The continent was collapsing. The comet broke and collided with the land as its magnetic pull ripped away the atmosphere and caused catastrophic destruction. The foreign mana overflowed.
—A disaster that transcended magic.
It would now cause an ice age on the continent, perhaps even penetrating the inner core and crushing it into cosmic dust.
"I'm not going to let that happen now."
Epherene wore a small smile. Sophien looked around and nodded.
"It is certainly rare to appreciate such a moment of destruction."
"Yeah."
They were at the lighthouse now, at the very top where Deculein had watched the continent perish. The sun beamed down, razing the land now that the comet had stripped away any solace.
"The four of us decided to implement the professor's miracle together."
Epherene said. Those four were Murkan, Idnik, Epherene, and Sophien. Adrienne was completely useless except for destruction magic.
"Murkan and Idnik will take charge of the spell engraved on the lighthouse from the bottom; I’ll take the middle and the most important bit…."
She looked back to Sophien. She stared out at the destruction and nodded again.
"I will take care of it."
"…Yes."
Epherene glanced behind her. She sent a signal to the waiting wizards.
"We'll start."
Gwooh...
At that moment, Murkan and Idnik activated their magic. They developed a spell that they had remembered in advance. First, Murkan's mana supported the underside of the lighthouse, and Idnik's mana was placed over it.
"I'll meet you… after a brief sleep."
Sophien said. Epherene smiled softly, raising the mana inside her heart.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Swoooosh-
Epherene's mana flowed out like water. The mana of time filled the midsection of the lighthouse, waiting for Sophien to take the last.
"…"
Sophien closed her eyes, letting red mana burst out of her fingers and soak the top of the lighthouse. It wasn't insufficient or too much, but just as Deculein calculated. She implemented the miracle he prepared.
And as the emperor, she led the continent's path forward.
* * *
…Somewhere in Annihilation not far away. In the corner of the earth, scorched by the comet’s mana and staring out over the horizon that would soon disappear and crumble, Kreto remained with Quay.
He was watching the continent perish with him.
"There's not much time left. My barriers aren't that good."
Kreto's magic wouldn't last long amid this destruction. A minute, maybe two. As someone who wasn’t born exceptional, that was his limit.
"So, appreciate it. Isn't this what you wanted?"
With his arms and legs already completely disintegrated, Quay looked up. He couldn't fully understand Kreto or whether he was trying to protect himself or was going to stay together with him until the last moment.
"Humans are really…."
After watching him for a while, he softly said.
"Stupid."
Bits of skin peeled off whenever he moved his lips. The body of a broken doll wouldn’t last long. However, Quay continued.
"In the end, you'll be doomed, and you will not live forever, and eventually, you’ll die. Why…?"
Suddenly, a hand rested on his forehead. It was a gentle gesture to measure the fever of a sick child.
"…Don't try to understand. This saying goes: You can sound water ten fathoms deep, but you cannot sound the human heart."
He spoke as if that was a reasonable thing to say, smiling all the while. Quay sighed and closed his eyes.
"So, how were you in the Holy Age? Were you happy?"
Quay twisted his lips in a grin.
"…There was no such thing."
He answered coldly and opened his eyes.
"Because we lived only for God, there was no need for personal happiness."
"…"
Kreto nodded without saying a word. Suddenly, a look of disappointment spread across Quay's expression.
"But God left me here… with no answer. The me who worshiped believed in and wanted only you...."
"Hmm? Didn't you say that God died? So how can he answer?"
"…"
"Just keep with one story."
Quay stared at Kreto, but his gaze was far away.
"Quay. I know it's a bit random, but...."
The collapsing land and the collapsing sky, the continent was mixing with the universe, and he watched as if appreciating a work of art…
"If I were God, I would be sorry for you."
Kreto paused a moment.
"To you, who has the strongest will, your faith has been the greatest ordeal, adversity, and hardship for humanity."
"…"
Quay's eyes trembled. Kreto’s figure was reflected in the doll's eyes, both bathed in the starlight of the universe. He felt like he had once.
"I think I would be sorry. I think it would be a bit regretful that I left without saying anything to you."
A small smile tugged on Kreto’s lips.
"But that would be proof that even God was imperfect from any point of view."
The existence of Quay ironically already testified to God's imperfection.
"So, maybe you are the only innocent in fate’s flow."
He was created in the Holy Era, meaning he was no different from the origin of humanity. As a creature, he was closer to God than anyone else. Therefore, it might first be God's fault if he was guilty.
"So…."
