Tales of the Epitaph 21

[Hayate]

Tales of the Epitaph

Chapter 21: The Day of Beginning

~ Six Ringing Peaks of Al Fadel, North Pole ~

~ Jinnday, Althena-Lunae 40, AC2038 ~

*the party consisting of Kazuto, Ren, Shiro, Saber, Kaori, and Sakuya gaze up at Cubia several miles above their heads*

Cubia (Sakaki): HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Kazuto: It all ends here, Sakaki… For you…and Cubia!

Kaori: …Um… How are we supposed to reach him from all the way down here?

*holding out his right arm, Kazuto’s bracelet shimmers brightly, causing a staircase of light to appear just a few feet away*

Shiro: …Huh. Guess that answers that then.

Ren: Let’s go!

*Kazuto and company quickly move up the staircase in Cubia’s direction; Sakuya, seemingly distracted by something, lingers behind*

Sakuya: “…On the day of beginning…the heir to Mac Anu shall…”

Saber: Lady Sakuya!

Sakuya: O-Oh! Sorry! Be right there!

*as the party makes its way up, Cubia detects their approach*

Cubia (Sakaki): Tch! Such persistent pests!

*opening up its massive maw, Cubia summons another swarm of its tentacled creatures*

Shiro: Cubia spawn incoming!

Kaori: I got ‘em!

*notching a trio of arrows on her bow, Kaori fires them off straight upward, wiping out a good portion of the swarm*

Ren: Well done!

Kaori: Heh! Nothing to it!

*as the monsters draw in close, Kazuto effortlessly slashes his way through*

Kazuto: You’ll have to do better than that to slow me down, Sakaki!

Cubia (Sakaki): Oh, believe me, young Prince, I intend to!

*Cubia exhales a low groan as the roots on the sides of its head glow bright blue; just then, powerful energy beams are fired out from each root and strike the staircase of light, causing everything to tremble*

Shiro: W-Whoa!

Saber: Tch! Sakaki sure isn’t pulling any punches, is he!?

Kazuto: We can’t stop now! We’re almost at the top! *runs off alone*

Ren: Kazu, wait! It’s dangerous to go off by yourself!

Kazuto: Hyaaaaaaah!

Cubia (Sakaki): This foolish campaign of yours ends here, doomed Prince!

*charging up a bit more power, Cubia fires off a condensed sphere of blue energy straight down at Kazuto*

Ren: Kazu, look out!!!

*holding out his blade, Kazuto defends himself against Cubia’s energy blast and, with the power of his bracelet, deflects it into a rear wall*

Cubia (Sakaki): Impossible!

Kazuto: “Where there are shadows, there is light!” I’m just as powerful as you are, Sakaki!

Cubia (Sakaki): Grrrr… GRAAAHHH!!! IMPUDENT CHILD!!!

*opening up its mouth again, Cubia spews out even more of its tentacled creatures, all of them turned on Kazuto himself*

Kazuto: !!!

*just then, from Kazuto’s side comes a quick succession of Lei Zas spells to exterminate the immediate swarm; Kazuto turns to see his allies approaching*

Kazuto: G-Guys…

Shiro: Honestly, Kazu… Must you always provoke the enemy time and again?

Kazuto: *sweatdrop* Hehehe… Sorry. It’s just how I do things. I can’t help it.

Ren: This isn’t just your fight, Kazu. It’s all of ours too. Your friends are here to support you, Kazu. Don’t forget that.

Kazuto: *nods* I won’t.

Saber: *raises broadsword* Lead the way, Sir Kazuto! We’ll be right behind you!

*turning back around, Kazuto brandishes his sword once again and leads the party further up the staircase leading to Cubia; Cubia summons even more swarms of its monsters to challenge the party below, but they easily fight their way through; even as Cubia fires energy beams from its head roots at the staircase, the party’s concentration doesn’t break; before long, Kazuto reaches the side of Cubia’s massive body and…*

Kazuto: Take…THIS!!!

