you sure you're not the one who doesn't understand anything, Black Swan? Some of the chains you placed inside him have been purged."
What if those words hadn't been a bluff?
Black Swan pressed her lips together.
The thought unsettled her more than she was willing to admit. If Constance hadn't lied, if she had truly found a way to nullify the restrictions imposed on him, then Black Swan's room to maneuver had narrowed alarmingly.
She would have to accelerate her plans.
She quickly pushed the thought aside; for now, the only thing that mattered was reaching him.
She moved swiftly, following the trajectory of the fall toward the point of impact.
How badly injured was he? How critical was his condition? With those thoughts in mind, she forced her body to move faster, cutting through the chaos toward the impact site. But when she arrived, she stopped short.
Someone had already beaten her to it.
Aleph's body hung limp in her arms, covered in blood and dust, his horns fractured; his breathing was barely perceptible.
Acheron held Aleph's body carefully, showing not the slightest discomfort at the blood staining her clothes. Black Swan felt her hands curl into fists before she could stop herself.
She didn't like that sight. Not at all.
She took a deep breath, erasing any trace of hostility before it could surface. As long as he was alive, any discomfort could be pushed aside.
Acheron looked up as she noticed her presence.
"I need help. I got lost." She said calmly, adjusting her grip so Aleph wouldn't slip. "He's lost consciousness. We need to move him before this gets worse."
Black Swan nodded and stepped forward at once, ready to help.
"Leave him to me."
...
Not far from there, in another sector of the Golden Hour, Silver Wolf closed a floating data window and let out a sigh. She looked away from her console just long enough to confirm what she already knew.
"…So that's the path that was taken." She muttered as she pressed a button to send a video.
Beside her, Firefly watched the insect's fall with her hands clasped over her chest, her expression troubled, heavy with sadness and anger.
Silver Wolf raised an eyebrow at the sound of footsteps drawing closer.
Humanoid figures with glowing eyes emerged from different access points, armed with spears, shields, rifles, and war hammers.
"Great." She remarked flatly. "Just what we needed."
Turning around, she saw Firefly engulfed in a torrent of flames as SAM's armor materialized around her.
Silver Wolf stretched lazily, preparing to step in, but a massive hand blocked her path.
"I'll handle it." Firefly said from within the armor.
Silver Wolf shrugged and let out a yawn.
"Suit yourself."
Explosions immediately rocked the area. Screams of pain and the smell of burning flesh spread quickly. Silver Wolf deployed a translucent barrier without even looking back, isolating herself from the shockwaves.
"Much better."
She nodded in satisfaction as the noise and stench were completely muffled. Pulling a portable console from her pocket, she began playing with practiced ease, testing out an RPG she had recently pirated from the Corporation's database.
An idea crossed her mind as she watched her character decapitate a purple-haired sorceress.
"Maybe I should hack Kafka's new computer…"
That machine was a work of art. A true gem for any gaming enthusiast. And Kafka didn't even use it for that.
"What a waste."
A hint of irritation crossed her face.
It was petty to hack it just for that; maybe she'd browse through Kafka's personal data and leave a virus behind… definitely a bit cruel.
"Meh."
She decided to hack it anyway.
A mischievous smile spread across her face as she pulled a stick of gum from her pocket and popped it into her mouth.
...
The King and his retinue of parasites utterly tore apart the Harmonious Chorus and the Firmament Chorus. Himeko's orbital shot fell like a final judgment, while March unleashed a rain of six-phase ice arrows that pierced what remained of the enemy formation.
A water dragon rose up, coiling around the metallic colossus and restricting its movements.
Stelle hurled her hat into the air, using it to redirect her own attacks against the Embryo of Philosophy.
The Embryo of Philosophy let out an irritated growl and hurled its baton like a spear straight at her.
"Tch."
Stelle clicked her tongue as she prepared to invoke the flaming spear of Preservation.
The Phantom Express descended from the sky, colliding with the baton and knocking it aside. With an elegant spin in midair, the hat returned to Stelle's hand.
A deafening shriek filled the ruins of the now-shattered Grand Theater as the parasites reveled in the ecstasy of victory.
