Never Fade Away
At the entrance to the launch bay was the burning wreck of the hover tank. Mouse was inside, though by now, she was little more than ash. Just a little further ahead and off to the side from the ends of the track were a number of corpses scattered about. Augur was at the center of them all, and his body was riddled with bullet holes.
Anna and Elsa passed them by and when the tram came to a stop, they trudged onward, pausing to pay what respect they could to their fallen comrades. Up a staircase, down a walkway, and inside the control center that was independently pressurized from the rest of the launch bay, they found their friends.
Flynn was sitting on the floor, leaning against a netrunning station while K and Rapunzel tended to his injury. There were seven others just like it arranged around the control center. One for each of them had the others survived the suicide mission.
"Hey," Flynn waved. "You made it."
"Yeah, it's a regular family reunion," K sighed, wrapping some bandages around Flynn's shoulder.
"I... I'm so sorry about the others," Elsa said, dipping her head in sorrow.
"Don't be," Rapunzel said firmly. "They knew the risks going in. They believed in you, Elsa. Believed in this cause. We all do. That's why we're here."
"And we're gonna finish this for them," Anna said.
A moment of silence passed, during which they all paid their respects to their fallen comrades. There wasn't much else to say, other than that they had given everything they could. History would never remember any of them and none of their deeds would be recorded in any shape or form. But even so, that wasn't what was important to them.
All that mattered was doing the right thing.
"Where is OLAF?" Elsa asked, looking around.
"Here, ma'am," OLAF replied from the main control console. "Much of the facility's capacities are disabled, but there's still enough systems operational here to initiate the launch sequence. I'm syncing the confluence with the net right now and getting it prepped. We'll be ready to go momentarily."
"How soon until those nukes reach us?" Elsa asked, turning to the main console where OLAF was. "How much time do we have left?"
"Less than five minutes," OLAF replied.
A heavy silence settled over all of them. One during which none of them were able to think of anything to say, much less anything to suggest as a last-minute, desperate escape plan. If escape were possible at all.
"So, any ideas?" Anna asked.
"Can we get to the ship in time?" K asked, standing up, refusing to give in.
Flynn shook his head. "The Maximus is toast," he said. "Even if we could get out, we wouldn't escape the blast radius."
"What about escape pods?" Rapunzel asked, appearing just as desperate as everyone else. "There's got to be some left, right?"
"My scans show that they've all been launched," OLAF said. "All remaining ships on the flight deck or in the hangar have either taken off or been destroyed."
"What do we do then?" K tossed up his hands in despair. "Where do we go?"
Anna kept her gaze focused on her feet. Flynn rubbed his forehead with his hand. Rapunzel averted her gaze.
"Guys, come on!" K pressed. "What do we do? There's gotta be something! Something we haven't thought of yet!"
"What did you think was going to happen when we came up here, K?" Anna asked, her voice deadpan. "It was always coming down to this."
K visibly deflated. "I… I don't know," he muttered. "I guess… a happier ending… for everyone involved."
"Here, for folks like us?" Anna said. "Wrong place. Wrong people."
The entire time they were speaking, Elsa had been staring out the window at the confluence as it was loaded into the satellite launching armature. Robotic arms were moving all around, getting the confluence off the tram and onto a conveyer belt, which led towards the main launch platform; essentially a giant gun that shot satellites, probes, and long-range communications buoys into space.
"I have an idea," Elsa said. "But you may not like it."
"Anything's gotta be better than getting nuked," Flynn said.
Anna met Elsa's gaze. "What are you thinking?"
"There are eight netrunning stations," Elsa pointed to each one. "Enough for all of us. We aren't getting off this station. So, maybe we-"
"Enter the confluence," OLAF finished her sentence. "You're suggesting we upload our consciousnesses."
"Are you sure?" Rapunzel asked. "Nobody comes back from that. You said so yourself."
"Yet the right to make a choice you have earned, through will and endeavor," OLAF said. "Enter cyberspace forever and permanently sever the connection to your bodies, or remain here in this doomed world and depart it on your own terms."