Kreto lowered his gaze and looked at Quay. Silently he glared back.
"…"
But why? Now Quay was a little puzzled. Staring at Kreto's face, a memory of a distant day came to mind. In a world so far away, in a time so far, the memories had been forgotten. Those days when he used to wake up to the chirping of birds every morning, thanked the sunlight that wetted his sleepy face, and smiled innocently at the grasshoppers’ song...
"Rest in peace."
Kreto reminded him of them.
"…Yes."
Quay replied blankly. Kreto scratched at his head.
-And then.
The rain scattered from the sky.
Woooosh...
At the moment of destruction, at this moment, when the atmosphere was burning, a drizzle that went against the providence of nature fell on Kreto's barrier.
"I think I can understand… a bit."
Seeing that, Quay was sure.
"The reason you were born as Sophien's little brother."
Of course, it might not be. He could be making a silly mistake since there was a problem with the body he inhabited.
"I don't think there is any particular reason I was born as the emperor's little brother."
"…"
Quay shook his head, then smiled.
"…Go back. To the lighthouse."
Kreto wouldn't survive here. But Quay couldn't allow him, the incarnation, to die in vain like this. At this last moment, he must not leave the child who passed on to him God's will.
"Why?"
"Because you are in danger."
It didn't matter if this was an illusion. God's will was always vague, and the content changed depending on the believer's heart accepting it.
"Go back and deliver my words to Sophien."
Kreto was an incarnation, and God had sent him down here to hear these words at the end, to apologize to him… this was Quay's interpretation.
"What words?"
Kreto asked. Quay looked up.
Rumble-
Red mana spread across the skies. Sophien.
My creation.
"…That I'm proud of her."
Capturing that scene in his last memory, Quay quietly closed his eyes, and Rainwater flowed down them. The world went dark, and his consciousness grew distant, but Quay no longer felt lonely. He was refreshed and happier than ever.
"That I think I can understand a little bit now… his will."
"…Okay."
Kreto replied. He gently wiped the tears from his eyes.
"…That I said thank you."
Quay smiled.
…Twit, twit.
Off in the distance, he could hear the birds singing. The still young Quay looked up and smiled. He pumped his short legs and ran, waving his hand above him.
…Twit, twit.
Following the happily chirping birds, smiling brightly as he crossed through the woods, over rivers, until finally, he lost himself.
…Twit, twit.
But even if I get lost, even if I am trapped in a dark mountain where the sun has disappeared, I can just start over there.
…Twit, twit.
Because I now know that this song, the song of a bird that will always guide me, comes from my heart.
* * *
…The center of the cold, before the frozen knight Julie. Keiron and Yeriel reached out to her.
—…Yeriel.
Keiron called out. Yeriel, who was staring blankly at Julie, trembled.
—What are you thinking?
"…"
Yeriel looked back at Keiron.
"I'm thinking about what will happen."
—What, how?
"After this."
Yeriel put Deculein down behind Julie. Making it seem as though Julie, who still held her sword upright, was protecting Deculein. With this, Deculein would be safe. After everything, he could wait for a more comfortable death.
"What will you do, Knight Keiron?"
Yeriel was suddenly worried about him. Some people were frozen, people who could freeze, and people who couldn't be frozen. Keiron was one of the rare third.
—I will make Her Majesty hibernate. She is still at the top of the lighthouse.
For Sophien and Epherene, hibernation was no different from falling asleep for a while. Eons would disappear when they awoke.
"…What about what comes next, knight?"
But not for Keiron. For him, that time would be definite, and it would flow the same.
—We also need someone to manage the continent as it slowly recovers. We also need knights to protect those who are going to be hibernating.
Nevertheless, Keiron announced his duty calmly, as if it had never changed from the start.
"…Does that make sense? It may be over ten thousand years."
The lifespan of Outside of Time, calculated by Deculein himself, was 10935 years. They would hibernate for exactly that time, but 11,000 years would still be 11,000 years for Keiron.
—I can regard the time spent with the giant as a rehearsal.
Keiron faintly smiled.
—Deculein's sister, we all have our role to play.
Yeriel stared blankly at Keiron.
—So, I will protect Her Majesty here.
Crack...
Something was getting cold. Yeriel looked around and was startled to find her fingertips were freezing.
"T-This-"
—Sleep in peace.
Keiron nodded as he watched Yeriel freeze.
—If you close your eyes for a while and then open them, the continent will be restored.
"No, wait—"
Before she could even shout, Yeriel was frozen still. Her sleep had begun.
