The End Is Here Pt I

“When I was small and young, I was lonely, so I wished for you. I’m sorry I did that to you, but I am grateful to have been with you.”

The tiny voice spoke from the near blackness that had descended, and she may have been speaking to her sister, but in some ways it was the last prayer of mortals to the gods they’d carved from the world beyond time.

“I’m not mad at you. I am glad I got to be with you for a little while. Even if it hurt and we were sad a lot,” the little sister replied with words that might have been the answer of the divine ones who had walked with them.

Those words echoed through the bitter cold that was now covering the realm that had just watched the last stars fall. Above them, the Star Stream was dead. The soul of the world had fallen out of balance too greatly, and now that the infection had spread, the sacred river faltered and failed. Down below, in the realm where the remaining mortals tried to survive and hide from the murderous sky, the sisters were almost to their ends. Safe, large hands were still carrying them and shielding them as they clung to one another and let the last bits of grief settle in their spirits.

The great pale one had helped them with her ways, and now they were no longer quite as broken as they were. Pieces of shattered dreams and false hopes had been mended back together with a calm, steady hand, and the shards that had stabbed their skulls for so long were cast away on the side of a lonely hill, never to hurt them again.

It had taken days to reach the end. Too much of the world was broken, and no nurturing from a god could mend it. Ravines had become canyons. Flat plains had been torn into staggered tiers of land that were steep and dangerous.

Through it all, the sisters now called Dawn and Sayane had laid in the hands of the gods Sol and Yumi, knowing they would be protected. Large fingers entwined over them like lattices of shelter and glowing palms gave them soft beds to sleep on, and when enough time had passed, they both found themselves somewhat lighter.

Not happier. Not “better”. But mended. At peace.

Peace was enough.

And then, after the winds had turned bitter and the air turned stale and the thunder never ended, they reached the edge of the world.

A subtle tremor from the hands of the gods told the sisters that they were here but something concerning was ahead.

Dawn and Sayane opened their eyes and felt the ambient warmth of Sol’s hand warm their faces as they separated from their womb-like bond.

“L-little ones?” Yumi said.

Her voice was afraid yet set. The two great hands separated but stayed cupped to block Dawn and Sayane from the winds. Still, they could see the haunting ring of blue in the distance, and the prismatic, thin plank of light that seemed to hang in the nothingness on its own.

Then they saw the great dark figure that was silhouetted by the portal as he stood between it and them. Wide, red eyes cut through the abyss and stared at them in waiting.

“The terrible one,” Dawn muttered in fear.

“The bad one,” Sayane whimpered.

Yumi nodded, but Sol was silent as he kept his eyes on the villain.

“Metus,” Yumi said.

Sol’s hands cupped around them once again, shielding them at all sides as he dared to look to the sisters. Dawn saw something finite and completed in his expression, and she felt a pull of concern.

“Beautiful little ones, Yumi will carry you on her own from this point on.”

Dawn could hear a heavy farewell in his voice that made tears rise to the edges of her eyes. Such sorrow did not unmake her peace but it did fill her with a bitter longing she was not prepared for.

“No, Sol, you can’t leave us. You should come with us,” she pleaded.

Sol shook his head. Within his chest, the beast began to awaken with something akin to excitement.

“I have to staaaaay b-behind,” he whispered.

Sayane shook her head as she began to understand as well.

“There may beeeee others out there that I need tooooo help. I c-c-cannot leave them behind. I have to ttttry to help them as well,” Sol said as his body started to tear at its edges.

“But you’ll be alone,” Dawn sniffled.

Sol shook his head and smiled.

“I willllll have the m-m-m-memories of you to carry with me un-until the end. And that will be enough.”

His thumb lowered to wipe the little ones’ cheeks dry. Dawn found herself wanting to resist and fight him and claw at him to tell him how much this was hurting, but deep down she knew that what he was doing was good and right. He hadn’t made things better or made up for what she blamed him for, but he had held to his promise through everything and delivered them to the end so that they could finally rest with unblemished souls. Even if there was no Star Stream left, and nothing waited for them on the other side, at least she and her sister would not be monsters or shattered souls.

That was enough.

Her paw settled on his thumb, and she let her cheek sink into him for a moment. Beside her, Sayane limped and struggled to rise. Yumi offered a clawed, bony finger to her for support, and she stood to hug Sol.

“Thank you for carrying us this far. I love you. All of you,” Sayane whispered.

Sol and Yumi smiled, and Dawn pulled her sister to her chest one last time. Sol stole a second’s glance to Metus, who surprised him by standing where he was with a strange, mournful understanding look on his face. He was not stepping aside, but he was allowing that small moment of goodbye. Metus’s head tilted with the subtlest of a nod, and Sol felt a welling sadness for all of it.

Still, the little ones were soft and safe against him.

“I don’t forgive you, Lightbringer. But I am… I am… I am so grateful. So grateful for you,” Dawn said softly as she hugged the edge of his thumb with her frail arms.

Sol smiled and felt the warmth of them move from their bodies to his.

That was enough.

He stood, and when he gently removed his hand, the little ones stayed in his sister’s palm. Her own glowing, miscolored eyes met his for a single moment, and she grinned, then mouthed the words ‘thank you’ to him.

They turned and faced Metus, and Yumi closed her hands over the sisters.

“Hold on, beautiful mortals. I will carry us through the portal soon. Keep against one another and think of nothing but gentle sleep,” Yumi said as she pulled her wrists tight to her chest.

“Goodbye, all of you. You w-will make it. I promise,” Sol said.

His hands rose to the shards that were still jutting from his expanding skin. Now that Metus was there, the jagged invading stones served no purpose. One by one, he ripped them away with a grunt that turned to a growl as the beast licked at the pain.

“I neeeeed you to-to h-help me for this part,” Sol asked the beast.

“Help me g-get them to the portal. Kill whoever you wish, aside from the three of them. Just help them get there,” Sol asked and commanded.

The beast sighed in acceptance, sensing that it was no longer stronger than the rest of him.

“Fine,” it purred.

Flesh ripped. Mouths formed from the insides of him, but they no longer laughed. Hundreds of rows of teeth lingered in waiting, and Sol roared as purifying, clear light erupted from his hands.

Metus snarled and raised his palms to the sky, and a new noise appeared in the heavens. Sol looked up to see the great obelisk of Ysmerath lower from the shroud of mystery, breaching through the dense fog as it turned from its side to face upside down. The noise rose, and Sol inhaled in preparation as Metus himself stood still. The obelisk reached a tipping point, and within seconds, thousands upon thousands of corrupted wanderers were falling from the sky, laughing and screaming in unwell glee as they careened down to the world below.

Yumi moved close to him and gritted her teeth, trusting he would not fail them. Within her hands, Dawn and Sayane clung to one another and covered their ears.

Just before the rainfall of bodies reached them, Sol slammed his hands together, palms perpendicular to the soil, and a dome of swirling light enveloped them. It heaved and constricted, then exploded outwards, sending concussions of light across the field.

Wanderers were struck by the blast and hurled away. That was when the beast barked and sent out a flurry of light beams that cut across the entire expanse, severing anything in its path. Hundreds of beings disintegrated instantly, and Metus let out a howl of frustration as he rushed towards them.

The end was here.