It may have not been the exit strategy they were counting on, but at this point, it was their only option. Still, the prospect of leaving behind their physical bodies forever and stepping into the unknown wasn't thrilling. Even so, it was that, or be obliterated in the nuclear detonation.
Both options were essentially dying. At least one of them presented an opportunity where their consciousnesses could still survive.
The doomsday clock was fast approaching midnight. They were out of time and out of options.
Elsa stepped forward. "Nobody comes back from a nuke either," she said. "Let's face it, there's no going home for us. This... this is the only chance we have left. We go into the confluence and we can at least preserve our minds. Our bodies will die, but we'll be together. We launch into space and we're gone for good."
Anna shut her eyes and sighed. "She's right, this is our only option," she said. "Come on, we're wasting time. This isn't a conversation. It's almost midnight. We need to get inside right now."
"Well, shit," Flynn struggled to his feet. "Fine, let's do this. Punzie?"
"I'm with you no matter what," Rapunzel clung to his arm.
"K?" Anna looked at him.
"Is this really the only choice we have left?" K asked.
"It is," Elsa said. "I'm sorry."
K heaved a deep sigh and then nodded. "Okay… alright," he said. "Let's do this thing."
"Then it's settled. Everyone dive now," Elsa went over to the main console and started typing in rapid command lines. "OLAF, I'll need your help to automate the launch sequence. Once that's done, I expect to see you inside as well."
"Of course, ma'am," OLAF replied.
Anna came up to her side, refusing to abandon her until they were certain of their success.
"What about you guys?" Rapunzel asked as she prepared to jack into her station.
"We'll make sure everything is good to go, then we'll catch up," Anna said. "Go, Punzie. Go, go."
With that, one by one, K, Rapunzel, and Flynn jacked in and entered the net. Their eyes became blank as their bodies became limp in their chairs.
"Connection established with the confluence," OLAF said. "Patterns are holding steady. Souls are transferring over from the net. It's working, Elsa. Your plan is working."
"Good, but we'll celebrate once we're out of harm's way," Elsa finished up some last few lines and handed the rest to OLAF. "I'll see you inside shortly, OLAF. Anna, let's dive."
"Right behind you," Anna nodded.
They both settled into their netrunning stations which were side by side. After they slotted in their neural cords, they each gave each other one last look.
"Here we go," Anna said.
Elsa nodded. "Starting dive sequence."
Anna's vision blurred around the edges until it turned completely black. She repeatedly opened and shut her eyes, though that process wasn't technically physical anymore now that her mind was being transported into the net. Soon as she made it there, her vision cleared and tangible spaces coalesced from strings of green code and numbers.
The first thing she saw was a multitude of people, made up of similar codes and numbers, though their features were still distinguishable. K was there, as were Rapunzel and Flynn.
Anna looked down at herself and saw that her body was whole once more. She had all her limbs as she once did, a product of her mind's ability to recall the physical form she previously occupied before her traumatic injuries.
Elsa materialized next to Anna moments later and now, they both stood before the collective of consciousnesses. Ahead of them was a bridge of digital blocks that led deeper into cyberspace and into the confluence. At the end of that bridge was a beacon of sorts, appearing like a tall, white fountain of light that called them home. For whatever reason, the people hadn't yet crossed it yet.
"Woah," Anna looked at her hands and waved them around. "This is the net?"
"It is," a familiar voice said.
Anna and Elsa looked over at the same time and saw a blue, holographic man walking towards them from the head of the group of people.
"OLAF?" Anna looked at him in wonder. "You- you're a-"
"A real boy?" OLAF smiled. "Not quite, but maybe just enough for it to count. I've finished automating the launch sequence and I've already begun the countdown. Time passes differently in the net compared to the real world, so we have more time to talk. Time enough to say goodbye."
"What are you all still doing here?" Elsa asked, gesturing to the people waiting in front of them. "Go, you're free now. You're all free."
