It was impossible. They…they…
…They've been waiting for me for all this time, even though I've forgotten about them…what were their names?
No, Johann! You haven't forgotten about us!
Her voice sounded so familiar…so gentle, warm, and caring.
Bronya…? Is it really you?
He felt her crying.
Yes. It's me. It's all of us. Kiana is here, too.
He felt the long-lost Kaslana's voice entering his mind.
Johann, we've been trying to get you back as soon as the battle ended. Otto somehow sent you into the new timeline. We thought you were lost to us forever, but Nagamitsu, Einstein, and Tesla managed to find a way to connect our world with yours. Right now, we're using an entirely new method they made to directly communicate with your mind.
Kiana…it's you…so, I do still remember your name…
Have you been alright? I've been so worried for you…
Mei…I'm so sorry for making you worry…
Seele is here, too! Both of us!
You've kept me alone for far too long, my dear little captain. Come back to me for your well-deserved punishment.
And Rozaliya!
And Liliya.
I'm glad that you're all doing alright…
You big idiot! You stupid, stupid captain! I thought I ordered you as the Headmistress of St. Freya to not get yourself into a mess like this again!
I'm sorry, Theresa…I still haven't forgiven myself for what I did to you by trusting Otto…
Johann, I'm glad you're doing well. You don't know how worried all of us have been for you.
Fu Hua…so, you were the teacher I thought I'd forgotten…
I'm glad you've remembered my lessons. A friend of mine is also here, and she wishes to speak with you.
An entirely unfamiliar voice spoke into his mind.
So, you're Fu Hua's disciple I've heard so much about. You definitely seem like Raksha's cousin. He spoke much about you when we were travelling together, how much he missed you and regretted what he did to hurt you. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Li Sushang. Pleased to make your acquaintance.
…Pleased to meet you as well, Li Sushang.
A deeper, male voice was the next to speak.
I can put many of my concerns to rest now. It's good to know that you're safe, Mr. Stern, or, shall I say, Mr. Apocalypse. I heard much of the events that transpired in Kolosten from Tesla and Einstein, and I wish to reassure you that the Overseer left you with little other choice. When you return, let us have another discussion over tea.
Mr. Yang? You're here as well? Yes…I would welcome another conversation with you.
Captain, the Hyperion is waiting for you. I'm not the same without you!
Ai-chan? It's good to hear your voice again...
I've been waiting for you, Master.
Rita…?
And Bianka as well. I've barely slept because of how worried I was for you. Don't worry - we'll get you back. Kiana will make sure of it, Bianka's determined voice told him.
He sensed Bronya speaking to him again.
We don't have much time. This connection can only last for a few hours, and we don't know if we can ever create another one. Johann, this is your only chance at ever coming home to us.
…What do you mean?
We've found a way for me to use my void powers to create a portal to your timeline, Kiana said. But you need to use your own powers in just the right way so we can lock onto you and bridge the connection between our worlds.
Kiana…what do I need to do…?
Just create a portal. It can be anywhere. We'll track your energy signature and connect it to mine in this world. You'll be back with us before you know it.
Trust in Kiana, Mei told him. She'll do everything she can to make things right.
…
…
…
I'm sorry. I'm sorry, all of you. I can't go back.
Alarm flared from each of them.
Why? Why can't you come back to us?
He felt Bronya's steadily-increasing fear and anguish.
I'm sorry…this world needs me. I'm the only one who can protect it and keep it safe from itself…Kallen…and Lilika both need me…
He felt confusion, then comprehension, then fear from the girls' minds as they realized the truth of the two names he had spoken.
What do you mean that the world needs you? Bronya calmly asked, unable to prevent him from sensing the amount of jealousy she had for the woman she had never even met.
This world…I'm the strongest person alive in it. I've ushered in a technological revolution, and it's a very dangerous, delicate process…if I'm gone, what's to stop it from devolving into chaos? You all know the history of our own world well enough…this one would destroy itself in my absence. I'm the only one keeping them from destroying themselves. I can't abandon Kallen and Lilika to this fate.
I've ensured an unprecedented era of peace and stability this world has never known. I did it only for Kallen at first and then our daughter, but now I have accepted the burden of this world on my own shoulders. I can't leave. I must defend the beauty of our world.
Shock and disbelief emanated from all of them.
…How many years has it been for you? Fu Hua asked.
More than ten. That's how old Lilika turned today. In many ways, it seems so much longer.
He expected surprise from them, but they only felt a sense of confirmation.
…We've worked for a month to bring you back. We suspected that time flowed faster in your timeline, but…
Kiana could not say any more.
