Battle 10: vs Castle High Lv 21

Music Link
Grandmaster Azure runs hands through his hair, shaking. "I can't... not when I am so close...!"

"Look above you, deluded fool!" Zaffre laughs, pointing upward. In the sky above, between the parting, dark clouds, the shining stars of Castle High's constellation glisten! Their earlier disorder and chaos has all but disappeared, replaced by a lustrous symbol: a sword, pointed upward, amidst a castle's walls.

Zaffre continues, "fate has already abandoned you. All your planning was for naught, for when the time came for you to execute, you made a critical error: underestimating me."

"Enough!" Azure stops him, eyes darting across the newly reformed army of Castle High. Despite still being surrounded in astral light and power, the presence and confidence he had carried the last few hours seems greatly diminished. Something shifts in that expression, however, when his eyes land upon Castle Low. A dark smile spreads.

"It matters not how many armies you have, or how strong your misguided beliefs are in yourselves." All around him appear spinning gears, the telltale form of his Crash of Heavens... but instead of aiming in all directions, the center of each gear points directly to Castle Low! "The power within Castle Low is all I need to reclaim my rightful destiny!"

Grandmaster Azure focuses the entirety of his Crash of Heavens on Castle Low, launching a maelstrom of celestial beams to obliterate the structure--!

Which Arthur soars straight into, wielding Pale Moon and Eternal Radiance! With a mighty roar, he cleaves and catches the beams with a combination of Ultipax and Temporal Reposte, moving gracefully through space and time to absorb the onslaught through his Faith! However, 40% of Azure's damage can't be ignored thanks to Ascendant Grandmaster! Even with the conflux of Arthur's most powerful defensive skills, the sheer power of the celestial barrage breaks through partially--

--before fading away with rapid speed, becoming nothing! Down below, from her perch on the wall of Castle Low, Candice pumps a fist! Her temporal arrow accelerated the attack's personal time, causing it to fade away before it could deal him any damage! She calls up to the swordsman, "Go, Arthur! I shall watch your back! Burn them with your brilliance!"

Arthur awaits a second magical attack, but when none comes, bursts over to Castle High's side, lining up the Phantom of the Demon of Silence and Castle High!

The demon hisses and screams, sending a multitude of dark, ravenous tendrils out for him--

Before Arthur releases his Temporal Riposte, a brilliant amber beam of astral energy unleashed upon both targets!

As the beam flies, Avelia and Ormen raise their baton and flute, imbuing Arthur's attack with musical might! Not only is the riposte a beauteous beam of light, but it carries with it a rich, haunting cello melody!

The Phantom of the Demon of Silence howls and wails as the torrent of musical power overwhelms its form, dealing 1731 damage! It emits one final, hateful scream, before being reduced to silence and nothing once more.

Phantom of the Demon of Silence is defeated! Arthur gains an Advantage!

Meanwhile, Castle High's upper battlements are reduced to rubble as the attack deals a staggering 2597 damage, one of its perimeter towers knocked from its foundation and sent careening to the ground far below!

Arthur is fatigued from his efforts... (-1 Adv)

With the way now clear, Vince blazes forward, his Soul Ignition still active as he focuses on Grandmaster Azure! The flaming pyromancer throws his whip out wide, igniting it in blazing soul flames and scarring the air itself, before sending its end straight toward Azure at blazing speed!

"Y-you self destructive fool! Stay away!" Azure yells, bringing his fate-rending gears together to mount a defense! They spin and turn, bending fate and reality to reduce and eliminate the possibility of he being struck... but the sheer flaming will within the weapon shatters the reality-warping effect, literally cutting through the gears and landing a massive, explosive lash directly upon Azure, dealing 1041 damage!

Azure doubles over, the Sign of Victory's Grace shattering in his Crown of Starlight as he is restored to 1000 HP, his Ascension falling to 30%! He pulls himself back to his feet, a growing mania in his eyes. "You are nothing! Specks upon the stage of the universe! What meaning shall you serve in a hundred years!?"

Grandmaster Azure's Sign of Star's Vigil causes him to Adapt! A swirling line of stars surrounds him, glowing like bright embers! He's adapted to Fire Magic Attacks, making any future magical fire attacks significantly less effective!

Unrelenting, Vince brings his whip back around and creates another fiery lash! Azure seems too distracted to mount a defense, but his new Adaptation significantly reduces the damage he would take, down to 403 damage!

Now seeing his attacks unable to make purchase, Vince turns his attention to himself, and the raging flames across his body. With a yell, he activates Fiery Eruption, and his soul inferno manage to grow even brighter as his stacks of Hellfire are doubled, dealing himself 434 damage in the in the process! He chuckles demonically, his body in tatters, as his Power climbs to 497!

Simply pointing his whip at Azure, Vince unleashes an uncountable number of flaming, serpentine heads, which barrage the mage from all sides! Even despite his Adaptation, Azure screams out in pain as the demonic fire tears and cleaves into him, dealing 684 damage!

Again, Azure is knocked aside, his robes covered in ember and hell flame as his Sign of Monster's Savagery shatters, restoring him to 1000 HP and reducing him to 20% Ascension! He pulls himself to his knees, "I came so far..."

Another attack from Vince, summoning a tower of hell fire directly beneath the archmage, dealing 883 damage, before calling that fire back down to consume him once more, circling and roiling around him for 820 damage, reducing Azure to 0 HP once again! His Sign of Star's Vigil shatters, his Adaptation fading away, leaving him vulnerable once more as his Ascension falls to 10%!

"You were just my pawns... mindless puppets!"

Vince causes the flames currently on and around Azure to twist together into a flaming tornado! Now without his protections, Azure's body holds up little resistance as he's blasted for 2433 damage! Singed and burned, Azure's Crown of Starlight cracks, fractures, and finally breaks as its final sign, Sign of Legend's Failure, is destroyed, Azure's Ascension reduced to 0%!

Vince prepares his final attack, charging up the entirety of the soul flame he can still muster to collect on the very end of his whip. Then, swinging with everything in his body, he sends the whip straight for Azure's heart, flaming with unstoppable Power--!

Which Corbin leaps in the way of! Azure's eyes go wide as he watches Corbin take 2004 damage, immediately losing the entirety of his health!

"C-Corbin!?" Azure asks as his final ally falls to his knees before him, consumed in flame.

The older man coughs and trembles, his consciousness quickly fading. "Azure..." he mutters out, smiling weakly, "...remember me, in your... new..."