OLAF looked over his shoulder and glanced at them. "We wanted to wait for you," he looked back at Elsa. "To say thank you," he extended his hand to shake.
Elsa blinked in surprise, but she accepted OLAF's hand. Her expression became pained as she looked around at the people she had saved. Anna saw her unease and came close to her side, holding her by the shoulders.
"There's a line from the Jewish Talmud," OLAF took Elsa's hand in both of his own. "It says, whoever saves one life, saves the world entire."
Ahead in the crowds, they saw faces. Faces that belonged to humans and androids alike. Their distinctions didn't matter anymore. In the net, they were all one and the same. A group of people unified and now free from slavery, fear, and oppression.
There were men, women, and children. Gratitude and salvation were plain to see in all of their expressions.
Anna looked at all of them and realized for the first time the extent to which Elsa's work had produced an effect in the world. All of these people were alive because of Elsa. They were saved because she had delivered on her promise to take them to the promised land. It was more good than Anna had ever done in her entire life, and just by helping Elsa in her noble mission, she was granted some redemption for having been able to take a part in it.
Elsa was shaking her head, staring at her feet as she was unable to meet the gazes of the people she had risked everything to help. In their moment of victory, she felt only defeat.
"Don't thank me," Elsa said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I could have done more."
OLAF frowned and leaned in as if he didn't hear Elsa clearly at first.
"I- I could have... I could have done more," Elsa repeated.
OLAF shook his head adamantly.
"If I just- I could- I could have got more out," Elsa stammered and shut her eyes against digital tears that began to spill.
"Elsa, there are hundreds of people who are alive because of you, look at them," OLAF said.
Anna felt her own eyes stinging as well, so she held Elsa tight as she could, saying everything with actions that she couldn't with words. She knew that Elsa was thinking of all the people they had lost along the way to get them where they were now. All the people who should have been with them but weren't.
Nora. Theodore. Rufus. Lizzie. Mouse. Augur. Takahashi.
"If I had just been more careful," Elsa sniffed. "Maybe I could have helped more... at least one more. One more person. A person… people are dead because of me. I could have... if I just-"
"Hope will live on because of what you did," OLAF said.
"I didn't do enough."
"You did so much."
Elsa let go of OLAF's hands and turned away, refusing to hear the earnestness in his words and refusing to see the sincere looks of the people she had liberated. She walked a few steps away with her arms wrapped around her torso, wearing an expression of complete anguish. There, she fell to her knees and began to softly weep from her self-perceived sense of failure.
Immediately, Anna was by her side, holding her up, embracing her tight. Within seconds, OLAF was there as well, as were K, Rapunzel, and Flynn who gathered around Elsa.
Outside in the physical world, the launch bay doors opened up and the main platform was moved into position. They were seconds away from being shot into space, but inside the net, their last few moments were stretched on for as long as possible.
Anna held onto Elsa while she wept. Teardrop by teardrop, she wrung the sorrow of out her and replaced it with light and hope. The constancy of warmth and devotion from their friends absolved Elsa of her regret, replacing it with nothing but the profound renewal of body, mind, and soul.
When her tears dried, Anna helped Elsa to her feet. Finally able to look upon her people again, Elsa saw that the collective of consciousnesses had begun to pulse with blue light. One by one, they each turned blue in solidarity with Elsa, communicating the incredible depth of their appreciation with that gesture alone.
Then, they started to cross the bridge into the land of forever. With every soul that made it across, they melded with the fountain of light at the end, entering the confluence. The realm of limitless possibilities to live out whatever lives they wished.
Now had come the time to say farewell and head off into the inevitable.
"Guess this is really happening then, huh?" Flynn said, staring off at the others. "Do we know what's on the other side?"
Rapunzel shrugged. "Who can say?" she asked, holding onto Flynn's hand. "Guess we'll just have to find out."
"Crazy stuff," Flynn turned back to regard his friends. "Well, gang, I guess this is goodbye."
