After that battle, we decided to move to the other section, the area that was enclosed on a gate. The metallic gate was similar to the others from the previous Level but was partially covered on colorful crystals.
Before entering, some decided to give their opinions about what we saw, perhaps still shocked about this sorrowful story.
"Is that person going to be alright?" Wondered Benladra.
"Hmm…" Kate sighed, she probably was guessing the opposite.
"I don't know, dear. These are only memories stored within Dreams." Benladann answered. "What we're seeing happened long ago, but I would assume that… well, he is probably dead by now."
"Uugh…" Benladra sighed, feeling even more sad. "I-I want to see what will happen next… I hope he can send the tree to the stars!"
"The stars…" I wondered, thinking about it a bit deeply. "No… there's no way, right?"
"What is it?" Asked Miranda, curious.
"Ah, nothing." I smiled back at her. "Let's go on, we have no time to waste."
"I'm still wondering what the heck this story even has to do with the monster we're trying to hunt!" Emerald said.
"Likewise…" Tyrannus added. "But perhaps we might find out soon enough."
I opened the metallic gates, as the Visions of the Dream engulfed us completely, showing us an old memory, now made into a forgotten dream…
FLAAASH!
.
.
.
FLAAASH!
In the very moment that Jonathan had lost all hope, a small bright light opened the way, breaking through the red crystals, and giving him the chance to step forwards.
"You…?"
Jonathan realized that the last hope was a very special child… The little tree he was holding on his arms, the one that could not grow as fast as its siblings, the one that was deemed a failure, had helped him.
"Why?" He asked. "Even after we made you just for our own benefit… You would help me?"
The tiny tree only shone brightly for a few more seconds until its light started to reseed, as Jonathan ran upstairs, he noticed that the more the light receded, the more the crimson crystals would begin to grow back again.
"Dammit…!" He muttered. "We have to hurry…!"
RUMBLE!
The building kept shaking, as he noticed that there were countless of cracks appearing all across the walls. The red crystal was rooting across every inch of the building, slowly attempting to destroy it from the inside out and make it collapse.
"Give… it to me…"
However, the presence of the Crimson Queen drew closer.
"Agh!"
Jonathan suddenly fell to his knees, a red colored essence started to slowly gather around him, the voice of this entity speaking into his mind!
"Give… it… to me…"
"Ugh…! NO!"
The old man screamed his lungs out, harboring the last strength he had on his old body as he stood back up, evading several crystals growing towards him like deadly, sharp spears.
CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!
"Hahhh… A-Almost there!"
He kept running and running, remembering all of his friends, all of his companions, and his beloved partner… All of them gave up their lives for this, for the very last hope.
"Our world is ruined…" He kept running as tears started flowing from his eyes. "But Jessica… she imbued into this tiny tree, the genetic information of almost all life on Earth… With it… maybe…! Maybe!"
He kept running, finally reaching the rooftop as he evaded yet another spear-like crystal growth from hitting his chest, though it pierced his shoulder, blood splattering everywhere, as the crystals started growing over his wound like a cancerous disease.
"Uurrggh…!"
Jonathan fell into the ground, the rooftop was mostly freed of crystals, but his body could barely move right now, he felt his energy was already being drained away by the crystals growing on his shoulder.
"L-Little one…"
The blonde man slowly mustered the last strength he had, with all his willpower, as his old bones cracked and his muscle tore apart, he started dragging himself into a device sitting over the rooftop.
It resembled a small white and silver colored rocket, with several circuits and cables attached to it, and a small computer right in there.
"Andromeda…! Quickly! Set up the rocket to be sent as far from this god forsaken world!" Cried Jonathan.
The computer quickly started up as it spoke back to him, with a voice very similar to the one the System had.
"Professor Jonathan, your body…!" The Supercomputer was concerned, she held a personality, emotions, and intelligence equal to humans, or perhaps even greater. "You need to be attended of your wounds! The crystal is growing over your body… We have to amputate your arm!"
"Just do it! This is… this is the end…!" Jonathan screamed, coughing blood. "There's no more hope for Earth… But this tiny one… Jessica… she believed it could one day rebuild another world. Please…! T-Take… it!"
The blonde man dragged the tube where the tiny tree was contained inside the container within the rocket, as it quickly closed after being placed inside.
"Professor Jonathan…" Andromeda muttered, with a voice filled with pain. "[Initiating Project [Y.G.G.D.R.A.S.I.L.]… Starting the set-up of information. Done. Beginning the Starlight Path… Done. Initiating sequence… One… two…"
RUMBLE!
The building suddenly started trembling again, as the crystals kept coming from the stairs into the rooftop, their sharp spear-like growths aiming at the rocket to destroy it before it could send the little one into the stars.
"I won't let you…! I WON'T LET YOU TAKE AWAY OUR ONLY, VERY LAST HOPE!!!"
Jonathan screamed with all his strength, standing up and putting himself in front of the crystals, dozens of crimson spears piercing his entire body…
CRASH! CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!
"G-Gaahh…!"
"PROFESSOR!!!"
Andromeda screamed in horror as she saw her maker sacrifice himself for humanity's very last hope…
"Go… on… Little one…"
FLAAASH!
The rocket quickly flew into the skies, seconds before it could have been caught by the Crimson Queen.
It reached the clouds above in mere seconds, and then, outer space…
"NOOOOO!!!"
The furious scream of the Crimson Queen echoed across the entire building, as it started to collapse into pieces.
Jonathan's eyes slowly lost their light as he watched humanity's last hope become lost amidst the endless cosmos…
"Please… live… Yggdrasil…"