Unable to withstand it anymore, Corbin collapses, Incapacitated!

Vince begins to feel his soul flames shrinking, shrinking... he consumes his stacks of Hellfire with Breath of the Extrospective Flame, restoring his health and finally putting out the fire, but... he still feels his soul weakening, and a deep fatigue settling over him. As the world fades away around him, Vince is Gravely Incapacitated, causing him to bear a scar no matter if he's revived! His soul burned to a crisp, he collapses backward...

A Medic's Efforts:

Azure looks down at the crumpled body of Corbin, the world around him in slow motion.

---

Failure. Failure. After so many years of victory, how could he meet failure now?

Run through the details again. What is the common link? His plans had been perfect, his actions perfect, he was perfect, his destiny was foretold, so then why?

...Others. It was all so clear. The very thing that husk of a copy kept spouting on about. Yes. His mistake was so clear.

He had entrusted others.

Even if under his supreme control, he allowed enough of their original spirit to exist so they retained their combat ability. A mistake. He had trusted the pawns of Castle High to go about and destroy every threat and foe they met, not join with them. Mistake.

He had relied upon Corbin to execute his final plan. Had needed him to stop his demise. Mistake.

The error was never in himself: it was in looking to anyone except himself. Of course. It was as clear as the threads of fate, now. No matter how strong their devotion, how tight his control, they were all mortals. All weak, pathetic things, doomed to short, meaningless existences. A plan built upon the use of such unreliable pawns invited the remote chance of failure, as had occurred.

But what now. Think. Every pawn and weakling was gone, but your power is not enough to overcome them anymore. Their luck and idiocy has taken them to here, and now he was left with so little. Still trapped in this pathetic, mortal body like the rest of them. If he could not concieve of an escape, he would die in the dirt just like them. Forgotten. Unimportant. A mockery.

He was so close... the only things holding him back were the limits of his body, the disgusting machine it was. Injured and beaten, it was going to give in long before his mind and soul, and there remained no other pawns left to sacrifice in his stead. To think such disgusting beings could stand even a flicker of a chance against him... it was due to their infernal cooperation. Though stronger of will, character, soul, and might, than any of them, the massing of ants could still prove lethal. If only--

...Yes. Yes. Yes yes yes yes, so this was the true path of destiny.

---

Grandmaster Azure's shoulders shake with quiet sobs as tears come to his eyes. He casts his eyes skyward, directly into the infinity of the Expanse, as Russel and Scarlett approach him. Though part of Russel hesitates, especially seeing the mage clearly emotionally disturbed, he doesn't offer the archmage a chance for surrender. Not again. He wouldn't make that mistake again.

---

It had been a mistake to trust himself. This was the truth he could only glean now, at the edge of total failure. Though perfect and destined for greatness, he too was still a mortal. Weak, meaningless. There could be no greater purpose for him in this mortal shell, and its failings were the sole cause of his failures.

But he could see his destiny. He could feel the kingdoms he was destined to rule, the subjects doomed to fall beneath him, whether they knew it or not. He had known such a destiny waited for a 'different version' of himself, but now, he finally understands what that means: it is the destiny of the Azure who has transcended mortality.

---

Azure spreads his arms wide, a joyous smile spreading across his face. Realizing he may have some final trick, Scarlett races forward, hurling two hands full of needles, rippling with deadly electric potential--!

---

It was not too late. The Expanse was still open, inviting, containing infinite possibility--containing his destined future self. He could still feel that power above all others, beyond the veil. The young constellation above still oozed with astral power--and along with it, so did every other constellation in the sky. To draw directly upon such power would be impossible for a mere human, but that was no longer a problem.

This was the truth: his destiny was not to rise from the depraved pits of humanity to become a god...

---

Scarlett's needles sink deep into Azure's body--within moments, he's rendered entirely immobile, every muscle paralyzed!

---




---
Music Link
A sudden burst of Celestial Light surges straight down from The Expanse, engulfing Azure and knocking Scarlett and Russel backward, sent flying through the air, along with anyone else still atop Castle High! The aerial forces of Bertila manage to grab anyone sent into the air, but at the center of the phenomena, the beam of light is growing in size, slowly filling the entirety of Castle High's courtyard, then its inner walls, and finally, the entire castle itself!

From the beam begin to emerge threads of azure mana, similar to those of Slaves of Fate, but more winding and physical, and numbering in the hundreds upon hundreds, reaching high, high into the sky, ripping into the heavens. With each passing second, the threads splinter and spread, as if the sky itself were breaking to pieces, small slivers of the world visible amid the azure cracks that now threatened to consume all. As the cracks reach stars and constellations, they are engulfed and consumed, celestial light absorbed and directed down the branching threads of mana back to the center of the beam! Further threads extend up toward the infinite chasm of The Expanse, absorbing even more astral mana from its endless depths, directing it back toward Castle High.

In mere seconds, it's as if the entirety of the sky has been consumed by the twisted, spreading influence of Azure. Yet when one looked for the Grandmaster who caused this cataclysm... they would find only a lifeless body, a single thread of mana extending up from it into the growing network. If this mass of all-consuming mana had any sort of epicenter, it was within and around Castle High itself, where the cracks in space became a web of criss-crossing azure magic.

"The... insane bastard," Zaffre stares in awe.

"W-what's going on!?" Russel asks.

"He's... abandoned his physical form." Zaffre shakes his head, "I'm not sure how, but... he's not even human anymore. He's fractured his soul into a thousand threads, seeking nothing but power. I'm not even sure if he could possibly retain consciousess in that condition. Damn it!" he curses, balling a fist, "how!? I care not if he was the greatest mage in the world, no one in his condition should be capable of such a feat, even under the great Expanse of the sky!"

"The column of Celestial Light," Scarlett realizes! "A spirit came to him, just like the rest of us. It must have given him the power he needed to do this. But... who!? And why!?"

Yet every member of Regiment 1-31 already knew who from the future had come to aid Grandmaster Azure. Who had been as instrumental in orchestrating Castle High's fate as the Grandmaster himself. Who had so warped fate around himself to reach them even here, even now, before his own existence.

The spirits that fought alongside each member of the Regiment could only offer a name the warriors of Castle High already knew too well, yet held a deeply different meaning: Azure.

"How do we kill him!?" Scarlett asks, angrily.

"We can't you daft woman, he's no longer 'alive'! He's reduced himself to a formless mass of soul and astral energy!"

