Cassandra's consciousness drifted through the expanse, a desolate sea of nothingness that seemed to swallow all in its path. Stars died, their light flickering out like embers in the wind. Timelines collided, and while Worlds crumbled, their very fabric unraveling as the threads of reality snapped. The countless Existences collapsed upon one another, their weight bearing down upon her, a crushing burden that threatened to consume her very soul.
As she floated, a detached observer in this maelstrom of destruction and unmaking, Cassandra beheld a sight that defied comprehension. Two titans, beings, clashed, their forms indistinct, yet radiating an aura of unbridled power. One, with hair as white as the driven snow, gazed forth with ruby-red eyes that burned like hot coals and two massive wings on his back that threatened to engulf everything that there was. The other was adorned with an obsidian black arm, a prosthetic appendage that seemed to glimmer with sparks, like stars in the night sky. This one bore a wounded eye that seemed to whirl with a maelstrom of colors, a triquetra dancing within its iris like a mad kaleidoscope.
Cassandra felt a shiver run down her spine as she gazed upon these two behemoths. There was something familiar about them, a nagging sense of recognition that she couldn't quite place. And yet, they were strangers, the rest of their features blurred and their faces hidden behind veils of mystery.
As the titans exchanged blows, their struggle causing the very fabric of reality to tremble, Cassandra felt the weight of their conflict bearing down upon her. The despair of countless existences washed over her, a tidal wave of sorrow, regret, and negativity that threatened to engulf her. She felt the pain of worlds dying, of civilizations crumbling, of hope extinguished.
A scream tore from her throat as the agony became too much to bear. The sound was lost in the void, swallowed by the nothingness that surrounded her. And yet, she screamed again, her voice a raw, anguished cry that seemed to shake the very foundations of existence.
As she screamed, a flash of red light illuminated the void, casting an eerie glow over the desolate landscape. The light grew, expanding outward like a high tide on a full moon, engulfing all in its path. The titans, the stars, the worlds – all were consumed by this radiant flood.
Cassandra felt herself being drawn into the light, her consciousness torn asunder by the sheer intensity. She was aware of nothing but the pain, the despair, and the crushing weight of all of creation.
And then, there was nothing.
"This is the end."
"The end that is the crimson dawn."
She whispered the words, her voice lost in the void, as the light engulfed her and she faded into desolation.
Estelle lay down with her legs crossed in the armrest. She wore a baggy shirt and shorts and turned, adjusting herself to a more comfortable position. She rolled to her side as she scrolled through the phone in her hands, giggling as she engulfed herself fully in a webcomic.
In front of her, a girl with red eyes and white hair who bore an uncanny resemblance to Kojo sat cross-legged on the floor, a cup of coffee on the table as well as a bowl with some snacks.
Sysia took a sip as she observed a panel which hovered in front of her and was displaying the current events. She observed as Yukio carried the unconscious Cassandra into the house and then the house repairing itself.
"Well, don't just stand there, you dork," she said, prompting Kojo to follow the Saint, completely ignoring Leo's unconscious body on the floor.
Estelle raised her head.
"What are you looking at?" she asked.
Sysia tapped the screen and flicked her index finger, causing it to enlarge.
"Hmm, so that's my successor, huh? She looks pretty and seems fairly strong."
"Is very strong," Sysia corrected.
"What magic does she use?"
"Hmm, so far she's displayed Spirit elemental magic and control over time. I don't know if that's all there is to it or if she has other abilities. I wouldn't be surprised though. She already has three Supreme Enchantments after all," Sysia answered, reaching into the bowl for a cookie.
"Wait?!" Estelle sat up. "She has three?"
"Why are you yelling all of a sudden?" Sysia asked calmly as she took a bite.
"I only have one," Estelle answered.
"You're acting like Kojo right now. Quantity doesn't equal quality, you know. Kojo has two, Universal Negative and the original Resonance Amplification. Meaning there's only one ability between him and Yuki, but he's not strong enough to face her. Now, anyways," Sysia said.
"Yeah, you're right," Estelle said, lying down.
"What was your supreme enchantment anyway?" Sysia asked, taking a sip of coffee as she glanced at Estelle, curious.
"Oh, me? My Supreme Enchantment is Necronomicon: Lord of Runes."
Sysia's eyes gleamed with interest as she focused her Scan ability on Estelle. After a moment, she nodded.
"Necronomicon is a supreme enchantment that grants you the power to manipulate narrative progression itself through the manifestation of runes, turning symbols into conduits of the user's will, capable of rewriting events."
Estelle nodded.
"That's right. It's akin to creating and shaping situations with the same authority a novelist wields over their story."
Estelle paused to reach over and take a cookie. She took a bite then continued,
"During my time, I would inscribe runes that dictated events on a grand scale. For example, I once rewrote the outcomes of a battle by inscribing runes that dictated the enemy was going to slip on a banana peel and fall, impaling their neck on their weapon."
"That's evil," Sysia said.
"You would have done worse." Sysia snickered, and they both laughed.
"Oh yeah, I could also influence the thoughts, emotions, and actions of others through specifically crafted runes. And with Environmental Shaping, I can reshape landscapes, conjure structures out of thin air, or manipulate the very elements." Estelle's eyes sparkled with creativity as she added, "I could inscribe a rune to transport the enemy to their deaths, either in the bottom of the ocean or within a volcano. But such powerful magic consumes a lot of arcana, and I can't truly reshape the world, only edit it, let's say. I'm still bound by a certain degree of logical sense. Paradoxes and contradictions can unravel the very fabric of the narrative I'm trying to shape."
"Hey Sysia, if I were to fight the Saint over there, who do you think would win?" Estelle asked.
"Hmm."
"Based on the information you have."
"Well, I haven't really seen you in action, and Yukio's unknown abilities could be a wildcard. Then again, you seem to know your way around stronger opponents. Not that I've concluded she's stronger though...."
Sysia trailed off as several numbers and strings of code appeared in her eyes. She blinked and sighed.
"I think I'll need more data to come out with a concrete answer."
"Awww," Estelle whined.
"Still, I'd like to see that ability of yours in action."
"Really? Here," Estelle stretched out her hand towards the screen. Three magic circles, each within another made out of several runes, appeared in front of her hand. The circles spun clockwise within anticlockwise within a clockwise rotation. This happened until a few seconds later, several runes aligned to form a word, and those runes shone brighter than the rest.
Sysia looked curiously.
Kojo was following Yukio when he slipped on a banana peel and banged his head on a table, the vase falling on him, but he managed to catch it. He got up and placed the vase back, picking up the peel and looking around in confusion.
Sysia stifled a laugh.
"I see."
"Since skills, abilities, and enchantments are etched onto the soul, I can still use it."
"Oh, okay," Sysia said.
"You sound disappointed."
"No, it's nothing."
In reality, Sysia wanted to transfer that ability to Kojo. Why was she even thinking of doing something for that bozo anyway?
She clicked her tongue. Sharone and the others appeared on the screen. Kojo updated them, and together they went into the room Yuki had entered.
Sysia raised the mug, but it was empty. She then reached into the bowl, but Estelle had taken the last cookie. She sighed, snapped her fingers, the mug disappearing and being replaced by a packet of chips.
Estelle glanced at her expectantly, but Sysia ignored her, focusing on the screen, taking a bite out of the chips.