The presence of Libra loomed before me, an overwhelming force that seemed to bend reality itself.
Their words echoed in my mind, their cosmic resonance sending shivers down my spine.
I couldn't help but feel a mixture of awe and trepidation, a realization that I stood before a being of unimaginable power.
'Constellations… really are something, huh?'
"You are an anomaly, stranger," Libra's voice resonated, each word carrying the weight of galaxies.
"This world, this timeline, should have been rife with chaos, with the triumph of darkness and despair. Evil should have prevailed in the end. But you... you upended that flow, defying the natural order of things.."
I swallowed hard, my mind racing to comprehend the magnitude of their words.
Chaos and despair, the very antithesis of the peace and hope I had fought for, were supposed to be the prevailing forces.
Yet, I had upturned that flow?
'Now I understand… this is the Nether Realm, after all.'
The one who made the rules was that twisted entity.
"You're a threat," Libra continued, their form shimmering with cosmic energy. "A threat that must be eliminated to restore the balance that should have been."
My heart pounded in my chest, my thoughts a maelstrom of uncertainty and determination.
I had thought so hard to change this world, to bring about a better future. It took a lot of care to craft this new reality, after all.
But now, faced with the words of a cosmic entity, I couldn't help but question whether I had overstepped my bounds.
Had I disrupted a cosmic equilibrium that was beyond my understanding?
'If I didn't reset things so much… things wouldn't have come to this point.'
I now risked not only my life, but Karlia's as well.
I took a deep breath, my gaze meeting Libra's shimmering eyes.
"I... I only wanted to bring peace," I said, my voice wavering slightly. "To end the suffering, the pain. Is that wrong?"
Libra's form remained unmoving, their presence a mixture of contemplation and stern resolve.
"It is not your place to determine the course of events," Libra continued, their voice resonating with a cosmic authority. "Your interference has disrupted the equilibrium, upset the delicate balance that sustains the universe."
I felt a knot tighten in my stomach, a sense of guilt and doubt gnawing at my core.
And then, as if to further shatter my resolve, a realization washed over me. Even with the combined might of the Arcanas, even with the power to rewrite reality itself, I couldn't stand against a being like Libra.
They were a Constellation, a cosmic force that transcended the limitations of my understanding. Boundless and eternal, they existed on a scale that was incomprehensible to me.
I was just a mortal, a mere speck in the grand tapestry of the cosmos.
And no matter how much power I had gained, no matter how determined I was, I stood no chance against a force that was beyond my comprehension.
My shoulders slumped, the weight of the realization pressing down on me.
"I... I understand," I murmured, my voice barely audible. "If... if my existence disrupts the balance, then… I'll leave. That should change everything to—"
"No need. You should simply perish.
'Damn… I figured that would be the case.' A bead of sweat trickled down my face.
For a Constellation like Libra, why would they bother to consider sparing my life?
'I guess there is indeed a limit to what I can do, even at the pinnacle of Magic.;
There were forces beyond my control, forces that could not be rewritten, forces that were boundless and eternal.
And against those forces, I was powerless.
"It seems you understand now…"
As the weight of Libra's declaration settled upon me, I found myself caught in a swirling tempest of uncertainty.
'No. I can't give up now. Let's think, Lewis… THINK!'
My life. Karlia's life. And the many lives I had saved by changing the outcome of this world… all of those hung in the balance.
Was I going to call it quits now?
'Jared wouldn't do that! Neither can I!'
I HAD TO THINK!
What could I do against a being of such cosmic magnitude? How could I hope to defy a force that held the very fabric of reality in their hands? My mind raced, thoughts colliding in a chaotic storm of desperation and determination.
'Think, Lewis! You have to THI—'
And then, a gentle tap on my shoulder broke through my reverie.
'H-huh?'
I turned, my eyes meeting Karlia's, and in that moment, a sense of relief washed over me.
Her presence was a calming balm, so sudden that it felt so strange.
"Don't worry," she said softly, her voice carrying a serene confidence.
"It's my turn now."
I looked at her, a mixture of surprise and gratitude filling my heart.
The overwhelming sensation that had gripped me began to dissipate, replaced by a newfound sense of calm. I watched as Karlia's form began to shimmer, her presence emanating a subtle brilliance.
Libra's voice rumbled like cosmic thunder, a deep chuckle that seemed to reverberate through the very cosmos itself.
"And what can you, a mere creation, do in the face of my power?"
As Libra's words echoed, a surge of energy radiated from Karlia's form, and the entire world trembled in response. I watched in awe as her expression transformed into a confident grin, her eyes shining with determination.
"Why don't we find out?" she retorted, her voice carrying a playful edge.
Why? How was she so confident? I couldn't understand it.
And what's more… I didn't understand how I believed her.
"Wait here, Lewis. This won't take long."
And with that, she took flight, her form becoming a streak of light that soared towards the cosmic entity before us.
~WHOOOOOSSSHHHHH!!!~
I barely had time to process her words before she vanished from my sight, leaving the planet's atmosphere in a blur.
The sky above us seemed to shimmer with residual energy, a testament to the power that had been unleashed.
"Ah…"
I stood there, watching in awe as Karlia faced off against Libra, her form a beacon of light against the vast cosmic expanse.
'What… in the world is happening?'
How could Karlia expect to fight a Constellation?
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[A/N]
Thanks for reading!
Looks like a climatic battle is at hand. Yeah… this is the climax.