Scarlett ignores him and focuses, her investigative spirit flaring as she glances up and down the entity, analyzing. She gazes for just a moment into the Expanse--and sees countless more threads of azure mana extending down from it, wrapping around Castle High and strengthening the entity. "It's not just coming from Azure's body, or from the stars. This thing... it's coming from the space outside our world. Whatever being empowered Azure with that Celestial Light, I don't think it's stopping. Its power is extending out into other worlds," a suggestion from her spirit, "--other times. If we don't do something soon, more than Rosalia might be consumed by..."

All of Castle High's warriors are sillhoutted against the deep, endless blue of the sky's spreading, uncountable cracks. Dark shadows, trapped within a broken sky, devoid of dream.

"...consumed by the Infinite Azure."

"No, come on!" Rosemary tries to snap them out of it. "There must be something we can still do! He only just transformed, didn't he!? Couldn't it be possible to interrupt him before he finishes?"

"Maybe," Zaffre looks back to the entity Azure had become, its tendrils and cracks of mana spreading further through the sky, all leading back down to Castle High. "He had to use Castle High and the astral power it contained as the catalyst for the transformation. If we destroy the castle, it may stop the transformation, but I'm not confident it would reverse what's already--"

He stops, feeling a steadily growing tremor in the ground. "What on earth..."

"I think it's coming from--oh heck, everyone move!" Russel calls out, pointing to the hills to the north of Castle Low!

Lumbering over the hillside, spewing steam and smoke, covered in alchemical lines, charges the The Dreadnought of Bertila! Its gigantic, spider-like legs pull it across the battlefield as its massive cannons and machine guns begin to open fire on Castle High! At the front of the Dreadnought, her armor alchemized directly into the controls for the entire Dreadnought, stands Giada, standing tall, arms crossed, controlling every gun, leg, and cannon through alchemical lines of magic!

Giada fires a multitude of shots and rounds, but Infinite Azure's innumerable tendrils of mana splinter downward, blocking their paths and absorbing their energy! Undeterred, Giada charges the Dreadnought straight ahead, pushing through the tendrils while continuing to open fire! A few shots manage to streak through to the castle itself, obliterating a side wall of Castle High for 2010 damage!

Infinite Azure immediately gets to act thanks to its Fate Reclaimed Ability! The tendrils of the castle nearest to the point of damage begin to reform the broken stones and earth, restoring 1034 HP to the castle and granting it a Barrier of Infinite Arcana, giving it massive defense against the next attack sustained! They then reach forward and grab hold of the Dreadnought, rooting it in place as pure, astral mana burns through its supports and armor! Despite the damage, Giada pushes the Dreadnought further, harder!

"Giada, I'm not sure the Dreadnought can handle this much strain...!" Selvenade calls, his blade whirling quickly from atop the Dreadnought as he fights to keep them free of being caught in Infinite Azure's astral grip!

"Have I ever steered you wrong!?" She yells back up to him. "Even after I lost my memory and you attacked my country, did I ever misdirect you!?"

"W-well no, you have not, but--"

"Then keep up what you're doing and trust my new friends!" She tells him with finality. With a flash of alchemical power, a microphone rises up in front of her.

"Hey, Castle High! You all just gonna stand there, or are you gonna help me destroy this thing!?"

Rosemary grins, "seems she hasn't given up hope. Neither should we!"

Infinite Azure's uncountable cracks through the world extend like a cage snapping shut, slowly proceeding toward Castle Low, ready to engulf it. Tendrils of astral destruction are extending down toward the earth, ripping and tearing it apart, barring the pathway to Castle High, as reality itself is warped and made impassable. And yet still, following Giada's example, The Armies and Allies of Castle High rush forward to cut open a path of attack, meeting a barrage of arcane bolts, beams and blasts, entirely unafraid! And as they do, Russel steps forward to speak to them!

Music Link
He leaps up onto a broken statue, his feet planted on the remains of its chest. "Everyone! I'm... I'm sorry for bringing you into this. When I looked up into the sky, I saw the future of all of Rosalia! I thought Castle High's purpose was to protect us and the ones we love from the threats that may one day come. Instead... I led you all into creating the greatest threat we've ever faced.

"But that doesn't matter anymore! Castle High was never special--it was created to be a tool of destruction, a tool to grant one person the power to rule over everyone! But the spirit of Castle High was all of us, all of you! Before you came, it was just a soaring castle, destined to end the world. But now look! You heroes of this castle showed patience!"

Emelia fires off a collection of explosive arrows, blasting down a ruined wall to allow a group of cavalry a pathway forward!

"You brought hope!"

Former slaves of Dragonskull Colosseum cheer and wail as they crash through waves of Infinite Azure's tendrils!

"You brought peace!"

Valeena and Brice command their ghostly ships to open fire, blasting apart a massive beam of astral destruction!

"You stood with those in need!"

Avelia and Ormen lead the Musicians of Nightdeaf in an uproarous melody, empowering all others as they march forward!

"You showed mercy!"

Selvenade cleaves and strikes down tendrils attacking the Dreadnought--then sends a hand out wide, directing a squadron of Bertilan fighters to support a group of mages in need below!

"You dealt with the cruel justly!"

Siona and her Paladins form a stalwart front line, their leader healing and restoring all who fall around them as they form a break headed straight for Castle High!

"And you did it all while always fighting by each other's sides!"

"Watch oooooout, crazy star bro!" Geller hollers, whirling his hammer around before launching it directly for the castle! Codey, better known for his gardening skills than his fighting skills, stays closely behind him, tossing out gusts of wind to propel Geller away from being struck!

Russel continues, his voice growing more fervent, an orange aura glowing around him, "our combined strength was greater than Azure's evil! It always has been! We carry the true spirit of Castle High within us all! And now, to reclaim that spirit, we must destroy the darkness that was planted in us from the beginning: Castle High itself!"

"So everyon--"

"Russel!" Toleann yells, running toward him. He pulls him arm back and throws something toward him, "take this!"

Reacting off instinct, Russel reaches out his hand and catches the item--The Blade of Castle Low.

From the depths of the expanse, a single, lonely red star shines brightly once more, brighter than any other star, brighter than Infinite Azure. The star flares down a beam of Celestial Light, engulfing Russel in the power of a General!

As the beam of light fades, Russel slowly stands back up, his orange aura now tinted with shades of blazing crimson, a red coat drapped over his shoulders. Looking upon the aura didn't give one feelings of intimidation, however: instead, it left one in awe, the young man carrying the true air of a leader.