*…runs his blade through Cubia’s black fleshy exterior, causing it to ooze a thick, black blood-like substance*

Cubia (Sakaki): Agh!

Shiro: Heh! If you think that hurt, you haven’t felt anything yet! …Saber!

Saber: Right!

*in a well-coordinated double-team attack, Shiro and Saber slice into Cubia’s flesh at high speed and full force*

Cubia (Sakaki): Aggghhh!!!

*turning its head slightly, Cubia attempts to eradicate the party with another energy beam from its head roots; before it could do so, however, Kaori fires off a single arrow powered by a Lei Zas spell into one of its four eyes*

Cubia (Sakaki): GAH!!!

Kaori: Hmph!

Ren: Just a little further! We’re almost to the top!

*as the party reaches the top of Cubia’s body, they end up on a fleshy, white platform; at the very top of Cubia’s body was a mass that looked like a human with no lower body; as the human-shaped mass turns to face the party, it’s revealed to be an all-white naked Sakaki*

Sakaki: Tch! Relentless bunch of children, aren’t you?

Sakuya: Ugh… How repulsive…

Shiro: And yet, it can only be considered an improvement.

Sakaki: Go ahead and have your laugh. You’ll want to get in as much amusement as you can before I destroy you! Jihad!

*pointing his right palm forward, Sakaki fires an energy beam just like the ones from Cubia’s head roots; the party evades the blast, and the collision between the beam and the rear wall generates a small tremor*

Ren: Kaori!

Kaori: Gotcha!

Ren/Kaori: Earth below, reveal thy force! Gan Bolg!

*as Ren and Kaori conjure their magic, fragments of the tower walls break away and rain upon Sakaki; who uses his arms to defend himself*

Sakaki: Nngh…! *throws arms out to sides* Fly, my Gomoras!

*from within his own body, Sakaki summons yet another swarm of tentacled monsters to attack the party; Sakuya makes her way through the swarm by spinning her blade around like a turbine*

Sakuya: C’mon, Sakaki! Don’t you have any other tricks!?

Sakaki: Heh! So glad you asked, my dear Princess!

*once again throwing his arms out to his sides, Sakaki opens up a multitude of dimensional rifts all around him; each rift emits a fiery red light from within*

Kazuto: …That doesn’t look good…

Sakaki: Megiddo Flame!!!

*at that moment, the rifts begin to hurl hundreds of fireballs down at the party*

Saber: Look out!

*in response to this tactic of Sakaki’s, the party scatters its numbers across the battlefield in an attempt to avoid the attack; however, the number of fireballs flying at them proves to be too great to dodge, and they’re all considerably weakened by the time the wave of meteors stops*

Sakaki: Hahahahaha!!! When will you insignificant fools realize you cannot defeat a GOD!?

Kazuto: Grrrr… *raises blade* You’re no god…! You’re a demon…!

Ren: And like all other demons…before you…

*unbeknownst to Sakaki, Sakuya had made her way towards his back with her blade raised*

Sakuya: …You have no place in this world…!!!

*with a swift thrust, Sakuya drives her blade straight through Sakaki’s back; the rest of the party watches as the blade exits out Sakaki’s chest*

Sakaki: *deep gasp*

*upon removing her blade from Sakaki’s body, Sakuya acrobatically leaps over to his front side and brings her blade down upon him a second time*

Sakaki: !!!

*a vertical slit appears along the center of Sakaki’s body where Sakuya had struck him, and his form soon splits down the middle*

Kaori: …Is it over…?

*just then, the two halves of Sakaki’s body devolve into a small blobby mass; it then inverts inward into Cubia’s body to form a hole leading inside it*

Ren: …No. It would appear it’s only begun.

*positioning himself before the hole leading into Cubia’s body, Kazuto stares down into the black abyss*

Kazuto: Then we take the battle straight to Sakaki. He’s extended to us an invitation, and I say we take it.

