In a black void where death is defined, Sayaka drifts in the stupor space, suspended as if she's underwater. Her eyes were half-closed and her expression is that of shattered hope; she hasn't felt such a loss for some time. She felt some strength in her body, but she didn't see any point in using it, especially in the middle of nowhere
All she can do in this void was lay there motionless, reflecting.
Is it over?
...
Yes, it is over... and we lost...
We gave all we got against him, and it wasn't enough... We fought through all his waves, suppressed his tower defenses, and defeated his generals... only to fail at seizing the tower...
He came back hard and show no mercy on us...
We ran... ran like scared animals trying to flee from the hunters...
That's all we are to Pryus...That's what he does to anyone against him.
He had such power to turn us from fighters to cowards...
He made this game so unfair just by that power alone.
There's nothing we can do to stop him now...
I wish we could've done more...
Homura... you deserted us... I'll never forgive you for what you done...
Madoka... Kyoko... Mami... I wish we were just back in Mitakihara before all this happened...
Duo... I just wish there was more we could do together...
Parasoul... Pit... Everyone...
...
I'm sorry... it was an honor to fight with you all...
And if this is where I'll die...
...
So be it...
Sayaka used her strength to curl up. She began to sob, each teardrop shed was a piece of hope shed. But moments later, she found herself gently floating own and landing on a smooth surface. She still curled up and sitting.
A light appeared before her, and she looked up at the silhouettes of a man and a woman. Their silhouettes are barely detailed as the light was too obstructing for Sayaka to see how they looked. Yet, she can make out some wings from the woman silhouette.
The woman mostly spoke to Sayaka while the man remained silent.
"Don't give up, child." The woman lends Sayaka a hand. "Rise, Magical Girl, I have my faith in you and The Saints' March."
Sayaka looked at her with doubt but took her hand anyway. The woman helped Sayaka up, and she had both her hand's holding Sayaka's hand. The touch of the woman's hands was warm and full of love and relief. It was a healer's touch that Sayaka never felt before; Any tightening from her chest and stress and frustration in her mind fades slowly and surely.
Then is slightly halted as Sayaka questioned the woman.
"But Pryus won... it's over," Sayaka argued, "What's the point?"
The woman shook her head. "One battle shouldn't declare the end of a war. Though as much as I want such conflicts to end in the Multiverse, understand that there's a battle for another day. Find that opportunity to make things right in the Multiverse."
Sayaka never thought of that, and she took a deep breath. She smiled slightly, holding onto whatever hope is left within her, healing her mind and heart. While one hand was held by the woman's, Sayaka's other hand was gently placed over where her heart is.
Here, in this void, she makes a promise: I will end Pryus' crusade.
Soon the light was glowing brighter and brighter until it was blinding Sayaka. Sayaka, in response, closed her eyes, still smiling.
...Yet, a light has shown me that my hope wasn't gone... Not all is lost... It's still there deep inside us...
And I will not let it go now.
...
Vitomir Riley Pryus, It's not over.
The fight has only just begun.
Sayaka gasped and quickly got up, awakening from a dream that felt more like a near-death experience. She found herself dressed in a periwinkle nightgown and a number of bandages covering most of her body and all over her ankles and calves. She checked her neck and still felt the mysterious crystal infections with horrifying powers. She was in a comfy king-sized bed fit for two, with a lovely Elizabethian four-post style with silk curtains open.
As she looked at her surroundings, it was a special bedroom containing with smooth marble floors, a sky blue ceiling, nightstands, cedar tables and chairs, a closet room, a personal bathroom, a small study, an art studio, a personal computer desk, a game area, and a balcony with a view of a sanctuary city. There was even a doorway leading to probably other rooms in this unknown home.
The city that can been seen at the balcony was filled with hybrid structures that are nothing like that of Mitakihara. Some structures made the city's beauty and vibes like Mesopatamia, Babylon, and Siam; Some structures made the city's fortification like that of Rome and Byzantium. Overall, the city was a melting pot of the humanities.
The orange skies indicate that the sun is setting.
Sayaka then realized something: her Soul Gem. She quickly looked for it until she hears a voice.
"You're a fool for standing up against Pryus like that," the voice began.
"Who's there?" Sayaka reacted.
Sayaka turns her head to where the voice came from, finding a stranger was sitting across from her. He was holding in his hands something that glowed blue — her Soul Gem. At first, she thought the person was going to hold it like a bargaining chip until he continued.
"Don't worry, I'm a friend." The person seemed to be calm. "I believe this belongs to you, Miss Sayaka Miki."
As Sayaka looked closely, the person got up and stepped into the light. They're revealed to be a young man about the age of 18 to 20, over 5 foot and 5 inches, fair light skin, brown hair and eyes, and an average handsome complexion. He's dressed in a light cotton shirt, beige shorts, and Roman-like sandals. There was a black tux, white cape, a bird mask with black hat, piled on a nightstand next to the chair he was sitting in.
When the young man approached Sayaka, he places her Soul Gem in her hands. He had her close up her hands, telling her to keep the gem close to her.
"My name is Noah, the Hierophant, and you're safe here... for now." Noah got up and stepped over to the closet room.
"And... Where am I, exactly?" Sayaka carefully got up to move, sitting at the edge of the bed.