He smiles slightly, raising his sword--as four more appear in the air around it, made of crystal. "Thank you all for joining me on this journey. Now, together, as one! Let's put an end to this war."

General Russel unlocks Castle Low's ability to deal MASSIVE DAMAGE! Every ally that acts next turn will increase the power of the castle's attack substantially!

General Russel grants all allies the ability to perform Tandem Attacks! If two or more allies team up to perform an attack, the resulting attack will be substantially more powerful! Members of Regiment 1-31 can form Tandem Attacks with each other, with Commanders, and with any of the currently assembled allies!

Azure's Castle High:

---

FINAL TURN START!

"..." Bran had the facial expression of a deer as it was being charged at by a bear-mouth glazed open, eyes wide. A look of abject terror. But something was different.
He turned to Zaffre. He needed his help.
Bran: Enter the state of the Avatar of Arcana. Silently requesting Zaffre's assistance, use Knowledgeable Arcana to cast Existence Erasure, targeting Infinite Azure. After that, use Arcane Negation to dispel the Barrier of Infinite Arcana and counter the Barrier of Infinite Arcana the next two times it is cast.

Severa[1]: Charge mana from the castle's Ancient Wellsprings of Mana to attain Overloading Magic Circuits.
Severa[2]: Charge mana naturally to gain Unbounded Magic Circuits
Severa[3]: Burn all of my health to obtain Divine Decree, replacing Prayer of Alter Nutrix.
Severa[3.5]: With my dying breath, speak one Divine Decree before relinquishing the power and fading away...

"Thy Castle feels the wrath of the heavens."

Severa[4]: Bring the heavens down upon Castle High.

in the end:

>As Watcher, prepare Focused Defender (Magic) and help the others advance towards Castle Low by cutting through intervening attacks...?

Arthur lowers his head and prepares his swords as usual. One doesn’t need to be particularly spirited to keep a stance they have spent more than half of their life honing to perfection. He measures it in fractions of breaths. In, out.

Fine.

If that’s how it is, so be it.

When I reach my limit on this battlefield, I will fail. But everything I do and everything I am, from here to the end, shall be perfect.

And I will die at the apex of my technique with you.

timestep:

>Call out to Candice to return the Timestep Medallion.

human heart:

After a short pause, I stammer out a response.

“I’d like to do... everything. And anything.” I let my head drop for a moment, looking up at Candice’s sure expression. “I haven’t the slightest idea... where to begin. I can see so much that can go wrong, and--”

“--gods, I’m sick to death of fighting.” I let out an anxious laugh. It’s a laugh, at least. “When we get out of here, I never want to see that shade of blue again.”

“So I...”

human mind:

“...I’d... like to be just a bit faster.” I smile warmly, though I’m sure my anxiousness breaks the confident air somewhere. “Er... I don’t know enough of magic to know what more I can ask for, my dear... but... ideally. I want... to be right by everyone’s sides.”

--ahem, “Ah, and... I believe, as the fastest people here, we ought to keep vigilant for his little tricks. Would you like to follow me..? I would... truly appreciate it."

>Arthur: As a Watchful Warrior, prepare Focused Defender (Magic) and use Ultimatum on the battle itself.

To say it targets any one person would be nothing short of incorrect.

”Conflict begins and ends in the mind.”

These swords will cleave conflict itself for the sake of revealing peace on the other side. Again, again, again. A hundred times. As many times as it takes for the battle to end, or as many as my body can take.

”I will become the end of all battles.”

For each strike... utilize the defend-and-counter mindset of Temporal Riposte, our most practiced technique. The most perfected. As many times as it takes, riposte through time to destroy Azure’s battle--from attacks to corruptions of fate.

When we are out of attacks to counter...

”The beginning of tranquility...”

...keep on cutting. Not necessarily the Castle, not necessarily Azure...


Ripping through time, add your strength to any and all force that resists Azure. Or, more succinctly... as you use Ultimatum in the form of repeated Temporal Ripostes, become the weapon of all those who are resisting Azure as you reach the peak.

Be they casting magic, or soaring towards the enemy with a weapon bared...

...may they find their acts guided true by a shooting star of regal crimson.


”...is paved by a life that has become a blade.”

human body:

"Shoot. Should've known he'd pull a stunt like this." Doc adjusted his sleeves and slipped back into his coat, patting the young mage he'd been patching up on the knee to let him know he was free to stand. Pulling the brim of his hat down over his eyes to block out the light coming from the sky, the old man sauntered over to where Russel was standing. "You know," he intoned casually, "there used to be an organization which existed to prevent things like this. Now it's just me. Allow me to take this moment to formally induct you and your Regiment into the honorary ranks of the Brotherhood of Interested Parties." Doc clapped Russel on the back and smiled at him warmly. "You know, you've got a heart for people, Rus. You put 'em first, no matter what. It's why these folks look up to you so much. Hang on to that quality." Doc emptied Beth's barrel of its nanotech bullets and slotted in six silver shells he'd been keeping in his front vest pocket. "It's good to have you back with us."

Doc snapped the barrel of his pistol closed and took a look up at the sky. I don't even know what the hell I'd shoot. Instead, Doc lowered his vision to Castle High. Now that, I can shoot.

"Hey Russel," Doc asked calmly. "You got some way of communicating with Giada up there?" Without waiting for a reply, Doc spoke into Russel's earpiece. "Hey Giada! Doc here. You wouldn't happen to remember whereabouts in the castle you folks kept the high explosives, would you?" He waited for a reply, then gave a lopsided grin. "Thank you kindly." Doc levelled his gun at the spot that Giada had indicated, and squeezed the-

Out of the corner of his eye, Severa dropped to the ground, and Doc released his grip. Severa. The only member of the Resistance still standing. The only one left after what he'd done. No, no way - he'd be damned if he lost her too.

Well, his back was screaming in pain. Arms were like lead. Eyes were full of fog. Legs were on their last... legs. If he tried to travel again, do whatever he'd done before, he doubted he'd be able to make the return trip. Shoot, he was an old man who'd had a good run. Doc raised the revolver to his temple-

"Severa!"

-But before he could pull the trigger, his younger self shoved past him, revolver pressed against his own temple, and fired.

Another time-traveler's promise:

Doc stared at the smoke rising from where his younger self had once stood. He hadn't reappeared. It seemed reasonable to imagine he probably wouldn't. His purpose here had been served, and he had another time to return to. After everything that had happened here, Doc wondered... what would that time look like?