Captain…Bronya said quietly. We need you. We all need you. You give us so much meaning to each of our worlds…but I can't be selfish and demand that you abandon an entire world just for us. You must make a decision now, and quickly. This connection will hold for at most a few hours. After that, you really will be lost to us forever. Choose between us, or Kallen and her world. You cannot have both.
Kiana spoke again, this time more solemnly. Captain…there is one thing you need to know. You can bring one person through the portal with you, but only one. We don't know how safe it would be with more. Trying to bring you back is already dangerous enough on its own…please, think hard about what you're about to do.
The other girls seemed like they had more to say, but Bronya and Kiana had said it all for them.
…How much time do I have?
Less than three hours on your end. Make them count. We'll be waiting for your answer, they all told him at once.
Their voices regretfully faded from his mind, leaving him more conflicted than he ever had been.
Staring at the azure orb that was his home, he asked for the only other one in this world he could always rely on. He closed his eyes, and a violet apparition of a spectral girl appeared before him.
Sirin…what should I do?
I cannot make this decision for you, little captain. This is for you alone to decide. But know that whichever path you take, I will always support you.
Sirin…I…
If you need help deciding, then consider who will be more devastated by losing you forever. Think of Bronya and how much she loves you. Or Kiana, who would be lost without you. And all of the rest. Then think of Kallen and Lilika. Would they cry after losing you? Yes, they would. But would they cry forever? They are stronger than that.
Sirin…
This is the love you have taught me, little captain. I only hope that I have been able to understand it as you would.
She faded away, leaving him to his decision.
Johann Apocalypse opened his eyes.
His decision had already been made long before he even realized it.
He took one last look at the moon and then the stars beyond. Then he turned back to the cradle of life far away. He began flying back at maximum speed.
The vastness of space between him and the Earth gradually diminished. The oceans, forests, plains, and mountain ranges rose to meet him as he re-entered the atmosphere and descended back to the surface. To observers on the ground, he resembled a burning star falling to Earth. Some wished upon him. Their desires would go unheeded.
Instead of returning to his home, he landed at the Grand Cathedral, which was no longer referred to by that name. There, he met with some of his closest friends and allies. Using as few words as he could, he explained to them that he would be leaving this world and would never return.
"Overseer…you cannot do this…we cannot do this without you…we need you…" they protested.
He sadly shook his head. "I must. I was never going to lead forever. Someone better must take my place. I will leave full command of Schicksal to Kallen Kaslana. She is to be your next Overseer. I've already left my letter of resignation and the transfer of power to her on my desk. Lord Arthur, I know you'll do your best to advise her in any way you can. After that, contact the Immortal Celestial in Shenzhou as quickly and as discreetly as you can. This world needs her strength more than ever."
Lord Arthur closed his eyes in acceptance and nodded, as did each of the others.
"Protect this world in my absence. It would never thrive under what's effectively my iron grip on it. There will be struggle. There will be danger. The other nations of the world have their own plans and agendas that conflict with each other if you let them. But I have confidence in Schicksal. In you. I know that in your capable hands, you will be able to continue the peace and prosperity we've come to cherish so much."
He saluted them all for the final time. Then he vanished into a portal.
...
He softly landed on the balcony of his home. He stepped into their bedroom. There, Kallen still peacefully slept, wishing for his presence with her. His sorrow overwhelmed him, but he was barely able to suppress it. The time to mourn would come later.
He left his parting gift on the bedside table before gently kissing her one last time. Then he stepped into the hallway and to the bedroom adjacent to theirs. He opened the door as quietly as he could. He stepped inside.
There, his beloved daughter rested just as peacefully as her mother without any concern in the world.
He blinked his tears away. He quietly walked forward and sat down on the bed beside her, running his hand through her soft, silvery hair.
"Are you sleeping well, my daughter?" he whispered gently. "That's good…I'm so happy, happy beyond words, that you could be a part of my life, and I hope I've made you feel just as happy…you're a strong girl. You will grow up to accomplish so many great things. I'm so proud to be your father. Take good care of your mother for me. I love you, Lilika."
He leaned down and kissed her forehead one last time. Lilika Kaslana stirred slightly, but remained lost to her dreams.
He stood up, exited the room, and closed the door.
...
Kallen slowly opened her eyes to the morning sunrise, expecting to feel his warmth beside her. She felt none of it.
At first, she was not alarmed. It was not often that a man with his duties and responsibilities spent an entire night with her. His family, although the most important responsibility for him, was only one of many.