Noah enters the closet, searching for a few pieces of clothing. "You're in The Citadel, the last sanctuary in the Fabric... and it probably won't be that way for long."
Moments later he came out with folded clothes prepared for Sayaka. He places them on the nightstand next to her. He gestured her to get up.
"Can you stand?" Noah asked.
Sayaka scooted forward so that her feet would touch the floor. When she tried to stand on her own two feet, she had to slow down to ease the pain coming from the patches injuries. Her soul gem had this healing factor that and treat her wounds, but somehow it was healing slowly. She nearly stumbled. Noah wanted to help, but she didn't want Noah to go through the trouble.
Once Sayaka was able to stand, she stepped over to the nightstand to take the clothing.
"I hope the clothes are okay, they were originally a gift for someone but I think they'll fit on you." Noah unfolded the clothes and showed each piece of the ensemble, "I had someone dye them a little to change them from green to blue."
The ensemble consisted of a periwinkle shawl, a light blue silk shirt with short sleeves, a pair of light blue slacks, a royal blue waist sash, and comfortable grey hand-woven shoes. Sayaka was quick to accept the clothing.
Before she can change from the nightgown to the given clothes, she looked at Noah with an eyebrow raised.
"Uhm... do you mind?" Sayaka asked.
"Oh, my apologies." Noah leaves the bedroom for Sayaka to have her privacy.
Once Sayaka is dressed, Noah guides her out of his residence, which was like a labyrinth mansion. Outside, she got to see the entire beauty of this haven city that Noah called The Citadel.
It was hidden pretty well in a valley of a mountain range, building out of marble, granite, and clay. Vegetation grew about in this haven as orchards, farms, and hanging gardens. The people that lived here varied, but most were dressed in either a Roaring-Twenties-Renaissance fashion or a Roman-Siamese-Persian fashion. Their occupations and talents also varied, giving this haven a prosperous vibe. The residence that Noah lived in was made of alloys and marble to create a Greco-Roman Modernist, and Renaissance architecture. Thus, making it stand out among The Citadel's other buildings. The streets were tiled with rhombus and stars. The lamp posts were twisted, hanging electric lanterns.
Noah has some explaining to do while he took Sayaka somewhere. "I found you near a stream during my walk outside the Citadel with a friend. I had to take you into The Citadel to treat you of your wounds. If wasn't your time to die."
Sayaka then wondered about her friends and the allies in The Saints' March. She recalls most of them didn't make it, and those that did retreat were probably scattered in the Fabric. She wanted to be sure that they're alive.
"Am I the only one that you found?" Sayaka wondered.
"Not exactly... the rest of the night, I sent my friend with some rescue parties to quietly rally survivors that are out in the Fabric. I lead my own rescue party to search the area where I found you, and only found a meager 32 survivors of the Battle of Shinar." Noah was bringing Sayaka to a hospital.
The Battle of Shinar? Is that what our siege is called now? She thought.
Sayaka and Noah stopped at a hospital.
"I'll be taking you to the survivors who are in this hospital. And if you're going to ask, the only reason you were in my residence was that we never expected so many. There weren't any rooms." Noah kept the door open for Sayaka as they entered. "After you, miss."
When they entered the hospital's recovery room, Sayaka can recognize most of the survivors were Parasoul's Black Egret troops. However, among those soldiers were not soldiers at all: Madoka Kaname, Eren Jaeger, Armin Arlert, Twilightsparkle, Rainbowdash, Fluttershy, John Egbert, Pit, Parasoul and Duo Maxwell II. Out of all of them, Duo was the most mortally wounded.
Noah was suddenly surprised as Sayaka quickly ran over to Duo.
"Maxwell!" Sayaka worried.
Duo can barely hear, but he can recognize her voice. He had his entire ribcage broken, his right shoulder and shoulder blade were shattered, his liver and right lung were ruptured, and his heart is slowing down. It was a terrifying thing for Sayaka to see, and it's making her cry.
"I-it's good to see you again... but you're hurt!" Sayaka worried. "Here's let me heal you."
Sayaka took out her soul gem and uses half her magic to try and heal him without getting into Magia Overload. The healing didn't work.
"Come on, don't give up on me!"
Sayaka tried again. It didn't work. Using up all that magic was making her soul gem emit blue static. She will exhaust herself if she attempted any further.
"I won't give up, Duo! You'll live!"
Sayaka was going to do it a third time and risk Magia Overload, but Duo used one of his hand to stop her.
"Sayaka... please don't..." Duo halted.
"No... No! Don't give up! Don't die on me! You promised not to die!" Sayaka begged. "I don't want to lose another..."
Duo shook his head. "Don't worry... at least I did what I could to protect you all... I just wish I could stay alive long enough to take you home with me... after all this is over... Will you still want that?"
Sayaka is tearing up. "I still do, Duo. I want to see everything." She then confessed. "I still love you... I always will..."
Duo smiled. His lips moved as if to say "Thank you" before closing his eyes. He stopped breathing, and his heart is silent. He died peacefully.
Sayaka was holding his hand tightly, her arms were shaking a bit. She then let go and got to her knees. She covered her face, mourning the loss of a friend and a loved one. Nearly everyone was awake to see this moment, and as it happened, they remained silent.
Noah slowed his eyes and shook his head before looking away.