*Kazuto is the first to jump in, with Sakuya close behind*

Shiro: *sigh* Always “leap first, ask questions later” with this kid…

Kaori: *giggles* Oh, don’t act like you don’t enjoy it! Come on!

*Kaori quickly follows Kazuto and Sakuya into Cubia’s core*

Shiro: …Heh. She’s got me there.

*following behind Kaori, Shiro leaps into the hole as well*

Saber: …I suppose that’s our cue, huh?

Ren: Mm-hmm. After you.

*finally, Ren and Saber join the rest of the party in the core*

~ Cubia’s Core ~

*at the center of Cubia’s body, the party now finds itself at one end of a long winding road; a bright rainbow-colored light could be seen at the other end of the road*

Ren: Even deeper into the beast’s belly we go…

Kaori: *closes eyes* …I can hear its heartbeat… No… Feels more like two heartbeats…

Saber: Perhaps Sakaki isn’t as one with Cubia as he would like.

*just then, a voice seeming to come from all directions echoes across the chamber*

Cubia is still resistant to my will…but that will change soon…

All: !!!

Kazuto: Sakaki!

You will all know the consequences of defying me -- defying a god… Cubia opposes me even now, but I still control all that you see before you…

*at that moment, dozens more of Cubia’s Gomoras appear before the party, each of them taking the form of a member of the party*

I shall personally see to it that none of you leave this place alive…!

*the army of black doppelgangers draws its weapons and charges at the party; Kazuto and the others draw their weapons as well to challenge the army; while they weren’t necessarily strong, they made up their lack of strength with their sheer number; the party slowly makes its way down the road towards the light at the other end*

Shiro: *panting* Kazuto…! Sakuya…! Now would be an opportune time for some Epitaph hocus-pocus, wouldn’t you say…!?

*Kazuto and Sakuya attempt to use their bracelets to do away with the doppelganger army, but their Epitaph powers have no effect on them*

Kazuto: Tch! It doesn’t work on them!

Sakuya: If anything, it’s only making them stronger!

“Where there are shadows, there is light…” I believe those were your exact words, child…?

Kazuto: Grrrr… GRAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!

*as his bracelet shines brightly once more, Kazuto slaughters a large portion of the doppelganger army and makes his way through to the other side, the path forward open to him*

Kazuto: My bracelet might make those cheap replicas of yours stronger, Sakaki…but it makes me stronger as well!

Then come at me all you like, boy! I’ll enjoy ending your life with my own two hands!

Shiro: Well, that’s all well and good for Kazu, but what about us!? My own face with black skin is becoming an eyesore!

*all of a sudden, a strange blur of black, red, and silver whooshes through the air above the party, and a vast majority of the doppelganger army is mowed down by gunfire*

Ren: W-What was…!?

: …I swear to Aura, you kids give me a freakin’ headache.

All: Kaeion!

*toting a pair of firearms, Kaeion turns and scowls at the party*

Kaeion: Can’t go five minutes without stirring up trouble, can you? That blond kid’s gonna get it the worst for that shot to the gut earlier.

Sakuya: Well, glad to see getting possessed by a former royal advisor with a god complex hasn’t changed your sparkling personality.

Kaeion: …So…is Sakaki really…?

Still alive, are you, “Adept Rogue”…? No matter… You’ve outlived your usefulness anyway…

Kaeion: Surround sound. Nice touch.

Your group’s incessant attempts at humor grow weary… But I’m actually glad you’re here, “Adept Rogue”… Now I can tie up my loose ends and dispose of the whole lot of you before my reign begins…

Saber: There will be no reign of yours, Sakaki!

…Is that so…?

*at Sakaki’s command, another army of doppelgangers appears, this time with several Kaeion replicas thrown in*

Ren: *raises staff* And the battle continues--

Kaeion: No.

Ren: Hmm? Kaeion?

Kaeion: Go help the prince. Leave them to me.

Kaori: And leave you to fight these…things on your own!? No way! We’ll help you fight them!