She slowly sat up and started to prepare for the day. There were new recruits to induct into the Valkyrie Order. They would feel more at ease if they saw their leader to welcome them. Kallen looked forward to meeting them.
Only then did her eyes fall to the letter waiting for her on the nightstand. This was in itself nothing out of the ordinary. He often left handwritten letters for her to find. What shocked her was the sight of a golden, glowing cube beside it.
She recognized it for what it was. It was Void Archives, the Divine Key her husband had used to benefit their world so much in such a short time. It was always with him. So why was it there on her bedside table?
She carefully ignored the cube and opened the handwritten letter. The handwriting was neat, familiar, and comforting, but what they said was anything but. Her eyes gradually widened with surprise and then narrowed with despair and anguish before she squeezed them shut entirely. Tears leaked out from beneath them, dripping onto the paper, staining it with dark marks before she reopened her eyes and forced herself to finish reading.
Once she finished reading every word, she put down the letter, stood up, and exited her bedroom. She entered the adjacent room to find her daughter peacefully at rest.
Her tears continued to fall as she sat down on her bed and shakingly embraced her, waking Lilika up.
...
The dark portal with a golden rim floated in the air inside the laboratory.
Much had happened in the month since their climactic final battle with Otto and his subsequent demise, but all of the Hyperion's crew had a laser-focused determination on bringing their captain back to them.
Seele nervously glanced at Bronya as they watched Kiana focus on maintaining the portal.
"Will this really work, Bronya?" Seele asked.
"It will. It has to," Bronya answered. She had unbreakable confidence in both Kiana and their captain.
Everyone was present. Mei, who had long made up with Kiana. Fu Hua, who understood the most out of all of them what her captain was going through. Li Sushang, who expressed interest in meeting the man who had once been a cousin to her cherished friend. The twins, who excitedly talked amongst themselves as they waited for him to come back. Rita, who said nothing and stood a distance away from the rest. Only Bianka accompanied her. She wished to see him safe as much as they all did. Welt Yang, who observed the scene with calculating eyes. Theresa, who missed him so much and had much to scold him for.
Nagamitsu, Tesla, and Einstein kept a close watch on the monitors and other machinery in the laboratory.
"Kiana, you're doing perfectly. Continue sustaining the portal with precisely that much energy…" Einstein instructed.
"Careful not to overdo it. Don't drop below your current output, either. We'll lose the connection, probably forever," Tesla warned.
"I…I can feel him on the other side…" Kiana gasped, struggling. This experiment required more energy from her than any casual portal.
"You can? Good," Nagamitsu excitedly said. She was a woman with long, reddish hair and a monocle over her right eye. She wore a white, black, and violet lab coat. She was perhaps the most excited out of the three scientists. It was her theories being put to the test, after all. "That's because he's answered with the same resonance on the other side with a portal of his own. It should be…ah! It worked! We've established a connection!"
All of them stared at the portal with nervousness and apprehension. Would it really work? If even the slightest detail did not go to plan, they would never see him again, or worse, they could lose both him and Kiana.
No such thing ever occurred. They never had nothing to worry about.
They saw a black shoe step out of the portal. Then a leg wearing white pants.
Then the captain of the Hyperion stepped back into their world with them, his hair as red as they remembered.
None of them could speak. They could hardly believe what they saw. Some of them began to cry.
He met each of their eyes one by one once he fully exited the portal. His overwhelming joy at seeing them again could not mend the wounds his heart suffered, wounds that would never heal.
...
Lilika stared at her mother with worry. She rarely saw her cry, and it scared her to see a woman as strong as her weeping with such anguish.
"Mommy? Why…why are you crying…?"
"...Lilika…hold me, please…"
"I will."
Kallen sobbed in silence even as Lilika continued to gently hold her mother in confusion.
"What's wrong?" she carefully asked.
The words of the letter forced themselves back into Kallen's mind, flashing right before her closed eyes.
...
To my dearest Kallen…
I wish I had more time to express each thought I have and everything I want to say to you. But I don't. I can only remain in this world for two more hours. These last few hours will have to be enough. Where can I even begin?
I'll start by explaining why I can't stay with you anymore. You already know about the world I come from. It's the original world we grew up in along with Otto. He and I managed to create this world you're in so you can live again.
You belong to your world. No one can take it from you. But I am not the same. I'm only a stranger from afar who lost his way. I was never meant to be here, even if I had to be so that you could live.
In these past ten years we've spent together, I haven't regretted a second of anything we've done. No words can express how happy I was when I saw you again. Even fewer words can describe how I felt when Lilika was born.