His heart full of something approaching joy, Doc returned his aim to Castle High. With the ease of a seasoned marksman, he selected a position where he could aim between the bars of the castle gate, towards a point in the back of the castle where the high explosives would be kept.

In his last moments before squeezing the trigger, he considered the sky across which Azure had stretched himself. He looked deep into the cracks in the cosmos, and allowed the hate he'd held to dissipate. It was the loneliest sky he'd ever seen.

Doc fired on Castle High.

Doc: Fire an Iron Sights Shot on Castle High's explosives storeroom.

Aquinas: Activate Time-Traveler's Promise with one target only - saving the life of Severa, should she choose to let herself be saved.

[Action music playlist (played during normal writing sections)]

[Introspective music (can be played during most spoiler-boxed sections), recommended to loop]

As the sky is torn apart...

As valiant souls fight to their last...

As the master of fate laughs, a thousand lifetimes away...

As an entire army's hearts unite as one...

"Go!" Russel commands, "it's time to end this war! Together, forces of Rosalia! One last Attack on Castle High!"

So begins...


Bran looks to Zaffre, and the astromancer immediately understands, executing a Tandem Attack!

Bran's physical form begins to fade and vanish, projecting himself entirely into a state of pure magic, becoming an Avatar of Arcana! His whole form shining with mana, he utilizes the new form of his oldest Ability, Knowledgeable Arcana, to call upon Azure's strongest Technique! Above his head begins to form a luminous sphere--a recreation of a star, growing and pulsing with unbridled astral power! It grows and grows in size and strength, a rebellious beacon of shining blue against the deadly azure of the sky!

Zaffre then casts out a hand, and a multitude of blazing, fate-bending gears wind themselves around the star, stabilizing it and imbuing it with true freedom! He keeps his hands raised in focus, channeling his power into the constructs, as he snickers, "I don't believe Azure ever imagined this Technique to be used against him. I shall do all I can to make it strike true boy, so go!"

With the star's power having reached its absolute limit, Bran releases the spell, more powerful than any he's ever cast: Existential Erasure! The ground and space around him cracks as a colossal, blinding beam of radiant astral mana blasts straight toward Infinite Azure!

The spell meets resistance as it clashes with Infinite Azure's myriad of fate-rending threads, sapping the attack of its ability to rebel against infinity, but Zaffre's gears of free will quickly cut them through, counteracting their effect!

With the sound of glass shattering, the mighty beam slams into the nexus of Infinite Azure, causing the world itself to shake and shudder! Bran's mana spreads from the point of impact, Azure's threads disintegrating in its wake as a portion of the sky is cleared near Castle High!

Infinite Azure is significantly weakened! Its Power is reduced by 300 for the battle's remainder, Barrier of Infinite Mana's damage reduction is decreased to 60%, and its ability to repair Castle High in general is diminished!

Infinite Azure is re-coalescing, entirely occupied repairing the damage dealt by Bran, not allowing it to make a counter-action!

"Excellent!" Zaffre says, floating up by the mage's side. "Now, let us keep that power of its contained!"

With Zaffre's assistance, Bran then taps into the Barrier of Infinite Mana surrounding Azure's Castle High and, with a single deft motion, sends a tear straight down its center! The tear spreads into a hundred cracks, sundering the barrier and shattering it, making the castle vulnerable once more!

Bran then prepares to counter any further barriers, a maelstrom of mana surrounding him...!

"This is our chance!" Scarlett yells, flying into the air on a collection of storm clouds, her mage's robe billowing behind her! "Bran has our backs--let loose everything you have!"

Following her own advice, Scarlett unleashes a storm of needles on Castle High, hurling dozens upon dozens of the projectiles every second as she strafes around to its side, leaving hundreds of the projectiles embedded into the castle's walls! She then punches a fist straight up into the air, a collection of storm clouds forming a funnel overhead, "I never fucking liked this castle anyway!"

A single, massive, blazing bolt of red lightning shoots down from the sky, meeting her fist and arcing to each and every one of the needles, rending the walls of Castle High with burning electricity!

Infinite Azure's unending tendrils twist and move, attempting to pull away the damage and cast another Barrier of Infinite Arcana, but Bran quickly catches the attempt and, beside Zaffre, dispels the action!

"Yo yo yo, Vince, my dude!" Geller hollers, jostling his friend and helping him to get his feet. "This is like, our chance, bro! C'mon!" He tosses his hammer over his shoulder, grinning as broadly as ever, "let's like, totally crash this castle bruh!"

Geller and Vince team up for a Tandem Attack, a conflux of flames and thunder growing around them!

Vince spins his whip through the air, creating a rising column of flame, reaching higher and higher, scorching the clouds above!

Geller leaps skyward, pulling his massive hammer behind him and, yelling with each swing, begins slamming out sections of fire, surrounding them in crackling thunder and sending them hurdling straight for Castle High! They meet the crackling electricity of Scarlett's needle lightning and explode, creating blossoming clouds of flame and thunder all across Castle High's surface, turning stone and mortar to ash and air, dealing 6788 damage! The castle is left at 2764 HP, barely able to hold together!

Infinite Azure surges with a sudden burst of azure magic, called in from the infinite Expanse, and pushes back against Bran's mana! Simultaneously, several hundred azure tendrils coalesce on a single point in space, ebbing and surging with fate-rending power... and then suddenly turn black, then a shade darker than black, pulling some infinite darkness from the Expanse...!

As a Phantom forms, wreathed in clouds and particles of deepest shadow, a Phantom Umbra of some unending dark! Two deeply hateful, red eyes peer out from the blackness as an event horizon begins to form around Castle High, a Black Star Barrier completely obscuring the castle!

"W-what is that!?" the ghostly form of Brice asks from atop one of the phantom pirate ships, gazing down at the rapidly growing sphere of shadow!

"Target practice!" Valeena retorts, raising her phantom sabre. "All ships, open fire!"

The Sunken Ships begin blasting the barrier of darkness, cannonballs bursting and blowing across its surface... but the flames and fury are simply absorbed by the barrier, reduced to nothing within moments! Someone needs to find a way through!

Infinite Azure begins to stir once more, new tendrils of astral annihilation spreading out and sweeping their way through the united Rosalian forces! They unleash a burst of piercing light, a massive shockwave spreading out rapidly to consume all of Rosalia's allies--!

"Find peace!" Siona calls as she raises divine barriers, her holy form made to bend and strain as her shimmering barriers of light crack and deform from the destructive power pushing against them! The battle's momentum is quickly slipping...!