Kaeion: This isn’t your battle!

Kaori: *gasp*

Kaeion: Trust me, as much as I would love to knock Sakaki’s ass up and down this tower, we all have our roles to play here. Yours is to beat Sakaki…and mine is to make sure you do it. *readies firearms* Now get going, dammit!

*reluctantly taking Kaeion’s words to heart, the group rushes forward to help Kazuto; Saber stays behind*

Kaeion: …You’re still here? I thought I told you to get going.

Saber: A knight of Lumina Cloth never turns his or her back on people in need… I remember you saying you’d trained at the Knight Academy in Lia Fail? *smile* Perhaps honor isn’t such a hard concept for you to grasp after all, “Adept Rogue”. …That being said…

*stepping forward, Saber draws her broadsword, ready to fight alongside Kaeion*

Kaeion: …You were never gonna let me fight alone, were you?

Saber: No.

Kaeion: …Hmph. Just try not to slow me down, “Miss Knight”.

Saber: Saber.

Kaeion: …Right.

*the army of replicas pounce upon Saber and Kaeion, and the two meet them head-on with their weapons; further down the road, Kazuto draws closer to the light at the end…*

Kazuto: *panting* Almost there…! *gasp*

*…but his path is barred by another group of Kazuto doppelgangers*

It’s futile, boy… As long as I am in control, you cannot win…

Kazuto: Tch!

Shiro: Kazu!

*jumping in moments later, Shiro, Ren, Kaori, and Sakuya step to Kazuto’s sides to assist him*

Kazuto: Heh! It’s about time you guys got here! …Hmm? Where’s Saber?

Ren: Covering our rear for the time being! So we can’t afford to waste any more time here!

Kazuto: Hmph! Sounds good to me!

*just then, Shiro, Ren, and Kaori step forward to cover Kazuto and Sakuya*

Kazuto: G-Guys?

Kaori: Don’t worry! We’ll clear the way to Sakaki for you two!

Ren: Only the power of the Epitaph can challenge Cubia. Therefore, it’s up to you two to finish the job. Let us handle things here.

Sakuya: …Ren…

Shiro: It’s like Kaeion said: We all have our roles to play in this fight. You two were chosen by Aura, so defeating Cubia is yours. *raises dual swords* This is ours! Let us fulfill our final duty in this battle!

Kazuto: …You guys… *closes eyes* …Thank you all…for everything you’ve done… *reopens eyes* Alright, everyone! Please lend me your power a little bit longer!

Shiro: Hah! You even have to ask, Kazu!?

*as the doppelganger army charges forward, Shiro, Ren, and Kaori begin to clear a path down the middle for Kazuto and Sakuya to pass through; once through to the other side, Kazuto and Sakuya continue onward*

Shiro: …Best of luck to you…Kazuto.

*at the end of the road, Kazuto and Sakuya discover the source of the rainbow-colored lights: a large floating mass with wings and clawed tentacles; as they look on towards this large mass, their bracelets shine their brightest*

Sakuya: Cubia’s core?

Kazuto: Looks like it. I don’t feel Sakaki’s presence anymore. His power must not have reached this far yet.

Sakuya: Hmph! *draws blade* I guess we’d better make sure there’s nothing for him to reach then!

Kazuto: …Sakuya.

Sakuya: Hmm? What is it?

Kazuto: No matter what fate awaits us at the end of all this…I’m glad to have known you.

Sakuya: !!!

Kazuto: I know that you and I didn’t get to know each other under better circumstances, but…at the very least, I’m thankful I was able to meet you. The sister I never knew I had.

Sakuya: … *looks away* …I really wish you hadn’t said that just now.

Kazuto: Huh? Why?

Sakuya: *shakes head* Never mind. *raises blade* Let’s finish this!

Kazuto: *draws blade* Right!