"Don't know where we'll wind up or who we'll become, but... I do hope we all see each other again," Rapunzel smiled. "I'm really glad I met all of you."
Flynn and Rapunzel hugged goodbye to Anna, Elsa, and K in turn. Then, with a final wave and a smile, they grabbed each other's hands and joined the others as they walked across the bridge, ready to face their new futures together.
K sighed, looking back at Anna and Elsa. "It's been one hell of a ride, right?"
Anna smiled and approached him for a hug. "The best," she said as they embraced. "I'll see you on the other side."
"Count on it, feistypants," K replied.
After a few more tender seconds, they came apart. K approached Elsa and they both smiled at each other one last time.
"If you had told me two years ago that helping some amnesic woman recover her memories and get her sister and life back would have led me to here, I would have been very skeptical," K chuckled. "But I sure am glad I did. You're both good women. Good people. The best. Don't you guys ever forget that."
"We won't," Elsa hugged K. "And thank you. For everything."
"Finally getting the recognition I deserve and all it took was the end of the damn world," K laughed.
With a final smile, he turned around and joined the others as they departed from their mortal coils.
The only person left was OLAF, and he now stood before Anna and Elsa. "Ladies," he bowed. "Allow me to say that it has been my utmost pleasure serving you both, and I sincerely wish that wherever your lives take you next, you remain true to each other and to yourselves."
He lifted Elsa's hand and placed a kiss on top of it, then did the same for Anna. After that, he too crossed the bridge.
Now alone, Anna and Elsa approached the bridge and stopped just before it, looking out across the way at the fountain of light. All was silent and still. Peaceful from the finality in the promise of eternity.
All at once, confronted by the end, Anna finally remembered the name of the blind monk she had spoken with. It was a name she had once asked for on many occasions. A name that she had once cursed and called upon. A name that was as old as time itself. She did not utter it again, for the remembrance alone was enough comfort to assuage any further doubts in her mind.
The cycle of death and rebirth that the blind monk had spoken of had come to repeat itself yet again. The living proof was there in Elsa. She had once lived as Nora, then when she died, she was reborn as Elsa. If ever there was any evidence of a higher power, it was right there in front of Anna.
"This is it," Anna said, turning her body so that she faced Elsa. "We cross that bridge and this is all over."
"This part of our lives is over," Elsa faced Anna as well, smiling warmly at her. "The next part begins in there."
"Hard to believe we made it this far."
"Still have doubts?"
"No, I don't. It's either this or facing whatever's back out there. And out there is just certain death anyway."
"I agree. But I have to say, this certainly isn't the way I expected my day to go when I woke up next to you this morning."
Anna laughed and nodded. "Yeah, life is pretty crazy," she sighed, taking both of Elsa's hands into her own. "I guess I- I... I guess I am a bit nervous though."
"Why?" Elsa asked.
"We're walking into the big unknown. What if in our next life, we're treasure hunters, or like, we live in a fantasy world with magic? Actually, no, that sounds pretty awesome."
"Hmm. Maybe we could be princesses for real. Or queens."
"I'd like that," Anna smiled. "It's just that we came so far in this life. I don't know how we'll be able to start all over again. All the people we cared about. Nora. I've already said my goodbyes to her, but this feels... different. Like I'm really saying goodbye now."
"All ends are beginnings," Elsa said, squeezing Anna's hands gently. "No one is ever really gone. Part of Nora still lives in me. I've always carried her with me. I always will," she sighed. "Some of our friends can't come with us, but that doesn't mean we're leaving them behind."
Anna stared at Elsa, feeling overwhelmed by the devotion she felt to her. It was the same devotion she felt to Nora, just in a different form. And that was okay.
Nothing was meant to last forever. The defining virtue of a limited existence was that it gave everything meaning.
Nora had lived a life. She was real. And she died.