Across the blood-scarred battlefield, Arthur asks Candice to join him in a whirlwind of temporal action, targeting the very concept of this battle!

The Strength of Power Given:

Candice gives Arthur her Timestep Medallion, which begins to glow and shine as they launch a Tandem Attack!

The space of peace created around Arthur intersects with Candice's time-altering abilities! Something seems to be forming...!

The pair move like light itself, only visible in the afterimages left in their wake as they flicker across the entire battlefield! The actual path they're taking through space is near impossible to track, their speed and growing departure from physicality making them seem to be everywhere at once!

As Arthur forges ahead, he catches Infinite Azure's destructive shockwave with innumerable Temporal Ripostes, redirecting and counter-attacking that power at the battle's very concept of conflict, inching them closer to the peace of victory! Meanwhile, her back to his, Candice launches volley after volley of arrows, laced with the same conflict-shattering power, creating columns of peace in their wake, fizzling and destroying the endless torrent of erasure!

Soon, the shockwave is completely dissipated, and Rosalia's forces let out a cheer as they re-double their advance! However, the Black Star Barrier created by Phantom Umbra still stands!

Now up above the battlefield, Arthur continues to catch and Temporal Riposte innumerable numbers of Azure's infinite fate-rending threads! As he slashes them in twain, Candice finishes off their remnants, carving a hole in the heavens and revealing the opening to the Expanse at impossible speeds!

Beacon of Heaven:

Arthur rises into the sky and, channeling the power of the Timestep Medallion and the conflict-shattering powers of Ultimatum and Ultipax, becomes a burning beacon of will, his crimson light defiantly shining against Azure's tainted skies throughout time! All allies gain the Blazing Will buff, significantly increasing their resistance to fate-altering and erasing magic, such as Infinite Azure's! The shining beacon somehow carries the same inspiring, endearing energy Arthur had always shown: pushing everyone forward, no matter what claimed to stop them!

Candice, high in the sky, captures a shard of that will into her bow and fires a mighty Glimmer of Heaven, directly down onto the Black Star Barrier!

The arrow strikes the façade, sending cascading waves of red, blue, black, white, and violet echoing across its surface... until it begins to crack! The shadowy Phantom Umbra is forced backward as its defenses crumble, turned to colorful flecks of mana as sheer willpower rends the darkness to light!

Infinite Azure was able to restore 5321 HP to Castle High while the defense stood, weaving its stones and foundation together with threads of infinity!

The forces of Rosalia raise a roar as they rally, pushing back upon Azure's castle once more!

As they do, Nathalia approaches Russel with her plan for a Tandem Attack, to strike Castle High in unity with all of Rosalia's forces!

Russel nods back, a confident smile. "I can do that. You lead from the front, lead by example, and I'll see the rest of our army follows in your step!"

As Nathalia leaps to the frontlines, Russel takes a slow breath, raising the blade of Castle Low high, high into the sky. Arthur's shining crimson star flashes, empowering the commander as he calls upon a magic to unite everyone...!

By the time Nathalia reaches the outer wall of the castle, the rest of Rosalia's armies and allies meet her with a cheer!

"Hey, Nathalia right?" Emilia calls, brandishing her bow atop Gnasher. "You and Russel must be up to something crazy--I'm pretty sure we all already know what you want to do. You just point the way and me and my beasts will follow."

"Nice to see you again, dragoon," The Hallowed Knight nods to her, morningstar perched on her shoulder. "Heh, glad we're on the same side this time. I and the rest of the Aethon Sol are right behind you."

"Don't forget us!" Tea says, skating in on a slide of ice. Not far behind her are many of the other fighters from Bertila: Valvis with portable magma tanks, Grett and their massive piston fists, and a positively sparking Telsee! Tea gives a thumbs up, "sorry, but we can't let you Rosalians be the only ones in the history books after we win!"

Rosemary floats down nearby as well, surrounded by waves of healing light. A blazing fire burns in her eyes, "don't hold anything back! I'll keep you all going no matter what, so just, end this!!"

And of course, there also stand the dozens upon dozens of other brave souls who had fought alongside Regiment 1-31 for the months leading to this battle. All bathed in the crimson light of Arthur's star, they'd never felt so determined, so sure they could do this, they could change this world's fate!

Behind the front lines, Russel points his blade directly at Castle High, as it begins to burst with orange and red light, like a newly rising sun! Shimmering crystals begin to form around the Blade of Castle Low, but instead of forming numerous crystal blades as the Construct did, they appear to be spreading forward in a line over the Rosalian forces, bound together by orange mana! They combine and form a magical edge, extending out over an incredible distance, forming a blade nearly as large as Castle High itself! Despite the size, Russel seems to have no trouble pulling it back, every muscle in his body tensing as he prepares to slash through Infinite Azure's tendrils and begin the final assault--!

"Wait!" Giada calls over her loudspeaker, still struggling to press the Dreadnought of Bertila close enough to blast Castle High with its cannons! "Zaffre! Summon back Werzop, now!"

"What!?" Zaffre yells, a look bordering on disgust. "Why would I possibly summon that broken little sphere now of all--"

"You talk way too much!" She growls back as she sinks one of the Dreadnoughts legs into the foundation of Castle High, trying to pull it apart. "Just do it, now!"

"Rrrghh... fine!" Zaffre relents, raising his hands as he summons his gears once more, pulling upon the particular signature of Werzop, trying to summon the magical automaton back. The astromancer sighs as he watches Werzop's thread be caught and pulled from somewhere in the north, reeling him here. Honestly, of all the ridiculous things he'd ever--

"--Wait, what is..." Zaffre squints, seeing something much larger than Werzop quickly crossing the distance to the battlefield. It was massive, yet it almost looked... humanoid...

...There was no way.

"Everyone, clear away from the northern side of the castle!" Giada calls into the intercom.

Soaring in from the north, pulled by a thread of purpose and fate, is the Colossus of De-Zum-Ri!! As Zaffre (and admittedly, many of the rest of Rosalia's forces) look on in awe, the colossus lands with both feet on a nearby hill on the edge of the battlefield!

"I have observed that Azure was, in fact, a terrible master!" The colossus speaks aloud, in a tone similar to Werzop's but clearly projected from a much larger and more bass-heavy speaker. "Though it may be due to the extensive damage this unit--I, have suffered, I now see that Azure is the very reason I lost my creator!"

The colossus digs in its (her?) heels and charges, lowering its shoulder!