*a small mouth at the top of the core opens up, and it exhales a loud, piercing roar; the winged core then flaps its wings and flies in a circle above the twins; as it does this, the core readies its right claw and rains hot meteors down at them; Kazuto and Sakuya easily avoid this by dashing about the battlefield; using the power of the Epitaph, Kazuto and Sakuya create transparent platforms for them to climb up and draw closer to the airborne core; once within range, they leap forward and slice into the core’s flesh with their blades*

Cubia Core: *shrieks*

Kazuto: Gotcha! … *gasp*

*as Kazuto lowers his guard for just a few moments, Cubia’s core swings its left claw at him…*

Kazuto: Agh!

*…sending him crashing back down to earth*

Kazuto: …Ohhhh… Okay… This might be harder than I thought…

*using her Epitaph-created stepping stones, Sakuya positions herself above Cubia’s core and attempts to drive her blade into its head; the core reacts to this by pointing its mouth up and firing off a beam of energy*

Sakuya: *gasp*

*Sakuya holds her arms out in front of her to defend herself, and the power of the Epitaph picks up on this, erecting a spherical barrier to protect her*

Sakuya: …A-Amazing… This power has so many uses… Ah!

*to Sakuya’s surprise, the power of Cubia’s energy beam unexpectedly breaks through her barrier, sending her flying down to the ground as well*

Sakuya: Ugh… It’s strong… And it can fend off attacks from three points at once…

Kazuto: It has to have a blind spot somewhere…

Sakuya: …Hmm… I’ve got an idea. Can you keep its claws distracted for me?

Kazuto: Sure. Leave it to me.

*once again taking to the air on an Epitaph-created set of steps, Kazuto draws Cubia’s attention to himself as he positions himself on top of the core; the core’s mouth and two claws focus on him and triple-team him with a series of claw thrusts and energy beams; just as Sakuya had done before him, he generates a spherical barrier to shield him from the core’s relentless attacks*

Kazuto: Nngh…! Aah…! Heh…! Is that the best you can do…!?

*meanwhile, positioning herself directly underneath the core, Sakuya sheathes her blade and readies her bracelet*

Sakuya: Alright, ugly… Time for a wake-up call…!

*propelling herself upward with her Epitaph power, Sakuya tightens her right hand into a fist*

Sakuya: GRAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!

*as Sakuya connects her fist with the core’s underbelly, the power of her bracelet reacts with Cubia’s, releasing a great shockwave that sends the core several yards up; its mouth opens up to let out an anguished roar; taking this as a signal, Kazuto releases himself from his barrier and readies his bracelet as well*

Kazuto: Now it’s my turn!

*with the core in a weakened state, Kazuto leaps up and connects his right fist with the top of the core’s head, generating a second shockwave that starts to destabilize the core’s form*

Cubia Core: *distorted roar*

*as Cubia’s core’s form starts to collapse, it finds itself unable to keep itself airborne and plunges into the abyss off the edge of the platform, and the battle was seemingly won*

Kazuto: *panting* I think…it’s over…

Sakuya: …Is it really…?

Kazuto: Come on. Let’s go back and rejoin the others before this place comes crashing down around us.

Sakuya: R-Right.

*turning around, Kazuto and Sakuya walk forward and prepare to leave…*

Kazuto: …?

*…but a low, rumbling sound grabs his attention; turning back around towards the edge of the platform, he notices Cubia’s core rising from the abyss with its form fully intact*

Kazuto: It’s…still alive…!?

*without uttering a sound, Cubia’s core thrusts its right claw at Sakuya*

Kazuto: !!!

*also without uttering a sound, Kazuto dashes to the side and shoves Sakuya out of the way of the core’s attack*

Sakuya: *gasp*

Kazuto: AAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

*as Sakuya picks herself back up, her eyes go wide with shock as her rest upon Kazuto’s body; his eyes were blank and there was a gaping hole in his chest where Cubia’s core had struck him*

Sakuya: …K-Kazuto…?

*she crawls over to him and attempts to wake him up by shaking him*

Sakuya: H-Hey… C’mon, Kazuto, get up… This isn’t funny, Kazuto…! Get up already!