"Was that all your minions could offer, you little brat?" Beelzebub's mandibles snapped as the insect burst into laughter. "How pathetic!"
The insects began to gather around him as a black mist spread, enveloping them all.
The Phantom Express rose into the air once more, synchronizing with the swarm.
Stelle's fingers brushed the brim of her hat again before she tossed it skyward.
"Fixed coordinates, the perfect path!" Stelle grinned as she looked at the Embryo of Philosophy. "I've already charted it!"
"You know what to do, hatchlings." Beelzebub said.
Following his command, the swarm forced the members of the Astral Express away from the impact zone. The King and the parasites dove together alongside the Phantom Express—
plowing straight into the Embryo of Philosophy.
The explosion shook the Grand Theater. Dan Heng and Himeko grabbed hold of Stelle and March to keep them from falling, while Welt watched the heart of the detonation with an impassive expression, one hand gripping his cane tightly, ready to unleash his most powerful attack if a finishing blow proved necessary.
The massive cloud of dust began to dissipate as it was carried away by the wind, revealing the final outcome of the clash. There was no trace of Beelzebub, nor of any other insect.
The Embryo of Philosophy barely managed to cling to the shattered edges of the Grand Theater. Its once-pristine body was completely warped and cracked, beyond anything it had ever looked like before.
March puffed out her cheeks.
"It would've been nice to keep one." She said. "They seemed obedient and not that hostile."
Dan Heng and Himeko gave her odd looks.
"It was a joke! Of course I wouldn't actually try that." March laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck. "Pom-Pom would destroy me if I brought in passengers like that."
Dan Heng and Himeko simply rolled their eyes and chose to ignore her.
Welt sighed and adjusted his glasses, ready to deliver the final blow.
"Stelle?" Welt murmured in confusion as he saw Stelle step in front of him, blocking his advance with one hand.
The hands of the Embryo of Philosophy began to fail.
Its fingers spasmed as they tried to hold on. The phalanges gave way one after another, crumbling under their own weight. Cracks spread along its arms as pieces of its structure broke off and fell from the heights of the Grand Theater.
"Why does life slumber?" It asked, though it wasn't addressing anyone in particular.
Its hands trembled as they clutched one last time, losing all cohesion.
Stelle traced the brim of her hat with her fingers and glanced at those beside her, her thoughts drifting to all the people who had joined hands, setting aside even old grudges for the sake of achieving this victory that had once seemed almost impossible.
"It's actually quite simple to understand."
Stelle tossed her hat into the air once more.
Golden projectiles descended along its path, striking the Embryo's already-deteriorating hands head-on. The remains shattered into luminous fragments as they finally broke away.
"Because no matter how sweet and comforting dreams may be." Stelle continued. "They all have to wake up…"
Embracing a new day, and hoping for a better tomorrow.
...…
Its form dispersed as it fell, breaking apart into light while the clear dawn sky stretched across the horizon.
"If that's truly the case…" Sunday murmured as he descended in free fall, extending a hand toward the ever more distant Grand Theater.
"Why allow someone to dream if you're only going to destroy those dreams with your own hands?"
Sunday slowly closed his fingers.
"All birds are born with wings… but not all of them fly. Some, even when they try, find nothing at the end of their path but hard ground—and the conclusion of their lives."
He sighed softly as he accepted his fate; from the very beginning, he had been ready to embrace death…
"It doesn't matter whether I'm different from them or not."
He closed his eyes, bracing for the impact.
A gust of wind jolted him as a warm sensation enveloped his body.
Two arms wrapped around him, holding him gently.
Sunday opened his eyes in surprise.
"Brother…"
On the roof of the Phantom Express, Robin held him against her chest, her hand softly stroking his hair.
Sunday's consciousness began to fade as a wave of exhaustion washed over him…
A smile formed on his face as he heard Robin singing an old lullaby their mother used to sing to them when they were children.
"Rest."
**************************************************************
I took a while, I know.
How did your pulls go? That damn Sunday skipped me once again. At least all the prefarming I did for him will be useful for Sparkle, and the guarantee I have left on both the character banner and the Light Cone banner is now saved for Yao.