Infinite Azure quickly moves to raise a web of astral tendrils to stop it, but the defense is too weak to inhibit the massive stone goliath, which charges straight through and shoulder tackles Castle High, absolutely shattering its northmost side, dealing 2155 damage!

Sensing the coming onslaught, Infinite Azure attempts to erects another Barrier of Infinite Arcana--

But once again Bran, now empowered by Arthur's shining star, twists the barrier apart with his arcane expertise, reducing the defense to nothing!

Now with an opening, Nathalia leads the charge against Castle High as Russel swings his castle-shattering sword!

A barrage of arcane spells; bursts of demon fire; countless gunshots and explosions; burning blasts of light; hundreds of warriors leaping to strike the castle itself with blades, spears, and axes; and at their lead, Nathalia, executing a Knight's Rush, cloaked in Winged Negation; every single attack strikes at once, the sheer strength of Rosalia's will made real! Together, they deal 2910 damage as Castle High's outer walls are now entirely gone! Only its inner towers and courtyards manage to keep it together!

Infinite Azure casts Existential Erasure as the army closes in, hundreds of astral threads becoming filled with erasing magic, destroying reality itself as they streak straight down towards the army--

Only to be severed by Russel, his massive blade covering incredible distances with each swing as he cleaves through the attack, absorbing the pure astral energy to make his blade all the stronger!

Yet Infinite Azure's Fate's True Form allows it to react to his action as well! The otherworldly being digs its tendrils into the space around Rosalia's warriors, twisting and rending the portion of the world they stand within to inflict damage! Though Nathalia is unaffected thanks to her Winged Negation, she sees her allies begin to buckle and slow as fate itself presses against their advance! Bran's efforts to weaken the enemy and Arthur's efforts to empower the army allow the formation to hold for now, but they're unable to advance...!

Down below, Doc Morgan fire's a single, streaking bullet toward the castle! Despite the huge number of magical attacks in the air, the ruins all across the castle, and the uncountable threads of astral defense that surrounded the castle, the lonely round skirts and avoids each and every obstacle, punching through the door into Castle High's munitions storage and striking a barrel of gunpowder--!

And with a massive EXPLOSION that rocks the entire flying fortress, Castle High manages to hover just a moment longer... before beginning to descend with growing speed! The explosion dealt 921 damage to the castle, but more importantly, destroyed the magical runes that allowed it to stay airborne!

Acting quickly, Infinite Azure commands its servant once more, and Phantom Umbra begins to extend beneath the castle's foundations, halting its descent--

--Until, with a sudden flash of motion, Phantom Umbra is cleaved right down the middle, the shadowy form writhing as golden, holy light burns it away from the inside-out, preventing it from regenerating! The phantom's dark form finally collapses, disappearing as Phantom Umbra is Incapacitated!

Down on the ground below, a solitary figure lands, her massive sword buried in the earth beneath her, held in two hands: one her own, the other a hand of blood, extending from her missing arm. She looks back toward Castle High... and the Paladins of the Aethon Sol fighting within.

There. Lyse, The Broken Knight had done her part. She'd leave the rest to them. Casting one last, scowling look up at the shining crimson star in the sky, Lyse departed, never looking back.

Infinite Azure extends threads beneath the castle, attempting to grab hold and slow its fall! As they do so, the reality warping effect that had grabbed hold of the Rosalian forces is lifted--wasting no time, they all begin to grab on to anyone with magic, flight, or leaping abilities (the Bertilan air support being particularly helpful) as they vacate the castle!

Brief moments after the last of Rosalia's forces escape the falling castle, it meets the earth--where it impacts with a cataclysmic CRASH, a shockwave of earth, stone, and ruin several feet high is sent cascading from the point of impact, knocking many off their feet from its sheer force! In the impact's wake, dust and dirt fills the air with a haze! Castle High and Infinite Azure are temporarily hidden from sight, and some among the castle's forces wondered, hoped, that just maybe, that had been enough to end this...

...But those hopes were soon dashed as the dust settles, revealing a Castle High mid-way through collapse! Somehow, despite being reduced to 0 HP, Infinite Azure had frozen the castle in fate itself, making its inevitable demise fail to pass! Despite half of its foundation and walls floating in mid-air, cracked and disintegrating, azure magic continues to flow from the castle, allowing Infinite Azure to continue to expand further and further! In fact, while the forces of Rosalia had focused on the castle, Infinite Azure already spread itself most of the distance to reach Castle Low, several dozen tendrils a short few yards away!

Now more than ever, that other presence--the one that pressed in from the infinite Expanse, from beyond time--felt all-encompassing, a thick miasma pressing at the mind, insisting this battle was over well before it had ever even started.

Toleann (now wielding a spear) and a band of his elite Castle Low guards defend Castle Low from atop its wall, dervishes of action and battle as they hold back the infinite onslaught! Yet they're continually pushed back, unable to contend with an unending, immortal foe!

"Don't give up!" Russel calls! "We fight until the day is won! We'll tear our way straight through fate if we must! Now, everyone, together, one last time! Attack!"

Back on the battlefield, Nathalia leads the strike once more, Rosalia's forces following her as they move to cleave a path for Castle High itself! But how can they hope to destroy the castle in this state!?

Far removed from the battlefield's chaos and noise, high in the air, floats Severa, her aged body already pushed far past its natural limits. Calling upon Castle Low's Ancient Wellsprings of Mana, spiraling streams of mana float from the sieged fortress, spinning around her and charging her form with mana once more, granting Overloading Magic Circuits! She conjures her next spell with every last ounce of her being, without a shred of hesitation for what casting it shall cost.

She takes a deep breath in, offering her very life to the divine in order to empower the attack...

As the Rosalian army nears Castle High, battling against Infinite Azure's blasts of arcana and threads of fate once more, they may notice an impossible sight in the sky above them...

The stars themselves, shaking.

The threads of fate that Infinite Azure had spread across every star in the sky begin to disintegrate and fall loose as the stars rebel, their light growing in intensity, pulled free of the monster's control! Shimmering starlight collects around each of them as an ancient, divine power is called upon, channeling the heroic stories that created each of the sky's constellations in the first place!

One by one, each star streaks down from the sky, transforming into a blazing comet of divine astral mana! They flow not just with the power of Severa's god, but the power that held them each in the sky all these years: the legendary feats of heroes gone by so grand as to be immortalized! Each soars down upon the fate-frozen Castle High, burning through all in their way to crash into the immobile castle, shaking the earth with each impact! And with each that strikes, the castle begins to crumble once more, inch by inch! The heavens themselves are crashing down upon Castle High, and with each star that lands, its impervious spell is further weakened!