Kazuto: …

Sakuya: …No… This… This wasn’t supposed to happen…! It wasn’t supposed to be this way!

*Cubia’s core exhales a booming roar as it recovers its lost power*

Sakuya: …

*rising to her feet, Sakuya draws her blade and turns to face the core, her eyes shining the same color as the bracelet*

Sakuya: …You just don’t know when to die, do you…?

Cubia Core: *shrieks*

*she starts walking forward, but soon breaks into a high-speed sprint; then with a powerful push off the ground, she leaps towards the core*

Sakuya: KYAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!

*the core defends itself by firing bullets of wicked energy from its mouth, but Sakuya’s Epitaph power shields her from the attack; once within range, Sakuya thrusts her blade into the large bulb in the core’s chest -- supposedly its heart*

Cubia Core: *shrieks in pain*

*then, as the core reels from the strike, Sakuya once again readies her right arm and…*

Sakuya: THIS…IS WHERE IT ENDS!!!!!

*…strikes at the core’s center with her fist, releasing a narrow shockwave that breaks through the other side; its form once again starts to collapse into itself and it falls back into the abyss below*

Sakuya: *panting*

*as she gazes into the abyss, Sakuya notices the core slowly restoring its form yet again*

Sakuya: What the hell…!? It still lives…!? *looks at the bracelet* “…Where there are shadows, there is light…” The bracelet’s light…is Cubia’s shadow…? If one exists, both exist…?

Cubia Core: *low roar*

Sakuya: “…On the day of beginning…the heir to Mac Anu shall…” The “day of beginning”… The first day of the new Aurian year… *closes eyes* …I guess there’s no way around it. *looks back at Kazuto*

Kazuto: …

Sakuya: …

*looking back into the abyss, Sakuya takes a deep breath, and…*

: SAKUYA!

Sakuya: *gasp*

*turning back around, Sakuya comes face-to-face with Ren*

Sakuya: R-Ren! What are you…!?

Ren: *panting* You aren’t…thinking of doing what I think you are, are you…!?

Sakuya: …So you’re thinking about that too. The last line of the world-ending prophecy.

Ren: “…AC2039: On the day of beginning, the heir to Mac Anu shall sacrifice all to bring about salvation. Thus, the world will begin anew.” You were thinking of sacrificing yourself to save the world.

Sakuya: It’s all I’ve thought about for the past day and a half.

Ren: Why!? Why didn’t you tell me this was troubling you!?

Sakuya: That’s just it, Ren. It didn’t trouble me at all. After Cubia came to this world, I somehow knew that this moment would come. That’s why…I wanted to see my real mother’s grave. If I’d made peace with my past, I hoped I’d have no regrets about leaving this world. …I don’t have a choice, Ren. Cubia and the Epitaph are tied to one another. Two sides of the same coin. As long as one exists, both exist. Whether it’s me or Kazuto, it has to be one of us. And since Kazuto has much more connecting him to this world than I do…I’m the obvious choice.

Ren: …No, Sakuya… Don’t do this…

Sakuya: *turns to face Ren* And besides… At least this way… *smile* …I can be with Mother again.

*holding her arms out to her sides and closing her eyes, Sakuya prepares to take the plunge*

Sakuya: …How ironic…that the world I’ve come to reject…and the family I’ve come to despise…would be the things I’ve come to treasure most as of this moment…

*with her feet at the edge of the platform, Sakuya leans back…*

Ren: No!!!

*…and dives headfirst into the abyss*

Ren: SAKUYA!!!

*as Sakuya plummets towards Cubia’s core below, her bracelet shines brightly*

Sakuya: (…)

Kazuto: No matter what fate awaits us at the end of all this…I’m glad to have known you.

Sakuya: (…Kazuto… I’m glad to have known you as well…my brother…)

Cubia Core: *shrieks*

Sakuya: Oh, no, you don’t!!! This world belongs to us!!! You’re not welcome here!!!

