Silent Space: Second End

Reo was about to lift the summoner’s hood. Everyone held their breath. This would be the first time they’d see the summoner’s face. Though it claimed to be human, the way it spoke had always said otherwise.

The group braced themselves for the worst.

Reo pinched the edge of the hood with his fingers. A cold chill radiated from beneath it, prickling his skin. Slowly, he began to pull it back—

But before the hood came off, the summoner’s hand shot upward.

Reo jerked his head to the side, narrowly dodging the blow. Yet the wind pressure alone left a thin red wound across his cheek. Blood trickled down his face.

"Reo!"

Everyone shouted at once. Instinctively, they pulled out their grenades, ready to throw—until Reo raised a hand, signaling them to stop.

The summoner hadn’t moved since. Its arm remained frozen in the air, unmoving.

‘That must’ve been a reflex... Still, if that had hit me...’

Reo exhaled shakily. That strike had been powerful. Far more powerful than any human should be. Just another mystery added to the growing pile.

He reached for the hood again—

But the summoner spoke.

"For attacking me, Hero... 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107... You have all been branded as Fallen."

A wave of fear swept through the group. Everyone froze. Even Reo’s expression faltered. But as the leader, he couldn’t let fear show.

“Everyone! Snap out of it!” he shouted. His voice cracked through the fear like thunder. He jumped back before saying:

“Ayaka! Ren! Now!”

The two didn’t hesitate. They pulled the pins from their grenades and hurled them at the summoner.

Boom! Boom!

Explosions erupted one after the other, flames and smoke swallowing the figure.

The heat and wind rushed past Reo’s face. He narrowed his eyes, watching the smoke carefully.

And then... the smoke cleared.

There was nothing there. No body. Only a puddle of blood. The summoner was gone.

Reo scanned the area. No way it was dead—not from that.

He gripped the guitar case tightly, trying to sense its presence—

“Reo! Behind you!” Ayaka screamed.

Too late.

A heavy kick slammed into his gut, launching him across the field. He hit the ground hard, sliding to a stop. His body didn’t move.

The summoner stood where Reo had just been, then turned toward the others.

Their faces were stricken with terror, but no one moved.

In a blink, the summoner vanished again—

Reappearing in front of Ayaka.

Its hand punched straight through her chest. She gasped, blood spilling from her lips, her eyes fading to grey as her glasses slipped off her face and clattered to the floor. Her body collapsed beside them.

Yui dropped to her knees, covering her mouth. Tears spilled from her eyes.

“No! Ayaka’s... Ayaka’s dead...”

Ren ran toward her. “Ayaka—!”

But before he could reach her, his head separated from his body.

Aoi screamed. “No, no, no!!” Her breathing became erratic. “This... How could this—”

Before she could finish, her head was sent flying, her blood splattering across Itsuki’s glasses.

Itsuki stood frozen, eyes glistening. It was his fault. They were all dead because of his plan. Why didn’t he listen to Aoi? Why did he ever think they could defeat the Summoner?

But no answers came—only a hand through his chest.

His eyes rolled back. His bloody glasses slipped from his face, landing beside his lifeless body.

The summoner stepped forward. His foot crushed the shattered glasses beneath it as he walked toward Yui.

She sat on the ground, head lowered, hands over her face. Her body trembled.

She didn’t want to see. She didn’t want to die.

But then a heavy stomp crashed onto her back.

Yui screamed in horror. The summoner was trying to crush her. She squirmed helplessly until a crack echoed through her body—and then, she moved no more.

The summoner turned its head toward Hina, who stood frozen in place, her lips trembling.

She tried to take a step back, but before her foot could move, the summoner appeared in front of her, grabbing her by the neck and lifting her off the ground.

She thrashed in its grip. Tears mixed with the lack of air as her vision blurred. Her strength faded. Her eyelids drooped.

Then—shhk!

A piercing sound. Like metal through bone.

The summoner’s hand weakened. It let go, and Hina dropped to the floor, gasping.

She looked up with teary eyes.

A sword was embedded in the summoner’s chest—right where its heart should be.

Behind it stood Reo, blood dripping from his mouth and nose, his hands tightly clenched around the sword’s hilt.

The summoner’s fingers twitched.

“Fallen... did you really think...”

It staggered, hand shaking violently.

“Fallen!... what have... you done...”

Then its body went limp. It slipped off the blade and collapsed to the ground.

The sword dropped from Reo’s grip, and he collapsed beside it.

His lungs burned. Every breath was agony.

He looked to the sword, coated not just in blood—but in something darker.

***

A few hours earlier...

Before the summoner appeared, Reo sat on his bed with a guitar case across his lap—a gift from Itsuki.

“What could this be?” he muttered, popping the latches.

Inside was a katana with a dark hilt and a guard shaped like flower petals.

Reo lifted it. “How much did this even cost?” He laughed. “I guess he finally learned how to give decent gifts...”

Then he noticed something else—a small bottle tucked in the corner. Filled with black liquid. A hazard symbol etched on the side. A note beside it.

Reo picked it up and read:

———

Do you like what I prepared? When I saw it, I knew I had to get it for you.

There’s also some extra insurance, in case the guns don’t work.

That little bottle beside the sword? That’s poison. The deadliest in the world.

So be careful.

—Itsuki

———

Reo stared at the vial.

“Poison? Where the hell did he even get this?”

Even after all their time together on Primordia, Reo realized... he knew almost nothing about Itsuki’s past.

He put the bottle back in the case and sighed.

“If I ever need to use this... something must’ve gone very wrong.”

***

Just minutes before the summoners death...

Reo groaned as he regained consciousness. His ribs felt like they were broken. Breathing hurt.

His vision was still hazy, but he could make out the blurry shapes of bodies—friends—strewn across the ground.

And Hina—dangling in the air, struggling in the summoner’s grip.

He didn’t think. He couldn’t.

Reo forced the case open, ignoring the pain. He unscrewed the vial and poured the poison over the sword’s blade.

Then he stood.

Every step sent pain shooting through him. Every heartbeat was thunder in his ears. Darkness crept at the edges of his vision.

But he kept going.

If he stopped, it would all be for nothing.

He reached the summoner and thrust the blade forward, both hands on the hilt, piercing straight through its chest.

The summoner dropped Hina. “What have... you done...” it whispered—and fell.

Reo collapsed beside it.

“Reo! Reo!!” Hina cried, running to him. She dropped to her knees, holding him close, tears pouring from her eyes.

He raised a trembling hand and touched her cheek.

“Hina... don’t... cry...” he whispered.

Then his hand went limp.

“No! Reo! Wake up! You can’t die... Everyone, please... wake up...”

She sobbed, clinging to him. Her wish was irrational—but she wanted them back.

She held his body tightly—until she noticed something strange.

Reo’s body... was turning to white particles.

“No... Reo?! What’s happening?!”

She looked around. The others—their bodies were vanishing too.

She gripped him harder. “Please... don’t go... everyone...”

Without even realizing, her own body had begun to fade.

She held Reo’s body to the very end, until all that remained was a white void—and silence.