As the Rosalian forces redouble their efforts, a heroic hurrah as they near the castle once more, Severa finally releases her breath, falls backward... and then, is gone, as if she had never been there to begin.

If one looked closely, they may have seen something in the place she once floated: a portal, a window, into a place far beyond this world. An idyllic field of flowers, a wood and stone cottage, and a loving figure, patiently waiting.

Departure for Heaven:

Severa is no more.

"C'mon, everyone! Let's move!" Emelia calls from atop Gnasher, raising her bow as she leads a legion of wild boars, wolves, bears, falcons, and more toward Castle High! "This one's for my mom, and everyone you've crushed in your path!" she roars, loosing a myriad of explosive arrows! The fate-frozen castle begins to crack!

"The Gell master is here to DESTROOOOOY," Geller screams, waves of thunder batting away Infinite Azure's attempts to halt their progress!

Erika shreds on her guitar, launching blast after blast of lightning and rock on the castle, slowly burning a hole through its immortality!

Nathalia launches another Knight's Rush, Russel aiding her as she unleashes an incredibly powerful Dragon Horn Strike, piercing her way straight for the castle itself, all the forces of Rosalia rushing in behind her!

Countless projectiles and strikes join the assault--destructive fireballs, beams of pure arcana, explosives and missiles, heavenly orbs, demonic spikes of darkness, and more--batter at the fate-frozen fortress, as more and more stars crash down upon it from above!

Infinite Azure is doing everything it possibly can to stop them, firing blast after blast of Existential Erasure into the army and slashing at them with threads of astral arcana, but between the streaking stars, the countermagic of Bran, the shimmering crimson star up above, and Russel's constant strikes at its infinite tendrils, the monstrosity is barely able to make an impact!

Finally, Nathalia shoots straight up into the air, her silhouette making her appear as if she were a mighty dragon, swooping through the sky! With a ferocious roar, the heavens crashing down around her, she launches a Meteoric Impact, brilliant green and golden flames emerging all across her armored body as she descends straight on Castle High! She holds her spear ready to pierce the ruined remains of the structure--!

And with the ferocious power of Rosalia's brave armies and allies striking beside her--!

Nathalia's spear meets the very top of Castle High's tallest tower--and pierces straight through, fate shattering in her wake! Her spear like a light crashing through darkness, Nathalia descends straight through the tower, through Castle High's main courtyard, through its lower chambers, through its foundations--!

As all at once, with a sound like some massive creature releasing its dying breath, Castle High is destroyed! It collapses straight in on itself, its ramparts and stones crumbling to dust as the entire structure is levelled!

Infinite Azure twists and bends erratically, a proverbial scream filling the sky as its connection to reality is severed! Up above, the Expanse begins to close once more, the vast darkness disappearing...

Yet Infinite Azure holds the sky gash open, innumerable tendrils of arcane energy pressing upon its edges, burning reality in place! Even despite all the damage done to its threads of fate, Infinite Azure continues to press further and further into Rosalia through the crack in the sky, consuming more and more of the heavens above!

"Aaaargh, just, die already!" Zaffre screams into the sky! "Even without the castle, that bastard is strong enough to just, hold itself here! Fuck!"

Scarlett lands nearby, leaping off a storm cloud she conjured, "what do we do now!?"

"I have no idea!" Zaffre says, head in his hands. "Like I tried to tell you, we can't change what Azure's already caused! That thing, that Infinite Azure, already exists out there, in the void between worlds! And now it's here!"

Yet as a feeling of confusion and panic began to slowly stir once more... Russel simply stands with his head down. Feeling... something.

"Everyone's will... their fighting spirit... their desire to see this battle end..."

He closes his fist, summoning the power--around him, a fiery red aura begins to glow.

"If there was ever a power that could stand up to this monster, it must be that."

It was a magic he'd never used before, yet one he could recall with barely a thought. Russel closes his eyes, feeling the spirit of each of his allies, channeling it, as he raises his sword once more...

A swordsman, who shines like the sun and moon.

M

A historian, who bends reality to bring peace.

A

A doctor, who heals his allies and himself.

S

A musician, with a blazing rock soul.

S

A dragoon, who pierces through danger unafraid.

I

A cleric, who finally earned her happy ending.

V

A pyromancer, with a soul brighter than any flame.

E

An administrator, who found her courage once more.

D

A reconnaissance agent, who fights for all she cares for.

A

A healer, who helps others in flesh and heart.

M

An engineer, who stands steadfast against all.

A

An astromancer, more full and realized than his original.

G

And finally... a commander, finally ready to take his position.

E

Russel's sword surges with unfathomable energy as he channels Castle Low's most ancient spell, MASSIVE DAMAGE!

With all his might--with the might of everyone who had ever fought with Castle High, he swings--

A Step Away From Heaven or Hell:

--swings the Blade of Castle Low skyward, firing a massive crescent of sunset-orange energy straight toward Infinite Azure! The strike leaves a trail in reality, as if the space it passed through ceased to exist, as it collides with the monster of twisted fate! Another originless scream echoes through the skies, as with a surge, each and every one of Infinite Azure's tendrils are forced backward, the scars they left on the sky being erased in their wake! The monstrous being writhes and lashes, but the single-minded intent and will of Russel's Mend the Heavens, powered by the combined hope and strength of all of Rosalia's warriors, is too much to overcome!

Infinite Azure is forced backward, backward, as the gash of the Expanse shrinks to be smaller and smaller, obscured by the blurring, warping energy of Russel's attack--!

--Until finally, with one last burst of light and astral force--!












There's quiet.

The stars shine, faintly, just as spent as those on the battlefield.

Up above, there was no longer a web of rended fate. No blinding azure lights to obstruct the view.

In fact, the evening casts a calm darkness over the ruins of Castle High.

There's no sign of Infinite Azure, though it's unclear to most whether Russel's final attack destroyed the monster, or merely pushed it back into the Expanse it emerged from.

But right now, that mattered very little. Though some among the Rosalian forces let out a cheer, many more simply sat down to catch their breath and tend their wounds.

It had been a long ten months to reach this final battlefield, to this victory. Ten months that had changed all their lives inexorably, forever. They knew that, soon, they would need to decide where to go next. How to move on from this moment. This battlefield. This war.

But right now, their thoughts turned somewhere else.

Goodbyes:

And they stared up, into the clear, free skies.

They'd never seen anything more beautiful in all their lives.