*once within range, Sakuya lays into the core with one last Epitaph-empowered strike; the force it releases generates a shockwave several times stronger than any before it, and the blast completely consumes Sakuya and the core; with the core destroyed, the inner wall of Cubia’s body begins to break down; the doppelganger armies that the rest of the party was fighting liquefy on the ground into puddles of black slime*

Shiro: Oh, thank Aura…! It’s finally over…!

Kaori: Shiro, look!

*looking back towards the fading rainbow lights, Shiro and Kaori notice Ren returning with Kazuto’s lifeless body*

Shiro: R-Ren! Back so soon?

Kaori: *gasp* Oh, my God, Kazuto! Is he okay!?

Ren: There’s no time! We need to escape from here! *runs ahead of the group*

Shiro: W-Wait a minute! What about Sakuya!?

*without bothering to explain Sakuya’s whereabouts, Ren guides the party back through the inner workings of Cubia’s body and down the tower; they manage to make it back onto the Daybreak just as the tower comes crumbling down; over the horizon, the sun is seen rising; on the deck of the Daybreak, the party and Arc-en-Ciel crew gather around Kazuto’s body as Ren and Kaori mend his wounds with their healing magic*

Shiro: …Well? Is he…?

*ceasing her magic, Kaori solemnly shakes her head in defeat*

Saber: *gasp*

Ren: No! He’s not dead! He can’t be! I’m not giving up on him!

*pressing her hands firmly to Kazuto’s chest, Ren doubles her output of healing magic*

Kaori: R-Ren, stop!

Ren: Come on, Kazu…! Come on…! You can--! *gasp*

*unable to push herself further, Ren stops to catch her breath*

Ciel: …I’m sorry, lass, but--

Ren: NO!!! He’s alive! I know he is!

*desperate, Ren resorts to slapping Kazuto’s face and pounding his chest*

Ren: Please, Kazuto! Wake up! *sobs* Why won’t you wake up?!?

*as she does this, the rest of the group looks on in sorrow; heavily fatigued at this point, Ren takes Kazuto into her arms and cries*

Ren: *sobbing*

Kaori: … *sniffle*

*the bracelet around Kazuto’s right wrist gives off a faint glow just before disappearing*

Kazuto: …Mm… Ah…

All: !!!

Ren: *gasp*

*as Ren releases Kazuto from her embrace, she notices him slowly opening his eyes; as his eyes adjust to the sunlight, he finds himself on the Daybreak’s deck with everyone gathered around him*

Kazuto: …Did…we win…?

Ren: Kazuto!!!

*once again, Ren’s eyes well up with tears, and she embraces Kazuto tightly*

Kazuto: Gah…! T-Too tight…! Can’t breathe…!

Ren: O-Oh! I’m so sorry!

Kazuto: Heh… Hehehe… It’s alright…

Ren: *wipes tears away* Hehehe…

*in light of Kazuto’s brush with death, the group cheers joyfully*

Ciel: The lad lives! It’s a miracle!

Kaori: Yeah… It is a miracle… *turns to Shiro* He was completely gone. I was sure of it. H-How did he…?

Shiro: Heh. Kazuto’s always been the type to work miracles.

Kazuto: *looks around* …Hey. Where’s Sakuya?

Ren: …

*the whole group suddenly goes deathly silent; reaching behind her, Ren takes out Sakuya’s blade, the only remaining evidence of her existence*

Kazuto: *gasp*

*Kazuto slowly reaches out and takes the blade from Ren, running his fingers along the smooth steel*

Kazuto: …Sakuya…

*rising to his feet, Kazuto walks over to the bow of the ship and gazes down at what was left of Cubia’s tower; there was no trace of Cubia left, and the sky was clear of Gomoras*

Kazuto: …

*the rest of the group gathers around Kazuto, and together they watch as the sun rises to herald in the New Year*

~ Filiday, Aura-Lunae 1, AC2039 ~

TO BE CONCLUDED…