Fate Complete

Beneath Haru’s feet, the core of Orbis pulsed in waves, vibrating through the vast expanse of energy that surrounded him. The glow fluctuated between warmth and cold, seeping into his body like a flowing current. The energy around him coiled like thousands of unseen threads, whispering to his mind, revealing every fragment of the system’s existence. It felt as though he was witnessing both the beginning and the end of everything at once. In that moment, he was no longer just a person, he had become the beating heart of Orbis itself.

"You’ve made your choice, Haruma," Ordo said, his gaze heavy with the burden of finality. "You have reached the end of your own will. From now on, you will be nothing but a part of Orbis. But because of you, everyone else will live."

Haru’s fists clenched. As the core pulled him in, it felt as if he was being consumed by an endless vortex. The last remnants of his being tried to resist, but his strength was fading. His consciousness blurred, and in the fog of his mind, he saw Luna’s smile, Riven’s laughter, Seraphis’s wise words, and the silhouettes of all those he had stood beside in Solace. He was sacrificing himself to save them, but was this truly the end?

With a final breath, he closed his eyes and surrendered to the current.

A colossal tremor erupted from the depths of Orbis, shaking everything to its core. A surge of power rippled through the system’s veins, reaching every corner of existence. The sky fractured, splitting apart like interwoven lightning bolts, signaling that Orbis had reached the point of no return.

9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...0…

"Fate complete. System resetting."

As the message appeared across the floating screens, Orbis began to unravel, its very foundations dissolving one by one. The towering walls of cities crumbled into fine dust, carried away by an unseen wind. Roads and bridges faded, vanishing as if they had never existed. The people, those who had called Orbis their home, began to flicker, their forms trembling between existence and nothingness. Some reached out to one another, some stood frozen in helpless disbelief, while others simply smiled, accepting their fate with quiet resignation. Every memory, every moment, every story that had ever been written within this world dissipated like mist, vanishing into the endless white void.

And at last, everything went dark.

Orbis had returned to absolute emptiness.

                                                                               ***

Beep... beep... beep...

The alarm echoed through the room. Haru slowly opened his eyes, staring at the familiar white ceiling above him. The same ceiling he had woken up to every morning… But today, everything felt different. A sense of peace and awareness settled within him. He was here. He was alive. He was living.

"Haru! Come on, you’re going to be late for school!" his mother’s voice called from the kitchen.

Haru took a deep breath and silenced the alarm with a small smile. As he sat up, his feet touched the floor, grounding him in a way that felt almost surreal. Everything seemed more meaningful now. He understood the true value of simply existing.

He made his way to the bathroom, splashing water on his face before glancing at his reflection in the mirror. There was something different about his eyes, a newfound brightness, a quiet understanding. Life had never seemed so precious.

Heading downstairs, he sat at the table, eating a few bites before grabbing a slice of toast with jam. With a quick goodbye, he stepped outside.

The street was the same as always. The world continued as if nothing had changed… But for Haru, everything was different.

"Haru! Hey, over here!" a voice called out.

Takeshi and Ryou were waiting for him on the way to school.

"You’re late, man! Let me guess, you got an earful from your mom again?" Takeshi teased with a grin.

"Haru probably struggled to wake up, just like always!" Ryou added with a chuckle.

Haru laughed. "You guys have no idea… But this morning felt different. And me… I’m just really happy."

Takeshi raised an eyebrow. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

Haru only smiled.

The three of them entered the school gates together. As they walked down the corridor, Haru spotted a familiar figure waiting for him just outside the classroom.

Ayaka.

She stood there with a warm smile, her gaze fixed on him. Haru felt his heart steady as he met her eyes and returned her smile.

Slowly, he walked toward her, unable to look away. Ayaka held his gaze, the warmth between them unspoken yet understood.

Haru reached out his hand.

Ayaka hesitated for just a moment before smiling and taking it.

Together, they stepped into the classroom.

The door gently closed behind them.

                                                                            The End.