I felt that same happiness with the ones who are waiting for me to come home to them. They've been waiting for me all this time ever since I left them, and they've never stopped trying to bring me back to them. Now, they finally have.
This world is safe in your hands, Kallen. It doesn't need me anymore. My own world still does. This is why I must return to it.
I've left Void Archives to you. It will help you lead this world as I had. Don't be afraid of the personality inside it; it's actually harmless and can't control you anymore. I've made sure of that. Use the wealth of knowledge and power it offers you however and whenever you need to. That's its purpose.
And as for my purpose? I guess I can say that I acted as the catalyst for this world. I brought it into a new age when no one else could. I protected it using my own hands and made sure that it would continue even without me. Years ago, I considered the very real possibility that I wouldn't be able to lead forever. No one should. I was its guide at the beginning, but now it needs a new one.
This is why I've left everything to you, my dearest Kallen. You're the light this world needs in my absence. You're the one who can guide it onto the right path. It will fight you. It will refuse to accept you. But you will make it do so.
Without me, the world could return to chaos and war. You can stop this, Kallen. You can make this world a better place. You won't be doing this alone. There are so many people who stand by your side. Arthur, Bianka, your uncle Luka, and so many others. When you truly need help, ask for Fu Hua in Shenzhou. She's the Immortal Celestial you battled so long ago. She means well for this world as much as I do, and she is the strength needed for what's to come.
What else have I left to say? So much that you can't even imagine, but there's so little time. I've just spent an hour writing what you've just read, which was one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do…
I remember reading a book from my world written long ago by a scientist who studied the life of the world. "Endless forms most beautiful", he wrote, meaning that although life is always in struggle, beauty will arise from this. The animals and plants we see today are a beautiful product of this struggle. In the same way, I can see our human civilization becoming more beautiful from our efforts to survive and become better than we are…
There is beauty in this world, Kallen. It may sometimes be hard to see, and you will need to fight for it, but that's our purpose. To fight for all that is beautiful in this world. I fought for both of you. You and Lilika are the beauty in my world and always will be.
There were dark, dried up stains on the paper.
Now, these words are for you, Lilika…
I'm sorry that I won't be able to take you flying in the sky anymore. I know it was always your favourite thing to do, but there are more important things that need to be done right here on the ground. There are people who need help and people you can help. You're a Kaslana just like your mother. You can protect your world and the people in it. Just be sure to always think carefully about your decisions before you make them, and don't be afraid to ask your mother if you ever need help with anything. You've made me proud to be your father, Lilika. Take good care of your mother for me. I will always love you.
Finally, to you again, Kallen.
Do you remember the play we watched with Otto so many years ago? One line went something like "parting is such sweet sorrow…"
I wasn't sure what it meant at first, but after thinking about it, I realize that it carries two meanings. The first is that having to leave the ones you love is sorrow. It's painful, and you wish you didn't have to do it. The second is that even after parting, there is always the hope that we can see those we love again. The hope we feel can only be described as sweet.
Even though I can't live up the second meaning to you, I will always remain in your heart, and you will always remain in mine. We will always be together this way. We'll always remember the happiest years of our lives together, with Sakura, with Otto. Thank you for everything, Kallen. Take good care of Lilika for me. I love you both.
- Johann Apocalypse, father and husband forever
...
They continued to embrace each other. After a while, Kallen slowly explained everything to her daughter. It was Lilika's turn to cry, no matter how much she tried not to.
It would be difficult, if not impossible for them to come to terms with their loss. But they still had each other. They would always be there for each other. Their memories of him would stay with them forever, giving them the strength to fight on.
"Lilika, darling…" Kallen whispered to her. "We are Kaslanas. We will fight to protect this beautiful world your father has left for us. I promise you…we will do this. Together."
Lilika smiled even though she only understood a little of it. "I know, mommy. Daddy trusts me to protect you and our world. I love you."
In the skies above, unseen stars shined their light onto them.
A/N: I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to all those who have stuck this far with me all the way to the end. I'm honoured that you've found my writing to be worth reading, and I hope it was well worth your time.
It feels strange to finally be finished. When I started writing this, I wasn't even sure if I were capable of finishing it all. When I finished at 108,000 words, I wasn't sure if I had the patience to go and edit it. When I saw the final word count at over 140,000, I could only smile and hope for the best.
Now that I'm done, there's a lot I could do, and that's exactly what I'll do. I'll be taking a break from writing since I feel like I've told enough stories to last a good long while. I'll still be here on FF to answer any questions or comments, and I do certainly intend to return with more stories at some date, whenever it may be.
Until then, thank you for reading.