That meaning was transferred into Elsa who once was a vessel of splintered memories and painful experiences. Since meeting Anna, she had regained her humanity and more than that, learned how to cope with her humanity. She was able to process her trauma and learn from it, move past it, and transfer her healing onto others as much as she could.
She was no longer Elsa, Enhanced Learning Systems Android, serial number, EXG7-00.1. She was simply just Elsa. A flawed and perfectly imperfect human being who sacrificed everything to give others what she had received.
A chance at freedom. The ability to choose.
Perhaps she wasn't able to save everyone, but she tried her best and that was all anyone could do. To try and do some good. To make a difference. To change the world. In the end, she was able to save what she cared about most.
As for Anna, she was once a bitter cynic who had shut the world out and built up walls if only to spare herself from further heartbreak. Since meeting Elsa, she learned how to move past that cynicism and she learned how to forgive herself. She learned how to love again. How to dream. How to hope.
Like Elsa, Anna had been able to grow and change and transform. Innocence was a chrysalis she had shed long ago, but even in her darkest moments, she never let herself get completely lost. She was a survivor and a fighter. A flawed and imperfectly perfect human being who just did the best she could.
The cancer may have killed her body, but in the end, it saved her soul.
Perhaps Anna may have once hated all synthetic beings for what she suffered, but through Elsa and her crusade, she fought for them and moved past that hatred. The woman who once never would have lifted a finger for an android had sacrificed everything to help them and in doing so, she at last found a small measure of peace that many sought and few ever found.
The annals of history were filled with stories of selfless sacrifice and heroism during periods of darkness and despair. Dying for a noble cause was the most human thing anyone could do.
"Elsa?" Anna started.
"Anna," Elsa replied.
Anna pulled Elsa in for a kiss, and together, they remained in each other's embrace for just a little while longer. When they pulled apart, they rested their foreheads against each other and stared into each other's eyes.
"I love you," Anna whispered.
"And I love you," Elsa said. "Time to go?"
"Mmhmm."
"We found our way back to each other once before. We can do it again. We will."
"We'll always stick together, right?"
"Of course. We'll stick together, no matter what."
Anna grinned. "Forever?"
"Forever and ever," Elsa returned a crooked and dimpled smile.
With that, they kissed each other a final time, then together, they walked hand-in-hand across the bridge. When they reached the fountain of light, they looked at each other and then stepped in without hesitation and without fear.
Bit by bit, their minds were melded with the confluence and harmonized with the alternate realities it contained. Then, they were gone. Off to see wherever they ended up in another story.
Another life. Another place. Another time. Another universe.
Back in the physical world they had just left, the countdown timer in the launch bay reached zero and the confluence was shot out into space, carrying with it all the souls that were saved onboard. Only seconds later, the nuke headed towards Janus Station detonated. The shockwave tore apart the entire facility and completely atomized everything. Humanity held its breath as the second collapse officially began.
It didn't matter anymore. The confluence was far beyond the reach of anyone, beginning its long voyage across the stars.
Anna and Elsa were gone. But their love, their hopes, their dreams, and their bond would persist beyond time and space and death.
Their story had ended in this world, but it was just starting in others.
… … …
That one thing that changed it all
That one sin that caused the fall
A thing of beauty - I know
Will never fade away
What you did to me - I know
Said what you had to say
But a thing of beauty - I know
Will never fade away
Author's Note
Hello reader,
If you made it this far, thank you.
The final song is Never Fade Away by P.T. Adamcyzk and Olga Jankowska from the Cyberpunk 2077 soundtrack.
On the ending, I wanted to avoid writing a conventional happy ending as I have done with all of my other fics. I wanted this one to be more bittersweet but still hopeful. Also, I wanted to tie it into the meta narrative that I have been developing since Song of the Blight. All of my previous works are connected to each other through references and easter eggs. The confluence was essentially a plot device to explain a multiverse which Elsa and Anna have escaped into.
It was also a way for me to acknowledge the works that I have enjoyed as a reader before I became a writer, and as nod to all the works that have come before mine and will come after it.